Weak Points of Commercial Vehicles: An Analysis of Specific Vehicle Categories By the TAwv, Rheinland

The inspection reports of 150,000 vehicles by the TÜV (Technical Inspection Association), Rheinland, form the basis of this report. The results of these yearly inspections point out specific problems that develop in vehicles. The report correlates types of problems with vehicle weights and age. The problems are discussed in terms of the manufacturer's possibility to eliminate the problem in the future; consequently, the paper investigates the feedback of data from the individual driver to the automobile industry through the TÜV.

Results show that the role of the TÜV forms an important link in information feedback to the manufacturer. Although the latter obtains more information in early years of a vehicle's life through its own quality-control organization, these TÜV reports become more important in later years