New electric car MoT tests could be coming to the UK

The Department for Transport has not ruled out significant changes to the MoT test here in the UK, following new rules proposed by the European Commission (EC) to improve safety around electric cars and modern driver assistance systems.

In a newly announced package of changes, the EC is looking to comprehensively overhaul road safety rules as far as they relate to the periodic technical inspection (PTI) of cars already on the road – the equivalent of our annual MoTs here in the UK.

It says current rules – in large part mirrored by the requirements of the MoT thanks to the UK’s previous membership of the European Union – are outdated and “no longer sufficient to keep up with the rapid progress in vehicle technology”.

As a response to the technical development of new cars on the road, the EC is proposing to introduce periodic inspections designed specifically for electric cars, as well as new tests for electronic driver safety systems.

According to a Commission statement: “Current testing methods have not been adapted to advances and roll-out of new technologies, such as advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features, and electric vehicles.”

It says key elements of Europe’s new PTI regime will include adaptations to annual/periodic tests to make them suitable for EVs, as well as monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of driver assistance systems by testing software integrity. 

As part of its round of proposed updates, the EC says it also intends to improve the scope and effectiveness of emissions testing, and upgrade the PTI’s capacity to spot vehicle software that has been tampered with.

Here in the UK, the Department for Transport told us it “continually reviews the MoT system in Great Britain to ensure road safety and environmental standards are maintained. Any proposals for the European Union will be reviewed.”

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