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The European car industry, which is already struggling with a recession, is under further pressure in the form of new German rules for getting vehicles to trailers. These measures, which require stricter standards for receiving cars during transport, increase costs for haulers and threaten the profitability of the entire sector. They tell, for example Financial Timeswhich says that due to Germany’s strategic position in car transport, the measures and higher costs may only apply to German car companies.
New rules, introduced by the German technical body VDI in September, require tow trucks to use more tie-down straps and stronger wheel blocks when transporting cars. In addition, the trucks that transport the cars must be certified according to the new standards. The group explains these changes with the increase in electric cars and their greater weight compared to traditional cars with a combustion engine. At the same time, he wants to apply them throughout the EU.
According to René Eisbrich, COO of the Austrian company Lagermax Autologistik, his company needs about 30% more straps and 25% more wheel blocks because of the new regulations. In total, the cost of updating his company’s fleet of 500 trucks amounts to 1 million euros.
Due to the speed of change, there is a shortage of both blocks and straps on the market now. So some transporters are expecting higher costs related to fines. The new rules will not only result in direct costs for changing carriers, but will also increase loading times. Wolfgang Goebel of German logistics company Mosolf estimates that each car will take five minutes longer to load, which can add up to 40 minutes per load.
Frank Schnelle, chief executive of the European Association of Vehicle Logistics (ECG), said that the certification of older carriers can cost up to €30,000 per vehicle. He also said that many carriers were put off by the short processing time, leading to high one-off costs.
Society at the same time she pleaded authorities to be lenient in terms of non-compliance with the regulation, given how quickly the change took place. The association also criticized that the new certificates are just a bureaucratic burden. He generally believes that the new measures are unnecessary. “We’ve been carrying Tesla electric cars for eight years or more,” Schnelle said.
The new rules lead not only to higher financial costs for carriers, but also for car companies. “The new measures, in addition to the time delay, could lead to reduced capacities of the carriers themselves.” This is an additional cost to the European car industry at a time when there is more competition against Chinese competition and when German car makers are talking about layoffs and Volkswagen is even talking about closing factories. In addition, it is at risk of Chinese and American tariffs.
2024-11-17 22:25:00
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What specific changes to car transportation safety regulations have been introduced by the German regulator?
1. What are the new rules introduced by the German regulator regarding the safety of cars during transportation, and when will they come into effect?
2. How are these new rules affecting the cost of car transportation in Germany, and who bears these costs – car manufacturers, transportation companies, or consumers?
3. What are the long-term implications of these rules for car safety and the wider automotive industry in Europe?
4. How do existing certifications and standards for car transportation compare to the new regulations, and why is there a push for change now?
5. Are there any concerns about the impact of these rules on the competitiveness of European car manufacturers, particularly in light of ongoing trade tensions with China and the US?
