Drivers looking to replace the front fog lamps on a car or two-wheeled vehicle may be inclined to think first about approval and inspection.
However, starting August 26, individual procedures have been simplified for certified parts that have passed the prescribed standards.
The key is not the type of fog lamp, but whether the product has actually received certification.
3-Line Summary
1. Procedures are simplified for certified front fog lamps
2. Products without certification are not exempt
3. Certification status must be checked before purchase
Scope of Certified Parts Expanded Starting August 26
The Korea Automobile Tuning Association announced that it established the “Front Fog Lamp Tuning Parts Certification Standards,” which apply commonly to automobiles and two-wheeled automobiles, and began implementing them on August 26. Front fog lamps that meet the prescribed performance and safety standards and have received tuning-parts certification can now be installed without individual tuning approval and inspection.
Under the Automobile Management Act, tuning that changes a vehicle’s structure or devices generally requires approval. However, minor structural or device changes publicly announced as being like certified tuning parts may be excluded from the approval requirement. These standards establish that pathway for front fog lamps as well.
It would be misleading to understand this system as meaning that “fog lamps can be replaced freely.” The items covered by the reduced procedures are not all front fog lamps, but specific products that have passed the certification standards.
Certification Does Not Check Only Whether the Light Turns On
Front fog lamps help the driver’s forward visibility, but depending on the intensity and direction of their light, they can also affect other drivers. The association explained that it established testing standards to check optical performance, chromaticity, the cutoff line, thermal effects, and vibration durability.
The cutoff line is the standard that separates the range illuminated by the light from its boundary. In other words, a fog lamp does not become safe simply because it is brighter. This is also why the light’s color and illumination range, as well as its durability against heat and vibration, are examined.
The association also says that it will operate an installation-history and after-sales-management system following certification. From the consumer’s perspective, certification status becomes the first piece of information to check, ahead of the product’s appearance or sales copy.
Check Certification Status First for Aftermarket Products
The fact that an aftermarket front fog lamp purchased on the market is not, by itself, enough to qualify for exemption from approval and inspection. You must confirm whether the product has received tuning-parts certification under these standards. Products without certification or that do not meet the certification conditions cannot receive the same simplified-procedure benefits.
This change is closer to reducing repeated procedures for individual vehicles after verifying performance and safety at the parts stage than to deregulation that lowers safety standards. If you are considering replacing fog lamps, the accurate first question is not “Is it a front fog lamp?” but “Is it a certified front fog lamp?”
References
Tags #Automobile #TwoWheeledAutomobile #FrontFogLamp #FogLampTuning #AutomobileTuning #TuningPartsCertification #CertifiedParts #AutomobileManagementAct #AutomobileInspection #TuningApproval #VehicleLightingDevices #SafetyStandards