Legislation
Much is differently represented by our competitor and/or regarded in good faith as valid right from private people. We want to be different and give you information about valid regulations, because ignorance does not protect against the law.
The legal regulations and requirements concerning Chiptuning are country-specific and therefore not always well-known. Fact is however that this are equal for all vehicles certified in the same country. The vehicle has to fulfil these and the owner of vehicle has to provide for it.
It may be unfair that as soon as these rules are fulfilled the vehicles can drove in each country (also in countries with stricter / special Rules and would where it would be illegal) and/or the requirements and associated costs to fulfil it can be very differently and/or are keep artificially high. Also it is not comprehensible that there are tuner who can simply confirm a rule conformity and this is afterwards recognized without discussions. Probably this goes only with vitamin B and not always using methods raised over all doubts. Therefore nothing different remains as to make modifications without trace and if necessary to cancel the modification. The necessary tuned and original software is archived by us and also delivered to our customers.
Concerning chiptuning in Switzerland the following statutory provisions are applyed:
On June 11th, 2020, we (ChipTuningPower) became the subject of the following interpellation in the National Council in Switzerland:
20.3602 INTERPELLATION - Does ASTRA have the chip tuning of motor vehicles under control?
(https://www.parlament.ch/de/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20203602)
Since April 1, 2010, all changes to the engine electronics that affect the performance, noise development or exhaust gas behavior of the vehicle (so-called chip tuning) have required a type approval.
Anyone who makes changes to motor vehicles or offers them to the public without permission from the DTC (Dynamic Test Center in Vauffelin) commissioned by ASTRA is liable to prosecution. Despite this threat of punishment, companies today advertise "traceless" and unverified chip tuning (e.g. https://www.chiptuningpower.ch/de/) and thus illegal behavior.
The following questions arise:
3. Since April 1, 2010, how many motor vehicles have been registered annually for chip tuning approval at the Dynamic Test Center in Vauffelin (figures per year)?
4. How many individual approvals or type approvals (for how many vehicles) have been issued annually since April 1, 2010?
5. How high is the maximum performance increase that can be approved for a road vehicle via chip tuning?
6. How high are the costs for an individual permit or for a type approval?
Statement from the Federal Council of September 2nd, 2020:
3rd/4th/6th Since June 1, 2003, the cantonal authorities have been responsible for issuing "conversion permits". Conformity assessments (based on Swiss test reports) or attestations of conformity (based on foreign test reports with a declaration of conformity and ISO certificate) issued by the Swiss test centers are recognized by the cantonal approval authorities. ASTRA does not have any statistics from the inspection bodies.
5. There is no limit to the increase in performance. However, according to Article 97 Paragraph 3 of the Ordinance of June 19, 1995 on the Technical Requirements for Road Vehicles (VTS; SR 741.41), engine performance may only be increased by more than 20 percent by the vehicle manufacturer or if he declares that the vehicle is suitable for it suitable. This is the case when the vehicle manufacturer confirms that the vehicle structure with components such as brakes, chassis, etc. can handle this higher performance. ASTRA is currently not aware of any vehicle manufacturer who issues such a confirmation. In practice, performance increases of more than 20 percent are therefore hardly ever made.
Bern, 14.10.2009 - In the interests of road safety, the Federal Council decided today to several ordinance changes.
Chip-tuning (from 1 April 2010):
All changes to the engine electronics that power, noise and exhaust emissions impact of the vehicle (so-called chip-tuning) require a new approval. Who changes without approval by the ASTRA commissioned by the DTC makes (Dynamic Test Center in Vauffelin) on motor vehicles or public offering carries a criminal offense. This measure will ensure that vehicles must also be a chip-tuning of traffic and safe to operate and comply with all regulations concerning noise and exhaust.
As soon as we know the situation of other countries and this will be checked and confirmed, we will publish these here.
Gladly you can give us this informations. It will be a service for other car or tuning inspired peoples.