August 2016

Volume 5, Issue 2

Inside this issue:

Program News

1

Station Spotlight

2

The Technician’s Bench

4

More Program News

5

Enforcement News

6

At Your

Service…. 6

Opus Inspection’s new testing software—just released to the inspection network—now allows the testing of pure electric vehicles (EVs) like any other passenger vehicle. Formerly, Rhode Island’s current fleet of 350+ pure electric vehicles – a number expected to increase significantly in the next five years—could only receive a one-year inspection sticker because the analyzer did not recognize “electric” as a fuel type. The new software corrects that limitation.

Simply stated, electric vehicles are now tested like any other passenger car. The normal inspection steps will apply to EVs as well: the inspector will plug the OBD connector into the vehicle’s data link connector and the VIN will decode as electric.

EV inspections must include the safety part of the inspection. In fact, only the safety portion of the inspection is actually performed. If the vehicle passes, a two-year sticker will print, along with a Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR).

Of course, because electric vehicles do not have an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), they will not receive the usual OBD II monitor check. No ICE means no OBD monitors, and therefore no emission of any pollution at all.

Note that Hybrid Vehicles ARE NOT pure EVs. Hybrid models such as the well-known Chevy VOLT, Toyota Prius and Hybrid Ford Escape have ICEs and are therefore equipped with OBD monitors which measure the performance of their ICEs. Such

Hybrid vehicles do, however, receive a full OBD inspection.

[Story continues on page 3]

The Nissan Leaf, pictured above, is a familiar example of a “pure” elec-tric vehicle, or EV. The popular Toyota Prius, at right, is a Hybrid vehicle equipped with an ICE and OBD monitors.

If it has a tailpipe, it isn’t a Pure EV!

Page 2

August 2016

Pat Doherty is owner and operator of Pat’s Auto Center, a highly successful and well-known automotive repair business in Westerly. He runs the operation with his daughter Heather and a team of 5 highly skilled technicians.

Pat has been in the automotive technician business his entire life. He is a US Army veteran, and a graduate of Westerly Public Schools, Rhode Island Community College and Franklin Institute of Boston.

Pat was the Westerly High School Basketball and Baseball coach for many years, often leading his teams to the State Championship tournaments.

His hobbies include racing (see photo). He has a 1,000 HP Pontiac S/ST car, which he races in

the Lucas Oil Series. Rumor has it that this machine is even faster than it looks.

One of Pat’s earliest jobs was as Service Manager of a large Cadillac dealership in Cranston, where his customers included Marvin Barnes and Senator Pastore. Because of the long daily commute, Pat left the job at the dealership and opened Pat Doherty’s Service in 1978. The business now employs the five skilled techs, along with Heather, who helps to manage the station as his chief administrator. She carefully monitors Social Media for the business: YELP lists Pat’s as the most respected place in Westerly for auto repairs.

Pat’s station is immaculate and the inspection system is kept clean at all times. He keeps files on all of his customer’s inspections. Pat believes inspections are important for his business, saying “they are the best loss leader you can have.” He wants to serve all of his customers’ automotive needs and inspection activity helps him maintain his current customers and attract new ones.

[Continued on page 3]

Pat Doherty’s 1,000 HP Pontiac has

raced in the Lucas Oil Series.

Pat Doherty

Pat Doherty believes inspections are important for his business., helping him maintain his current customers and attract new ones.

“[Inspections] are the best loss leader you can have.”

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August 2016

There are no changes to how we currently test Hybrids. The new software release will only allow an EV to receive a regular two-year inspection sticker just like any other passenger vehicle.

The expanding presence of EVs is becoming well-known. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has purchased several new EVs to replace their old ICE vehicles. Electric vehicle technology pays long term benefits in fuel savings and zero pollution, and DEM’s new cars will help promote Rhode Island’s commitment to the environment. DEM Mobile Source Supervising Air Quality Specialist Frank Stevenson says he is looking forward to being able to have their new EVs tested at an RI inspection station just as their old ICE-powered vehicles were.

The list of cars powered purely by electricity is growing every month. A few years ago, the number of available plug-in cars could easily be counted on one hand with fingers to spare. Today, there are more than 20 models offered from more than a dozen different brands in a range of sizes, styles, price points, and powertrains to suit a wide range of consumers.

In the sidebar at right, we’ve provided a comprehensive list of all EVs sold currently (as of April 2016). As it is quite clear that electric vehicles are here to stay, expect this list to grow dramatically in the months and years to come.

Questions? Call the Opus Inspection office at (401) 737-0556.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES AS OF APRIL 2016

BMW i3

Chevrolet Spark EV

Fiat 500e

Ford Focus Electric

Kia Soul EV

Mercedes

B-Class Electric Drive

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Nissan LEAF

Smart Electric Drive

Tesla Model S

Tesla Model X

Tesla Model 3

Volkswagen E-Golf

Pat still has to do dynamometer inspections, averaging about two per week. Inspections are done by appointment only. Pat and his team all realize the importance of safe and clean vehicles.

Pat’s immaculate inspection bay stands ready to serve customers.

Page 4

August 2016

By Paul Harden, Director of Transportation Technologies

In March, 2016, through the efforts of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 22 automakers voluntarily agreed to include new safety technology as standard equipment in a vast majority of new vehicles no later than 2022. Generally known as Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), this technology is possibly one of the biggest advances in automotive safety since the advent of seat belts, airbags and anti-lock braking systems because accidents can be avoided in many

cases.

This technology was originally developed by Hughes Electronics, formerly a division of General Motors in the mid-1990’s, and was available on a limited basis on certain Cadillac and Lexus models. By 2006, FCW/AEB systems were available on a number of high-end luxury cars such as Mercedes, BMW

and Volvo.

Currently most vehicle manufacturers have a FCW/AEB system available as an option. These systems have a variety of brand names but function in a similar manner utilizing a series of sensors that are mounted below the bumper or above the rear-view mirror to detect vehicles. Using technology such as cameras, lasers or a form of radar, the driver is warned when other vehicles are in front and when the closing speed of the operator’s vehicle

indicates that a collision is possible if no action is taken by the driver.

The system will alert the driver through a series of sounds and lights on the instrument panel. If no braking or steering action is initiated by the driver, the system will begin to apply the brakes automatically. Some systems will bring the vehicle to a complete stop while others slow the vehicle down substantially. The range of these systems, which can be adjusted by the owner/operator, depends largely upon on the closing speeds between

the vehicles or object ahead.

As with all vehicles, each manufacturers’ FCW/AEB system operates slightly differently. Ensuring that consumers understand how their system works is important. For example, FCW will detect a vehicle but may not detect other objects such as a sign or tree on the side of the road. Recent research has shown that some vehicle owners do not realize that their vehicle is equipped with these systems nor do they understand how they

work or how to respond when the system is activated.

While these combined systems offer significant safety advantages, owners need to understand that minor maintenance of the sensors may be necessary. If the sensors mounted on the front of the vehicle become dirty or covered with snow and ice, the driver will receive a warning that the system is inoperative. Generally

cleaning the sensor is as simple as wiping off any road film, mud, snow or ice.

There have been reports that these systems may activate without warning or as a result of a potential collision. One suggested reason for these malfunctions is due to misaligned sensors as a result of a prior minor collision or hitting an object on the road. Other reasons for false alarms include vehicles ahead turning, vehicles too

close to the center line of the road, or direct sunlight hitting the sensors in the early morning or at sunset.

What is interesting about this agreement between the automakers and the NHSTA is that it was reached voluntarily. In January, 2015 the NHSTA announced that FCW/AEB systems are now included on its list of recommended safety features in the NHSTA’s New Car Assessment program. By the fall of 2015, 10 manufacturers had agreed to incorporate the technology into their new vehicles with an additional 12 automakers following suit earlier this year. Because these automakers voluntarily agreed to comply, the lead

time to include the FCW/AEB systems as standard equipment was shortened by almost three years.

When other vehicle safety improvements were proposed in the past, there were lengthy regulatory processes [Story continues on page 5]

FCW and AEB Systems:

“While these combined systems offer significant safety advantages, owners need to understand that minor maintenance of the sensors may be necessary.”

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August 2016

with draft regulations, public hearings, comment periods etc. to gather input from various interested parties such as the manufacturers, safety advocates and consumer groups. Oftentimes manufacturers raised concerns over their ability to

incorporate new safety features in a timely manner and the increased costs to the consumer.

To reach the full benefit of this latest safety technology, it is critical that manufacturers include it as standard equipment whenever possible. Secondly, buyers must understand their vehicle is equipped with FCW/AEB as well as the parameters on which it operates. Finally, the auto manufacturers, dealers, and their sales staff must continue to communicate to consumers about the benefits of these safety systems in preventing accidents and how the systems

function during day-to-day operation.

With an increasing number of accidents and deaths occurring due to distracted drivers, FCW/AEB systems could substantially reduce some types of accidents such as rear end collisions. Another benefit of FCW/AEB technology is reduced insurance claims. Some insurance companies are now beginning to offer discounts to owners of vehicles

equipped with this technology.

For more information, Paul Harden may be reached at (401) 739-5000 ext. 3661 or by email at

pharden@neit.edu.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to submit an annual report to EPA by July of each year that provides basic statistics on the Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) Program for January through December of the previous year.

DEM and the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are jointly responsible for the administration of the Rhode Island I/M Program. DMV is responsible for the operation of the program and DEM is responsible for the environmental aspects.

The data for the EPA Annual Report was submitted to DEM by Opus Inspection and DMV.

Opus Inspection's detailed reports consist of results from the vehicle inspection data that include initial test volume, first retests and subsequent retest volume by test type, model year vehicle type, failures of initial test and percentage of total failures for light-duty vehicles, 25 years old and newer, up to 8,500 pounds (GVWR).

Once the data is submitted, it is organized and put into the report and submitted to EPA.

The following table is an example of one of the tables that was included in the 2015 EPA Annual Report. This table provides a breakdown for the number of initial test results for test types, the number of vehicles that passed and failed, and the percentage of the failure rate.

Because the I/M program for light-duty vehicles requires inspections on a two-year cycle, these results correspond to approximately one-half of the total light-duty fleet.

There were 293 AIRS that participated in the I/M Program during 2015. There were 342,101 initial tests conducted in 2015. Initial test failures totaled 19,765. This result is an overall initial failure rate of 6%.

Tests Total Pass Fail % Fail

Initial OBD Tests 327,943 310,887 17,056 5.20%

Initial Transient Tests 6,222 5,579 643 10.33%

Initial Two Speed Idle Tests 6,031 4,003 2,028 33.63%

Initial OBD Diesel 1,805 1,774 31 1.72%

Initial Diesel Opacity 100 93 7 7.00%

Total Initial Tests 342,101 322,336 19,765 5.78%

State of Rhode Island

Division of

Motor Vehicles

Page 6 Volume 5, Issue 2

August 2016

Jack Pierce Program Manager Opus Inspection, Inc. 114 Minnesota Ave Warwick, RI 02888 (866) OBD-TEST (service) (401) 737-0556 (phone) (401) 737-5212 (fax) Douglas Staradumsky Chief Rhode Island DMV Safety and Emission Control 325 Melrose Street Providence, RI 02907 (401) 462-5890 (office) (401) 462-5837 (fax) Frank B Stevenson, P.E. Supervising Air Quality Specialist Office of Air Resources, RIDEM (401) 222-2808 ext. 7021 (office) (401) 222-2017 (fax)

For program information visit our

Rhode Island website at: RIinspection.org

State of Rhode Island

Division of

Motor Vehicles

Program Office

114 Minnesota Ave

Warwick, RI 02888

1-866-OBD-TEST

Brockton resident Tommy Sostre, 30, was found guilty by a jury in July of “Uttering or

Publishing as True a Counterfeit Motor Vehicle Inspection Sticker and Forging a Counterfeit

Motor Vehicle Inspection Sticker.” He was sentenced by Judge Linda Giles to three years of

probation with the conditions that he surrender all inspection station and inspector licenses

and not perform inspections while on probation. Judge Giles also ordered Sostre to pay a

$2,000 fine. The charges stem from a 2013 investigation, where Sostre and his father, Jose,

were found by state officials to have been creating counterfeit inspection stickers at Tommy’s

Auto Repair and Body Shop in Dorchester. Jose was convicted in August 2015 and sentenced

to one year in the House of Correction, 90 days to serve followed by a three-year probationary

period in connection with the scheme. He was required to pay a $5,000 fine, surrender his

motor vehicle inspector’s license and ordered not to conduct any motor vehicle inspections for

the term of his probation. Jose had also been convicted of Possession of a Firearm without a

Firearms Identification (FID) Card. Official Website of Attorney General Maura Healy.

Link to article