What is SVA?

 

What is the Single Vehicle Approval (SVA)
T

he SVA test was introduced by the British Government to regulate the kit car industry. With main stream car manufacturers they submit a new car for Type Approval. This costs in the region of £300,000 to obtain for a new car. This is a mere drop in the ocean for a large company like Ford or VW, but for a kit car manufacturer this would not even be a year's worth of sales. So another mechanism had to be introduced to regulate the quality of kits produced for and by customers. Thus the SVA test came about. You pay £165 to have your car evaluated against a preset list of criteria by a trained engineer to determine whether your pride and joy is safe and fit to be on the roads. If your car passes it is issued with a Ministers Approval Certificate (MAC) which says that the Minister of Transport approves of the car.
When did the test start?

The test started in 1998 and since then it has been up to the customer who purchases the kit to make sure that their finished kit is correctly built. Most manufacturers have or are now altering their kits to enable easy passage through the test.

If you bought your kit before January 1st 1998, then not all of the SVA test detailed below applies, there is a introduction period which means you have until the 31st December 1999 to complete your car and put your car through the SVA test. If you don't complete, submit and pass the SVA test before December 1999, then your car is subject to the full SVA test as detailed below.
What is included in the test?

The SVA test is comprehensive and can last up to three hours. The main sections the test covers are:

  1. Anti theft device
  2. Defrosting/demisting
  3. Wipers/washers
  4. Seats
  5. Seat Belts
  6. nterior
  7. Radio Suppression
  8. Glazing
  9. Lighting
  10. Mirrors
  11. Tyres
  12. Doors, latches, hinges.
  13. Exterior
  14. Steering
  15. Design and construction
  16. Brakes
  17. Noise
  18. Emissions petrol engines
  19. Emissions diesel engines
  20. Speedometer
  21. Weights
Below is a summary of what is included in each of the headings listed above. The tests are too detailed to fully outline here, so I've paraphrased things and given the gist of the test. This page was never meant to be a detailed description of the test in full. There is a Inspection manual available for the price of £25, this covers every aspect of the test in detail. I would strongly recommend if you are building a kit car in the UK you invest in one of these manuals. It becomes a bit of a bible after a while!
You can buy the manual from:
The Vehicle Inspectorate
PO Box 12
Swansea
SA1 1BP.
1. Anti theft device
In addition to the normal ignition switch the vehicle must be permanently fitted with an anti-theft device. A battery cut off switch will do the job.
2. Defrosting/demisting
The vehicle must be fitted with a system or systems capable of defrosting or demisting the windscreen to allow the driver an adequate view in front and forward of the nearside and offside of the vehicle.
3. Wipers/washers
Check that all wipers continue to move automatically over the windscreen. Check where they come to rest and that they operate at a minimum speed. Check that there is enough capacity in the windscreen washer reservoir and it can withstand a certain pressure if the pipe or nozzles are blocked.
4. Seats
Check each seat is firmly attached to the vehicle structure.
5. Seat belts
Check each seating position is fitted with the required number of anchorage points and the anchorage points comply with the strength and location requirements. Check each seat belt is fitted with a belt of the appropriate type and that it is secured.
6. Interior
The vehicle interior surfaces shall not include fittings or design features which have any dangerous roughness or sharp edges due to their exterior shape or design likely to be contacted by the occupants. This is a very detailed area dealing with the shape and radius of switches, height protruding from the dashboard etc...
7. Radio suppression
Check that the HT system is fitted with radio interference suppression equipment.
8. Glazing
Check that all windows are made of safety glass to a recognised standard and that when seated the driver has full view of the road in front and forward of the nearside and offside of the vehicle.
9. Lighting
Check that all obligatory lights and reflectors are in the required positions, of the right colours, intensity and are visible at the required angles. There is a large section on visible angles and position of lights both for the obligatory and optional lights. Watch this one lots of vehicle fails on this one. Minimum heights seems to be the one that catches people out.
10. Mirrors
Check the obligatory rear view mirrors for positions, security, adjustment and size of reflecting surfaces. A large area is mapped out on the ground and the vehcile positioned on a certain mark. The examiner sits in the car and makes sure they can see set points posts and floor markings for each mirror.
11. Tyres
Check that each types has and 'E' approval mark and is of the correct speed rating for the type of vehicle.
12. Doors, hinges and latches
Check that all doors are capable of being securely latched in the closed position and have intermediate and fully latched positions.
13. Exterior
Between the floor line and a height of 2 metres there must be no features likely to catch or increase the risk or seriousness of injury to any person who could come into contact with the vehicle. This like the interior is another large section that deals with radii and projections from the body, wheels etc...
14. Steering
Check that the steering provides adequate protection from injury during normal driving and in the event of a frontal impact.
15. Design and construction
Check all aspects of the design and construction of the vehicle or its equipment that no danger is caused to any person in the vehicle or to other road users. Check the design, construction and attachment of each subframe mounting and assess its ability to withstand the forces and vibration to which it may be subjected. Check all fuel system components and their ability to withstand the forces, vibration and environment to which they may be subjected.
16. Brakes
Check that the vehicle is fitted with a braking system capable of performing the certain listed operations. They perform 5 tests using ever increasing pedal pressure on the front and then the back wheels. This is obviously a detailed area which goes in depth into the vehicles braking system.
17. Noise
Check that the exhaust system is complete and fitted with a silencer and meets the required sound levels 101db is the limit.
18 & 19. Exhaust emissions petrol and diesel
Emmission will be visually checked if engine date of manufactuer is before certain cut off dates. Otherwise is will be checked using an approved and calibrated exhaust gas analyser.
20. Speedometer
Check that the speedometer is accurate to within define limits at certain road speeds. Only certain SVA stations can perform this test. Only needed to be performed if the parts are from different sources. If they are all frm the donor vehicle complete it is deemed to be accurate and no test is needed.
21. Weights
Check that the declared maximum gross weight and maximum permitted axle weights is not be less that those weights calculated using the kerbside weights and the appropriate passenger/luggage weight.
Note: The above information is a guide only, I'd recommend the SVA manual it certainly helped me when I was ordering parts and fitting items to the car.

 

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