Real-World Data collection during vehicle inspections

Electronic reading of vehicle data

Electronic reading means electronic reading of information from a car through its On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) interface. This is in accordance with the vehicle inspection regulation and the European directive on the same subject.

The OBD system is an integrated diagnostic system in the car that monitors and controls its features. The system also collects information about the condition of systems and faults in the car. Additionally, it records information related to its use, such as fuel consumption and emissions of pollutants.

Information will be read for the following purposes:

• Reading fault codes that may cause comments during regular inspections. Certain faults appear as warning lights on the dashboard, but other information is only found in the fault codes of the engine computer, which technicians have access to. Some fault codes may indicate problems that can affect driving characteristics or safety, or may cause increased exhaust emissions.

• Reading real-world data on CO₂ emissions and fuel or energy consumption (RWD). This information needs to be submitted to the European Environment Agency, which uses it to verify the information provided by car manufacturers.

Electronic reading of fault codes

The electronic reading of fault codes will begin on 1 March 2025 and initially, information about the codes that appear will be collected. From January 1, 2026, the codes will be used as a basis for comments that need to be addressed after inspection.

The electronic reading of fault codes applies to the following group of cars:

• Cars registered after 29.11.2018.

Information is read about faults in the following systems:

• Faults in the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

• Faults in the Electronic Brake Control System (EBS)

• Faults in the Electric Power Steering (EPS)

• Faults in the adjustment and connection of headlights and brake lights

• Faults in the engine control units (ECU)

• Faults in the seatbelt systems

• Faults in the airbag systems (Airbag and SRS)

• Faults in the automatic emergency call system (eCall)

• Faults in the emission control systems

Reading real-world data on emissions and energy consumption

Reading real-world data on emissions (exhaust pollution) and energy consumption will begin on March 1, 2025. During the reading, the car's factory number is read along with information about driving and fuel consumption of the electric motor and/or internal combustion engine.

Reading real-world data applies to the following group of cars:

• Passenger cars (M1) and light commercial vehicles (N1) weighing less than 2,510 kg unladen.

• Powered solely by an internal combustion engine (including those with an electric motor that cannot be charged via a plug) and those powered by both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor with a rechargeable battery (plug-in hybrid).

• First registered after January 1, 2021, and not older than 15 years from the first registration.

• Excludes cars in the categories of use "Household cars", "Need-driving", "Road cars", "Specially constructed rolling cars" and "Belt cars".

Real-world data on emissions and energy consumption are collected during registration inspection and main inspection.

Electronic reading during inspection

Electronic reading during inspection is both quick and easy for the inspector.

• The inspector connects the OBD scanner to the port and can then read the data.

The OBD port is usually located under the steering wheel or near the center console but can also be found in the glove compartment. Please keep personal items to a minimum in the glove compartment if the port is there.

Authorisation for data collection

According to the vehicle inspection regulation, inspection stations must read information from vehicles about fuel and/or energy consumption obtained during real-world driving (real-world data) during regular inspections. The information, along with the factory numbers, shall then be sent to the Icelandic Transport Authority.

These data collected by the inspection offices may not be used for any other purpose than to send them to the Transport Authority. Inspection stations are only allowed to store the factory numbers of vehicles along with collected data, until the data has been sent to the Transport Authority, after which it must be deleted. Furthermore, the Transport Authority shall delete the data once it has been sent to the European Environmental Agency.

The owner of the vehicle has the right to refuse the inspection station to read the data. This refusal must be communicated to the inspection station before the data reading takes place. Otherwise, the owner is deemed to have accepted the above processing of the data.

It should be noted that the owner does not have the right to refuse the reading of fault codes from the car's OBD port.