IJCA Vol 4 i1 2025 webmag - Flipbook - Page 18
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The International Journal of Conformity Assessment
ensures that the vehicles and
components being produced match
those submitted for approval.
One such verification step is the
component identification check.
were recalled due to safety defects
and regulatory non-compliance
(Bratzel, 2021).
Recall figures for 2020 and
the first half of 2021 indicate
a continued increase (Bratzel,
This check involves confirming
2021). This upward trend is
that the components installed
largely attributed to the growing
in a vehicle correspond to the
diversity of vehicle variants and
specifications stated in the type
approval documentation submitted increasingly strict conformity
to the authorities (Morawietz, 2024). requirements (Sturm, 2023).
recognition remains an open
research question. The main
objective of this contribution is to
evaluate and match the appropriate
detection methods to specific
components within the CoP
framework.
2 State of the Art
An analysis of the current state of
the art is essential to framing the
existing knowledge surrounding
At BMW Group, component
In 2024, several automotive
technology options for the
identification numbers (component manufacturers were forced to recall digitalizing the Conformity of
IDs or homologation labels) are
a significant number of vehicles
Production (CoP) process in the
currently inspected manually
due to quality issues and violations automotive industry.
during production using a checklist of conformity standards (Damm,
In earlier investigations,
and sampling approach. The label
2024). Among them, BMW had
optoelectronic and transmitterinformation is compared with CoP to recall over 1.5 million vehicles
receiver systems were identified
data to confirm that the installed
due to quality deficiencies—
as the most relevant detection
components meet homologation
marking the largest recall in the
technologies. Therefore, this
requirements, thereby ensuring
company's history (Hinrichs,
contribution focuses exclusively on
production conformity. This
2024). These results highlight
those two technologies. The term
step is essential for maintaining
the need for manufacturers to
"detection technology" refers to
vehicle quality and safety and
take proactive measures.
tools and methods used to identify
for detecting deviations early
Findings from a previous
and analyze specific objects,
in the production process.
contribution (Sturm, 2023) suggest substances, or features (Doss et
Previous work (Sturm, 2023) has
that the corrective measures
al., 2010).
shown that some component IDs
implemented to date in the CoP
Section 2.1 examines scientific
(homologation labels) did not
process have not been sufficient
findings and existing proof-ofalways meet legal requirements
to achieve an effective "zeroconcept (PoC) studies involving
or were partially illegible, leading
defect strategy.” Such a strategy
optoelectronic and transceiver
to non-compliance in the CoP
is only feasible through the
systems. Section 2.2 discusses
process. The labels are unique
implementation of automated
classification approaches for
identifiers assigned to specific
assurance processes.
CoP components to determine
components and are used to verify Earlier investigations established
which detection technology best
their conformity (Schöbel, 2000).
a theoretical foundation
fits each component ID. Section
outlining the most promising
Because the current manual
2.3 presents the key research
technologies currently available.
process only allows a limited
questions.
These technologies will now be
number of components to be
evaluated through proof-of-concept 2.1 Concepts for Component
checked, it increases the risk that
Classification
(PoC) studies and validated in
incorrect or missing labels will
practice. The goal is to align each
pass unnoticed.
The current evaluation of
component
ID
(homologation
component IDs (homologation
Recalls in the automotive industry
label) with homologation
labels) includes more than 300
are a widespread issue affecting
requirements. This requires the
different components (BMW
all manufacturers, as they are
use
of
a
type
key,
which
identifies
Group, 2021; Certification and
required to ensure the safety
a specific vehicle variant.
Accreditation Administration of the
and quality of their products in
People’s Republic of China [CNCA],
accordance with legal regulations. Determining which detection
2020). These CoP components
In the United States, between 2011 technologies are best suited
are installed across various
and 2020, 331 million vehicles
for automatic component ID
