Crypton can now offer a Vehicle Communication Interface (VCI) as an option with its emissions tester for MOT centres and garages.
The new DAD-C1 Bluetooth VCI unit has been designed to deliver diesel MOT emissions tests as efficiently and accurately as possible, with reliable results. With demand in workshops continuing to spike following the expiry of the DVSA’s MOT extension at the end of September, a VCI option can make the testing process easier.
Emission testing
Emissions testing is a critical part of an MOT, especially as overall air quality becomes an increasing priority in city centres and beyond. Consequently, a car diagnostic tool that can accurately test emissions is also now of vital importance to garages.
Crypton’s new DAD C1 Bluetooth VCI unit can be used in conjunction with Crypton’s emissions analysers to quickly provide reliable data, such as engine RPM, to MOT testers. VCIs can also help workshop owners keep up with increasingly strict legislation surrounding emissions, and trends concerning connected MOT equipment.
Since 2001, there has been a focus on standardising emissions tests in order to improve the accuracy of results. By law, all petrol cars after this date in the UK (after 2004 for diesel) have to have an on-board diagnostic (OBD) interface. Specifically, it should be EOBD, which allows OBD readers and diagnostic tools like VCIs to connect via Bluetooth.
The signal that a malfunction has been detected by the EOBD is the ‘check engine light’. At this point, an engine fault code reader like an EOBD Bluetooth scanner should be used to identify the fault.
This increasingly strict legislation has improved standards across the automotive sector. However, mechanics carrying out emissions testing now have to follow even more stringent practices. Emissions analysing equipment has become more sophisticated in response to this. The introduction of a VCI add-on to Crypton’s Combined Emissions Analyser represents the next step in this ongoing development process.
Streamlining the process
MOT testers are usually extremely busy, and the end of the MOT extension has led to larger workloads. Additionally, the servicing backlog caused by the pandemic has put their schedules under more strain. The Crypton DAD-C1 Bluetooth VCI helps reduce this pressure. It runs multiple elements of the emissions test and feeds it into the emissions analyser, streamlining the process.
Bluetooth pairing with the OBD diagnostic interface makes the VCI easy to use. Mechanics simply need to install the software and plug it in, and it works immediately. This simplicity makes carrying out multiple MOTs much easier, as results can be obtained accurately and quickly.
Connected MOT
The VCI is part of the wider trend toward MOT equipment that can be directly connected to the MOT Testing Services (MTS) system. This connection allows results to be automatically transferred in real time without the need for manual data entry.
Though only roller brake testers legally have to be connected to the MTS system right now, emissions testers are expected to follow suit in 2021. VCIs can help with this move toward a connected equipment future. Integrated into emissions analysers, they can reduce human error while automating whole aspects of the MOT process.
Crucially for garage owners, connected equipment will help mechanics save a significant amount of time per test. This is because they can bypass data collection tasks, which can sometimes take a long time. Instead, time that would otherwise be spent manually noting data and entering it into a system can be used elsewhere.
Specifically, saving just a few minutes on each test will quickly add up over the course of a week, and this time can be spent carrying out further MOTs or servicing work. In turn, this more efficient use of time will improve the garage’s financial bottom line. As such, with further, stricter legislation around connected emissions testing anticipated, using a VCI to connect to a Bluetooth OBD interface could be a massive advantage for MOT testing centres.
Future proofing
On the topic of legislation, another benefit of the VCI is that its embedded firmware can be remotely updated. This ensures that any changes required by upcoming legislation will be accounted for. As a result, garages do not have to buy new, potentially expensive equipment.
Legislative software can be updated and amended as required, allowing users to follow the set process that is defined in law. Again, this further removes complex admin work, and makes emissions testing as straightforward as possible.
Technology used in MOT testing is advancing quickly, and new legislation and standards can be sprung upon garages at short notice. Innovative technologies such as VCIs can help MOT testers adapt to future legislation and complete work efficiently, effectively, and compliantly.
Final thoughts
The automotive industry is increasingly working towards a greener future, and accurate emissions testing is absolutely essential to this. With MOT testers under more pressure than ever, being able to use the latest technology is vital to streamlining processes and making it as painless as possible. Using Crypton’s VCI in conjunction with its Combined Emissions Analysers can therefore ensure the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of results.
For more information on Crypton’s new Bluetooth VCI, and connected emissions testing equipment, click here.
Crypton – A Brand of the Continental Corporation
