Microdots Technology

Microdots Technology

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification to make microdots mandatory in vehicles.

§  The draft rules amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 and allow motor vehicles and their parts to be affixed with permanent and nearly invisible microdots that can be read physically with a microscope and identified with ultraviolet light.

§  The microdots would have to comply with the Automotive Industry Standard- 155 (AIS 155) requirements.

o    The Standards are developed by the Automotive Industry Standards Committee (AISC) set up under Central Motor Vehicles Rules - Technical Standing Committee (CMVR-TSC) by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

§  Microdots are a globally proven technology to ensure originality in spare parts of machines and components, including in the automobile sector.

o    The microdot technology involves spraying thousands of microscopic dots onto vehicles or other assets to form a unique identification.

o    Each microdot carries this identification which is registered to the owner, but is not visible to the naked eye.

o    South Africa has made it a legal requirement to have microdots fitted to all new vehicles sold since September 2012.

§  The move is aimed at making India free from vehicle thefts and spurious spare parts.

o    The government has envisaged that with microdots becoming a permanent feature in vehicles, identifying them would become easier in case they are stolen.

o    Annually about 2.14 lakh vehicles are stolen across the country with Delhi topping the list at 38,644 in 2016, which translates to over 100 vehicles daily, followed by UP (34,480) and Maharashtra (22,435).

o    The move will ensure that consumers have a way of identifying original parts from fake ones and that contributes to overall safety as well.

AIS-155

• The Union Ministry of Road Transport issued a notification regarding Automotive Industry Standards (AIS)-155 in respect of Microdot identifiers if affixed on the motor vehicles and their parts.

Key highlights:

• This was done through amendment in Rule 92 of the Central Motor vehicles (Fourteenth Amendment) Rules 1989.

• As per a new notification, the Manufacturers who are affixing microdot identifiers in the motor vehicles and their parts, components, assemblies, sub-assemblies shall conform to Automotive Industry Standards (AIS)-155 as amended from time to time.”

About Microdot Technology:

• Microdot technology involves spraying the body and parts of the vehicle or any other machine with microscopic dots, which give a unique identification.

• The microdots and adhesive will become permanent fixtures/affixation which cannot be removed without damaging the asset, that is the vehicle itself. These nearly invisible microdots can only be read physically with a microscope and identified with ultra violet light source.

• Use of this technology will help check theft of vehicles and also use of fake spare parts.