The Automotive Industry

The automotive industry has seen a significant amount of growth over the past decade. Challenges stemming from both economic and environmental factors have changed the way vehicles must perform, and automotive manufacturers have been required to take measures to adapt to them. 

Many trends in this industry have come about that call for a change in automobile manufacturing practices, but the primary ones include:

• Enhanced safety requirements, such as those related to CO2 emissions
• The rise of new technologies, such as connective systems and autonomous vehicles
• Having to be cost-effective despite complex supply chains
• The increased need for transparency and good governance from automotive companies, such as during recalls on certain vehicles
• The growing demand for automobiles and the need to stay competitive

The IATF Members

The IATF is a group of automotive manufacturers and their respective trade associations, formed to provide improved quality products to automotive customers worldwide. The IATF members include: 

BMW Group, Chrysler Group, Daimler AG, Fiat Group Automobile, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault SA, Volkswagen AG, AIAG (U.S.), ANFIA (Italy), FIEV (France), SMMT (U.K.), VDA (Germany).

Automotive Industry Standards Supported by NQA:

The most common standards related to the automotive industry include:

• IATF 16949: We work with the automotive industry to support the manufacturing of safe and reliable products, which are produced and continually improved to meet or exceed customer and regulatory authority requirements. Most organizations manufacturing for the automotive industry are required to be certificated to IATF 16949, which was developed by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF).
• ISO 9001: Since IATF 16949 isn’t designed to be a self-sufficient quality standard but instead works best in conjunction with a comprehensive QMS, ISO 9001 certification makes a great deal of sense for automotive companies looking to demonstrate improvement in customer satisfaction, operating costs, stakeholder relationships, legal compliance, risk management, business credentials and attracting new business.
• ISO 14001: As the international standard for environmental management systems — or EMS — ISO 14001 is the primary EMS certification for more than 250,000 organizations around the world. As the global standard for any business that wants to manage and positively control all aspects of its environmental impact, ISO 14001 certification is a proven way to demonstrate that you’re serious about your business’s environmental and economic sustainability.
• ISO 45001: Along with offering reliable products and services, automotive manufacturers must constantly strive to provide their workers and visitors with a safe and healthy business environment. With the ultimate goal of providing businesses with a framework for controlling and eliminating factors that can lead to illness, injuries and — in worst-case scenarios — death, obtaining ISO 45001 Health and Safety certification is a prudent move for any organization’s senior management to support.

Our Experience

We are recognized worldwide as an “Automotive Scheme Certification Body” and have issued the largest number of IATF 16949 certificates in China, the fastest growing automotive market.

Our clients span the entire supply chain of component parts which are for inclusion within vehicles that leave OEM production lines and include mechanical, electronic and other materials. We have certified brands like Jaguar Land Rover, Lola, Lotus and McLaren for quality, environment, health and safety and other management systems.

Our auditors have extensive knowledge and direct experience in automotive manufacturing and our technical experts are actively engaged with the SMMT Oversight who administer the IATF certification scheme.

Our Services

In addition to IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, we provide a range of services that enable you to run more efficiently, safely and securely, from energy and environment to health and safety, as well as information security management.

Why NQA?

NQA is the most trusted source of support, resources, training and more for automobile manufacturers looking to adhere to these specific industry standards. Our philosophy to never stop improving will encourage our clients to work continuously on bettering their products, processes, staff and companies in general.

To date, we’ve issued well over 43,000 certifications to our clients located in more than 90 countries worldwide. We possess years of experience helping a diverse group of organizations ranging from small businesses and charities to governmental agencies and globally recognized brands. As a result, our ability to help organizations better manage their quality control, health, safety, energy, sustainability and information security is unparalleled.

Get Started Today!

If you’re ready to take the next steps to ensure your automotive manufacturing company is adhering to the industry standards that protect both you and your customers, NQA is here to help.
To receive a quote, complete the NQA online Request for Quotation. Get all of your questions answered, choose the package that works best for you, and then you’re ready to go!