Type Approval
Framework Regulation 2018/858 has reformed Europe-wide type testing and market surveillance. The aim: to establish uniform procedures in all EU member states.
As “special purpose vehicles”, motorhomes and caravans are sometimes subject to different regulations than cars and trailers. For example, motorhomes, like cars, belong to vehicle category M1 (passenger transport for up to 8 people plus driver), but are exempt from some regulations due to their special purpose. The living area, with its equipment features that are not typical of motor vehicles, such as a kitchen, table, sanitary facilities and sleeping area, makes it impossible to apply car regulations across the board. In contrast to cars, the focus of motorhomes is not on driving, but on living. Motorhomes are “houses on wheels”. In order to achieve the necessary masses, motorhomes are usually built on truck commercial vehicle chassis, which means that the application of passenger car M1 regulations, e.g. with regard to emissions and crash tests, is not possible or only possible in a modified form.
With the publication of Regulation (EU) 2022/2236, the provisions of the General Safety Regulation have been extended to motorhomes and caravans. The regulations will apply to new type approvals from July 7, 2024, and then to all type approvals from July 7, 2026.
New crash tests for motorhomes are not planned. Crash tests designed for passenger cars, SUVs and vans are not applicable to motorhomes, as these are modeled on typical passenger car accident situations.
The active safety systems introduced by the General Safety Regulation 2 on basic vehicles in motorhomes will further improve the safety level of motorhomes. To this end, all motorhomes will be equipped with camera systems. This is actually quite expensive for integrated vehicles. Destructive tests of motorhomes as part of crash tests are not feasible for the largely medium-sized manufacturers. Passive safety requirements must be covered by the basic vehicles.