A LEADING Australian automotive engineer has called on state and federal governments to address new and changed rules and regulations which are having the reverse effect on engineering endeavours than were intended.

Tim Woods, engineering manager at Bremar Automotion told last week’s Society of Automotive Engineers – Australasia awards night that regulations were having the perverse effect of  “pricing ourselves out of our own market”.

Tim Woods – engineering manager at Bremar Automotion

“The ability to engineer and build locally is being legislated and costed out of existence and that is having the opposite effect of what we should be doing,” Mr Woods said. “All of this points to a troubling trend.”

Bremar Automotion is a specialised engineering design, simulation, analysis and additive manufacturing company providing global standard engineering solutions to all sized businesses.

Mr Woods said that as the industry has evolved, regulation has not. He said that VSB 14, the document underpinning vehicle modifications in Australia, is “outdated, vague in its detail and inconsistently interpreted across states”. 

“What’s acceptable in Victoria might be rejected in Queensland. What’s approved in Canberra may be rejected by any other state. For businesses trying to operate nationally, the lack of harmonization isn’t just frustrating, it’s commercially limiting.” he said.

He said another blow was “the erosion” of the Low Volume Compliance Scheme.“The scheme, by it being absorbed into the Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme, which is centred around vehicle importation, no longer supports local manufacturing or the industry.

“The shift undermines the very businesses trying to innovate and build vehicles tailored to Australian needs.

“And then there are the ADRs ever-evolving and increasingly aligned with overseas regulations. While global harmonization has its place, the reality is that testing to these standards in Australia is often cost prohibitive.

“ We’re pricing ourselves out of our own market, Mr Woods said.“The ability to engineer and build locally is being legislated and costed out of existence and that has the opposite effect of what we should be doing.

“I have many discussions with local businesses, big and small, and the sentiment is consistent; when they consider developing a new vehicle or substantial modification package their intended market is overseas. Why? Because the local regulatory framework is simply too restrictive.

“Australia is now a heavy import-reliant country. That’s fine, but it means we must focus on making vehicles fit for our purposes, our roads, our conditions, and our users.  That requires flexibility, innovation, and, above all, a regulatory framework that supports and does not stifle local capacity.”

About Bremar Automotion

Bremar Automotion was founded by managing director Brett Longhurst, as a one-man operation with a laptop and “a relentless drive to solve complex engineering problems”.

These days it has a team of six with expertise spanning design, simulation and analysis. The team brings experience from both local and global OEMs including Holden, Toyota, Walkinshaw, GE, Tata and John Deere. The portfolio covers motorsport, defence, government, medical, road vehicles, low volume compliance and certification activities.

A few years ago, the company made a strategic decision to vertically integrate by investing in industrial-grade additive manufacturing. Mr Woods said: “It was about gaining control, increasing agility and future-proofing our operations by bringing manufacturing in-house with reduced lead times, improved design iteration cycles.

“We gained the ability to prototype and produce complex end use components, without relying on external suppliers in a regulatory environment where timelines are tight and compliance is unforgiving. The flexibility is invaluable.”