The Transportation Ministry announced on Monday a plan to introduce roadworthiness tests (KIR) for privately owned vehicles starting from this year, a move that will open up new business opportunities for automotive industry players in the country.

The plan was revealed following the launch of the KIR facility at a privately run workshop in Jakarta affiliated to PT Astra International’s Daihatsu Sales Operation (DSO), the distributor of Daihatsu vehicles in Indonesia.

The launch also marked the introduction of the KIR service at DSO’s 110 workshops across the archipelago. The facilities will focus on serving public transportation vehicles and trucks.

“Moving forward, the facilities will also serve [private vehicles]. This is because every vehicle using public facilities needs to undergo a KIR,” Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said, adding that such a measure would also help improve road safety.

He said the government expected to start introducing the roadworthiness tests for private vehicles within the next three to four months.

The 2009 Traffic and Land Transportation Law does not specifically mention that private cars must undergo regular roadworthiness tests. However, Article 210 of the law stipulates limits in gas emissions and noise levels for general vehicles.

With limited KIR facilities in Jakarta, public transportation service providers in the capital sometimes must wait for up to four months to get their fleets checked. The lack of facilities has prompted the government to boost private-sector participation in conducting KIR tests.

It has stated that it will give the privately run workshops two years to develop their human resources, management, information systems, tools and equipment before they get full accreditation and are allowed to conduct KIR tests without government assistance, as provided currently.

A regular KIR test is obligatory for public transportation vehicles and trucks, to ensure road safety. They are encouraged but not mandatory for private vehicles. As well as emissions and noise the assessment includes brake operations, accuracy of speedometer and other factors.

Based on the existing law, the private sector is allowed to conduct their own roadworthiness tests with certain requirements, including the availability of certified inspectors, standardized facilities and reliable infrastructure and equipment.

So far, the government has not established further detailed regulations for the roadworthiness facilities run by private companies, including profit sharing, although this is currently being drafted.

In February, PT Hibaindo Armada Motor, the official dealer of Japanese commercial vehicle producer Hino, kicked off a three-month trial of its own Rp 5 billion (US$375,000) KIR facility.

The ministry announced on Monday that the trial was a success and that Hibaindo Armada Motor had secured the necessary accreditation to run such a service.

The ministry said that as members of the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo) sold private vehicles, they should play a role in conducting KIR tests.

Gaikindo chairman Yohannes Nangoi said that a total of 1,200 workshops operated by dealers affiliated to members of the association were ready to offer KIR tests for private vehicles.

“We have the skills, competency and facilities,” he said.