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Automotive test equipment has been around for well over 100 years, as automobiles have been in existence that long. It's hard to believe how sophisticated today's automobiles are. They can practically drive and diagnose themselves, but it does take specialized equipment to test vehicles and repair then when problems arise.

Government regulations, industry standards, insurance regulations and many other factors affect the level of sophistication of automotive test equipment. Innovative approaches to these problems must be thought about when developing automotive test equipment.

Automotive test equipment manufacturers must take all of the regulations and requirements into account when developing their equipment. If they do not, another manufacturer can beat them to the punch or consumers can have faulty vehicles, which can cause all kinds of problems including accidents and breakdowns.

Some of the factors an automotive test equipment engineer must consider are the flexibility and specifications test professionals must use when reviewing vehicles for safety and design. A good automotive test manufacturer accounts for market changes, product development and innovation, the need for automobile manufacturers to get to market faster, cost in testing automobiles and adaptation to safety and environmental regulations.

A new branch of the automotive test equipment industry relates to the impact automobiles have on the environment. Because of the research around vehicle emissions and air quality, the Environmental Protection Agency along with other advocacy groups have gained much ground in getting the government to impose stiff environmental quality regulations on car manufacturers. In order to meet these standards, automobile test equipment developers must stay abreast of the regulations and develop test equipment that not only checks for compliance but exceeds it.

Safety automotive test equipment is a big business because the car manufacturers have to ensure the safety of the consumer or they face still penalties and loss of market share. They spend millions upon millions each year working with automotive test equipment manufacturers to develop the latest technology in crash testing and safety standards.

Reporting agencies such as Consumer Reports use their own versions of automotive test equipment to rate automobile manufacturer in their safety and compliance with environmental regulations.