IATF & Oversight Bodies (IAOB, SMMT, VDA, ANFIA, IATF France)

The IATF (International Automotive Task Force) is a group of automotive manufacturers and their respective trade associations, formed to provide improved quality products to automotive customers worldwide. Its purpose is to:

1. To develop a consensus regarding IATF 16949 Standard with subscribing OEM’s and other interested parties in the automotive industry.
2. To develop policies and procedures for the common IATF third party registration scheme to ensure consistency worldwide.

IATF members include the following vehicle manufacturers: BMW Group, FCA US LLC, Daimler AG, FCA Italy Spa, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, PSA Group, Renault, Volkswagen AG.

IATF has created five oversight offices located in France (The Federation Vehicle Equipment Industries – FIEV), Germany (VDA QMC), Italy (ANFIA), United Kingdom (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders –SMMT) and United States of America (International Automotive Oversight Body – IAOB) to administer IATF registration scheme. IATF also has an administrative office in Beijing, China reporting to global oversight (as China has 47% of the World’s IATF certificate). The oversight offices were established to:

1. Conduct office assessments and witness audits of the certification body.
2. Provide interpretations and guidance through the issuing of Sanctioned Interpretations (SI) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
3. Manage the IATF database to ensure timeliness and accuracy.
4. Monitor the certification body activities, qualify 3rd party certification body auditors & handle the application process for new certification bodies.

IATF is the only accreditation body for IATF 16949: 2016 certification. Unlike for other Standards like ISO 9001, where there is more than 80 accreditation body.

You can check the status of any IATF 16949 certificate by clicking at this link and entering unique IATF Number specified on the certificate.

You can subscribe to IATF website so that you can get updation instantaneously by clicking on the link and registering your email ID.

You can get updated information about any New Auditor Training program by clicking at the link.

IATF is regularly clarifying the requirements specified in IATF 16949 Standard. You can get connected to FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) by clicking at the link.

IATF also ensures that updated CSR (Customer Specific Requirements) of IATF subscribing OEM (GM, Ford, Daimler, VW, BMW, Peugeot, FCA & Renault) is available at their website.

Looking at the IATF subscribing OEM, it is surprising to note that many renowned and well-established OEM’s of countries like Japan and Korea are missing. It is expected that very soon OEM’s like Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Tata Motors (Yes, India too!!!) will be part of IATF subscribed OEM list.

In the end, some question to ponder

1. How much the automotive sector has benefitted from IATF 16949 certification?
2. If organizations are getting benefitted from IATF and their 5 oversight office?
3. If IATF has been able to differentiate themselves from other accreditation bodies?
4. Why in spite of certification to IATF 16949: 2016, the client still conduct a System audit at the organisation site?

This is the fourth article of this Automotive series. Every weekend, you will find useful information which can make your Management system journey productive.

Do share your honest feedback and suggest topics for the coming weeks.