Fuel consumption – the whole truth

Fuel consumption – the whole truth

Most of the vehicles registered since January 1, 2021 do not yet have to undergo a §57a inspection, with the exception of trucks, taxis and emergency vehicles. From January 2024, everyone else will also have to pay the annual “Pickerl”. What is new is that from May 2023 onwards the testing companies in Austria (authorized service dealers since May 2022) will also have to read out the real fuel consumption data that is stored in the vehicle under the abbreviation OBFCM (On Board Fuel Consumption Monitoring). “We are currently working on an explanation that is as simple as possible as to what OBFCM actually is and how it works,” says Andreas Westermeyer, speaker at the Federal Automotive Technology Guild. The three steps are: Connect the diagnostic device via the OBD connector, read out consumption data and send it to the central assessment database ZBD - done. Rainer Wimmer, Head of Automotive Services and the Automotive Academy at the Österreichischer Wirtschaftsverlag, explains: "The workshops can, for example, easily collect the data via the digital network Workshop Net and send it to the ZBD. The ÖAMTC bases use this network, as do several EBV partner companies." Andreas Westermeyer adds: "In our mailing to companies regarding OBFCM, we will mention the ZBD interface as well as refer to the link to the Workshop Net. We will also address the legal framework, i.e. the necessary changes to the general terms and conditions."

The fact that the EU authorities are now demanding that fuel consumption be recorded under real driving conditions is a direct result of the diesel scandal. In the past, the consumption values ​​determined on the test bench had been optimized to such an extent by a series of technical measures that the legislator recognized the need for action. Conclusion: Today the EU Commission ensures transparency with the OBFCM data, indicates the real consumption for each individual model and thus makes the vehicles directly comparable with each other. “This fundamentally laudable project, however, contains some points that go beyond the planned purpose,” points out Andrej Prosenc, Head of Technology, Testing and Safety at the ÖAMTC. Significantly more data is collected than is needed for the comparison. “The vehicle identification number VIN is also recorded and passed on to the authorities – that doesn’t have to be the case,” says Prosenc and confirms this. “The ÖAMTC therefore supports the plan for a transparent and comparable representation of the average consumption of individual vehicle models, but is strictly against assigning individual consumption to traceable vehicle data such as the VIN,” explains Prosenc.

For data protection reasons, consumers generally have the right to object to the transfer of data that can be personally linked to them. In practice, this means more time is required for the testing companies, because the vehicle owners have to be informed about what happens to their data. If you do not agree to this, you can refuse to pass on the data. “This clarification must be made anew with every inspection,” explains Andrej Prosenc. In practice, all data is forwarded to the EU Environment Agency, which then checks the information provided by vehicle manufacturers. However, the significance of this data must be viewed critically: “It does not take into account the conditions under which the individual vehicles are operated,” explains Prosenc. Factors such as loading, trailer operation, traffic jams, motorways, mountain roads or climatic differences can have a major influence on consumption values.

For all vehicles:

• Kraftstoffverbrauch
• Zurückgelegte Strecke
• Kraftstoffdurchsatz des Motors
• Kraftstoffdurchsatz des Motors
• Kraftstoffdurchsatz des Fahrzeugs
• Fahrzeuggeschwindigkeit

Additionally for plug-in hybrids:

• Kraftstoffverbrauch insgesamt im Betrieb bei Entladung
• Kraftstoffverbrauch insgesamt im vom Fahrer wählbaren Betrieb der Ladungserhöhung
• Zurückgelegte Strecke insgesamt im Betrieb bei Entladung bei abgeschaltetem Motor
• Zurückgelegte Strecke insgesamt im Betrieb bei Entladung bei eingeschaltetem Motor
• Zurückgelegte Strecke insgesamt im vom Fahrer wählbaren Betrieb der Ladungserhöhung
• Der Batterie zugeführte Netzenergie insgesamt