The future of rig123.com vehicle diagnostic equipment
Figures from the Department of Transport show that there were 2,946 people killed in road accidents in the UK in 2007, while 27,774 were seriously injured. In total there were 182,115 road accidents involving personal injury in 2007. While some of these accidents are caused by driver error and reckless driving, others are caused by vehicle faults.

With so many cars on the road, accidents are inevitable but it`s clear that the figures need to be reduced and that`s where vehicle diagnostic equipment can play a vital role.

What is vehicle diagnostic equipment?

Vehicle diagnostic equipment helps you to identify problems with your vehicle so you have a chance to correct them before an accident or breakdown occurs. You may see them in everyday use, for example by way of warning lights that appear on many vehicle dashboard displays.

In addition however, there are many advanced forms of vehicle diagnostic equipment that are generally only used by professionals for issues such as programming keys and basic fault finding on systems such as immobilisers.

There are many different types of vehicle diagnostic equipment, including:

. Air conditioning equipment
Around 85 per cent of new cars are sold with air conditioning equipment but they require regular servicing including refrigerant recovery, system leak check, recharge with fresh refrigerant and lubricating oil.

. Battery management
To test, charge and support vehicle batteries.

. Coil on plug testers
To quickly determine whether the coil on plug is producing a proper spark.

. Diagnostic testers
Designed for different vehicles they have the ability to diagnose a range of electronic systems for body, chassis, engine and transmission.

. Emission analysers
Tests emission levels from petrol or diesel vehicles.

. Event-data recorders
Used to monitor driving habits.

. Keys and key programming equipment
May read and clear fault codes on devices including immobilisers.

Vehicle diagnostics in crash recording

Many car manufacturers have been recording driving habits in recent years, primarily for optimising subsystem performance, but more recently for event-data recording. Devices can now store information on everything from engine speed and vehicle speed to brakes performance and seat-belt use.

In recent times many vehicle black boxes have been created that store vital information. Much like when a plane crashes, the black box holds vital clues to the cause of the accident, and may provide information that can prevent similar crashes in the future. A device may record the date, time, direction, impact severity, and may even offer a 3-D acceleration profile. They can be used to find the cause of an accident and may help settle insurance claims and avoid fraudulent activity in the future.

Many have criticised the use of black boxes in cars, likening them to a Big Brother scenario. However, those in support of the scheme argue that black boxes speak for the victims and tell the truth in a way nothing else can.

The importance of car insurance

Black box diagnostic equipment has already been used by some car insurers. In 2005, Norwich Union launched a scheme in which policyholders could agree to have a black box device installed in their car to log details of all journeys, meaning lower bills for those who drive less often or mainly during daylight hours. More Th>n runs a similar scheme with premium incentives to drivers who are more eco-friendly behind the wheel.

It is possible that vehicle diagnostic equipment may be used to determine car insurance claims in the future and solve issues such as who is it at fault. For now, its vital drivers shop around for car insurance and find a comprehensive policy that will protect them in the event of an accident occurring