Automotive OEMs
Partnering across the entire vehicle lifecycle
OEMs are navigating a period of unprecedented transformation. Electrification, software-defined vehicles, automated driving functions, and strict sustainability targets are reshaping development and production. At the same time, global regulations, cybersecurity risks, and market access requirements are becoming more complex.
DEKRA supports automotive OEMs with independent testing, inspection, certification, and digital trust services. We help you to succeed in safety, quality, and regulatory compliance worldwide. From early development and validation to type approval, production oversight, and in-use compliance. As a world leader in automotive services, DEKRA enables OEMs to bring innovative vehicle technologies to market with confidence.
Our Approach
Predictable TIC execution for global vehicle programs
DEKRA’s mission is to embed safety, compliance, and quality into products, processes, and operations. We are combining decades of automotive expertise with future-ready capabilities for electric, connected, and automated mobility.
Working closely with purchasing and engineering teams to identify applicable regulatory and technical requirements at an early stage, we align testing and certification scopes across regions, and define clear, realistic approval paths. Early clarification helps avoid late changes, duplicate testing, and unnecessary complexity during series development and market launch.
Our global network of accredited laboratories and technical experts enables OEMs to combine centralized governance with reliable local execution. Testing and certification activities can be scaled across markets while remaining comparable and auditable, supporting sourcing decisions, cost planning, and long-term supplier strategies.
FAQ
For automotive OEMs, Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) refers to independent services that verify whether vehicles, systems, components, and processes comply with regulatory, safety, quality, and performance requirements.
TIC services play a critical role in managing technical complexity, ensuring regulatory compliance across global markets, and safeguarding brand reputation. Independent TIC providers such as DEKRA support OEMs by validating conformity, reducing risk, and enabling safe market access.
DEKRA supports automotive OEMs throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle – from concept and development to production, homologation, market launch, and in-service operations.
Services include vehicle and component testing, conformity of production (CoP), type approval support, audits, inspections, and post-market surveillance. This lifecycle approach helps OEMs identify risks early, avoid delays, and ensure long-term compliance.
Independent third-party testing provides objective verification that vehicles and systems meet regulatory and safety requirements.
For OEMs, this independence is essential to demonstrate compliance to authorities, build trust with consumers, and mitigate legal and reputational risks. DEKRA’s neutral position ensures transparency and credibility in regulatory processes and technical assessments.
Automotive OEMs face different regulatory frameworks across regions and markets. DEKRA supports global homologation by interpreting regulatory requirements, conducting required tests, and coordinating approvals across multiple jurisdictions. With its international network, DEKRA helps OEMs streamline approval processes, reduce duplication, and accelerate market entry worldwide.