DAF Trucks has developed a new website dedicated to assisting bodybuilders to meet the requirements of the new EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) directive.

Bodybuilders can register for access to DAF BBI Plus through the existing DAF bodybuilder website DAF BBI (www.dafbbi.com), which will continue to be the essential reference point for bodybuilder guidelines, chassis drawings, specification sheets and CAD files.

DAF BBI Plus adds a host of additional information to help make body installations simpler and more straightforward. Bodybuilders and converters who are developing and maintaining type approvals for their own bodywork will have access to approval information, vehicle specific chassis drawings, insight into current and upcoming legislation, and details on the entire DAF product range.

ECWVTA came into effect for new goods vehicles over 3.5 tonne gross weight at the end of October 2012 for ‘complete’ vehicles that are built ready for the road in a single stage and for ‘incomplete’ chassis/cab vehicles. This means that all DAFs now leaving PACCAR plants in Leyland and Eindhoven are fully type approved under the ECWVTA directive and converters who alter a vehicle before it is registered must also comply.

For most bodybuilders who mount their bodywork to chassis/cabs to produce ‘completed’ vehicles, ECWVTA will become mandatory from 29 October, 2014. As a result many are now starting the process of creating their own approvals by developing the necessary internal systems and processes.