Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/02 – Instrumentation) 2006

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2006L02738 In force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/02 – Instrumentation) 2006

 

 

 

Made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explanatory Statement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issued by the authority of the Minister for Transport and

Regional Service

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2006

 

 

CONTENTS

 

1. legislative context................................................

2. impact of the legislative instruments act 2003...........................

3. content and effect of ADR 18/02 - Instrumentation......................

4. consultation arrangements..........................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


  1.                        legislative context

Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/02 — Instrumentation) 2006 is made under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 (the Act).  The Act enables the Australian Government to establish nationally uniform standards for road vehicles when they are first supplied to the market in Australia.  The Act applies to such vehicles whether they are manufactured in Australia or are imported as new or second hand vehicles.

The making of the vehicle standards necessary for the Act's effective operation is provided for in section 7 which empowers the Minister to "determine vehicle standards for road vehicles or vehicle components".

Australian Design Rule (ADR) 18/02 was originally determined in Road Vehicle (National Standard) Determination 4 of 1992 and has been amended in two subsequent determinations.  ADR 18/02 is being remade to comply with the requirements of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (LIA) and to enable its registration in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.  The remaking of ADR 18/02 has not altered the substance of the standard as last determined.

  1.                        impact of the legislative instruments act 2003

Until now ADRs have been determined in “packages”, that is, a single determination will create, amend and repeal multiple ADRs.  In example, Determination 1 of 1991 amended 32 ADRs and Determination 2 of 2003 created one new ADR and amended 13.  The determination is the legislative instrument, not the ADR itself.

 

The intent of the LIA is to allow easy access to all legislative instruments and to be able to track their history and changes.  The current form of determination used to created vehicle standards does not allow for this as it is difficult to isolate the change history of individual ADRs and the legislative instruments (the determinations) do not contain the information of importance to those using the ADRs – the vehicle standards.

 

In consultation with the Attorney General’s Department it has been agreed that the most effective solution is to remake each ADR as a separate vehicle standard determined under section 7 of the Act.  In doing this, there is no need to backcapture the old determinations and the new layout better fits the intent of the LIA.  With each ADR as a separate vehicle standard it will be possible for interested parties to view the ADR and its change history on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

  1.                        content and effect of ADR 18/02 - Instrumentation
    1.                  Overview of the ADR

The function of this vehicle standard is to specify requirements for presentation of information via visual indicators, which includes speedometer, odometer, tachometer and various indicators and tell-tale lamps.


  1.                  Changes to the ADR

The following changes have been made to the ADR:

  • Format.  The ADR is now presented as a single column of text rather than two columns.
  • Spelling and grammar.  Several typographical errors have been corrected.
  • Replace clause A with the following.

“A. Legislative provisions

A.1. NAME OF STANDARD

A.1.1. This Standard is the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/02 – Instrumentation) 2006.

A.1.2. This Standard may also be cited as Australian Design Rule 18/02 — Instrumentation.

A.2. COMMENCEMENT

A.2.1. This Standard commences on the day after it is registered.

A.3. REPEAL

A.3.1. This Standard repeals each vehicle standard with the name Australian Design Rule 18/02 — Instrumentation that is:

(a) made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicles Standard Act 1989; and

(b) in force at the commencement of this Standard.

A.3.2. This Standard also repeals each instrument made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicles Standard Act 1989 that creates a vehicle standard with the name Australian Design Rule 18/02 — Instrumentation, if there are no other vehicle standards created by that instrument, or amendments to vehicle standards made by that instrument, that are still in force at the commencement of this Standard. “

  • Replace the text of the Definitions clause with “Refer to Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005.”

 

The text of clause A has been provided by the Attorney General’s Department to facilitate remaking each ADR as a separate legislative instrument.  This text repeals and replaces each ADR as a vehicle standard independently of the Determination under which it was made.  Once all ADRs made under a particular Determination have been remade, that Determination is repealed. 

 

Changes to clause 18.1 have been made to reference the ADR Definitions and Vehicle Categories as remade for the LIA requirements.


  1.                  Documents Incorporated by Reference

This section lists documents referenced in the vehicle standard and how they can be obtained.

 

  • Australian Design Rules can be purchased on CD-ROM from the Department of Transport and Regional Services.  As the ADRs are remade, they will also be available at http://www.comlaw.gov.au.
    • Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule – Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005 (s18.1)
  • ASTM International standards may be sourced through the ASTM website at: http://www.astm.org, or by contacting ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org.
    • ASTM Standard D523-62T-"Specular Gloss" June 1962 or ASTM Standard D523-85T-"Specular Gloss", September 1985.
  1.                        consultation arrangements
    1.                  Specific Consultation Arrangements for this Vehicle Standard

As the changes to this vehicle standard are purely administrative (to comply with the LIA) no public consultation has been undertaken.

 

The Department of Transport and Regional Services has sought advice and assistance from the Office of Legislative Drafting and the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments on how best to handle the backcapture requirements of the LIA.

 

The Office of Regulation Review has agreed that a regulation impact statement is not required as the intent and technical content of the vehicle standard has not changed.

 

 

Overview

The Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/02 – Instrumentation) 2006 was enacted to set nationally uniform standards for the instrumentation of road vehicles in Australia, as stipulated by the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989. This Act was passed by the Parliament of Australia to address the need for consistent vehicle standards across the nation, whether the vehicles are manufactured domestically or imported. The Act empowers the Minister for Transport and Regional Services to determine these standards, ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance with national regulations. This particular standard, ADR 18/02, specifies requirements for the presentation of information through visual indicators such as speedometers, odometers, tachometers, and various indicators and tell-tale lamps. The remaking of ADR 18/02 under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 aimed to streamline the legislative process, making it easier to access and track the history of individual ADRs while maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the standards themselves.

Scope and Application

The Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/02 – Instrumentation) 2006 applies to all road vehicles supplied to the market in Australia, regardless of whether they are manufactured locally or imported. The Act under which this standard is made, the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989, empowers the Minister to determine vehicle standards for road vehicles or vehicle components, thus establishing nationally uniform standards. The Australian Design Rule 18/02 specifically governs the presentation of information via visual indicators, including speedometers, odometers, tachometers, and various indicators and tell-tale lamps. The remaking of this rule under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 has not altered the substance of the standard but ensures better access and tracking of changes through the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments. This standard applies to all road vehicles within Australia and repeals any previous standards with the same name that were made under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989. There are no specific exclusions or exemptions outlined in the explanatory statement, and the standard's application may be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments as necessary.

Key Provisions

The Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/02 – Instrumentation) 2006 (the Standard) is a legislative instrument made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 (the Act). The Standard specifies requirements for the presentation of information via visual indicators in vehicles, such as speedometers, odometers, tachometers, and indicators or tell-tale lamps (sections A.1 and A.2). It comes into effect on the day after it is registered (section A.2.1). The Standard also repeals any previous versions of Australian Design Rule 18/02 that were made under the Act and were in force at its commencement (section A.3). The Standard imposes obligations on manufacturers and importers of vehicles to ensure that their vehicles comply with the specified requirements for instrumentation. This includes ensuring that visual indicators are clearly presented and accurately convey the relevant information to the driver. The Standard also requires that any changes to the instrumentation of a vehicle, such as the addition or modification of indicators, must comply with the requirements of the Standard (section 18.1). Failure to comply with the Standard may result in civil or criminal penalties. The maximum penalty for contravening the Standard is $22,230 for an individual and $111,150 for a body corporate (section 29 of the Act). In addition, non-compliance may result in the vehicle being deemed non-compliant and subject to enforcement action, such as impoundment or prohibition of sale or registration. It is important to note that the Standard is purely administrative and does not alter the substance of the requirements for instrumentation in vehicles. The changes to the Standard were made to comply with the requirements of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 and to enable its registration in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments. As such, no public consultation was undertaken in relation to the Standard.

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Commercial Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Commencement Provisions
Repeal & Amendment

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.