What is New About IATF 16949:2016
The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) has recently published the new global industry standard IATF 16949:2016. This standard supersedes and replaces ISO/TS 16949:2009 as the new standard for quality management in the automotive industry.
IATF 16949:2016 has evolved from its predecessor (ISO/TS 16949:2009) and it has been developed with the participation and feedback of numerous organizations in the industry (OEMs, auditors, certification bodies, etc) including those in the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG).
Because the automotive industry has changed in the last few years and there has been many technological advances and an increase for safety concerns, the changes of this new standard include solutions to recent problems and concerns in the industry. Some of the main changes include:
Risk management and safety
The new IATF 16949:2016 includes specific requirements to address risk management. They aim at identifying and mitigation risk to reduce failures in the development of new programs and to enhance the execution of planned activities.
Also, the new standard requires organizations to have processes that will ensure product safety through the entire lifecycle of products.
These best practices are aimed to support a safer and more stable industry.
Customer specific requirements
This standard clearly differentiates customer requirements from Customer-specific requirements (CSR) to avoid misunderstanding and specifies the procedures for addressing them.
Product traceability
IATF 16949:2016 includes improvement of the traceability requirements of products to support regulatory changes that apply to the industry.
Specific requirements for products with embedded software
With technology advances, electronics and software are now incorporated into vehicles, which is something that did not happen before; thus the standard now explicitly addresses these electronics and software systems that are being embedded into vehicles.
Warranty management
The standard introduces requirements related to the warranty management process that includes procedures to address No Trouble Found (NTF).
Clear requirements for managing second level suppliers
The standard requires that organizations ensure conformance of products, processes and services throughout their supply chain. Hence, organizations must manage conformity issues across their supply chain.
Incorporation of corporate responsibility requirements
Organizations are required to implement corporate responsibility policies and initiatives that address bribery and other ethical issues.
Alignment with ISO 9001:2015
This standard is fully aligned with ISO 9001:2015 and it needs to be implemented to complement it. IATF 16949:2016 is not an independent quality management standard, thus those organizations seeking to be certified with this standard, also need to comply with all ISO 9001:2015 requirements. However, unlike ISO/TS 16949, IATF 16949:2016 does not contain the ISO 9001:2015 text, it only contains the additional requirements specific to the automotive industry.
These are the main changes included in IATF 16949:2016. Those organizations required to transition to it, such as suppliers that manufacture parts for the industry, must examine it carefully and fully understand all its requirements. The transition process must be completed by September 14 2018.
To find a Registrar who can assist with your transition to IATF 16949:2016 visit the ISO Update Registrar Directory
ISO Terms Explained
To the novice quality manager, ISO jargon can be extremely overwhelming. What is an NCR? What do you mean by OFI? Are we certified or accredited? But before you go and pull out your hair, let’s take a moment to go over some of the most frequently used terms and their definitions with regards to ISO and Management System Certification.