VietNamNet Bridge – Transport officials inspecting 19 manufacturers of black boxes – devices installed in vehicles to supervise their operation – have discovered nine of them to be falling short of national standards.

The Ministry of Transport's inspection campaign, which runs until June 29, is concentrating its investigations in HCM City, the southern province of Dong Nai and the central city of Da Nang.

Inspectors suspended the operations and withdrew the production licences of the two manufacturers who committed the most serious violations, said the ministry's Deputy Chief Inspector Thach Nhu Sy.

The companies in question are Da Nang's C.S.S.E Information Technology Joint Stock Company and HCM City-based Xuan Phi Services and Trade Limited Liability Company.

They produced and sold black boxes that did not meet the ministry's criteria and fooled transport businesses by showing them forged certificates declaring the high quality of their goods.

The seven other companies have been given a three-month period to fix their problems. If they are still not producing black boxes that meet national standards, their business licences will be revoked, according to Sy.

The campaign has been timed to ensure transport businesses are purchasing high-quality black boxes for their vehicles before July. From then, the Government is making it compulsory for the country's 48,000 heavy vehicles – including lorries, coaches and fuel carriers - to have the equipment installed.

Owners who fail to follow this regulation will face a fine of up to VND3 million (US$142).

Sy revealed that inspectors had proposed that the ministry publicise the names of both quality and low-quality black box manufactures and suppliers, adding that transport companies should inform the ministry if they detected any low-quality products.

The technical data recorded from a black box can help police discover violations performed by drivers and reveal the causes of traffic accidents based on speed and braking information.

The black box is linked to a satellite and the data will be transmitted via the internet to authorised agencies for monitoring.

The ministry's Department for Science and Technology has so far granted licences for 63 types of black box product manufactured by 50 local producers.

Source: VNS