[RahulNagaraj]

Authorities in California, USA, are said to start testing for ECU tunes on vehicles, as part of their Smog Check Program, starting from July 19, 2021. According to a media report, any vehicle running a software not provided by the manufacturers or approved by the California Air Resource Board will fail the test.



The smog checks are a biennial program conducted in California to crack down on vehicular emissions. These checks usually include a thorough visual inspection, making sure a vehicle's intake and exhaust systems are legal and the emissions are under the regulations via a scan of the OBD 2 Port.

Owners who have tuned the ECU on their vehicles have been asked to restore the software back to OEM specifications, before passing the smog check program.

Owners of vehicles who fail the smog check, but believe their vehicle ECUs comply with the OEM specifications can schedule another inspection with a smog check referee. While those who have unknowingly purchased vehicles with illegal software modifications can file a complaint with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR).

Source: CarBibles

Link to Team-BHP news

[ajmat]

This is interesting, how do they keep a record of the original maps and compare these? They should focus on compliance to stated regulations.

A bit of a killjoy!

[GTO]

California has always been the strictest (like Delhi is in India) and at times, they set the tone for others to follow. As enthusiasts, we like our remaps for more power. But come on, there is no doubt that we are making our cars dirtier for the environment. Even as a gearhead, I am in agreement with CA here.

There are workarounds. If VW can hide its dieselgate cheating software, tuners will also find a way. After all, it's their livelihood at stake. Piggyback ECUs is another way.

Or tuners will themselves charge you a big fee for the initial remap, and then a token fee to revert to stock map, clear the test, then get back the remap. The cost to them is only time.

[landcruiser123]

Good move - but won't the regular emissions testing catch custom tunes? When I had my Smog check in 2020, there was emissions testing with a smoke detector inserted into the tailpipe and the engine was revved up.

One question - IIRC all custom tunes come with some defeat device (a la VW)? As long as the custom tune meets local regulations - should it really matter?

Originally Posted by GTO

California has always been the strictest (like Delhi is in India) and at times, they set the tone for others to follow.

Agreed on setting the standards, but CA doesn't do illogical things like banning older cars. CA incentivizes EV adoption rather than punishing you for owning older cars.

Or tuners will themselves charge you a big fee for the initial remap, and then a token fee to revert to stock map, clear the test, then get back the remap. The cost to them is only time.

Due to expensive labor, I'm pretty sure most people into tuning in America will have the knowledge and the necessary hardware connectors to flash an ECU.

[ajmat]

Some more clarification on tuned maps

Testing for compliance involves plugging into the car's ECU and checking for two pieces of data: The Calibration Identification, or Cal ID, and the Calibration Verification Number, CVN. The Cal ID indicates which version of the software the car is running, similar to the iOS number in your iPhone. The CVN is calculated based on how the car runs, using parameters studied by the ECU, with the number changing when the software is adjusted.

California's new test looks at the CVN and Cal ID figures in the ECU’s code to determine if anything is out of place. (This suggests that certain "piggyback" devices could skirt the test if they're not detected visually, as these inline tuners don't change the Cal ID or CVN.) Any aftermarket computer device, whether it's an ECU or an inline tuner, is required to carry an Executive Order number, or EO, that indicates it's been approved by CARB.

CARB and BAR have yet to clarify what this new test procedure means for vehicles built before 1996 (i.e., pre-OBD), though the state requires all cars built after 1975 to pass the emissions test for their model year. What we do know for sure is this: if you’re running an ECU or a tuning device that doesn't have a CARB EO, you’re gonna want to bring it back into compliance before your next emissions test.

Treydte and his colleagues at SEMA are no strangers to BAR and CARB. In fact, a large part of SEMA's work involves collaborating with regulators on things like emissions compliance. As a result, Treydte has become quite knowledgeable about this new regulation, and feels strongly that there's no reason for enthusiasts to fear the new tests.

More here

[SedanGuy]

I am under the impression that this decision was done in haste. Please correct me if I am wrong, isn’t the whole idea of ECU mapping to find the right/optimal fuel air mixture at the right engine load. At least that’s the basic idea of the maps isn’t it? Which means that these maps are making your car more efficient.

If that map is done to increase power or increase fuel efficiency, how does it make any difference? As long as emissions are in line with regulations, it makes no sense to govern ECU maps.

The worst outcome to come out it would be to have such petty regulations trickle down into other parts of the country and eventually to our country.