The government will spend NT$380 million (US$12.5 million) on the establishment of a new car assessment program, Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) said this week, adding that the program would be ready in two years.
Hochen and Premier William Lai (賴清德) talked about the plan at a legislative plenary session on Tuesday when questioned by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Shu-feng (林淑芬).
Lin asked if the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) plans to allocate NT$100 million each year to buy cars and conduct collision tests based on the standards.
Test results would affect how people choose the cars they want to buy, which in turn forces automakers to upgrade their safety features, she said.
Hochen said that the program’s timeline was finalized at a discussion on Tuesday.
The government would spend about NT$380 million in the initial phase, he said, adding that an annual operational fund of NT$92 million to NT$100 million would also be allocated to ensure the program’s continuation.
“We want the operational fund to come not only from the government’s budget, but also from drivers’ car insurance fees,” he said.
Lai promised that funding for the program would not be an issue.
Hochen on Monday said in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee that the ministry would reveal more details before the end of this year as to when and how the program would be enforced.
Earlier this year, some people proposed that the government require automakers to publish the results of collision tests on an online public policy forum established by the National Development Council before the cars enter the market.
The ministry and the Vehicle Safety Certification Center in June held a forum to discuss the proposal.
The ministry began drafting regulations after the proposal secured enough online backing following a second deliberation on June 18.
Tsai Yu-ting (蔡育庭) on auto blog www.7car.tw said that new car assessment programs in other nations are enforced by third-party institutions supported either by the private sector or the government.
Tests are conducted on cars that are available for purchase, Tsai said, adding that they are different from collision tests stipulated by government regulations.
“The purpose of the program is to use higher standards to evaluate cars, and the test results would be presented using a star-rating system,” Tsai said, adding that the program is viewed as a way to encourage automakers to improve car safety features.
However, Tsai said that test items should be carried out in accordance with the standards set in the program if the nation is considering using the same or a similar program.
These would include testing grounds, equipment and the qualifications of test administrators, Tsai added.
“Whether Taiwan would follow an existing car assessment program or create a similar program would affect the credibility of the tests,” Tsai said, adding that people should also pay attention to whether Taiwan’s program is stricter than other assessment programs, which could lead to trade barriers.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS