Practically every fourth vehicle on the streets in the Federal Republic of Germany is defective. Brakes and electronics are often in critical condition. This is evident on the basis of the most recent GTÜ reliability report. But this is no surprise given that the survey yields almost identical results year after year.
According to the GTÜ's calculations, of the 43.9 million passengers car licensed in Germany, 8.6 million are driving along the streets with unreliable brakes, while 13 million have lighting, electrical as well as electronic defects.
This means that every fifth passenger car is driving around with defects in the braking system. According to data provided by the Federal Office for Statistics, the braking system is defective in one-sixth of cars involved in an accident. As a rule, the following applies: The older the vehicle, the more frequently technical problems arise, including with the brakes. This is also confirmed by the TÜV, where every fourth car fails.
“It is precisely during the slippery months that tires and brakes on the car must be in proper order, since a good ten percent of accidents causing injuries or death occur on account of technical defects in the vehicle,” says ROMESS head Werner Rogg.