Illegally modifying a vehicle's rated power, substituting vehicles for inspections, using on-board diagnostic (OBD) system cheating devices... For some time, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has exposed multiple cases of fraud in the field of motor vehicle emission inspections. A reporter's investigation found that some testing agencies tamper with data to deliberately lower standards, turning vehicle substitution into a gray industry chain. Fraudulent emission inspections allow some vehicles with excessive exhaust emissions to "hit the road while still faulty."

Data Repeatedly "Tampered With" In a certain year and month, the Zhangzhou Ecological Environment Bureau in Fujian Province discovered during routine inspections that Mingjin Automobile Inspection Service Co., Ltd. had an exhaust emission inspection pass rate as high as %, far exceeding the industry average. At the same time, reports for the same vehicle models inspected by this agency showed varying rated power outputs, raising suspicions among law enforcement officers.

Law enforcement officials stated that the rated power is a crucial parameter in the motor vehicle inspection process. For the same vehicle, the higher the power detected during the inspection, the higher the corresponding tailpipe emission values. "During our on-site inspection at the testing station, we found that the actual rated power of a vehicle did not match what was shown on the inspection report," said Zhan Guobing, Deputy Director of the Zhangzhou Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment. After retesting, indicators such as nitrogen oxide concentration for these vehicles were higher than the previous test results.

On an "In-Use Vehicle Inspection (Test) Report" provided by law enforcement officers, a reporter noticed that the actual rated power of a heavy-duty semi-trailer tractor from a logistics company was recorded in kilowatts, but had been altered to a different kilowatt figure on the report. Li Zhengxin, the head of the second brigade of the law enforcement team at the Zhangzhou Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau, stated that after the power was reduced, the vehicle's nitrogen oxide concentration and other indicators met the standards, ultimately resulting in a qualified report.

Falsifying rated power is not uncommon. In a recent typical case of fraud by a motor vehicle inspection agency in Dalian, Liaoning, there was an instance where "the vehicle passed the environmental emission inspection by unauthorized reduction of the vehicle's rated power." Similar cases have also been reported in Jiangxi and Heilongjiang.

Some testing agencies fabricate data out of thin air. Law enforcement officials explained that when a vehicle enters the inspection line, the inspector inserts a card to read the vehicle's data. However, during the enforcement process, it was discovered that some vehicles skipped this step, and the data was not uploaded to the relevant platform. Yet, the corresponding data appeared in the inspection report, which was marked as passing the inspection.

Some testing agencies manipulate the software testing parameters. In a typical case disclosed by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in a certain year and month, an institution in Ma'anshan, Anhui, colluded with a testing software development company to illegally set correction parameters in the background. By adjusting the values of these correction parameters, they artificially reduced the concentration of various pollutant emissions, allowing vehicles that failed emission standards to pass the tests, and issued over 100 false inspection reports.

Fraud Forms a Gray Industry Chain with Cheating Devices Available Online Investigations by reporters revealed that, in addition to falsifying test data, some inspection agencies also manipulate vehicles through various means, including substituting vehicles for testing, installing cheating devices, and adding gas filtration systems. In a typical case disclosed by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in [month/year], one inspection line at an inspection agency in Anhui frequently retested the same vehicles, and synchronized testing occurred multiple times with a neighboring inspection line. Through data comparison, video tracking, and on-site inspections, law enforcement officers discovered that the agency had long used gasoline vehicles to substitute for testing heavy-duty diesel vehicles and others. Since [month/year], the agency had issued a total of [number] fraudulent inspection reports.

According to reports, there are various methods for substitute vehicle inspections in emissions testing: for example, using a gasoline-powered vehicle to replace a gasoline-diesel hybrid vehicle for testing, which is equivalent to substituting a gasoline car for a diesel car; or purchasing fake license plates online, altering the vehicle identification number (VIN), or arranging for a visually similar vehicle to undergo the inspection. A police officer revealed that substitute vehicle inspections involve multiple parties, including testing stations, repair shops, intermediaries, and vehicle owners, forming a complete gray industry chain. In a previously investigated case of substitute vehicle inspections, intermediaries were responsible for posting ads for substitute inspections on internet platforms, collecting the vehicle registration certificates sent by those seeking substitute inspections, and purchasing fake license plates. Repair shops were tasked with engraving the VINs of the substitute vehicles and altering the rear badges, while testing agencies ensured the inspections were "passed." The fee for substituting one vehicle was several thousand yuan, which was then divided among the involved parties.

In addition, in recent years, cheating devices have frequently appeared in cases of motor vehicle inspection fraud. Li Zhengxin said, "The real-time status of a vehicle is monitored by checking key components such as the car engine and catalytic converter. If the exhaust exceeds the standard, a warning will be issued." However, by connecting to the interface of the vehicle being inspected, cheating devices can arbitrarily adjust or replace the超标 data, ensuring that the information transmitted to the officially designated computer meets the emission standards—effectively making the vehicle pass with a single click. Investigations by reporters revealed that such cheating devices can be easily purchased on internet platforms. On a second-hand trading site, a seller specializing in used car parts listed a circuit board-like "filter" priced at a certain amount, with sales reaching a certain number of units this year. The seller claimed that this "filter" can arbitrarily "write data" and is compatible with "most vehicles." A manager at an auto repair shop in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, explained, "The Controller Area Network (CAN) is like the 'central nervous system' of a car, and nearly every vehicle has one." Law enforcement officials stated that the vast majority of cases involving "data customization" involve the use of cheating devices for fraud.

Strengthening Supervision and Industry Self-Discipline A comprehensive approach to managing vehicle emissions, particularly from heavy-duty trucks, is a crucial aspect of air pollution control. As the "gatekeepers," motor vehicle emission inspection agencies play a significant role in reducing mobile source pollution and achieving continuous improvement in ambient air quality. Since [specific month and year], the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other departments have launched a nationwide campaign to rectify third-party agencies in the vehicle emission inspection sector. By [specific month and year], [number] agencies faced punitive measures such as disconnection from the network, [number] had their qualifications revoked, and [number] with severe violations were held criminally liable.

Industry insiders reveal that the frequent occurrence of fraudulent practices in motor vehicle environmental inspections is partly due to the increase in the number of testing institutions and intensified competition in recent years. Some institutions, in order to "grab business," deliberately lower standards. Data shows that the number of motor vehicle inspection institutions in the country has increased to a certain number, growing by approximately a certain percentage compared to a previous year. The rapidly growing supply side has triggered vicious market competition, with institutions engaging in price wars.

According to the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China, those who falsify emission test results for motor vehicles or non-road mobile machinery or issue false emission test reports shall have their illegal gains confiscated and be fined between 100,000 and 500,000 yuan; in severe cases, their testing qualifications may be revoked. In previously reported cases, multiple testing institutions were fined or had their qualification certificates revoked for fraudulent practices. In a false testing case adjudicated by the Baoshan District People's Court in Shanghai, defendants Liu and Xie were sentenced to two years and six months and two years in prison, respectively, for the crime of providing false certification documents.

Law enforcement officers noted that gathering solid evidence for falsified environmental inspections is challenging, and enforcement often involves cross-regional and cross-departmental coordination. They recommended using digital video systems to enhance real-time monitoring of inspection agencies, developing big data models for analysis and assessment, and further upgrading technical screening methods. Additionally, they emphasized the need to establish and improve a joint working mechanism, ensuring multi-departmental coordination to swiftly and comprehensively crack down on violations and illegal activities. "The competition in the motor vehicle inspection sector is becoming increasingly fierce. There is a need to optimize resource allocation, strengthen industry self-discipline, and leverage the guiding role of industry associations. By improving hardware standards, inspection technology, and service quality, we can enhance market competitiveness and avoid chaotic 'internal competition,'" said the head of a vehicle inspection station in Quanzhou, Fujian Province.