See updated story for  7/6/2009 

(AIAG: Southfield, MI) -- The Automotive Industry Action Group recently announced the availability of the new ISO technical specification for the automotive supply chain. Developed by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF), the ISO/TS 16949:2009 standard, in conjunction with ISO 9001:2008, defines the quality management system requirements for the design and development, production, and when relevant, installation and service of automotive-related products. It's applicable to sites where customer-specified parts for production and service are manufactured.

The revised ISO/TS 16949:2009 standard doesn't introduce any new or changed requirements from ISO/TS 16949:2002. The revision is based on the updates made to the ISO 9001:2008 standard. Minor changes were made to ISO 9001 to provide clarification, greater consistency, resolution of perceived ambiguities, and improved compatibility with ISO 14001, which relates to environmental management systems.

The IATF is an ad hoc group of automotive manufacturers including BMW Group, Chrysler, Daimler AG, Fiat Group Automobiles, Ford Motor Co., General Motors (including Opel Vauxhall), PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault, Volkswagen AG, and their respective trade associations, formed to provide improved quality products to automotive customers worldwide. The IATF was established to develop a harmonized standard and reciprocal recognition for fundamental quality system requirements in the automotive supply chain.

The new technical standard is available in hard copy and electronic formats from the AIAG web site at www.aiag.org.