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To meet new emission standards, new diagnostic procedures require fixing the root cause instead of fixing the symptom. Technicians must understand how powerplant processes create emissions, and how vehicle systems affect emission control. Some Emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I&M) programs involve tailpipe measurements under load using a dynamometer, and EVAP testing. But where I/M was previously considered as a quasi-national standard (IM240), I/M is likely to vary among the states, and indeed within states. Effective technician training concentrates on need-to-know, considering two factors: 1) Baseline skills and knowledge define entry-level pre-training competencies; 2) Performance-based training is expressed in objectives--as a result of the training, what can the technician do?

Technician training must change to conform with changing I/M (Inspection/Maintenance) programs. Instead of a single federal standard I/M, individual state programs now vary widely. IM240, originally mandated in 22 states for Enhanced areas, lost favor: owners of established independent test & repair shops objected to the high cost of proposed test equipment vehicle owners objected to the Inconvenience and cost and the possibility of line ups at centralized test-only facilities California negotiated a major hybrid I/M program which combined decentralized and decentralized test variations. USEPA relaxation from the strict federal requirements of IM240 has produced several different state emissions I/M programs. Some states test in loaded-mode using simpler dynamometers than IM240, such as ASM (Acceleration Simulation Mode). Many states continue testing without load, thus limiting testing to HC and CO. Some are using (and many are testing) remote roadside sensing.

Recent changes in state I/M (Inspection/Maintenance) programs have significantly changed diagnosis and repair procedures. For many states, electronic engine controls require some form of loaded-mode I/M test. The static tests developed in the 1970s for carburetors and points/condenser ignition do not satisfactorily differentiate between modern clean and dirty cars. What do these changes mean to I/M technicians, specifically in High Enhanced areas? How do we define a “qualified” I/M technician? Many states are taking different approaches to I/M technician training, and individual states are redefining a “qualified service technician”. Such programs with overlaps have serious implications for technician training, OEM and aftermarket, with probable state/state variations Inevitable future changes in engine-management technology, state I/M programs, and vehicle fuels require a flexible dynamic approach to training and certification of technicians.