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This paper presents a comprehensive overview of Brazilian On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) regulations, Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs and Aftermarket Catalyst regulations as well as an overview of similar regulations in the United States and Europe. Opportunities and technical risks are described in this context. Regulatory information contained in this Paper is intended to serve as reference only. Updated and complete rules and regulations must be used for official purposes. The implementation of the second stage of Brazilian OBD (OBDBr-2), starting in 2010, represents a significant improvement towards exhaust emission control and on-board diagnostic monitoring. Its effectiveness and credibility will be heavily influenced by how this new technology is integrated into I/M programs and how well it meshes with aftermarket catalyst regulations. Currently, Brazilian I/M regulations do not incorporate any OBD requirements and only Rio de Janeiro State has implemented an I/M Program.

Vehicle On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) regulations have long since expanded their original purpose of helping vehicle owners and technicians with malfunction diagnosis. In the United States and European Union, what was initially conceived as an effort to standardize electronic engine control (EEC) related diagnostics, has grown to a much broader scope, including in-use monitor performance ratio (IUMPR), telematics, real-driving emissions (RDE) monitoring, analysis and benchmarking of tailpipe emissions and fuel economy, Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) programs. OBD Telematics has even become a popular do-it-yourself (DIY) project topic; Brazilian OBD, on the other hand, remains mostly focused on the on-board monitoring of emissions related malfunctions. However, the improvement of Brazilian OBD regulations (OBD-Br) can be gradual; it does not need to incorporate the latest and most stringent California Air Resources Board (CARB) and European requirements at once and in full - e.g.