VDA 6.1 – Questions and Answers

How expensive is a VDA 6.1 certification?

The costs for a VDA Volume 6 Part 01 certification vary – just like with IATF 16949 – and mainly depend on the size of the organization being certified as well as the number and complexity of processes and products, especially if they have high safety or regulatory relevance. In such cases, the VDA Volume “Special Characteristics” (SC) is also applied. An accredited ISO 9001 certification is a prerequisite for carrying out certification procedures according to VDA 6.1. If the requirements are effectively met, the costs for implementing and certifying according to VDA Volume 6 Part 01 are in the range of a low to mid five-figure euro amount.

Are companies required to get certified according to VDA 6.1? 

Companies in the automotive supply industry are usually required to get certified according to VDA Volume 6 Part 01 or alternatively IATF 16949 due to the “customer specific requirements” (CSR) of the manufacturers (OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer) or their direct suppliers (Tier 1). One exception is regulatory: EU Regulation 2018/858 requires car manufacturers to be certified according to ISO 9001 or ISO/TS 16949, which can safely be interpreted as referring to IATF 16949. In practice, authorities and technical services most probably recognize VDA 6.1 as an alternative to IATF 16949 in nearly all cases.

Does VDA 6.1 improve product quality?

Yes and no: VDA Volume 6 Part 01 is a quality management system audit standard. Its consistent application can significantly contribute to product quality. But the application of the standard does not guarantee product quality.

Common issues when preparing for a VDA 6.1 certification 

The issues in preparing for a VDA 6.1 certification are almost the same as with IATF 16949, meaning they’re mostly diverse, because the standard itself already includes numerous requirements and, on top of that, demands the effective implementation of the Automotive Core Tools and VDA volumes (e.g., VDA Maturity Level Assurance, D-FMEA and/or P-FMEA, Measurement Uncertainty Determination according to VDA Volume 5 et sqq., SPC, VDA Volume 2, problem-solving methods according to 8D, and more). This makes the standard comparably complex to IATF 16949, EN 9100, ISO 13485, or ISO/IEC 17025. The most common challenges lie in consistently implementing the Automotive Core Tools and relevant VDA volumes, as well as dealing with the numerous detailed requirements themselves.

What are the most common audit findings in VDA 6.1? 

The most common audit findings in VDA 6.1 audits are found in areas such as problem-solving, management of nonconformities and effective corrective actions (see definition in ISO 9000), consistent and demonstrable fulfilment of customer specific requirements (CSR), details in production control plans as well as in complex FMEAs, in maturity level assurance and project management, in measurement and inspection process capabilities, implementation of other applicable VDA volumes, in calibration and testing laboratories, and in supplier quality management.