The New Zealand government has announced that it will ban some Toyota/ Lexus vehicles equipped with Its Connect. The reason for the ban on imports is that the radio waves emitted by Its Connect have the same frequency as the public radio waves used in New Zealand, which violates the Radio Law.
The ITS Connect system fitted to some vehicles originating in Japan operates by broadcasting a signal on the 760MHz frequency. This frequency is not compatible with the licensing framework in New Zealand. Under the Radio Communications Act 1989 it is illegal to import or operate a device that operates on this frequency The purpose of this technical bulletin is to define a process for identifying vehicles fitted with ITS Connect systems and how these vehicles need to be processed if an ITS Connect system is fitted. The process outlined below shows the steps border inspection organisations (BIOs) can take to assure they act with due diligence, best endeavours, and based upon the best information available.
BIOs to provide data to Waka Kotahi The BIOs, specifically Automotive Technologies Limited, ATJ, JEVIC, Independent Verification Systems (IVS), and NZ Biosecurity Services, as per the requirements of this manual, will provide data to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency regarding the presence of ITS Connect on vehicles they inspect, subject to the prerequisites below. All reasonable efforts outlined in this process will be made to assure the BIOs provide the most accurate information. All responsibility for importing any vehicle remains with the importer.
The process for BIOs to follow From 1 April 2021 BIOs must check if vehicles they inspect (that are on the defined make and model list) are fitted with an ITS Connect system. Vehicles coming to New Zealand from Japan
Inspecting the vehicle for an active ITS Connect system To determine if ITS Connect is fitted and operational, two checks must be made to the vehicle. The first check is on the driver information display (MID, or MFD). The second check is on the navigation system. In both cases the inspector will be looking for any indication of settings that are associated with an active ITS Connect system.
Conclusive evidence of inspection and ITS Connect system removal To meet the burden of proof of conclusive evidence, it must be shown that the vehicle is not fitted with an ITS Connect system. For a vehicle that is not fitted with the system, two photos must be provided on the BIS system that show the settings screens for both the Navigation unit and the MID. These photos should also be saved with the BIO’s vehicle file. A vehicle that has been found to be fitted with an ITS Connect system must have a damage flag placed on the vehicle with a note stating ‘ITS Connect Fitted’. Any other damage or Takata airbag recall notes must also be added if applicable. The vehicle owner must take the vehicle to a Toyota or Lexus franchise in Japan to have the ITS Connect system removed. An invoice or receipt from the dealer that shows the vehicles chassis number and indicates that the system has been removed is acceptable evidence that ITS Connect is no longer fitted. A secondary check must be made on both the Navigation unit settings and the MID settings to ensure the ITS Connect associated settings are no longer visible. A copy of the invoice and photos of the displays on the second inspection must be saved in the vehicle file. A copy of the invoice should be loaded to BIS as evidence of the ITS Connect system removal.