Access to OEM supply chains
A common condition for supplying automotive manufacturers and their tier suppliers.
Certification support
IATF 16949 Automotive Quality Management
Current edition: IATF 16949:2016 · IATF Rules, 6th edition
The quality management standard for automotive production and service parts suppliers. It builds on ISO 9001 and is applied together with each OEM's customer-specific requirements.
NextRevision planned
A revision will follow ISO 9001:2026
IATF has indicated that IATF 16949 will be revised after ISO 9001:2026, on which it is based. The IATF Rules 6th edition, which govern how certification audits are run, have applied since January 2025. We build systems to the current standard with the revision in view.
What the standard covers
What IATF 16949 adds to ISO 9001
IATF 16949 is used together with ISO 9001 and adds the controls automotive customers expect from their supply chain.
Customer-specific requirements
Each OEM's requirements identified, flowed down and built into your processes.
Core tools
APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC and MSA applied to product and process development.
Product safety
Safety-related characteristics identified, controlled and escalated.
Embedded software
Development and assessment of software in automotive products.
Warranty management
Warranty and field returns analysed and fed back into improvement.
Contingency plans
Plans to protect customer supply when key processes or suppliers fail.
Supplier development
Supplier selection, monitoring and second-party audits.
Maintenance
Total productive maintenance for the equipment that makes your product.
Why organisations implement it
What IATF 16949 delivers
Launch discipline
APQP and PPAP make new product launches predictable and documented.
Lower defect rates
SPC, MSA and error-proofing reduce variation, scrap and escapes.
Protected supply
Contingency planning and maintenance keep deliveries running.
Clear customer evidence
Customer scorecards and CSRs addressed in one system.
Integrated management
Works alongside ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 50001.
How we work
Path to certification
One AEC methodology from first assessment to certificate, delivered by registered lead auditors.
- AssessGap assessment against IATF 16949 and your CSRs, scope and roadmap
- DesignProcesses, risk register, policy and documented information
- ImplementProcesses embedded with coaching for process owners
- TrainAwareness for all staff and internal auditor development
- VerifyInternal audit, management review and mock certification audit
- Certify & sustainStage 1 and Stage 2 support, then surveillance readiness
Full implementation
No existing system. We design and implement from the ground up.
Typically 9 to 12 monthsGap remediation
Some documentation in place. We close the gaps and prove effectiveness.
Typically 6 to 9 monthsUpgrade & integration
We add the automotive requirements and core tools to your ISO 9001 system.
Typically 4 to 6 months
Who certifies
Certification by IATF-recognised bodies
IATF 16949 certificates can only be issued by certification bodies recognised by the International Automotive Task Force, following the IATF Rules. AEC prepares you for that audit; the certification decision is theirs.
CB-neutral
We help you select an IATF-recognised certification body that suits your customers and sites.
Audit-ready
Mock audit, core tools evidence and closed corrective actions before Stage 1 and Stage 2.
No guarantees
We prepare you thoroughly and never promise an outcome only an independent auditor can decide.
Case study
IATF 16949 in practice
Chemicals & materials · Brazil
Dow
IATF 16949:2016 · 2017 · 4 months · Pindamonhangaba
1stAttempt
0NCs
4Months
The challenge
Building an automotive quality system for glass and plastic bonding systems at a Brazilian site, as one of three Dow systems in three regulatory contexts.
What AEC did
IATF 16949 system for the site's bonding systems (product design excluded), alongside ISO/IEC 27001 at Midland headquarters and ISO 9001 for Dow Consumer Solutions.
All three certified at first attempt, no nonconformities. A relationship since 2017, across two continents.
Where it applies
IATF 16949 by industry
Automotive · OEM and tier 1 to 3 suppliers
Manufacturing · metal, plastics and electronics for vehicles
Transport & logistics · service parts supply
Related standards
Training Academy
View IATF 16949 courses
IATF 16949 training
Delivered by practising, registered lead auditors. In-house, public, virtual or hybrid.
- Awareness (half day) for all staff
- Implementer (2 to 3 days) for system owners
- Internal Auditor (2 to 3 days) in line with ISO 19011
Questions
IATF 16949 FAQ
Does AEC issue the IATF 16949 certificate?
No. IATF 16949 certificates are issued only by IATF-recognised certification bodies under the IATF Rules. AEC prepares your organisation for that audit and supports you through Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Who needs IATF 16949?
Sites that make production or service parts, or materials, for automotive customers that require it. Many OEMs require it through their customer-specific requirements. We confirm applicability and scope during the gap assessment.
How do customer-specific requirements fit in?
Each OEM publishes its own requirements, which apply on top of IATF 16949. We identify the CSRs for your customers and build them into your processes and audit programme.
Should we wait for the revision?
No. Certification to IATF 16949:2016 remains the requirement until a new edition and its transition rules are published. Systems built now move to the new edition through a focused gap review.
Start your IATF 16949 programme
Tell us your products, customers and sites. We reply with a proposal covering gap assessment, core tools, training and certification support.
Certification decisions are made by independent, accredited certification bodies. AEC prepares organisations for certification and does not guarantee certification outcomes.