LV 124 is the German automotive industry standard, drawn up jointly by Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler and others. It imposes stricter mechanical, climatic and electrical protection requirements on electrical and electronic components than the Chinese national standard. Products exported to Germany usually have to meet it.
Standard positioning
LV 124 and GB/T 28046 share very similar test principles, but LV 124 is generally more severe and includes items the national standard does not cover. It is not a replacement but an addition — many export projects need both.
LV 124 applications" loading="lazy">Scope
- Applies to: automotive electrical and electronic components, especially controllers, sensors, actuators and harness assemblies.
- Applies to: German OEMs and their tier-one supply chains.
- Covers: mechanical loads, climatic loads, ingress protection and EMC-related requirements (some citing other standards).
Structure and content
Mechanical loads
- Severity levels for vibration and shock are higher than GB/T 28046 requires at the same mounting location.
- Additional mechanical stress items are included, such as shock at specific locations.
Climatic loads
- Higher temperature extremes and cycle counts for high/low temperature and temperature cycling.
- Longer durations and harsher condition combinations for damp heat.
Sealing and ingress protection
- More specific verification requirements for sealing and IP rating.
Special requirements
- Some items are unique to LV 124 with no counterpart in GB/T 28046.
Acceptance
- Test to the LV 124 revision the customer specifies; the revision number must be confirmed, as severity is adjusted between revisions.
- Acceptance follows LV 124, focusing mainly on function and appearance after the test.
Common non-conformities
- Passing GB/T 28046 but failing LV 124 — the most common situation, caused by the severity difference.
- LV 124-only items being unfamiliar and therefore missed at the planning stage.
- Revision misunderstanding: the customer requires the new revision but testing is run to the old one.
Relationship to other standards
Order of application against GB/T 28046
Follow the customer. If nothing is specified, run both and take the stricter level as the basis.
Combining items
Overlapping items can be run at the stricter level, but each must be checked against its own procedure and acceptance criteria — they cannot simply be substituted.
Report acceptance
Confirm in advance whether the customer accepts a third-party report and whether witnessing is required.
Service notes
The laboratory holds both CMA and CNAS accreditations, with approximately 10,000 m² of space and 500+ instruments. All testing is completed in our own laboratories — no subcontracting. On-site visits and witnessed testing are supported.
Testing is scheduled per project. When submitting samples, tell us your expected timeline; we will confirm a feasible plan against current availability and keep you updated at each milestone.
