ISO/TS 16949 : 2002, defines international automotive quality system requirements. ISO/TS 16949:1999 are written based on the format of ISO9001:1994, and ISO/TS 16949:2002 is written based on the format of ISO9001 : 2000. The revisions in this document include adoption of the process approach requirements of ISO9001:2000, feedback from ISO/TS16949:1999 Customer specific requirements are required by individual subscribing vehicle manufacturers and are provided separately.

ISO/TS16949:2002 specifies the quality management system requirements for the design/ development, production, installation and servicing of automotive-related products. The latest version was established in the year of 2002. ISO/TS16949:2002 is an ISO Technical Specification which aligns existing US, German, French and Italian automotive quality system standards within the global automotive industry.

The ISO/TS 16949:1999 was jointly developed by International Automotive Task Force (IATF) members and submitted to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) for approval and publication.

bull; It is applicable only to sites where production or service parts are manufactured. (A site is defined as: a location at which value added manufacturing processes occur. Manufacturing is defined: as the process of making production materials, parts or assemblies, or heat treating, painting, plating services.). Any tier within the supply chain can apply. bull; Organizations which have automotive and non-automotive product will require separate certification for these separate product groups.

Ford, GM, DaimlerChrysler, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault, Fiat, BMW, Daimler Benz and Volkswagen all support ISO/TS 16949. Daimler Chrysler. Japanese and Korean manufacturers may also recognise ISO/TS16949:2002 as a valid supplier approval mechanism in future.

The ISO/TS 16949: 2002 does not replace AVSQ (Italy), EAQF (France), QS-9000 (USA) or VDA6.1 (Germany). The document represents an option for suppliers. Clients certified to QS-9000 will therefore have until 14th December 2006 to upgrade to ISO/TS16949:2002 although this may be subject to specific vehicle manufacturer requirements. New certification to QS-9000 will still be possible in the period up to 14th December 2006, but all QS-9000 certificates will become obsolete from 15th December 2003.

QS-9000 automotive requirements and other worldwide automotive requirements such as ANFIA-Italy, CCFA-France, SMMT-UK and VDA-Germany. This standard is developed by IATF and JAMA with support from ISO/TC 176.

TS 16949 includes all the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 in addition to specific requirements for the automotive industry - suitable for companies involved in an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) supply chain. If a company does not supply an OEM or OES (original equipment service) they do not qualify for TS 16949. ISO 9001:2000 is more generic and applies to a broad range of industries.

ISO/TS16949:2002 is an ISO Technical Specification which aligns existing US, German, French and Italian automotive quality system standards within the global automotive industry. ISO/TS16949:2002 specifies the quality system requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2000 for automotive production and relevant service part organizations.

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ISO/TS16949 was prepared by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) and Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association Inc. (JAMA). The IATF consists of an international group of vehicle manufacturers, BMW Group, Daimler Chrysler, Fiat Auto, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault SA and Volkswagen, Plus National Trade Associations, AIAG (America), VDA (Germany), SMMT (UK), ANFIA (Italy) and FIEV (France).

ISO/TS16949:2002 in conjunction with ISO 9001:2000, defines the quality management system requirements for the design and development, production and, when relevant, installation and service of automotive - related products. It is applicable to sites of the organization where customer - specified parts, for production and / or service, are manufactured.

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A diagnosis is made by observing symptoms and by evaluating the history of their onset. No blood analysis or other type of neurological testing exists to diagnose TS. However, some physicians may wish to order an EEG, MRI, CAT scan, or certain blood tests to rule out other ailments that might be confused with TS. Rating scales are available for assessment of tic severity.

The majority of people with TS are not significantly disabled by their tics or behavioral symptoms, and therefore do not require medication. However, there are medications available to help control the symptoms when they interfere with functioning. The drugs include haloperidol (Haldol), clonidine (Catapres), pimozide (Orap), risperidone (Risperdal), fluphenazine (Prolixin, Permitil), and clonazepam (Klonopin).

Genetic studies indicate that TS is inherited as a dominant gene (or genes) causing different symptoms in different family members. A person with TS has about a 50% chance of passing the gene to one of his/her children with each separate pregnancy. However, that genetic predisposition may express itself as TS, as a milder tic disorder or as obsessive compulsive symptoms with no tics at all.

Since many people with TS have yet to be diagnosed, there are no absolute figures. The official estimate by the National Institutes of Health is that 100,000 Americans have full-blown TS. Some genetic studies suggest that the figure may be as high as one in two hundred if those with chronic multiple tics and/or transient childhood tics are included in the count.