BEYOND THE TÜV Rheinland evaluates how geopolitical regulations are infl uencing technology development T KALYAN VARMA , GLOBAL PROGRAM MANAGER, WIRELESS, TÜV RHEINLAND GROUP echnological advancements and ecological concepts, including connected devices, smart homes and sustainability, bring enormous complexity into product compliance. Of such, IT/telecom and consumer devices were the first types to have their new technologies be influenced by geopolitical regulatory developments. Skyrocketing demand for seamless cross-product connectivity worldwide compounded by the potential for economy of scale has forced manufacturers and brand owners to go beyond traditional regulatory requirements. It is now commonplace to have electrical safety and electromagnetic compliance be joined by wireless compliance, cybersecurity, functional safety, data privacy, etc. GEOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL FACTORS Social sensitivity and foresight into market acceptance are ever important factors for meeting business goals and ensuring the product delivers to end-user demands. Degrees of consumer and regulatory expectations of device quality have grown rapidly and exponentially, which demand more efficient, smart, reliable, repairable, recyclable and ecological designs that take into account social impact throughout the supply chain and manufacturing processes, and are executed with a high degree of transparency throughout. Product development and the circular economy has similarly progressed to include material and chemical requirements, along with the reduction of e-waste by manufacturers exploring new material combinations for their products. Regulatory and quality requirements are heavily influenced by geopolitical specifications to protect their own markets. These variances can greatly influence the level of investment, salability and ease of market access. Manufacturers should gain a clear understanding of technical barriers for trade and incorporate these into the full life cycle of devices. Thanks to international harmonization of certain standards which has made them widely accepted, many national standard development organizations contribute and adapt those same standard sets into local mandates. For example, the IEC and IECEE CB schemes are widely accepted and adapted to various national standard development organizations (SDOs). This harmonization makes it easy to demonstrate compliance to a unified set of electrical safety requirements. However, manufacturers and buyers should be aware that regulatory compliance is not an ultimate indication of a high quality device, and in most cases, merely covers the bare minimum of requirements. Securing additional quality marks and certifications from reputable independent testing and certification bodies are effective ways to showcase product quality on the market. In-house certifications and quality marks play a vital role, providing manufacturers with a way to validate the excellence of their product(s) to a higher set of benchmarks and keep-up with fast changing technology trends. Unbeleaguered by the slow or absence of regulatory updates, such schemes not only ensure validated quality claims, but also ensure the continuous compliance through established methods of supervision on production and market surveillance practices. E DYNAMICS OF ELECTRICAL DEVICES Where electromagnetic compliance is concerned, CISPR standards along with the European and Federal Communications Committee (FCC) by and large form the basis for global requirements. There remain some standard variations at the country-level influenced by local regulatory bodies which have yet to see resolution and the prospect of relief for those seeking compliance. Market growth and regulatory expansion are allowing for very exciting technology advancements to be seen, however these progressions have spurred discussions surrounding energy supply, stability, storage and demand to come to the forefront as well. IT/ telecom devices require reliable and consistent energy sources, and the explosion of smart consumer products has increased the need (and demand) for energy efficiency norms within the household. While both global warming and energy resource limitations have long since been priority topics, the recent pandemic has fueled initiatives to hasten the progress of alternative energy sourcing, storage, and the application of smart technologies for the spectrum of energy generation, reliability and sustainability practices. lectrical consumer products have also adopted chemical compliance as a common regulatory requirement, with many national regulations following the European RoHS, WEEE and REACH directives. The sheer variety of devices now being made available on the market has created the addition of more stringent requirements such as food contact materials (FCM), non-intentionally added substances (NIAS), various ecolabels and e-waste management requirements to the process. CONNECTED WIRELESS IS NOW SMART A big portion of “smartness” is synonymous with connectivity, with wireless smart devices dominating the market. However, it’s still important to remember that “smartness” and connectivity also includes wired technologies. The rapid advancements in smart devices and technologies invites new regulatory challenges like data privacy, security, and complex wireless compliance requirements, opening the door to new, often unexplored or unknown threats. 72