ISO/TS 16949:2009, in conjunction with ISO 9001:2008, defines the quality management system requirements for the design and development, production and, when relevant, installation and service of automotive-related products.

ISO/TS 16949:2009 is applicable to sites of the organization where customer-specified parts, for production and/or service, are manufactured.

Supporting functions, whether on-site or remote (such as design centres, corporate headquarters and distribution centres), form part of the site audit as they support the site, but cannot obtain stand-alone certification to ISO/TS 16949:2009.

ISO/TS 16949:2009 can be applied throughout the automotive supply chain.

ISO/TS (Technical Specification) 16949:2009

The ISO/TS 16949 was jointly developed by the IATF members and submitted to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for approval and publication. The document is a common automotive quality system requirements catalog based on ISO 9001:2008, and specific requirements from the automotive sector. This document, coupled with customer-specific requirements defines quality system requirements for use in the automotive supply chain.

The IATF has developed a common registration scheme for supplier 3^rd party registration to the ISO/TS 16949. The registration scheme includes third party auditor qualifications and common rules for consistent global registration. Some of the benefits of the IATF registration scheme include:

• improved product and process quality
• additional confidence for global sourcing
• reassignment of supplier resources to quality improvement
• common quality system approach in the supply chain for supplier/subcontractor development and consistency
• reduction in multiple 3^rd party registrations

• Supply Organization Customer Specifics should be minimal.
• The TS (ISO) standard and each clause should be understood completely before adding Organization Customer Specific requirements. 

Organization Customer Specifics should support alignment with and cascading of OEM requirements through the supply chain based on TS16949:2009 and OEM customer specifics.

• Cascading OEM requirements include, for example, PPAP and Special Processes e.g. CQI-9 (Heat Treat). CQI-11(Plating) and CQI-12 (Coating).
• Organization customer specifics (if required) should focus on quality management system requirements to meet customer requirements and not include the organization's commercial or other unrelated specifications.

• Specifics related to application of TS16949 or ISO9001 requirements.
• Additional Organization Customer Specifics (stated as requirements) as necessary.

• Indicate the particular or additional requirements applicable to your organization, or
• Provide the organization's specific requirements related to the particular clause , or
• Include ‘Notes’ for clarification that may be useful in the application to your organization.
• Do not use Organization Customer Specifics to interpret or suggest interpretation of TS requirements.
  • ISO/TS 16949:2009 is an IATF and ISO sanctioned document, and ISO 9001:2008 is an ISO sanctioned document. Supply organization interpretations of these documents are not sanctioned nor are these auditable.