On Tuesday, German vehicle licensing and testing agencies refuted an assertion made by U.S. President Donald Trump claiming that American automobiles must undergo a bowling ball dent test to be sold within the European Union—a test whose existence experts deny.
Trump alleged the test involved dropping a bowling ball from a height of about six metres, with the car passing only if it showed no dent — a requirement, he said, for US vehicles to be approved for sale in the European Union.
He stated that the EU is safeguarding its automobile sector through tariffs as well as unfair conditions and regulations specifically aimed at cars produced in the United States.
The TÜV SÜD inspection body and the KBA vehicle registration authority stated that this type of test does not exist.
They mentioned that all vehicles should be subjected to the same tests regardless of their place of manufacture.
A spokesperson from TÜV SÜD stated that such tests are indeed utilized for windshields, intended to determine if the glass produces sharp fragments upon breaking during an impact.
The reality that the windshield broke as expected was considered standard and didn’t indicate a failed test, it noted.
The instance references a remark made by Trump in 2018 during his initial term, where he credited a comparable test to officials in Japan. The president’s spokesperson later clarified that he seemed to be jesting with this statement.
