Just read an article in Auto Express about a guy who's car failed an MOT due to his HID headlights not having a self levelling system and washers even though it was built in 2004 6 years before the regulation came into force (the guy lived in Northern Ireland)
Both the guy and Auto Express thought it was ridiculous that a car is expected to adhere to a law that came out after it was built, so they went to various agencies DVLA and DOT & VOS.
Anyway they found that the wording for the N.I. Regulations differ slightly from the English version, this is what I found interesting, the (english) VOSA version is " a car with HID lights MAY also have head light washers and self levelling which must be checked if working"
They queried this with VOSA and a spoksman stated that " if a car has washing and self levelling system then we'll check it, if it is not there then we won't check it and give the owner the benefit of the doubt"
Don't really want to open the legal or not legal debate, but it shows that not everything is clear cut and the legality of a car could be down to who carries out the MOT and his interpretation of the regulations.
Both the guy and Auto Express thought it was ridiculous that a car is expected to adhere to a law that came out after it was built, so they went to various agencies DVLA and DOT & VOS.
Anyway they found that the wording for the N.I. Regulations differ slightly from the English version, this is what I found interesting, the (english) VOSA version is " a car with HID lights MAY also have head light washers and self levelling which must be checked if working"
They queried this with VOSA and a spoksman stated that " if a car has washing and self levelling system then we'll check it, if it is not there then we won't check it and give the owner the benefit of the doubt"
Don't really want to open the legal or not legal debate, but it shows that not everything is clear cut and the legality of a car could be down to who carries out the MOT and his interpretation of the regulations.