This content is sourced from TVBS Auto Channel report:

 

(Source: TVBS Auto Channel, Reporter Chen Yihong, May 21, 2025)

Due to recent extreme weather events such as typhoons and earthquakes, well-known Taiwanese off-road rally driver Chen Hehuang and the China Safe Driving Association submitted a proposal in January 2025 on the Public Policy Network platform. The proposal called for allowing firefighting and rescue vehicles to modify suspensions, tires, and other parts, and to register changes in wheelbase, width, height, and tire size to better protect public safety. The proposal gained support by March, prompting a required response from the Ministry of Transportation. Recently, the Ministry issued a statement noting that directly loosening vehicle factory specification regulations is inappropriate. However, since the firefighting authority is the Ministry of the Interior’s Fire Department, if they determine rescue vehicles need exceptions for operational purposes, they may identify special vehicle requirements and establish exception management rules.

According to the proposal “Ensuring public safety by allowing fire and rescue vehicles to modify suspensions, tires, and register changes in track width, vehicle width, height, and tire size,” over 200 active firefighters participated in advanced off-road driving training in 2024 at Tainan Anping, Taichung Shigang, and New Taipei Linkou. The training revealed that under current regulations, even factory off-road vehicles or legally modified ones still struggle with complex disaster terrains. This may delay rescue arrival times and pose additional safety risks to rescuers, sometimes turning them into victims themselves.

Most stock off-road vehicles are designed mainly for road use or aesthetics, making them less suitable for rugged terrain. The proposal suggests amending Appendix 15 of the Road Traffic Safety Regulations to allow changes in track width, vehicle width, height, and tire size. After professional or academic inspection, or certification by chassis makers, dealers, or licensed vehicle body builders and repairers, firefighting and rescue vehicles would be permitted to register these modifications.

In response, the Ministry of Transportation confirmed it contacted the proposer after the petition passed and, in April, held discussions with the Directorate General of Highways, National Fire Agency, and the proposer to understand the request. The National Development Council later convened a coordination meeting and decided the Ministry of the Interior would collect data on the number and specifications of firefighting and rescue vehicles. Based on this, the Ministry of Transportation and the Fire Agency will discuss possible adjustments to inspection standards for special-purpose vehicles. However, since the proposal involves altering original vehicle specifications and Annex 15 of the Road Traffic Safety Regulations applies to all vehicle types, the Ministry stated that amending the annex directly may impact road safety and is therefore inappropriate.

However, since the NDC, MOTC, and National Fire Agency all acknowledge the need for modified rescue vehicles, they agreed that special exceptions are necessary. The Ministry of the Interior’s National Fire Agency will assess and list specific functional modification needs for rescue vehicles, then draft special exception regulations. These will be submitted to the MOTC for approval. In short, the NFA will define the required functions and set separate management guidelines, enabling rescue vehicles to be modified appropriately and operate at full capacity.