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…and what to look out for when buying one.

A selection of light transmission meters on the market. Pictured far left is one of the AutoLight models, the only compliant meter to the regulations.

There has been a lot of focus recently on window tint testing from, all government jurisdictions. As a manufacture of automotive diagnostic products, we have orders that come in from across Australia, as well as different countries in Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa and parts of Asia.

With so many products on the market, it’s important to make sure you get a product that can not only test all the windows on a car, but is compliant with the regulations, and can be calibrated.

What is a Light Transmission Test?

According to Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 8/01 – Safety Glazing Material) (ADR-8), the purpose of this test is to determine whether the regular transmittance of safety glazing exceeds a specified value.

Why do we have Light Transmission Laws?

Part of the general equipment necessary to conduct a thorough vehicle inspection includes a light transmission meter. This is to ensure that the windscreen, windows are in a condition that the driver has a clear field of vision, for safe driving.

Window tinting can diminish driver vision through vehicle windows. This compromises the safety of the driver and their passengers. Safety is jeopardised when windows that are too dark because they can obscure the driver’s vision while driving and put them and their passengers at risk of an accident.

Australian Light Transmissibility Values*

*Only the uppermost 10% of the windshield or the area above the wipers may be tinted. The meter may have up to a 5% measuring inaccuracy. A vehicle may be accepted if the readings are up to 5% lower than the minimum light transmittance. This data is current as of July 2021. Check your local authority for more detailed values.

What features does your tint meter need to be compliant?

Ask your retailer if the tint meter is compliant with ISO 3538:1997.

The tint meter needs to able to calculates the light transmitted through windows and display the result as a percentage. It also needs to be able to test the windscreen and rear window, not just the side windows. There are some tint meters that are more affordable, however they can only test the side windows.

The light source needs to be white Light, that means it’s an incandescent filament light source with 2856ºK (± 50ºK) nominal colour temperature (conforming to CIE 1931 standard observer for photopic vision).

If the light source is not white, but another colour like green, it is not a compliant tester. Green or blue lights cannot accurately test all colours of tinted windows. Therefore, white LED is compliant as it can test the required colours – grey, green and brown tinted glass.

There are many cheap tint meters on the market which do not have a white LED light source. There are also many products made overseas which cannot be sent off to be calibrated, which is part of the regulation.

What are the changes to QLD Window Tint Testing?

Tint Card testing method for testing the transmissibility of windows in Light Vehicles will no longer accept by TMR (Department of Transport & Main Roads QLD) from September 2021.

AutoTest Products® window tint testers AutoLight® meet all the requirements for a light transmissibility tests in every state and territory in Australia, and across the world.

Why chose AutoLight?

It is compliant with Australian, and international light transmission regulations. With its single button operation, this lightweight window tint meter tests windows and windscreens easily and accurate every time.

AutoTest recently announced its latest model of window tint meters, the AutoLight® MAGNETIC. Providing fast, accurate hands-free tint testing, allowing a single operator to take a photograph of the reading. The AutoLight® MAGNETIC improves the earlier products, easily providing higher resolution and more accurate reading showing results down to one decimal place.

This model is lightweight and the fastest tint tester on the market.

AutoLight® is an essential tool to assist garages, law enforcement agencies, testing authorities and anyone involved in fleet safety management to help ensure vehicles are compliant and safe.

The AutoLight® has a bigger brother the AutoLight® Plus MAGNETIC, this model provides the connectivity that makes result management easy. It connects to an Android app that can be installed on the AutoTest® WorkshopPro® 10, providing a single tool to perform brake tests and windscreen tests, keep a digital record, and take photographs as well. Readings can be stored directly on the unit or printed on the included portable Bluetooth printer or a network printer.

It may be well worth the investment if you’re a looking to upgrade your equipment or are looking to equip a new workshop.

AutoTest Roadworthy Kits

AutoTest® also offer several packages that will suit the needs of a new workshop at a bundled discounted price, rather than buying individually – The AutoTest® Workshop Roadworthy Kit and the AutoTest® Ultimate Roadworthy Kit.

The AutoTest® Workshop Roadworthy Kit, which includes an AutoStop® Maxi brake meter (can be upgraded to include GPS), the AutoLight®, and the AutoTest® Headlight Align.

You could consider the latest tablet based decelerometer the AutoTest® WorkshopPro® 10, which has built in GPS and can also be purchased as part of a kit- the AutoTest® Ultimate Roadworthy Kit, which also includes the AutoLight® MAGNETIC, and the AutoTest® Headlight Align. If you consider upgrading the Ultimate Roadworthy Kit, it includes the AutoLight® Plus MAGNETIC and we add in the Android AutoLight® software for free to achieve full connectivity between the AutoLight® and WorkshopPro® 10, so you can print the results of your light transmission test.

AutoTest Products Pty Ltd is an Australian made and owned, award-winning manufacturer of vehicle testing equipment. Highly sought after, their products are sold in more than 50 countries by a worldwide network of distributors, and used by law enforcement agencies throughout Australia, Southeast Asia and Europe.

AutoTest products are all portable and easy-to-use, making them ideal for regulatory authorities, service testing stations, garages and workshops.