ISO/TS16949:2009 , the technical specification, has been approved and issued in June 2009, as an automotive sector-specific QMS set of requirements which uses ISO 9001:2008 (verbatim) as its base.
It replaced ISO/TS16949:2002 based on ISO 9001:2000, and is intended to be an alternative to QS-9000 and other national automotive OEM supplier requirements.
The aim of ISO/TS16949 is the development of a quality management system that provides for continual improvement, emphasizing defect prevention and the reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain. TS16949 applies to the design/development, production and, when relevant, installation and servicing of automotive-related products. It is based on ISO 9001, autosector specific requirements e.g. APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA and OEM specific requirements..
The requirements are intended to be applied throughout the supply chain. The first tier suppliers to vehicle assembly OEMs are required to seek ISO/TS16949 certification.