your link refers to "pannen" which means breakdowns, e.g. your car dying on the highway. OPs article refers to a report by TÜV which inspects cars every 3 (for

your link refers to "pannen" which means breakdowns, e.g. your car dying on the highway. OPs article refers to a report by TÜV which inspects cars every 3 (for older cars every two years) to ensure that they dont have any flaws and are compliant with regulation. This inspection is mandatory in Germany. source: am German, but not a subject matter expert.