Final answer:
One of the three types of vehicle inspections is the emissions testing process. The EPA, responsible for such tests, only inspects around 15 percent of new vehicle models annually, mostly relying on automakers' submitted results for the rest.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the three types of vehicle inspections, one significant type is the emissions testing process. However, it is interesting to note that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is expected to perform rigorous emissions tests on vehicles, conducts these inspections on a remarkably small subset of vehicles. The general public may believe that the EPA is thoroughly testing every new truck, car, van, and SUV, but that is not the case.
In the EPA's Ann Arbor, Michigan facility, a mere 18 out of 17,000 employees are dedicated to the automobile-testing department. This small team examines only 200 to 250 vehicles annually, representing approximately 15 percent of new models each year. This means that the vast majority - the other 85 percent - are not tested by the EPA directly. Instead, the agency often relies on the automakers themselves, accepting the results they submit as accurate without further verification.
Of the vehicles that the EPA does test, two-thirds are chosen randomly, which creates a sort of check system on the accuracy of the manufacturers' submitted test results. The remaining third are selected for specific reasons, such as possible compliance issues or other concerns that warrant closer scrutiny by the regulatory body.