Month: December 2024

Merry Christmas and thank you 

As 2025 fast approaches and this is the last ARC360 Weekly News of 2024 we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support throughout the year. 

The ILC community has continued to grow in number, extend its reach, and develop throughout 2024. 

We now have in excess of 10,500 engaged ‘followers’, whilst across all sectors we have 40 Corporate Partners, as well as 29 Insurer Partners. 

Our events continue to be market-leading – with another year-on-year increase in attendees and App users in 2024. 

We have also been delighted to significantly increase our digital content efforts – generating more insight for the market, driving website traffic and, ultimately, culminating in the introduction of ILC Daily Motor News in September – a product the market requested, and we delivered. 

And, of course, the ongoing support for our charity partner Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity goes from strength-to-strength with 2024 seeing us surpass our best-ever annual fundraising figure to date. 

All of this is only possible with the support of the ILC community – and we’re excited to continue our ‘better tomorrow’ drive for 2025 and beyond. 

We will be back with our regular news feeds week beginning Monday 6 January. 

In the meantime, wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. 

Repairer News   

Drive Motor Retail has unveiled its Direct Bodyshop which will provide enhanced support for both customers and business partners, 

Nova Automotive Group has named Rob Dixon, Witham MET, as Employee of the Year, and Lucia Fowles, a Prep/Paint Apprentice Colchester, as Apprentice of the Year. 

Total Motor Care has passed its latest British Standards Institution audit.   

Vehicle Bodycare Centre has invested in significant upgrades to its Leeds-based office and service areas.   

KC Autos Stockport has successfully completed its first BS10125:2022 audit. 

JDK Technology welcomed Samsons of Bolton to its site recently, ahead of their closer working partnership next year.  

European manufacturers call for decisive action on end-of-life vehicle regulation 

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has called for decisive action on End-Of-Life Vehicles Regulation from EU Environment Council. It wants a stepwise approach to plastic recycled content targets, to consider the challenges of limited closed-loop secondary raw material availability, the need for mandatory dismantling measures, and to consider the particularities of heavy-duty vehicles. Full story

Honda and Nissan hold merger talks 

Honda and Nissan are understood to have held exploratory talks about a potential merger to help them compete against electric vehicle (EV) makers, particularly in China. The discussions are in the early stages and there is no guarantee that a deal will be agreed, BBC News understands. Full story

Suzuki Ignis crowned most reliable 4×4, Land Rover Discovery remains moneypit 

The Suzuki Ignis has been crowned the most reliable 4×4 in the UK, according to new findings from warranty specialist Warranty Solutions Group (WSG). Based on over 1,500 vehicle repair claims from the last 12 months, the data highlights the top-performing models in terms of reliability, with the compact Ignis boasting an impressive claim rate of just 3.57%, with an average warranty claim cost of £595. Full story

GWM to launch Haval SUV in UK, priced from £23,995 

The Chinese company behind the Ora Funky Cat will expand its portfolio by bringing SUV brand Haval to the UK next year – and it will undercut many of its well-established competitors on price. Full story

Dawn of a new era at Mercedes Benz Vans 

Starting 2026, Mercedes‑Benz Vans will introduce its newly developed, modular and scalable Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA). VAN.EA allows for a clear differentiation between privately positioned vans in the luxury segment and commercial vans in the premium segment. Full story

ARC360 2025 event to focus on ‘new era’ 

ILC’s highest rated event of 2024 is back on 22 May 2025, bringing you the most engaging and interactive automotive incident repair/motor insurance claims focused event of the year. Discussing the business-critical areas to impact the industry, ARC360 will bring together industry leaders to share experience, insight and knowledge to align with ARC360’s ethos of ‘gaining ground together’. Full story

Solera announces Farvima partnership 

Solera has announced that Farvima, one of Italy’s largest pharmaceutical companies, will deploy Roadnet Anywhere, its AI-powered fleet logistics solution. Roadnet Anywhere will reduce its fleet’s carbon footprint and provide fleet managers with data-driven insights. Full story

Thatcham Research welcomes latest intake 

Thatcham Research has welcomed its latest intake of apprentices to its Academy. Eight new learners from Activate Group, Solus and The Vella Group joined its Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA) programme, Meanwhile, Thatcham Research has also welcomed Japanese company Sompo Group for discussions on the challenges around ADAS. Full story

Trend Tracker Market Report now available 

Trend Tracker’s UK Motor Claims and Body Repair Report 2024-2025 has revealed a new increase in the number of bodyshop in the UK to 2,743. However, with just 6,450 jobs per working day in October this works out to little more than two jobs per site per day. Full story

Seven million more potholes to be filled next year as public urged to report roads in need of repair 

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has announced nearly £1.6bn to fix potholes across England for next year. The funding goes well beyond manifesto pledge, helping councils fix the equivalent of seven million extra potholes next year and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in repairs. Across England, local highways authorities will receive a £500 million uplift in funding. Full story

Car manufacturing down in November as sector seeks an easing of cost pressures 

UK car production fell -30.1% in November, the ninth consecutive month of decline, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 64,216 cars rolled off factory lines, 27,711 fewer than in November last year. Full story

Enterprise research reveals Christmas drivers going the extra mile 

New research from Enterprise Rent-A-Car has revealed that festive travellers are driving further this year, but may be worried their cars won’t go the distance. It found that almost half of all trips during the festive season will be by car (47%), while around one in six trips (17%) will include a rental vehicle this season. Full story

Ageas reaches agreement with UK over 50s specialist Saga 

Ageas has successfully concluded the exclusive negotiations with Saga plc, the UK specialist provider of products and services for individuals aged over 50.  The agreement includes the establishment of a 20-year partnership between Ageas UK and Saga Services Limited (SSL) for distributing personal lines motor and home insurance products to Saga’s customers in the UK. The partnership is targeted to ‘go live’ in the fourth quarter of 2025. Full story

AXA UK partners with Lloyds Banking Group to offer motor insurance products 

AXA UK has announced a partnership with Lloyds Banking Group. The agreement, which secures AXA’s solus capacity over a five-year term for the Lloyds Banking Group motor portfolio under its well-recognised brands Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, will commence from May 2025. Full story

AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes extends partnership with LV= General Insurance to help drive a more sustainable future 

AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes has extended its partnership with LV= General Insurance (LV=), which is part of Allianz, for five years. The partnership underscored the value of AkzoNobel’s sustainable products within the Sikkens portfolio and the benefits they bring to the LV= and Allianz repair networks, comprising over 400 repair bodyshops across the UK. Full story

Jakes and Rowley take on Sahara for charity 

Karen Jakes from Thatcham Research and NBRA/VBRA Director Martyn Rowley are walking the Sahara Desert to raise £20,000 for BEN, the Automotive industry’s mental health and well-being charity. Full story

TIDAL UK announces BESA distribution agreement 

TIDAL UK has announced a new exclusive distribution partnership with BESA, a global leader in automotive refinish products, for the UK and Ireland markets. This partnership encompasses the full range of BESA’s advanced automotive refinish solutions, including the SINNEK range. Full story

Getaway gridlock: RAC predicts record 29 million festive trips before the 25^th 

An estimated 29.3m Christmas getaway journeys will be made by drivers to see friends and family in the run-up to the 25th – the highest number since 2013 – with nearly half of these (14.3 million) crammed into this coming weekend, according to new data from the RAC and INRIX. Full story

Drivers want tougher sentences for drink-drivers  

Tougher sentences have been found to be the most popular solution among motorists for tackling the scourge of drink-driving, new research from the RAC has revealed. Four-in-10 motorists (38%) believe harsher sentences are the answer to curbing instances of drink-driving which were responsible for the deaths of some 300 people in 2022. Full story

Celebrating excellence in Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion 

UVAC is delighted, once again, to be a headline partner of WorldSkillsUK’s EDI Heroes Awards 2025, associated with the Institution of the Year award. Especially as this is the fifth year of championing how providers and practitioners from across the world of work, higher and further education pick up the baton and continue the progress towards increased and meaningful levels of social impact. Full story

MoJ responds to the Revisions to the Medical Reporting Process for RTA claims consultation 

DAC Beachcroft has welcomed the government’s response to the consultation on revisions to the medical reporting process for road traffic accident claims. It says, “There will be benefit in this change. It is disappointing that the processes are not to be fully aligned, but we welcome the MoJ’s commitment to working with stakeholders to explore the development of an aligned process.” Full story

2024 Year in rear-view: SUVs now the most popular car body style  

Auto Trader attracted on average over 82 million site visits and nearly 203 million advert views each month in 2024. The SUV became the most viewed body type in 2024 on the platform with 708 million views, dethroning the hatchback which was the most popular body style last year. Full story

New ‘B’ plates launched for drivers in UK but meaning isn’t a good thing 

Drivers, motorists and road users have been urged to use new ‘B’ plates for parking on roads in the UK. The plates would allow new drivers to request patience from other road users while trying to park, and stand for ‘bad parking’, according to campaigners. Full story

Green NCAP announces latest releases 

Green NCAP has announced the results of its last release of the year, covering the Mazda MX-30, the Mercedes-Benz GLA, the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, the Tesla Model 3, the Hyundai KONA, the Dacia Duster, the BYD ATTO 2, and the Chery OMODA 5. Full story

Stellantis and CATL to invest up to £3.4bn in joint venture 

Stellantis and CATL today announced they have reached an agreement to invest up to €4.1 billion to form a joint venture that will build a large-scale European lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Zaragoza, Spain. Designed to be completely carbon neutral, the battery plant will be implemented in several phases and investment plans. Full story

GM to refocus autonomous driving development on personal vehicles 

General Motors (NYSE: GM) plans to realign its autonomous driving strategy and prioritize development of advanced driver assistance systems on a path to fully autonomous personal vehicles. GM will build on the progress of Super Cruise, the company’s hands-off, eyes-on driving feature, now offered on more than 20 GM vehicle models and currently logging over 10 million miles per month. Full story

China’s Tesla Model Y rival set to arrive in the UK 

Chinese car maker Xpeng has confirmed its entry into the UK market. Xpeng’s first cars will go on sale in time for the new 25 registration plate in March next year. Full story

ACEA president unveils input for EU automotive industrial plan; including a simplified regulatory framework 

An efficient EU policy framework is key to enabling a dynamic and competitive transition to zero-emission mobility, creating the right conditions to allow the European automotive industry to thrive and compete globally. Full story

Trend Tracker report reveals potential repair challenges 

Trend Tracker’s UK Motor Claims and Body Repair Report 2024/25 has revealed that the average age of the UK car parc has moved out to nine years old. It found that car ownership still averages 3.7 years, meaning that 16% of car owners are considering buying a new car in the next 12 months. Full story

Bristol sees surge in ‘crash for cash’ scams involving mopeds 

Ageas, one of the UK’s largest motor insurers, has identified a worrying increase in so-called ‘Crash for Cash’ scams involving cars and mopeds, with a significant rise in suspected incidents in the Bristol area, specifically Bishopston.  This type of fraud sees moped riders deliberately manoeuvring their vehicles into the path of reversing vehicles, often vans, to induce an impact and then claim for damage and injuries. Full story

NEXUS to offer Solera’s dynamic routing solution to all members 

Solera, the global leader in vehicle lifecycle management, has announced a new strategic partnership with NEXUS Automotive International. The new global partnership will give NEXUS members access to Solera’s cutting-edge Roadnet Anywhere dynamic routing solution, designed to optimise operations, reduce costs, and lower carbon emissions. Full story

BASF and RBTS sign automotive refinish Memorandum of Understanding  

BASF (China) and Bosch Automotive Technology Service (RBTS) have jointly signed a memorandum of understanding at Automechanika Shanghai to collaborate on the automotive aftermarket business.  

This partnership aims to create an innovative platform that enhances the automotive refinish sector, delivering higher quality and more sustainable solutions. Full story

UK’s Close Bros granted permission to appeal motor finance ruling 

British lender Close Brothers was granted permission to appeal a ruling that motor finance brokers must fully inform customers about commissions on car loans, amid a looming multi-billion-pound consumer redress scheme. The Supreme Court said it had granted Close Bros and South African lender FirstRand permission to appeal against October’s landmark ruling by the Court of Appeal. Full story

Motor trade vacancy rate at lowest point since October 2021 

Motor trade vacancies are at their lowest level since October 2021, according to the latest IMI Automotive Vacancies Report. The vacancy rate has fallen month on month for the past four months. The data shows there are 19,000 vacancies, with 3.3 vacancies for ever 100 employees, down from 3.5 in September. Full story

Home premiums rise while motor policies continue downward trajectory 

The latest General Insurance Pricing Index from Pearson Ham Group has revealed that home insurance premiums rose by 0.4% in November while motor premiums dropped by 2.2%. November’s dip in motor premiums meant policy prices have now decreased eight months in a row with year-on-year decreases recorded at 15%. Full story

Used electric cars are selling faster than petrol and diesel models 

Motorists are snapping up used electric vehicles faster than any other type of car as rock-bottom second-hand prices make them more appealing than petrol and diesel alternatives. In the month of November, dealers were, on average, selling an EV in just 33 days, says cap hpi. Full story

2.6 million people don’t drive as they can’t afford car insurance cost 

New research by Citizens Advice has revealed that 2.6 million people don’t drive because they’re unable to afford the accelerating cost of car insurance. This includes almost 900,000 people who have had to cancel their cover in the last 12 months, in addition to 1.7m people who have already been priced out of the market for longer than a year. Full story

Van theft hotspots revealed by new police data 

London is the UK’s van theft capital, with October being a peak month for van-related theft, new research suggests. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to police forces across the country revealed 14,529 incidents were recorded in London last year alone, equating to 40 vans a day being targeted in the capital. Full story

eSure celebrates tech partnership 

eSure Group has highlighted the benefits to policyholders of its partnership with HERE Technologies. It harnesses HERE’s telematics data to inform motor insurance pricing models, while its dynamic map content and high-quality traffic data enables it to react at pace to emerging trends and build richer, data-driven insights. Full story

It is becoming more important that repair shops get paid for total loss process as claims rise, RDE panelists say 

Proper contracts and documentation are needed to ensure collision repair shops get paid for total loss claims, Tony Adams, AkzoNobel services consultant, and Tim Ronak, AkzoNobel senior services consultant, said during a 2024 Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education session at the SEMA Show. Full story

Euro NCAP and UK’s What Van? applaud Ford’s commitment to business safety

In collaboration with the UK’s What Van? Awards, Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP’s Director of Strategic Development, has presented Ford with the Safety Award for the Transit Courier. Ford also received a ‘commended’ for the Transit Custom. Full story

Fully electric Volvo EX30 SUV scores maximum five-star rating in latest Euro NCAP safety tests

The Volvo EX30 has scored a maximum five-star rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP safety testing. It delivers modern restraint technology, as well as a structural design that fulfils the brand’s pioneering in-house safety requirements. Full story

Stellantis and Zeta Energy announce agreement to develop Lithium-Sulfur EV batteries

Stellantis NV and Zeta Energy have announced a joint development agreement aimed at advancing battery cell technology for electric vehicle applications. The partnership aims to develop lithium-sulfur EV batteries with game-changing gravimetric energy density while achieving a volumetric energy density comparable to today’s lithium-ion technology. Full story

Euro NCAP closes 2024 with a raft of five-star ratings

Euro NCAP has announced the final set of safety results from the year, with 15 models assessed and 11 achieving a top five-star rating.

It tested the very first electric pick-up on the European market, with the eTERRON 9, produced by Chinese firm Maxus, achieving a highly commendable five stars. Full story

Innovative direct recycling at the BMW Group

The BMW Group is building a Cell Recycling Competence Centre for battery cells in Kirchroth, in the Straubing-Bogen district of Lower Bavaria, where it will implement a process referred to as “direct recycling”. Full story

Nissan AMIEO harnesses power of AI and machine learning to accelerate digitalisation in partnership with Anaplan

Nissan has entered a new strategic partnership with Anaplan, a scenario planning and analysis platform provider, to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies that will enhance business optimisation across the AMIEO region. Full story

Stellantis boss abruptly quits in boardroom clash

The boss of car making giant Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, has quit with immediate effect following a boardroom clash. His abrupt exit from the company – which owns brands including Vauxhall, Jeep, Fiat, Peugeot and Chrysler – comes two months after Stellantis issued a profit warning. Full story

Geely EX5 debuts at 41st Thailand International Motor Expo

Geely Auto has unveiled its all-electric SUV, the Geely EX5, at the 41^st Thailand International Motor Expo. This strategic move positions Geely as a key player in Southeast Asia’s electric vehicle market, driving sustainable mobility forward. Full story

Direct Line accepts improved Aviva bid

Direct Line has accepted an improved £3.6bn offer from Aviva. The two insurers have reached a preliminary agreement which values Direct Line at 275p per share. This is the third offer made by Aviva, after initial offers of 250p and 261p per share were rejected in the last week. Full story

AkzoNobel embarks on £2.5m investment in global network of Automotive Training Centres 

AkzoNobel has embarked on a multi-million-euro global programme to expand and upgrade its network of Automotive Training Centres (ATCs) to further upskill painters, bodyshop managers and OEM engineers on a new generation of coatings and technologies to support the industry in delivering a more sustainable future. Full story

Work volumes and skilled labour are key repairer challenges

A survey of more than 100 vehicle repairers who attended this year’s Enterprise Rent-A-Car Repair Partner Event has revealed that almost half (47%) think work volumes are the biggest challenge for the repair industry. This was closely followed by skilled labour shortages, with a third (32%) of respondents saying this is their second biggest concern. Full story

New discount rate announced

The Lord Chancellor has announced that the new personal injury discount rate in England & Wales will increase from –0.25% to +0.5%. The change will be effective from 11 January 2025. Full story

PRASCO UK’s stock levels at an all-time high  

Prasco UK has added 2,600 new items to its product line over the last six months – and now further plans are in place to double that figure by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Full story

£1,000 apprentice cashback for employers

Apprenticeship Central has revealed that employers can claim up to £1,000 tax free when taking on an apprentice under the age of 19.

It has highlighted this after its own research revealed that few bodyshops are aware of this potential benefit. Full story

Skills for Future Automotive Professionals

The IMI has launched its brand-new member conference: Skills for Future Automotive Professionals. Taking place on 27 February, the event will address key challenges and opportunities in the sector in seminars and panel sessions involving industry leaders and respected strategic thinkers. Full story

Thatcham Research partners Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Thatcham Research has welcomed Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service for a hands-on exercise with the latest electric vehicles. Teams from across the county gained valuable insights and practical experience of post-impact vehicle safety procedures. Full story

Silverlake Automotive Recycling awarded Salvage Company of the Year 2024

Silverlake Automotive Recycling was awarded Salvage Company of the Year for the second year in a row at the prestigious ATF Professional Vehicle Recycling Awards.

The award recognised the innovation Silverlake applies to its UK-wide operations which sees the business process 33,000-plus salvage vehicles a year. Full story

How swarm data is paving the way for automated driving and road safety

Connected Friction, a project by CARIAD and its Swedish subsidiary NIRA, collects real-time data on road slipperiness, roughness, and weather conditions across Europe and North America. This project allows vehicles to share critical safety data with each other, benefiting not just individual drivers but entire road systems. Full story

NASVE goes live

The National Association of Stolen Vehicle Examiners has gone live on LinkedIn. NASVE is a dedicated association committed to showcasing and supporting the expertise of Qualified Stolen Vehicle Examiners (QSVEs). Full story

BASF Coatings and Koch International rely on electric trucks for long-distance transport

BASF Coatings, a leading partner for innovative surface solutions, and Koch International, an international logistics service provider based in Osnabrück, have successfully tested the use of electric trucks for long distances and have now implemented this sustainable transport solution for BASF Coatings in long-distance transport. Full story

GSF Car Parts celebrates year of progress

GSF Car Parts celebrated the past year with more than 400 branch managers recently, highlighting successes such as 403 new vans, 15 new branches and 525 new team members. Full story

Autoglass opens new site

Autoglass has cut the ribbon on a new branch, situated in Waltham Abbey. Full story

R-M Global celebrates ‘remarkable milestone’

R-M Global has celebrated what it calls a ‘remarkable milestone’ achieved through its eSense products. It has revealed that for each five-litre can of clear coat, two end-of-life tires are recycled into pyrolysis oil, substituting fossil feedstock via the mass balance approach. Full story

College unveils hydrogen vehicle training workshop

South & City College Birmingham (SCCB) has unveiled a new hydrogen vehicle training facility which has been developed following £1.5m of capital funding from The Office for Students. Intended to support the automotive industry as it upskills its existing workforce to address the growing demand for hydrogen fuelled vehicles, including light vehicles, PSVs and HGVs. Full story

Zapmap reveals findings of latest EV driver survey

Conducted during October 2024, the Zapmap annual survey offers unparalleled insights into the behaviours, attitudes and satisfaction of EV drivers, helping to shape the UK’s evolving charging landscape. Responses show that overall satisfaction continues to improve, while also highlighting  areas which require industry focus. Full story

Motorists urged to avoid falling foul of vehicle cloning scammers

Motorists must guard against unscrupulous car cloning criminals to avoid fines and penalties for offences they’ve not committed, warns leading vehicle data and valuation specialist HPI. Full story

Christmas at the pumps set to be cheapest since the pandemic

Despite a slight rise at the pumps in November, drivers are on track to enjoy the cheapest Christmas at the pumps since the pandemic, according to new data from RAC Fuel Watch. Full story

Insights from the FISITA World Mobility Summit

Speaking at the FISITA World Mobility Summit at the GM R&D centre in Warren Michigan, USA, Ben Townsend, Head of Automotive, Thatcham Research, highlighted the critical role that insurance plays in sustainability, pointing out that sustainability has always been at the very core of insurance. Full story

UK drivers face potential nationwide pavement parking ban within weeks

Sweeping reforms to UK driving regulations could soon come into effect, touching upon every corner of the nation. Motorists have been put on high alert with the potential for a nationwide ban on pavement parking. Full story

Supplies of used BEVs are exceeding demand in Europe reports INDICATA

Sales of used BEVs are slowly increasing across European according to the latest INDICATA Market Watch report accounting for a 5.8% market share in October. However, supply continues to exceed demand with BEVs accounting for a 7.6% share of overall stock with countries such as Spain reporting a Market Days’ Supply figure of well over 100. Full story

Red weather warning issued as Storm Darragh targets UK

A red weather warning has been issued by the Met Office as Storm Darragh is set to bring damaging winds to many parts of the UK.The Met Office issued the red warning, the most serious kind, for wind for the coasts of south and west Wales, valid from 3am to 11am on Saturday. Full story