Bodyshop Briefs
- Steer Automotive Group has acquired Rye Street Group, which manages a network of seven repair centres and holds 23 manufacturer approvals and 24 insurer approvals. Both Rye Street Group Managing Directors Bill Duffy and Lee McNaughton will be exiting the business as part of this transition. Read more
- Repair and Restore Bodyshop has transitioned to BS10125:2022 with a 100% score.
- RS Motors ARC has successfully transitioned to the new BS 10125:2022 standard.
- NJP Motors has announced it has transitioned to the new BS 10125:2022.
- Gemini ARC has launched the Mac Tools Apprentice Advantage Programme, which will provide all new multi-skilled apprentices with bespoke toolboxes and tooling. Read more
- Fix Auto Leicester has partnered with Everard to introduce a 360-degree video solution to its operations. The solution captures every detail of the vehicle as it enters and leaves the site, eliminating the need for manual videos and photos.
- Zeus Accident Repairs has acquired A Pile & Son, a 24,000 sqft dartford-based repair centre. It plans to make significant investment in the business, which will be renamed Zeus Accident Repair London.
Industry News
A glimpse into the future
Thatcham Research’s Vehicle Technology Manager, Tom Leggett considered how autonomous, connected and electric vehicles (ACE) will impact the market in the coming years in his session, A glimpse into the future, which took place at ARC360’s recent Future Vehicle Technology themed event. Read more
Thatcham Research urges Apprenticeship Levy cap increase
Thatcham Research is urging Skills England and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to increase the Apprenticeship Levy funding cap which has remained unchanged since 2019. It is inviting trainers, garages, bodyshops and others within the repair chain to sign a petition calling for a review the 2019 cap. Read more
esure and Zixty: From identifying a customer need to partnership launch within weeks
esure, a leading UK car and home insurance provider, has teamed up with Zixty, a UK business who provide temporary insurance cover, to offer customers a flexible and convenient solution. Read more
Gear-shifts in the 2024 EV landscape
With EVs now making up 18% of new vehicle sales, the UK motor insurance industry must adapt rapidly to the evolving landscape, according to Consumer Intelligence. As new car registrations climb and the popularity of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) grows, insurers are presented with both challenges and opportunities that will shape the market’s future. Read more
New EV sales take 22% market share
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has reported a modest 1.3% fall in the UK’s new car market in August to 84,575 units. Petrol and diesel uptake fell by 10.1% and 7.3% respectively, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations declined 12.3% and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uptake increased by 36.1%. Pure electric sales rose 10.8% to account for 22.6% of sales. Read more
Dash cam bumps – minor crashes caught on camera
In 2023 alone more than 33,500 videos were submitted to police via the National Dashcam Safety Portal, a 30% increase on 2022 figures. Of this footage, 70% led to police action ranging from warning letters to penalty points and prosecution. This proves that dashcam usage is increasing and will be an ongoing source of evidence for police. Read more
Drivers warned of EV quishing trend
Denis Laskov, Chief Hacker at EY IL, a global cybersecurity and technology leader, has warned of quishing, which he describes as phishing but with a QR code often found on street EV chargers. He says criminals put specially crafted QR code stickers on top of a legitimate one to gain access to credit card details or install malicious software. Read more
MIBI receives second Silver Diversity Award
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) has proudly secured its Diversity Silver ‘Reaccreditation’ Award from the Irish Centre for Diversity. The award is recognition of its efforts to create a collaborative environment that embraces Equality, Inclusion and Diversity. Read more
Wayve and Uber Partner to Accelerate the Future of Automated Driving
Wayve, a leader in Embodied AI for self-driving, has announced a new strategic partnership with Uber. Uber has also agreed to make a strategic investment in Wayve as an extension of the company’s previously announced Series C fundraising round. Read more
Mirka to unveil new products at Auto Trade Expo
Mirka UK will be highlighting abrasive performance and versatility at the Auto Trade Expo on stand J-12 with the debut of its new Galaxy and Iridium SR abrasive ranges along with a selection of innovative electric tools. Read more
Auto Trader and What Car? announce major new partnership
Auto Trader and What Car? have extended their multi-year partnership, enabling their combined audience of nearly 11 million people to research, locate, and buy a brand-new car across both platforms in a single seamless journey. Read more
Axalta introduces Irus Scan
Axalta has unveiled Irus Scan, a new solution which accurately detects and matches colours with metallic and pearlescent flakes, precisely captures hues that shift at different observation angles, analyses gloss levels for a complete colour match, and provides real-time surface visualisation for enhanced accuracy. Read more
Golfers tribute to Bob Linwood during Ezi-Methods golf day
Thirty-two golfers representing all areas of the vehicle repair sector brought a touch of ‘Bob Linwood’ colour to the second annual Ezi Methods Golf Day, wearing colourful shirts that Bob was renowned for.
Crash hour: car accidents peak around 3pm school pick-up
The 3pm afternoon rush, when many parents do the school pick-up, is the most likely time to have a car accident according to the latest data from insurance provider Allianz. Read more
DLG returns to profit
Direct Line Group reported profits before tax of £62m for the first half of the year. This follows a loss of £76.3m but was short of forecasts of around £85m. Meanwhile, combined ratios were down from 108.8% a year ago to 98.2%. Read more
VM News
How Stellantis is embracing software-defined vehicles: the future of mobility
S&P Global Mobility experts recently sat down with Yves Bonnefont, Stellantis Chief Software Officer, to learn more about the company’s approach to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and how SDVs are revolutionising the automotive industry. Read more
BMW Group and Toyota collaborate on Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle solution
The BMW Group and the Toyota Motor Corporation are pooling their innovative strength and their technological capabilities to bring a new generation of fuel cell powertrain technology to the roads. Read more
Volvo Cars adjusts core business ambitions for 2026 and beyond
Volvo Cars has adjusted its core business ambitions for the coming years, reflecting the company’s relentless focus on value creation while remaining pragmatic amidst fluid market conditions. Read more
Zeekr launches first electric SUV
Zeekr has introduced its first midsize electric SUV at the Chengdu Motor Show. Deliveries of the 7X are set to roll out in China by the end of September, followed by deliveries in the global markets within a year. Read more
NIO Reports Unaudited Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results
NIO has reported a 98.9% increase in revenues from the second quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024 (£1,823.2m), while vehicle deliveries rose 144% to 57,373 – with 20,176 deliveries in August alone. It also opened43 Power Swap Stations in the month, which enables drivers to simply swap depleted batteries rather than charge them up. Read more
“My job is to break as much stuff as possible”
Polestar has provided an insight into the working life of Systems Validation Principal Engineer Julian Cantwell, whose job is to test the resilience and durability of Polestar models. He said, “Our end goal is really about durability and robustness.” Read more
Hyundai unveils innovative INSTER
Hyundai will launch the new INSTER into the city car segment. The model offers 220 miles range, includes a range of ADAS features available in the Hyundai Smart Sense suite, while its vehicle-to-load function means the INSTER serves as a power bank on four wheels. Read more
Polestar UK develops sales model with bold expansion plans
Polestar UK is developing its sales model and retail footprint reflecting its rapid growth in the UK with over 30,000 cars on UK roads. The development of Polestar’s sales model and expansion of the retail footprint goes hand in hand with the launch of the two new luxury electric SUVs; Polestar 3 and Polestar 4. Read more
New report calls for improved EV infrastructure tracking
A new report by Vauxhall and Cenex has revealed that UK’s current electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) targets are too wide in scope, and should be based on more detailed, precise metrics to ensure a true reflection of progress in regions across the country. Read more
People
- Alex Hill has joined Vertu Accident Repair as VARC Divisional Parts Manager.
- Jifeline Networks BV has appointed Tom de Winter as Sales Director.
- Trak Global Security Solutions has appointed Dougie Watt as its new Chief Operations Officer and Neil Phillips as its Chief Financial Officer.
- Katy Hill has been promoted to Talent Acquisition Leader at BCA UK and cinch
- Ken Norgrove, Chief Executive Officer, UK & International, at RSA Insurance part of the Intact Group, is the new Deputy President of the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
