Insurance, Mobility, Supplier, Technology, vehicle sales and Words
BMW Group is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop new cloud technologies that will enable it to better leverage data generated by modern and future connected vehicles.
Today there are already more than 20 million connected BMW Group vehicles on the road, sending upwards of 10 billion enquiries – around hazard detection, ADAS and OTA updates – to the cloud-based infrastructure that manages connected vehicles.
The partnership with AWS will create a self-service portal enabling BMW Group developers to access all relevant data with just a few clicks. Only BMW Group will have access to the data, with AWS only providing infrastructure and services.
Nicolai Krämer, Vice President Vehicle Connectivity Platforms, said,“We already have around 20 million extensively connected vehicles on the road today. When the ‘Neue Klasse’ is launched, our offboard cloud platform, powered by AWS, will process roughly triple the volume of vehicle data compared to the current generation of BMW models. Together with AWS, we will continue to create innovative solutions, allowing us to develop new, data-driven functions and make them available to customers faster.”
Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words
ARC360 is offering free access for repairers to its forthcoming ‘Gaining Ground Together’ themed event taking place on Thursday 24 November at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry.
The move comes as ARC360 steps up its efforts to bring the repairer and supply chain communities together by providing a platform of collaboration and understanding for all stakeholders.
The day will include a host of ‘quickfire’ sessions focused on providing greater insight and context to market conditions. It will deliver a ‘state of the nation’ look at market data and how it actually translates to everyday operations and future planning; explore procurement and battling the challenges of rising claims inflation; and the importance and impact of ESG on the supply chain.
The event will also include an exclusive look at the latest technology to be deployed within the technician training environment.
Mark Hadaway, co-founder of ARC360 said, “ARC360 has been developed around the core theme of Gaining Ground Together. Offering access to November’s event, at no cost, to repairers is very much a part of that approach in providing a platform for insight and knowledge sharing to support the long-term sustainability of the sector.”
ARC360 is supported by Corporate Partners: Solera Audatex; BASF; BMS; CAPS; Copart; EMACS; Entegral; Enterprise; Innovation Group; Mirka; Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance; and S&G; along with Partners: Repairify; The Green Parts Specialists; Indasa; and Prasco UK; and Associate Partners: Gemini ARC; Trend Tracker; and Thatcham Research.
Bodyshop, Environment, Insurance, Technology, Vehicle Repair, wellbeing and Words
ARC360 offers free access to repairers
ARC360 is offering free access for repairers to its forthcoming ‘Gaining Ground Together’ themed event taking place on Thursday 24 November at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry.
The move comes as ARC360 steps up its efforts to bring the repairer and supply chain communities together by providing a platform of collaboration and understanding for all stakeholders.
Innovation Group provides claims and technology solutions to the insurance and automotive industries. It says the deal will support further innovations as well as the continued roll-out of Gateway, its digital claims management solution that connects all stakeholders on a single, independent platform.
Motor Claims Conference provides high-level insights
It will consider applications from anyone within the vehicle repair industry but is particularly keen to appoint experienced professionals from automotive sectors such as education, marketing and management.
FuelActive works by drawing fuel from near the surface of the tank, avoiding contamination from water and sediment that settles near the bottom. This reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by as much as five per cent.
The London-based smart repairer, which has seen revenues grow fourfold in the last 18 months, employs skilled technicians empowered to use their own expertise and experience to estimate repair costs and timings and price jobs accordingly.
Director Paul Cunningham said, “Slough run an incredible business and thoroughly deserve the award. We work closely together and share best practice, so sharing the award seemed the obvious thing to do.”
Meanwhile, Fix Auto UK franchise partners were also shortlisted in the Single Site Bodyshop of the Year category (Fix Auto Penzance and Fix Auto Redhill), the Advanced Technologies Technician category (Ian Phillips of Fix Auto Redhill) and VDA of the Year (Mark Thomas, Fix Auto Mid Devon).
Introduced ease the burden of rising repair costs, the fee will remain in place from October until March, when it will be reviewed in line with market conditions.
Mark Green, Allianz Claims Supply Chain Manager, said, “As we head towards winter where there is general industry uncertainty and volatility, we are pleased to announce that Allianz will be introducing an Energy and Inflation support fee for all new repair instructions.”
Chris Ryder, Network Director, Avant, said, “The Energy & Inflation supplement will be a much welcome shot in the arm to our repairer partners.”
Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words
ILC’s Exclusive Motor Claims Conference took place last week at London’s tallest event space, providing the perfect opportunity for a high-level overview of developments across the market.
Headline sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and sponsored by EDAM Group and LexisNexis Risk Solutions, the event covered a host of topics from the rise of insurtechs to credit hire, movements within the repair sector and shared opinions on challenges across the sector.
Hosted by ILC MD, Mark Hadaway the day got underway with a fascinating insight into ‘Motor Insurance in a Modern World’ documenting the rise of insurtech Marshmallow courtesy of Insurance Director, Paula (Coulthard) Griffiths.
Paula highlighted how behind the ‘tech’ element of Marshmallow sits “predominantly ‘non-insurance people’ with a relentless focus on customer experience” which combined with an ongoing appetite for research and development has provided solid grounding for the insurers exponential growth.
Panel sessions offering highly candid discussions around credit hire, personal injury and data insights all provided deeply insightful aspects to the agenda and gave the sense the industry was increasingly invested in understanding the internal challenges and opportunities that exist.
An ‘open session’ – using slido audience participation technology – also ensured all attendees had their say on some of the hottest topics of the day – 80% suggesting that the industry was yet to settle into a ‘new normal’.
The day also included two fireside type interviews – one with Richard Steer, CEO of rapidly expanding Steer Automotive Group and another with Geoff Carter, CEO of Sabre Insurance. Both offered highly engaging insights into their respective business operations and views of the sector, as well as hinting at further positive advances in the future.
Concluding the event, Mark said, “There is no doubt with all that is happening economically, politically and geopolitically we find ourselves in very uncertain times yet from what we have heard today the industry is evolving to ensure it is fit for purpose with the agility to cater for future customer needs.”
Finance, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology and Words
Allianz X, the digital investment arm of Allianz Group, will acquire Innovation Group subject to regulatory approval.
Innovation Group provides claims and technology solutions to the insurance and automotive industries. It says the deal will support further innovations as well as the continued roll-out of Gateway, its digital claims management solution that connects all stakeholders on a single, independent platform.
With more than 1,200 clients across the globe, Innovation Group will maintain its operational independence, brand and culture following the deal.
Tim Griffiths, CEO of Innovation Group, said, “Allianz X’s support will accelerate the roll-out of our industry-leading platform, Gateway, open up new opportunities for growth and enable us to deliver market-leading services for our clients. We are delighted to have the backing of Allianz X as we enter the next phase of our development.”
Dr. Nazim Cetin, CEO of Allianz X, said, “Innovation Group’s digital solutions bring together all the relevant parties and data to facilitate smooth, efficient and transparent claims management, from first notification of loss to repair and settlement, which is what the market is increasingly demanding. It’s a future-ready business with lots of potential and we want to help unleash it.”
Held in association with the Managing General Agent Association (MGAA) at 155 Bishopsgate, London on 28 September, the event attracted some 300 visitors making it one of the largest claims events of the year.
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The experiential event will aim to continue helping to create an environment for collaboration, interaction and innovative thinking across the incident repair sector.
Admiral announces major new repair network strategy
In a statement, the insurer said, “Our new network model will enable us to focus on strategic partnerships with a select number of industry-leading suppliers. This means we can more closely manage our customer journey and have the optimal performing repair capacity for today, and for future business growth.”
From 1 October and for a period of six months it will pay bodyshops in its network £75 plus VAT for every repair they carry out on its behalf.
Meanwhile, LV= hosted its first LV= Sole Site Forum since before the pandemic at F1 Williams on 8 September, when representatives from all 28 of its sole sites heard about future network strategies and opportunities to strengthen relationships and collaboration.
It welcomed the way they reallocated resources to make interim payments quickly, while proactively communicating with policyholders throughout the claim. However, the FCA also raised concerns over delays and the service provided to some vulnerable customers. It has now published its findings, including examples of good and bad practice, to help insurers deliver a fair and consistent service to customers throughout the claims process.
Motor Parts Direct delivers vehicle parts to more than 14,000 customers in the passenger and light commercial sector through its network of 175 branches.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that there were 225,269 new registrations during the month, an increase of 4.6% on September 2021 but still 34.4% below pre-pandemic levels. EVs made up 16.5% with 38,116 units.
GT Motive has collaborated with JDK Technology to enhance its imaging services for bodyshop customers.
JDK’s solution enables photos to be sent directly from the claimant to the repairer, with images now directly integrated into the GT Global estimating platform ensuring everything is visible in a single location.
GTA announces interim rates agreement
Motor Insurers and credit hire companies have signed an interim agreement to increase certain hire rates.
The agreement, which applies to subscribers to industry protocol GTA and will remain in place until 30 June, is expected to ease the financial pressures by seeing credit hire companies accepting lower average hire rates in return for faster payments.
Transport Centre delivering Plan-Net-Zero strategy
One year after joining its Customer Excellence Centre, the Transportation Control Centre now manages a fleet of nearly 500 vehicles, with collections tailored to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.
Meanwhile, by adopting the latest technology the centre is also able to monitor driver behaviour and manage peaks in demand.
Bentley Aftersales Managers Jonathan Morris and Adam Causer visited the company’s Derbyshire site to present the trophy to Chartwell Group Director Chris Brightmore.
The company said, “Chartwell is immensely proud of this title, and we hope it demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering our Gold Standard service.”
Its Mirka Essentials range includes coveralls (light line or carbon line), safety glasses (with UV and IR protection), and masks (offering protection against solid particles, dust and odours).
Seven inspectors carried out a thorough assessment of the facilities and also conducted a range of interviews before delivering its judgement.
Tools of the Tech-Trade
In this episode, we speak with Phil Peace, Managing Director (International) of Repairify – a leader in advanced technology tooling and remote diagnostic support.
Bodyshop, Environment, Insurance, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair and Words
It’s no secret that the automotive aftermarket is facing simultaneous challenges on a scale and of a range never before experienced.
Rising repair costs, steepling energy bills, labour shortages and supply disruptions are just the most obvious issues the industry is now having to navigate.
Added to this, traffic variations and changing driver habits mean once predictable work flows are no longer reliable, while emerging fuel types demand new processes and new skills.
It’s clear then that doing things the way they have always been done is unviable for most businesses.
However, by exploiting existing technologies and embracing further innovation it is possible to introduce game-changing efficiencies that can alter the entire motor claims ecosystem for the better.
At ARC360m, technology has been the underlying theme running through all our output during September.
Here, we have collated insights gleaned from the interviews, webinars and podcasts we have produced, and added further expert analysis from selected partners to reveal how technology is already been deployed to improve service and standards, and what might be coming in the near future.
Estimating systems
GT Motive has made great strides in the UK market since launching its estimating platform, GT Global, in 2020. This year alone it has already been adopted by 500 repairers and the company has also established successful partnerships with insurers and repair networks such as Vizion and NFU Mutual.
Its cloud-based solution is groundbreaking in as much as it delivers a pay-per-use pricing model, meaning bodyshops are not lumbered with fixed costs if volumes fluctuate. This transparent approach enables repairers to manage costs more effectively, while its online data solution means everyone has a view of the same, regularly updated estimate.
Martyn Rowley, GT Motive’s Business Development Manager, said, “We’ve grown exponentially this year. We’ve welcomed repairers across the UK and we’re working with many large insurers and collaborating with a variety of exciting companies to provide the best possible platform for our customers.
Recently enhanced with 29 new models – including the Tesla Model Y – and updates to a further 121, https://arc360.co.uk/solera-audatex-announces-aeg-update/ AEG covers 98% of the car parc with right-first-time estimating, unlimited multi-user access and faster total loss identification using cap hpi valuation data.
Earlier in the summer the solution was developed further to provide estimating data for more peripheral vehicles, such as tractors, scooters, quadbikes and pick-up trucks. Provisions were also made around electric and hybrid vehicles to enable repairers and insurers to track numbers of alternative fuelled vehicles, while more development work is ongoing to enable two-way data updates. This will enable repairers to put information back into the estimate around parts pricing and excess changes.
However, Audatex is not resting on its laurels. While still updating AEG to ensure it remains current, it is also in the process of rolling out what will ultimately be its successor – Qapter.
Based on feedback from the industry, Qapter is being developed with artificial intelligence and image capture at its core.
This will enable the automatic generation of parts lists and retail quotes, which will also enable insurers to triage jobs more effectively and make quicker, more accurate decisions around total losses.
In an exclusive ILC Claims Tech interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXU7-U0kpfQ, Neil Garrett, UK South Africa and Nordic Sales Director, Solera, said, “Post Covid there have been changes in behaviours at repair shops and insurers. We realised the old normal isn’t the new normal and thought the best thing to do was to ask the customers what they wanted. We had a fantastic response around the appetite for AI, but found the main barrier was trust; when can the estimate be trusted and when will a manual estimate also be required?”
Taking these concerns on board, he said AI effectively used will support bodyshops and create new possibilities. For example, accurate and automatic assessments of images can support more effective triage, ensuring bodyshops receive the jobs they want, when they want them. This can free up space and capacity, and will help the repairer to reimagine their workflow.
Neil said, “The landscape is changing very dramatically. Technology can assist that, but we need to link the different systems in the market, from bodyshop management systems, estimating systems, insurance claims systems. With Qapter we’re trying to take an all-encompassing view across the ecosystem, and join the dots.”
Salvage
Vehicle salvage is one area where technology is playing an increasingly pivotal role, not just in helping the industry achieve its sustainability goals, but also, now, in helping to tackle the disruption to parts supply.
However, to make the most of this opportunity repairers need to know what parts are available, and where. That demands widespread system integration – and, according to Jim Loughran, CEO, e2e Total Loss Management, not just on a national scale.
Also operating in this space, Copart is perhaps better equipped than many to push the boundaries of what is possible. With an international footprint and a track-record of digital innovation, the UK’s leading salvage and remarketing company is well-versed at reshaping the landscape.
Already it is delivering a completely digital journey with apps to arrange collections and deliveries, digital vehicle documentation, and online auctions and payment options https://www.copart.co.uk/how-it-works/, while it is also actively pursuing new solutions based on artificial intelligence and augmented reality.
Jane Pocock, Managing Director, Copart UK, said, “Cutting edge technology is at the forefront of everything we do and we are continuously seeking new ways to support both our external customers and internal operations.
“We now have an extensive suite of unique digital services which deliver a truly contactless customer journey, while our innovative data-sharing technology is unique to the motor claims industry. It enables total system integration between our operating system and our customers’ claims systems. This allows us to interact digitally with insurers, from the point where a vehicle is deemed a total loss through every stage of the process until final settlement.
“Customers can also review progress on all their policy holders’ total loss claims through our secure claim settlement portal, and access an expansive reporting suite ‘MiHub’, which provides real-time insights at a case or macro level.”
Jane continued, “But we never stand still. We launch new tech products every year and are always planning new and innovative technology through continuous collaboration with our customers to expand the range of value-added services we offer.”
Connectivity
However, as Neil touched on and as Copart’s solution proves, integration is the telling factor. Data is now being produced at every touch point of a claim, but unless and until that data is transparent, up-to-date, and available to everyone involved, then companies will not be able to use it to improve efficiencies and accelerate the customer journey.
However, with new technologies and solutions being launched all the time, finding those best suited to your needs can feel like trying to fit the right plug into the right socket in the dark.
Understanding your own business is the first step to knowing how and where technology could make a difference, but ultimately every new innovation should be geared towards the customer.
There is a sense that this customer-first approach flourished during Covid-19, but since then the industry has turned inwards again, as Dave said: “We have gone back to telling the customer what they need.”
Fear of change is one thing stunting wider adoption of technology, as well as a lack of education around its potential benefits, but if used intelligently it can be the solution to moving forward through today’s unprecedented headwinds.
Insurers have been praised for the flexibility they have shown in handling business interruption claims.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) welcomed the way the industry reallocated resources to make interim payments quickly, while proactively communicating with policyholders throughout the claim.
Good practice examples included firms employing technical expertise to accelerate the claims process, issuing payments based on only basic information, creating multiple communication channels, and proactively asking for further details to progress claims.
However, the FCA also raised concerns over delays and the service provided to some vulnerable customers. It found examples of poor processes affecting an insurer’s ability to react to claims delays, policy wording unavailable to claims handlers, and rigid communication strategies that did not suit all policyholders.
It has now published its findings to help insurers deliver a fair and consistent service to customers throughout the claims process.
Sheldon Mills, Executive Director of Consumers and Competition, said, “We have been working alongside insurers to ensure that claims are settled quickly, but we are not complacent, and this report is clear that, while we have observed good practice, there are lessons to be learned for the handling of all claims. As consumers and businesses across the country are affected by inflationary pressures and the rising cost of living, it is crucial that insurers are handling claims promptly and treating customer fairly.”
Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Insurance, People, Supplier, Vehicle Repair and Words
LV= General Insurance has introduced a new Energy and Inflation Support fee to help under-pressure bodyshops absorb rising inflation.
From 1 October and for a period of six months each shop in its network will receive £75 plus VAT for every repair it carries out for the insurer.
The fee has been introduced after careful consultation with its network, which revealed the extent of steepling costs to help LV= gain a deeper understanding of current challenges around energy costs, salary demands, courtesy car costs, material costs and energy prices.
LV= said, “We have consulted with a number of our network repairers who agreed to share cost and bill information through ECA Business Energy. They also shared some of the other escalating costs within their business, and have used this to calculate a balanced Energy and Inflation Support fee.
“The scheme will be in place for six months and during this period we shall monitor the market while working with our network of repairers to ensure the right support package is given.
“We hope this additional cost goes some way towards alleviating the inflation pressures and continues to help support the LV= own network.”
The new scheme was announced following discussions at the recent LV= Sole Site Forum, held at the Wantage home of Williams Racings, and will be reviewed after six months and adjusted according to market conditions.
