Category: Words

ARC360 event continues to raise the bar

More than 25 insurer brands and over 75 of the sector’s leading vehicle repairer entities are already set to join ARC360’s 2025 event in May as it continues to raise the bar across the sector.

The event takes place on Thursday 22 May at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. Full story

The NBRA has provided an update on EDAM: “The NBRA continue to work at understanding how best to resolve the repercussions to the industry following EDAM being placed into administration. We are in active dialogue with Interpath and their solicitors and have instructed the team at MILS our NBRA solicitors, and legal counsel to draft a response to correspondence outlining the legal position.”

AutoRaise is calling on UK bodyshops to take urgent action to secure the future of the automotive repair industry. The UK’s vehicle repair sector is facing a severe skills shortage, with over 5,000 vacancies currently unfilled and the gap widening each year.

Fix Auto UK has given its full support to Apprenticeship Central, the unique recruitment organisation dedicated to serving the vehicle repair sector. The endorsement could not have been better timed as across the country businesses are celebrating the 18th annual National Apprentice Week (February 10-16).

James Alpe has announced it is now a Tesla approved bodyshop.

Linda Jones has started a new position as Senior Customer Service at HB Accident Repair Network, while Phil Allman has been appointed Commercial Programme Manager.

Daryll O’Keefe has been promoted to Fix Auto Vice President, Strategic Business Development – North America. 

Honda-Nissan multi-billion dollar merger collapses

Merger talks between Honda and Nissan have collapsed after the firms failed to agree on a multi-billion-dollar tie-up. The Japanese carmakers, along with junior partner Mitsubishi, had aimed to combine their businesses to fight back against competition from rival firms, especially in China. Full story

Driving the next generation of automotive talent through apprenticeships

During this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, Volkswagen Group UK is not only celebrating with a visit to the Houses of Parliament to showcase network skills, but also launching a number of new head office apprenticeship roles, covering data, IT, business and finance. Full story

MINI increases personalisation and usability across MINI family

Following the successful launch of the new MINI family, a range of additions and optional extras are set to further enhance the MINI offering from Spring 2025. Increasing personalisation across the MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper Convertible and MINI Countryman, customers now have a wider choice of exterior colours and trim combinations, alongside new digital features and improved practicality. Full story

Bentley opens doors of new Excellence Centre for Quality & Launch

Bentley Motors has officially opened its new state-of-the-art Excellence Centre for Quality & Launch. The new facility, opened by Gunnar Kilian, Member of the Board of Management at Volkswagen AG, and Bentley’s Board of Management, will be pivotal to the brand’s preparations for the first Bentley BEV. Full story

Stellantis and Mistral AI strengthen strategic partnership

Stellantis and Mistral AI are deepening their strategic collaboration to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) across multiple areas, from vehicle engineering to in-car experiences. This partnership leverages Mistral AI’s expertise in large language models (LLMs) and AI-driven automation to bring AI to many systems and applications across Stellantis enterprise, improving data analysis, streamlining development, and enhancing customer interaction. Full story

BYD expands ‘God’s Eye’ intelligent driving into its entry level cars

BYD threw a bombshell into China’s EV sector with its announcement that its advanced driver assistance system—known as “God’s Eye”—is now available in over 20 models, with the cheapest model, the Seagull, priced at under £8,000. Full story

ID One name seemingly confirmed for VW’s new sub-£20,000 EV

It’s been reported that Volkswagen’s new baby electric car will be called the ID One. The new model will debut in 2027, and has a promised price tag of less than £20,000. Full story

XPENG announces official launch in the UK

XPENG, a Chinese-born global-orientated high-tech automotive company, has announced its official entry to the UK. It will unveil the ultra-smart all-electric mid-size coupe SUV, XPENG G6 in March, with launch price from £39,990. XPENG is partnering with International Motors to open 20 dealerships in the UK this year. Full story

EV transition drives apprentice recruitment as industry skills up for ‘growth decade’

Top employers in the UK automotive sector are investing in a major skills drive to grow apprenticeship numbers by almost a sixth in 2025, according to a new survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, as manufacturers embark on a ‘green growth decade’. More than 550 new apprentices already having joined the sector this academic year, with an additional 740 apprenticeships still available. Full story

IMI response to government’s new Apprenticeship Reforms and Skills Strategy

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) cautiously welcomes the government’s announcement on apprenticeship reforms as a step in the right direction. However, it urges that short-term flexibility does not come at the expense of high-quality training and future-proof skills development. Full story

Apprenticeship Central breaks down apprenticeship reforms

In the middle of National Apprentice Week the government announced a wide ranging package of reforms to boost growth of apprenticeship placements. Cutting through the jargon Apprenticeship Central has set out what the announcement means. Full story

Demand for used EVs rises to record levels as second-hand car market grows in 2024

The UK’s used car market grew by 5.5% to 7,643,180 transactions in 2024, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Marking eight quarters of continuous growth, the year saw 400,488 more vehicles change hands than in 2023, with growth in the new car market fuelling availability and wider choice within the used sector. Full story

European auto industry champions policies for future-proof workforce at skills strategic dialogue

Securing quality jobs, delivering on skills and training, and ensuring a thriving, competitive European vehicle industry were all at the top of the agenda at the ACEA’s Strategic Dialogue meeting. Full story

Allianz UK warns motor traders of EV battery fire risks

Allianz UK is warning motor traders to be aware of the risks associated with Electric Vehicle (EV) battery fires, which have caused extensive damage in recent cases and created unique challenges. Full story

ACG has appointed Neil Thomas as its latest Business Development Manager.

Gemma Edwards has been appointed Business Development Manager at Remit Training.

Industry Insights is delighted to welcome Alan Cottrill to the motor claims business consultancy team.

Thatcham Research has announced the appointment of Nick Caplan as Chair of the Board of Directors.

Aviva has announced the appointment of Craig Fazzini-Jones as Group Chief Operating Officer.

Chris Payne has been appointed Head of DLG Auto Services at Direct Line Group.

AutoRaise has also announced that Simon Smith, Managing Director and Aviva Repair lead at Solus, will take over from Dave Sargeant, Managing Director of Gemini, as Chair.

More leading names added to ARC360 conference line-up

Michael Golding, Network Manager, Allianz; Martyn Rowley, Executive Director, NBRA & VBRA Commercial; and Andy Whatmough, Managing Director, S&G Response are three more leading names added to ARC360’s conference line-up.

More than 20 major insurance brands and over 60 of the sector’s leading repairers have already confirmed their support of ARC360’s 2025 conference which takes place on Thursday 22 May at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. Full story

NBRA joins ILC as Industry Body Partner to further support repair community

NBRA – the UK’s leading vehicle body repair membership organisation – has joined ILC as an Industry Body Partner to help support the UK’s accident repair community and provide even greater value to its members.

Building on an already close working relationship, the partnership sees NBRA onboarded with ILC as an Industry Body Partner providing its members with discounts to ILC events, and free access to daily motor insurance claims market news and insights. ILC will also help the NBRA engage with senior industry stakeholders from across the motor insurance claims sector. Full story

Cougar Accident Repair Centre is teaming up with Vauxhall partner Thurlow Nunn Luton to raise funds for Keech Hospice Care, Luton & Dementia UK by climbing Scafell Pike.

LD Autovogue has passed another BSI Kitemark Audit with the help and guidance of ECS, its Ezi Compliance System.

Avant Group was officially Carbon Neutral for 2024 after taking meaningful action by supporting a Global Portfolio of Verified Carbon Reduction Projects through Carbon Footprint.

East Bilney Coachworks’ Norwich South branch is proud to be one of the first to receive official BYD manufacturer approval for all paint and body repairs, working in partnership with Busseys.

H&L Motors has celebrated more than a decade of consecutive first-time audit passes on the Volkswagen Paint & Body approved network.

Fylde Coast Accident Repair Centre has successfully passed its latest BSI Kitemark BS10125 audit with a 100% pass rate.

The Motor Ombudsman has announced that eight branches of Lindleys Autocentres have gained accreditation to its Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair.

Volkswagen optimises vehicle development through 3DExperience

Volkswagen Group has inked a long-term partnership Dassault Systèmes to advance its digital infrastructure for state-of-the-art vehicle development. The 3DExperience platform is designed to help automotive manufacturers streamline collaboration and deliver data-driven approaches to manage complexity in the electric vehicle market. Full story

Volkswagen Future Plan: Passenger Cars brand gives first glimpse of entry-level electric model at works meeting

Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, presented plans for the future of the core brand. Employees also had a first glimpse of the design of the Volkswagen brand’s future entry-level electric model at a price of about €20,000.Volkswagen plans to present the show car for the new entry-level model to the public at the beginning of March. Full story

Honda EV Hub Prepares for new level of flexible production in reimagined manufacturing environment

Honda has provided a first look at its innovative approach to manufacture electric vehicles by late 2025 at the Honda EV Hub in Ohio, detailing the company’s flexible approach that uniquely positions Honda to build internal combustion engine, hybrid-electric, and battery electric vehicles on the same production lines. Full story

GM acquires full ownership of Cruise

General Motors has completed its previously announced acquisition of GM Cruise Holdings LLC following the approval of GM’s merger offer by the Cruise Board of Directors. Now a wholly-owned subsidiary of GM, Cruise going forward will work collaboratively on autonomous vehicle technology and advanced driver assistance systems for personal vehicles. Full story

Toyota Open Labs invites small and medium-sized companies to join the mobility transformation and create a sustainable future

Toyota Motor Europe and partners have launched an open call for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to apply to join the Toyota Open Labs innovation platform. The initiative aims to connect SMEs with business units across the Toyota group and support their ambitions to collaborate, scale up and contribute to a sustainable future. Full story

XPENG announces its arrival in Ireland and Finland

XPENG Motors, the Chinese born carmaker specialising in smart electric mobility, announces its arrival on the Irish and Finnish markets with a series of events in Dublin and Helsinki. Full story

Quantum computing at the BMW Group

The BMW Group has been carrying out detailed research into the potential of quantum computing since 2017. In the not-too-distant future, this technology could solve previously unsolvable complex problems in fields such as materials science and artificial intelligence (AI). This article provides a short overview of how quantum computers work and how they could be used at the BMW Group. Full story

NIO Inc. delivered 13,863 vehicles in January, Increasing by 37.9% YoY

NIO Inc. delivered 13,863 vehicles in January 2025, representing an increase of 37.9% year-over-year. The deliveries consisted of 7,951 vehicles from the premium smart electric vehicle brand NIO, and 5,912 vehicles from the family-oriented smart electric vehicle brand ONVO. Cumulative deliveries reached 685,427 as of January 31, 2025. Full story

Nissan preparing to pull out of merger talks with Honda

Nissan is preparing to pulling out of merger talks with Honda in order to try to find another partner to help with the shift towards electric vehicles.

The two Japanese automotive firms revealed in December that they were considering a £46bn merger, alongside Mitsubishi, to create the world’s third-largest carmaker in terms of annual sales. However, the talks have stuttered amid tensions over the perceived imbalance between the parties. Full story

AutoRaise relaunches to secure the future of automotive repair

AutoRaise, the charity dedicated to addressing the UK’s automotive repair skills crisis through apprenticeships, is relaunching during National Apprenticeship Week 2025 with a bold new vision to tackle the industry’s talent shortage. At a time when the industry faces over 5,000 unfilled roles, AutoRaise is stepping up efforts to connect young people with life-changing career opportunities. Full story

Charge Up: Quarterly EV Insights

The latest quarterly analysis from Activate Group and Gecko Risk’s EV data platform revealed that in 2024 more than 400,000 battery electric vehicles were registered on UK roads, an increase of 50,000 on 2023. The first quarter of 2024 witnessed a sharp decrease in average EV repair costs, reaching their lowest point in May. However, the latter half of the year saw a steady increase, culminating in an average cost of £3,482 by December. Full story

National Apprenticeship Week: The IMI calls for urgency over critical reforms in apprenticeship funding

Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is calling for urgency over reforms for apprenticeship funding. The professional body believes this is critical to ensure a robust skills pipeline can meet the automotive sector’s future needs, which are integral to the government’s net zero targets. Full story

Solera Audatex hits key growth milestone in 2024

Solera Audatex has announced a significant milestone in its growth and impact on its UK user base. In 2024 it supported an additional 222 UK repair sites across 187 new customers, averaging more than four new sites per week, enabling greater connectivity across the UK crash-repair supply chain. Full story

NBRA seeks feedback on EDAM administration

The NBRA is working with the administrators of the EDAM Group, Interpath, to support any bodyshops impacted by the announcement on 6 January that the business is closing. It has taken legal advice and is now urging any repairers with unpaid invoices, vehicles still on site or repairs that have not yet commenced to contact the NBRA at bodyshops@rmif.co.uk with relevant details. Full story

Repairify launches revolutionary Digital Technician Apprenticeship Programme in conjunction with QA

Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, Repairify is announcing the launch of the industry’s first bespoke Digital Technician Apprenticeship Programme in conjunction with world-class training provider QA, helping to address the acute skills shortage within the sector. Full story

LKQ Europe supports EU’s Mobility Transition Pathway with landmark technician training pledge

As part of the Mobility Transition Pathway, LKQ Europe has committed to an ambitious training target to support the green and digital transformation of the automotive sector. Through the dedicated LKQ Academy training division, the company will upskill 24,000 technicians to safely maintain and repair hybrid and electric vehicles across 11 countries by 2028. Full story

Charles Trent unveils green Parts Portal

Charles Trent has launched its innovative B2B Parts Portal to help businesses source and order high-quality green parts. The portal provides instant access to Charles Trent’s live database of over 100,000 quality-assured green parts, all available for next-day delivery. Full story

Car insurance costs drop £221 in a year with younger drivers and those in London benefitting most

The typical cost of car insurance has fallen by £221 annual new data shows. The 23% drop means an average premium fell to £729 in December 2024, compared to £950 in December 2023, Compare the Market says. This marks the cheapest monthly average premium since May 2023 when the average a motorist was paying was £718. Full story

EV share rises despite contracting market but tax hikes threaten targets

The UK new car market fell by 2.5% to 139,345 units in January, according to data released by the Society of Motor manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), as weak consumer confidence and tough economic conditions combined to deliver the fourth consecutive month of decline. Registrations by both fleet and private buyers were down in the month, by 3.7% and 0.5% respectively. Full story

Light commercial vehicle market declines in January

Britain’s new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market fell by 20.5% in the first month of 2025 with 19,050 vans, pick-ups and 4x4s registered, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). A second consecutive monthly decline follows robust growth in 2024, and is set against a tough economic backdrop and weakened business confidence to invest. Full story

Retail prices stable as used car market sees record start to 2025

According to the latest data from Auto Trader, the used car market has begun the new year on firm footing despite concerns around the economy, with cars selling at a record pace, engagement on Auto Trader accelerating to seasonal highs, and retail prices continuing to stabilise. Full story

Apprenticeship Central shines a spotlight on VDAs

Apprenticeship Central has highlighted the key role Vehicle Damage Assessors play in a bodyshop’s efficiency and success. More than just an estimator, the VDA plays a pivotal role as the link between the customer, the repair process, and the business’s bottom line. A skilled VDA doesn’t just contribute to the business; they help define its success. Full story

Laura Straiton has joined Avant Repair Network as Business Development Manager.

Rachel Meenaghan has started a new position as Business Development, Events and Marketing Manager at NBRA/VBRA.  

Danny Rota has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer at ITAS.

Lisa Coté has been appointed as VP sales and sales operations at motor retail technology market leader iVendi.

Operations Director, John Keeton is celebrating 20 years at FMG.

US: Jake Rodenroth has been appointed Chief Revenue Officer at Quality Collision Group.