Daily Motor News – Friday 4 October

Green Flag partners with Apple on roadside assistance

Green Flag has teamed up with Apple to be the first UK breakdown company to use their groundbreaking safety service, Roadside Assistance via satellite. When motorists with an iPhone 14 or later model have car trouble, but mobile and Wi-Fi coverage are unavailable, they can now connect with Green Flag using Apple’s Roadside Assistance via satellite feature. Motorists do not even need to be a Green Flag customer to get help. Full story

Steer Automotive acquires Carcomm Coachworks

Carcomm Coachworks has been acquired by Steer Automotive Group, expanding their commercial vehicle repair services. The acquisition establishes a new partnership, providing a fantastic opportunity to scale Carcomm’s operations and continue delivering exceptional service to their clients. Full story

Car salesman sentenced for selling UK insurance write-off at dealership in Republic of Ireland

A car salesman has been ordered to pay costs after he sold a vehicle which had been written off in the UK – at a dealership in the Republic of Ireland.Patrick Doyle, of Byrnes Garage in County Wexford, sold a Ford Fiesta in August 2020, without revealing it had previously suffered heavy damage in an accident. Full story

World’s first open online platform gives public a voice in safety of automated vehicles

WMG, at The University of Warwick, has launched the world’s first online platform that enables the public to influence the development of Automated Vehicle safety. Safety Pool Studio is a driving scenario creation platform for the public to design road scenarios based on their real-life experiences or expectations during the introduction of AVs. The platform aims to empower the public to become part of the safety discussions, making the process more inclusive and accessible. Full story

Car industry sounds warning as electric car sales stall

The UK car industry has warned its efforts to support the transition to electric vehicles cannot be sustained indefinitely as it faces the prospect of fines for missing climate-linked sales targets. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said that a government mandate, which requires its members to sell a minimum percentage of zero-emission vehicles each year, was proving to be problematic as the share of electric vehicle (EV) sales in the UK had stalled below 18%. Full story

Stay Ahead of Digital Media Fraudsters with Smarter Claims Tools

Over the past few decades, the insurance industry has focused on the digital transformation of its operations to keep pace with rapid technological developments. Technology innovation has had a parallel effect on insurance fraud for property and casualty claims, which has become more sophisticated and increasingly harder to detect. Full story

Leasys UK launches Accident Management and Fleet Safety services

Leasys UK has partnered with FMG to provide accident management and fleet safety services to its corporate customers. Available either as a combined service or separately, the new offerings will be available to corporate fleet customers with 25 vehicles or more, enhancing Leasys’ comprehensive fleet management solution. Full story

Car makers slash EV prices, suspend production and extend petrol model availability as electric demand wanes

Car makers continue to respond to a slowdown in demand for electric vehicles with a raft of announcements that have added to concerns about the transition to zero-emission motoring. In the last few days, one major manufacturer has announced a fresh round of price cuts across its EV range, another extended a suspension on production of one of its battery-powered models due to a lack of sales, and a popular maker said it will offer new cars with petrol engines for longer than previously anticipated. Full story

Tesla recalls over 27,000 Cybertrucks in fifth callback this year

Tesla said on Thursday it would recall more than 27,000 Cybertrucks in the United States due to delayed rear-view camera images that could impair driver visibility and increase crash risks. This is the fifth recall issued by Tesla for 2024 Cybertruck models since January. Tesla is issuing a software update to address the latest issue. Full story

Safety: Advanced assistance systems benefiting from swarm data and new Intelligent Park Assist

The all-new Škoda Elroq offers occupants a high level of passive and active safety. It comes with up to nine airbags and state-of-the-art assistance systems. The comprehensive Travel Assist function now makes extended use of swarm data for even more advanced driver support. Full story

Clyde & Co put insurers in the driving seat with Tesla Experience

Over 20 representatives from Northern Ireland’s insurance industry recently gathered for a unique event hosted by Clyde & Co, where they were able to go behind the scenes of Tesla’s flagship centre in Belfast. Full story

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Continue to Expand, New Report Shows

The Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety has released an updated report detailing the expanded deployment of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in passenger vehicles. This latest PARTS report shows that by the 2023 model year, 10 out of 14 ADAS features had surpassed 50% market penetration. Full story

BMW M Mixed Reality: New features to enhance the digital driving experience

The BMW Group is expanding its revolutionary driving experience with BMW M Mixed Reality, which breaks down the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds through state-of-the-art VR/MR technologies. The vehicle itself becomes the controller – a unique 3D interaction between driver, vehicle and environment. Full story

Unprecedented EV discounting shores up September new car market

The UK new car market rose 1.0% in the key ‘74’ plate change month of September, to 275,239 units, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). In what is traditionally a bumper month for new car registrations, second only to March, the performance was the best since 2020, but still -19.8% off pre-Covid September 2019. Full story