Daily Motor News – Monday 02 March 2026

ILC ARTICLE

2nd March 2026

This week’s update reflects a sector balancing market disruption, regulatory evolution and accelerating technological change.

A Carwow investigation reveals that while Chinese car brands continue to gain traction on price and specification, some buyers are encountering higher or more complex insurance arrangements as underwriters adapt to new entrants. At the same time, questions around liability in collisions involving autonomous vehicles remain under scrutiny, as explored in this analysis on self-driving vehicle responsibility.

Innovation continues to reshape insurance. From harnessing satellite data for underwriting precision to addressing the pressures outlined in a 2026 guide to claims inflation, insurers are navigating structural cost and risk challenges. Meanwhile, data-led pricing strategies are examined in this interview on turning market behaviour into pricing advantage.

In automotive, The Motor Ombudsman marks 50 years of its New Car Code, reinforcing consumer standards as ‘26 plate’ vehicles arrive. Elsewhere, Aston Martin’s restructuring signals ongoing market pressures, while Europe seeks to bolster resilience through Chips Act II.

With oil price volatility, renewed trade momentum via the EU-Mercosur agreement, and growing demand for green skills highlighted ahead of National Careers Week, agility and collaboration remain central to building a better tomorrow.

Exclusive: Insurance woes hit buyers of new car brands

Sales of Chinese cars are booming thanks to their low up-front cost and long list of standard kit, but a Carwow investigation reveals that some customers are finding insurance costly or tricky to get. And as demand grows even faster for these new entrants, the insurance industry is struggling to keep up. Read more

Who may be responsible for car accidents involving self-driving vehicles?

Self-driving vehicle technology promises to revolutionise transportation by eliminating human error, yet accidents involving autonomous cars raise complex legal questions about liability when no human driver controls the vehicle. Read more

Unlocking Insurance Innovation through Satellite Data

The insurance industry is undergoing one of the most profound structural shifts in its history. Climate volatility, increasing catastrophe exposure, regulatory scrutiny, and rising customer expectations are redefining how risk must be assessed and managed. In this new reality, precision, speed, and transparency are no longer differentiators—they are prerequisites for competitiveness. Read more

Navigating the road ahead: a 2026 guide to claims inflation

Claims inflation has been the word on many peoples lips for a few years now. But while we often focus on the price of a loaf of bread or a monthly energy bill, there is a quieter, more complex inflationary pressure moving through the motor insurance industry. Read more

Interview: Turning Market Behaviour into Pricing Advantage

Pricing teams have never had more internal data. Yet many still struggle to answer a simple question: Are we pricing risk deliberately or drifting out of alignment with the market without realising it?  We sat down with our Lead Data Scientist, Kalle Myllarniemi, to talk about how our new machine learning capabilities, Apollo and Atlas, came to life and what they now make possible. Read more 

TMO’s New Car Code covers virtually all ’26 plate car buyers as it marks 50 years of service

As the new ‘26 vehicle registration arrives in showrooms across the country, The Motor Ombudsman is marking 50 years of the Motor Industry Code of Practice for New Cars (the ‘New Car Code’) driving high standards in the supply of new vehicles and warranties to consumers by carmakers with a retail presence in the UK. Read more

How Aston Martin must adapt to meet changing needs

It is the firm famed for making the car James Bond drives, but its history has been almost as turbulent as some of the adventures of the Ian Fleming hero. Aston Martin confirmed this week it would be cutting a fifth of its workforce, after the firm’s net losses jumped by more than 50% last year. Read more

Chips Act II: Reinforcing Europe’s automotive semiconductor supply chain

CLEPA has published a new position paper on the European Chips Act, a key initiative to support Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem. As one of Europe’s largest semiconductor users, the automotive suppliers call for a more comprehensive approach that strengthens the entire value chain. Read more

UK leaders outpace global optimism on 2026 growth prospects, Forvis Mazars survey shows

Forvis Mazars, a leading global professional services network, reports that UK business leaders are entering 2026 with a level of optimism that surpasses that of their global peers, according to the latest C-suite barometer. Read more

Oil prices jump after attack on Iran threatens crucial Strait of Hormuz

Global oil prices rose as Iran continues to launch strikes across the Middle East in response to ongoing attacks by the US and Israel. Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, jumped by 10% to touch more than $82 a barrel on Monday before easing after at least three ships were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend. Read more

Dynamic automotive landscape provides wealth of career opportunities as demand for green roles grows

Ahead of National Careers Week (2-7 March), the voice of the automotive workforce is highlighting the sector’s expanding range of career opportunities. The automotive workforce spans more than 200 distinct occupations, from software development and data analytics to customer experience, marketing, logistics, sustainability and senior leadership. The industry increasingly requires a blend of technical, digital, commercial and environmental skills. Read more

EU-Mercosur: Provisional application enables European businesses to start reaping long-awaited benefits

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), along with 25 other European business associations, representing a wide array of industries and businesses, welcome the decision of the European Commission to provisionally apply the EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement. Read more

David Panchal has started a new role as Commercial Lead (Motor) at Tesco Insurance & Money Services.

Mike Cutts has starts a new role as Managing Director UK & ROI at Iveco.

Cheniele McGarry has started a new role as Head of Transformation & Integration at LKQ SYNETIQ.

IFED – the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department – officers had a busy time in Birmingham last week with two men were arrested after allegedly staging vehicle collisions to profit from the fraudulent insurance claims. Read more