Daily Motor News – Thursday 01 October 2026 

Matthew Smith, Global Lead for Insurance Strategy and Transformation and Partner at KPMG in the UK, said: “The industry has moved beyond asking whether AI matters and is now focused on how to create value from it. The real opportunity lies not simply in making today’s processes more efficient, but in rethinking the way of working and how risk is understood, managed and prevented in the future.” Read more

DAC Beachcroft explores AV cyber risks 

DAC Beachcroft has released the third episode of its Reading the Road: The Role of Data in Automated Vehicle Deployment podcast series, focusing on cyber security and data protection risks associated with automated vehicles (AVs). Read more

Toyota Insurance opens Affinity Hub 

Toyota Insurance Services has opened a new operating hub in Shrewsbury to support its insurance products and services for Toyota and Lexus customers. Read more

Operation Enterprise: a case study 

Article contributed by Allied Universal Compliance and Investigations  

In the UK motor insurance market, claims fraud and high-value vehicle theft present an ongoing operational challenge. According to industry data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), insurers uncovered £1.16bn in fraudulent claims in a single year, with motor insurance accounting for 53% (£576m) of total detected fraud. Read more

Young driver premiums in NI jump 10% as graduated licensing comes into force 

Northern Ireland (NI) has overtaken London as the most expensive part of the UK to insure a young driver, on the same day it becomes the first part of the UK to introduce graduated driver licensing. Read more

Volkswagen braces for huge financial hit from FCA motor finance scheme 

The German car giant Volkswagen is preparing to disclose a massive hit from the City watchdog’s £9bn motor finance redress scheme, months after it joined a group of rivals in mounting a legal challenge to its implementation. Read more

Car thieves target Nissan Jukes as 11 stolen in one county in 24 hours 

Car thieves stole 11 Nissan Jukes over a 24-hour period in one county, police said. The crime wave hit Caerphilly county last Thursday and Friday, with security expert Michael Fraser saying the vehicles were frequently targeted because they have “valuable spare parts” and were “relatively easy to steal”. Read more

August 2026 new car pre-registration figures 

SMMT released figures for August pre-registrations in the UK new car market. The data shows the number of cars disposed of by vehicle manufacturers in August 2026 that were defined as pre-registrations. Read more

Building the future one opportunity at a time 

As the industry grapples with technological change, evolving vehicle complexity and an ongoing skills shortage, one question continues to sit at the heart of every conversation about the future: where will the next generation come from? Read more

LKQ launches Apprentice+ programme 

LKQ UK and Ireland has launched its new Apprentice+ programme, with the first two cohorts completing the opening learning pathway at LKQ Academy. Read more

Your car and its mobile app are probably handing over all kinds of data to tech companies 

Modern-day vehicles built with connected car technology such as Wi-Fi and GPS collect reams of data about their owners. And that data is not staying private, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Northeastern University. Read more

Dimitra Christakou joins the ABI today as the new Director of Membership and Commercial Development. Read more

Chris Seaman has taken on a new role as Head of Claims and Operational Resilience at AA Underwriting Insurance Co Ltd.  

Hollie Gabbott has started a new position as Motor Claims Manager at QBE Insurance. Meanwhile, Craig Cresswell has taken on a new role as Third Party Claims Manager at QBE Insurance. 

After 19 years, Mike Oliver has stepped down as Managing Director of KC Autos. Read more

Karri Monsell is starting a new position as Business Change Manager at Ageas UK. 

Belron, a global leader in vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration (VGRRR) services, has completed the acquisition of its two franchise VGRRR businesses in Poland and the Czech Republic from AGC, one of the world’s largest automotive glass manufacturers. Read more

Inchcape plc, the FTSE250-listed leading independent global automotive Distributor, has agreed to acquire a Volvo business in Peru and Costa Rica, and a Jaguar Land Rover business in Peru, both from Automotores Gildemeister.