Daily Motor News – Thursday 05 February 2026 

Insurance in the round: Innovation, growth and trust 

Sarah Pritchard, FCA deputy chief executive, at the ABI Annual Conference: “It’s hard to think of a more symbolic venue to discuss driving change in the insurance sector than the QEII Centre. Step outside, and you’re in the shadow of both the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. Scrutiny, change and serving citizens on one side. Tradition on the other. That’s where insurance sits, too.” Read more

Public-private insurance programmes must boost risk reduction to keep disasters insurable, finds Geneva Association report 

From floods and fires to cyberattacks and pandemics, natural and man-made disasters are becoming more frequent, more costly, and harder to absorb – exposing the limits of traditional insurance and post-crisis government relief. With uninsured losses mounting and public budgets under strain, policymakers and industry leaders face an urgent question: how can societies maintain affordable, reliable protection as disaster risks intensify?  Read more

Financial Ombudsman Service sees lowest complaint levels in two years 

New cases coming to us have returned to complaint volumes last seen in 2023/24 – with figures released today showing we received 47,300 complaints between October and December 2025. This is a significantly lower caseload for us, compared to the same quarter last year (2024/25) when we received 68,400 cases. Read more

Shining a Light on Claims Operations to Drive Efficiency, Collaboration and Better Customer Outcomes 

When someone is involved in a motor incident or personal injury, making a claim can feel overwhelming. The customer wants the process to be clear, predictable and handled by specialists who understand what they are going through. Read more

PRANA: Connecting Road Safety and Healthcare Data, Supported by the National Road Safety Strategy 

Road traffic collisions remain a persistent public health challenge in the UK, costing the UK economy over £40 billion every year. This is why I am proud TRL is involved in PRANA, a world-first registry that is transforming how we understand road crashes and their consequences. PRANA is securely linking and deidentifying road safety and health care data before allowing access to approved researchers and studies. Read more

Drivers overestimate braking distances but still drive too close on the roads – AA Accident Assist 

Drivers are overestimating their braking distances according to new research from The AA’s Accident Assist team. When more than 10,000 drivers were asked the thinking distance for cars travelling at 20 mph, the average response was 19 metres, more than double the guidance in the Highway Code (12 metres). Similarly, drivers thought the braking distance at 20 mph was 25 metres compared to six metres outlined within the Highway Code. Drivers felt the total braking distance at 20 mph was 44 metres, almost three times the distance suggested in the Highway Code (12 metres). Read more

New car market starts year with growth but EV share falls 

The UK new car market grew by 3.4% in January to reach 144,127 units, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), resulting in the best start to a year since pre-pandemic 2020. Read more

Van market dips in January as EV targets get steeper 

New light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations fell by -7.8% in the first month of 2026 with 17,562 vans, pickups and 4x4s joining UK roads, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This is the weakest start to a year since 2012’s 16,049 registrations and reflects a tough economic environment, with weak business confidence constraining fleet investment. Read more

Lepas set for UK launch: Jaecoo and Omoda get a new sibling as our Chinese car options grow again 

Chery has announced that a fourth of its brands is coming to the UK, joining Omoda, Jaecoo and self-branded Chery models. Called Lepas, the new marque will arrive in the third quarter of this year with a bolder and more imaginative range of models than the core Chery lineup, ones designed from the outset to suit European tastes. Read more

Europe’s used market for light-duty vehicles: dynamics, policy and system implications 

This study, conducted by Quantalyse and STH-Consulting on behalf of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), examines the used vehicle market and its relationship with the new vehicle market in the context of fleet decarbonisation. Read more

Safety, State Involvement Should Be Central to AV Regulation, Says Trades 

US: Industry trade associations side with caution to ensure regulations promote safety as autonomous vehicles (AVs) share the road with traditional automobiles. The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and the American Property Casualty Association each submitted statements to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for its Feb. 4 hearing on the future of self-driving vehicles. Read more

Only 1 in 4 UK technicians qualified to work on electric vehicles 

The latest IMI TechSafe data on electric vehicle qualifications presents a worrying picture of slowing investment in training for zero emissions. Just one in four technicians were qualified to work on EVs at the end of Quarter 3 2025. Read more

Everything you need to know about SERMI  

In recent weeks, much has been said on the IGA’s (Independent Garages Association’s) announcement that SERMI will be launched in the UK. Here, Repairify breaks down all things SERMI to help repairers navigate exactly what it is and what it means. Read more

Charge Up: EV Quarterly Insights – Q4 2025 

Welcome to the latest edition of the quarterly Charge Up report from Activate Group, the leading UK collision management business, and Gecko Risk, EV data specialists. The report brings regular insights into the state of electric vehicle (EV) repair in the UK.  Read more

Clients and staff in dark as law firm shuts doors 

An investigation has begun after the sudden closure of a major law firm left hundreds of staff and clients in limbo. Sheffield-based PM Law, which runs firms in Yorkshire, Cumbria, Berkshire, Derbyshire and Kent specialising in personal injury, wills and conveyancing, shut without warning on Monday. Read more

How will car loan compensation payments work? 

The financial regulator has said millions of people who were mis-sold car finance could be entitled to less compensation than it had previously suggested. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the payouts could result from 14 million loans taken out between April 2007 and November 2024 – about 44% of the total number during the period. Read more

Good Practice of the Month – February 2026, awarded to KFV Association for establishing the project ‘On the road with Risi & Ko’ 

The European Road Safety Charter’s February spotlight features the project ‘On the road with Risi & Ko’, established by the KFV Association in Austria. The project aims to equip secondary teachers with practical tools to deliver continuous, age-appropriate road safety education, closing the gap that exists after primary school. Read more

Waymo has raised a $16 billion investment round valuing the company at $126 billion post-money. This capital underscores that the age of autonomous mobility at scale has arrived, and Waymo is leading the way. Read more

“Uber accelerated into another record-breaking quarter, with more than 200 million monthly users completing more than 40 million trips every day—our largest and most engaged consumer base ever,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO. “We enter 2026 with a rapidly growing topline, significant cash flow, and a clear path to becoming the largest facilitator of AV trips in the world.” Read more

According to a Go.Compare survey, almost half of Brits wouldn’t feel safe to hop in driverless taxis. Getting locked in, malfunctions and safety are the top passenger concerns as autonomous taxis start operating in London. Read more