Daily Motor News – Thursday 05 March 2026 

“Aviva has many in-built advantages which set us up well for future success, including our unrivalled scale with almost 22 million UK customers, our diversified model and market-leading technology. We have clear strengths in artificial intelligence which are creating major opportunities to transform claims, underwriting and customer experience.” Amanda Blanc, Group Chief Executive Officer, Aviva. Read more

SUVs are more dangerous to pedestrians than smaller vehicles, say one third of Brits 

One third of Brits think SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) are more dangerous to pedestrians than smaller vehicles. The research, carried out by the UK’s leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, found that 32% of respondents thought that the plus-sized vehicles posed a more significant road safety threat to pedestrians. Read more

Aviva PLC 2025 results announcement 

Amanda Blanc, Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “Aviva delivered an outstanding performance in 2025, our fifth consecutive year of strong, profitable growth. Operating profit was up a significant 25% and we increased cash and capital generation and IFRS return on equity. We have achieved our 2026 financial targets one year early, highlighting the rapid and sustained progress we are making.” Read more

Admiral Group reports record profits for 2025 with strong contributions from across the Group 

Comment from Milena Mondini de Focatiis, Group Chief Executive Officer: “2025 was an exceptional year for Admiral, reflecting the strength of our business model, our discipline and the quality of execution across the Group. We reported record profits, continued to grow our customer base and diversify our business, while maintaining momentum in how we invest and innovate.” Read more

Zurich publishes Annual Report 2025 

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading global multi-line insurer founded more than 150 years ago, which has grown into a business serving more than 82 million customers in more than 200 countries and territories, while delivering industry-leading total shareholder returns. Read more

Sleight of hand from Ministry of Justice as headline improvements in court delays mask reality for many 

Commenting on the Civil Justice Statistics Quarterly for the final quarter of 2025 showing the time taken for civil cases to reach the courts, the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO) has cautiously welcomed a third successive quarter of apparent improvement but warned that serious problems remain. Read more

Law on AI must be changed to protect injured people 

Laws in the UK need an urgent update so patients who suffer injuries where faulty artificial intelligence (AI) is used in their treatment can pursue compensation, personal injury lawyers say. Read more

GEICO and State Farm battle over coverage in fatal Lamborghini mix-up 

US: A wrong car, a fatal crash, and a nine-year fight over a single auto policy clause – and there is still no final answer. On March 3, 2026, the Louisiana Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, dismissed the latest round of appeals in the case – not on the merits, but because the lower court’s judgments were found to be legally deficient. The matter has been sent back to the district court in New Orleans, which means the central insurance coverage questions at the heart of the dispute remain, for now, unresolved. Read more

Consumer car finance new business volumes grew by 2% in 2025 

New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer car finance new business grew 15% by value and 12% by volume in December 2025, compared with the same month in 2024. In 2025 as a whole, new business volumes grew by 2% compared with 2024. Read more

Busiest February for new cars since 2004 but EV demand idles 

The UK new car market rose by 7.2% in February to 90,100 registrations, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The growth brings the highest February volume in 22 years,¹ although the month is conventionally lower volume and therefore more volatile, with many buyers preferring to wait for the March numberplate change. Read more

UK van market edges up in February but electric transition remains off target 

UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations rose by a modest 1.1% in February, with 14,641 vans, pickups and 4x4s joining the road, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This was the second increase in three months following a 12-month stretch of decline, but February remains a small volume month, coming ahead of the March plate-change and typically accounting for just some 5% of annual volumes. Read more

Suzuki to acquire Kanadevia’s solid-state battery unit 

Suzuki Motor Corporation has agreed to acquire Kanadevia Corporation’s all-solid-state lithium-ion battery business, with the transaction set to complete on 1 July 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed. Read more

Scalable, automated, open-material: BMW Group continues to invest in Additive Manufacturing and elevates the technology to the next industrial level 

The BMW Group Additive Manufacturing Campus (AMC) is setting the course for the next stage of industrialization. Under the new leadership of Timo Göbel, additive manufacturing will be further integrated across all phases of the vehicle life cycle, with open-material and highly automated systems and a clear focus on quality. Read more

Vizion makes it six in a row 

Vizion has been included in the FT1000: Europe’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2026, for the sixth consecutive year. Produced by the Financial Times in partnership with Statista, the FT1000 recognises 1,000 of Europe’s fastest-growing businesses, assessed on revenue growth between 2021 and 2024. Chris McKie, Group CEO, Vizion said: “We are honoured to be included by the Financial Times for what is now the sixth consecutive year… I could not be prouder of our team and partners for this achievement.” Read more

Steer Automotive Group strengthens leadership team with senior appointments 

Steer Automotive Group has announced two senior leadership changes as it continues to strengthen its commercial capability and deepen partnerships across the insurance and automotive sectors. Read more

Copart CEO Jane Pocock awarded ‘Industry Woman of the Year’ 

Jane Pocock, CEO of Copart UK & Ireland has won ‘Industry Woman of the Year’ at the 2026 Modern Claims Awards. With 35+ years of experience within the automotive industry under her belt, Jane leads the second most established market in Copart’s global business and is the only female CEO in our NASDAQ-listed company. Read more

Enterprise Mobility Earns 2026 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award for Fourth Consecutive Year 

Enterprise Mobility has earned the 2026 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA) for the fourth consecutive year, recognising the organisation’s sustained excellence in employee engagement. This distinction places Enterprise Mobility among a select group of organisations that demonstrate a measurable commitment to creating a thriving workplace culture. Read more

Industrial Accelerator Act sets the stage to secure vital capacities for European auto suppliers 

The European Commission has published the Industrial Accelerator Act. The overall regulation lays a crucial foundation to safeguard manufacturing capacities and employment across Europe. Featuring a robust definition of a “European vehicle,” the Act promises to address unfair competition, but the regulation’s effectiveness in incentivising local production could be at risk without a thorough assessment of trusted trade partners. Read more

Elena Sanz, CEO of Mapfre Iberia, has been named this year’s recipient of the Geneva Association Women in Insurance Award, in recognition of her exceptional leadership through a period of company transformation and repeated disaster crises in Spain. Read more

Andrew Stuart has been named as Sales Director for new UK car market entrant Geely Auto. 

Adam Nicholson has started a new role as Account Manager at LexisNexis Risk Solutions.