Daily Motor News – Thursday 12 March 2026 

Interview with Hannah Wilcox, CEO – Activate Group & Mark Johnstone, MD – Avant Group 

Seven months on from Activate Group’s acquisition of Avant Group, we caught up with Hannah Wilcox and Mark Johnstone to get their views on progress so far. In this interview, Hannah and Mark talk about the strategy behind the deal, the realities of integration, key achievements so far, and their ambitions for the year ahead. Read more

IFIG launches intelligence-sharing platform with Verisk to strengthen insurance fraud detection 

The Insurance Fraud Investigators Group (IFIG), working with Verisk, has launched a new intelligence-sharing platform designed to help insurers and fraud investigators identify fraudulent activity across multiple lines of business. Read more

Swiss Re publishes Annual Report 2025 and invitation to 2026 AGM 

Swiss Re today published its 2025 Annual Report and the invitation for the upcoming Annual General Meeting of shareholders (AGM) on 10 April 2026. Read more

Catastrophic injury victims must receive full and fair compensation 

Changes are needed to protect severely injured people from being under-compensated by the courts in Northern Ireland, lawyers have told the Department of Justice (DoJ). Read more

PRA fines U K Insurance Limited £10,625,000 

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has imposed a financial penalty of £10,625,000 on U K Insurance Limited (UKI Limited) in connection with a miscalculation of their Solvency II balance sheet during 2023 and 2024. This resulted in UKI Limited overstating its solvency to the PRA and to the market. Read more

EV repair costs fall 

Average repair costs for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) fell in February, according to the latest data insights report from Gecko Risk. Read more

Smarter route to EV transition needed as market reality bites 

Britain’s transition to zero emission vehicles must urgently be reviewed before targets accelerate exponentially from 2027, the automotive industry has warned, else the country’s net zero and economic growth ambitions could be thwarted. Read more

VIN Irregularities: Motorists Warned To Check Before Buying Second Hand Vehicles 

New research by breakdown provider Green Flag shows that hundreds of vehicles each year are flagged during MOT testing for irregularities with their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), a key marker used to verify a vehicle’s identity. Read more

Volteras partners with Polestar 

Connected vehicle data provider Volteras has partnered with electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar to provide fleet operators with direct access to vehicle data through the Polestar Fleet Telematics service. Read more

Millions risk fines as MOT deadlines missed 

New data from Kwik Fit has revealed that millions of UK drivers are failing to book their MOT on time, with one in six vehicles tested only after the expiry of their certificate. Read more

Wayve, Uber and Nissan Announce Collaboration on Robotaxis 

Wayve, Uber and Nissan today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development of robotaxis and commence activities to realize the deployment of robotaxi services. The parties will begin preparations for a pilot deployment in Tokyo by late 2026, introducing the Nissan LEAF powered by the Wayve AI Driver, available to riders through Uber. Read more

Charging Ahead:What’s Really Holding Back LCV EV Adoption 

Fleet electrification in the UK is picking up speed, but one issue is still slowing businesses down: charging. Our latest whitepaper, Charging Ahead: What’s Really Holding Back LCV EV Adoption, explores the real challenges fleets are facing and what they can do about them. Read more

Oil price jumps despite deal to release record amount of reserves 

Oil prices climbed back above $100 a barrel and stock markets fell after three more cargo vessels were hit in the Gulf. News of further strikes on shipping helped to push Brent crude up by more than 9% on Thursday, before the price eased a little to $97.90. Read more

Average UK car repair cost almost £600 as drivers delay urgent work 

Average repair bills have reached a five-year high of almost £600 as affordability pressures lead many drivers to leave urgent work unfinished, according to Bumper data. Read more

Ben launches search for new chair and trustees 

Automotive industry charity Ben has launched a search for a new Chair and several trustees as it enters the next phase of its 120-year history. The organisation is inviting applications and expressions of interest from leaders who can help guide the charity’s future direction and support its ambition to expand health and well-being support across the automotive industry. Read more

Markel International launches AI Centre of Enablement with appointment of Head of AI 

Markel International, a division of Markel Insurance, the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL), today announced the appointment of Maureen Tomlinson to Head of AI, alongside the launch of their AI Centre of Enablement. This strategic hire marks a significant milestone in Markel’s continued investment in operational excellence and signals the beginning of its first formalised AI function. Read more

The RAC extends long-standing partnership with LKQ Euro Car Parts to keep motorists moving 

LKQ Euro Car Parts, the UK’s leading distributor of automotive parts to the independent aftermarket, has extended its partnership with the RAC to continue as the first-line supplier of batteries and parts to the driving services group. Read more

AXA XL has announced the appointment of Leyla Delic as Chief Technology and AI Officer. Based in London, she will report to Scott Gunter, CEO of AXA XL and Matthieu Caillat, Group Chief Technology and AI Officer and CEO of AXA Group Operations. Read more

Kennedys has appointed Milan Devani as the firm’s global Chief Information Officer (CIO). Read more

As Chief Financial Officer, Lucy Gallagher plays a central role in shaping the Activate Group’s financial strategy and supporting its ambitious growth plans. Read more

A company who design and engineer prototype cars have called in administrators with the loss of 65 jobs. HPL Prototypes, based in Coventry, previously had contracts with companies like Bentley, Land Rover and Rolls Royce to design concept vehicles. Read more