Daily Motor News – Thursday 22 October 2026 

‘The introduction of the new Practice Direction will be largely welcomed by insurers and should, if followed, place the parties in a position where they have sufficient information to settle appropriate cases fairly and without litigation.’ Read more

Ghost broking: the fake insurance with real costs 

The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) commissioned Ipsos to survey 2,194 UK adults aged 18-75 in June 2026, to find out what the public knows about ghost broking, how people buy and check motor insurance, and what they think the sector should do to tackle the problem. The findings are sobering. Read more

New High court Practice Direction introduced in Northern Ireland 

A new Practice Direction has been introduced for all High Court claims involving personal injury and damage-only civil litigation in Northern Ireland. The Practice Direction officially came into effect on 13 October 2026. Of particular importance for insurers, it contains detailed provisions dealing with credit hire and vehicle damage claims. Read more

Record funding, record results: 7,000 miles of smoother journeys as government tackles potholes 

Nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing – the equivalent of travelling between London and Singapore – will be completed this year according to new figures published today (21 October 2026) as the government looks to give drivers more breathing space and help with the cost of living. Read more

Intact Insurance: Reducing risks on the road: Supporting a large HGV fleet 

As an insurer, we understand that improving road safety goes hand-in-hand with reducing incidents and therefore lowering claim frequencies and potential losses. We’re also passionate about exploring new and existing technology, and its potential to help enhance customer service. Read more

Two in three drivers want higher fines for phone use while driving 

Two in three (67%) UK drivers want higher fines for using a phone while driving, according to the research. No other country in the survey backed tougher fines as strongly as the UK, which ranked ahead of France, Germany, Italy and Brazil. Read more

Half of young drivers copy their parents’ behaviour behind the wheel – including speeding and road rage 

Five in ten young motorists (50%) admit to imitating habits displayed by their parents behind the wheel, with road rage, attitudes to road rules, speeding and mobile phone use among the habits they say are passed between generations, new research commissioned by Go.Compare reveals. Read more

Covertime.com research finds 7.5m UK drivers have used temporary car insurance 

An estimated 7.5 million UK drivers have used temporary car insurance at least once according to new research, highlighting how widely short-term cover is being used by motorists across the country. Read more

Hyundai Motor UK appoints AX Motor Assist and Avant for new Accident Management and Approved Bodyshop programmes 

Hyundai Motor UK has appointed AX Motor Assist as its new Accident Management partner and Avant to manage its Hyundai-approved Bodyshop Programme. Launching in December 2026, the two programmes will give Hyundai customers across the UK a single route to accident support, vehicle recovery, replacement mobility and manufacturer-approved repairs, regardless of their insurer. Read more

Jaecoo 7 tops Select’s list of most delivered cars of 2026 

Three of the top 10 most leased vehicles across 2026 are now from Chinese manufacturers, new stats revealed by Select Car Leasing have revealed. Read more

AI agents are calling dealerships now – and experts warn the motor trade must get ready 

A used car dealer has described the bizarre moment he realised he was speaking to an AI agent rather than a potential customer, prompting questions about how artificial intelligence could transform car sales. Read more

DVLA admits not meeting expectations and turns to AI for help 

The DVLA has detailed a far-reaching business plan with a focus on digitisation, AI enhancements, and improving customer service. Read more

New way of optimising self-driving taxi operations developed 

A new method for self-driving taxi fleet optimisation could ensure the technology increases transport efficiency and sustainability. That’s according to researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, who say they can enable near-optimal large scale fleet control while accounting for uncertainties that arise in real-world use. Read more

AkzoNobel, Axalta near merger approvals with two unit sales 

Reuters: AkzoNobel and Axalta are closing in on US and EU approvals for their $25 billion merger, with the ‌sales of Akzo’s European vehicle refinishing business and Axalta’s US wood finishes business being the only remedies regulators have asked for, the Dutch paint maker’s CEO said on Wednesday. Read more

‘Wider wave of attacks’ feared as ‘critical’ flaw hits websites worldwide 

Amazon Web Services also said this flaw is now “being broadly exploited in the wild” – and has revealed that suspected hackers tried to capitalise on the vulnerability days before it was publicly announced. Read more

CII and PFS celebrate more than 300 graduates 

Nearly 350 insurance and financial advice professionals have entered an exciting new chapter of their careers after achieving some of the profession’s most respected qualifications and professional statuses. Read more

Cyber attacks and data loss drive greater board-level focus on cyber risk, says Willis 

Seven in ten organisations (70%) now formally integrate cyber risk into their board-level enterprise risk framework, while 65% of boards receive cybersecurity and threat landscape updates at least quarterly, according to the latest Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Insurance Survey 2026: Cyber in Focus from Willis, a WTW business. Read more

People can now save up to £300 on charging at home without a driveway as the government has slashed red tape to make it cheaper, easier and quicker to install. Read more

Dealer giant Sytner saw its turnover fall by almost £1bn last year as a sharp drop in used car sales dragged down revenue and profits. Read more