Daily Motor News – Thursday 30 July 2026 

United Rental Group Ltd joins ILC as a Motor Corporate Partner 

United Rental Group Ltd (URG) has become the latest organisation to join I Love Claims (ILC) as a Motor Corporate Partner, strengthening its commitment to supporting the UK insurance claims community. Read more

ABI reports record motor payouts 

Motor insurers paid a record £3.2bn to support customers during the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The total was five per cent higher than in the previous quarter and up seven per cent compared with the same period in 2025, reflecting continued pressure from rising vehicle repair costs. Read more

EMCC programme continues to grow 

ILC’s Exclusive Motor Claims Conference (EMCC) continues to strengthen its 2026 programme, with senior leaders from across the insurance, legal, repair and technology sectors confirmed to speak at this year’s event. Read more

10 minutes with… Sarah Hirst, Commercial Director, IAA UK 

In a fast-moving sector like insurance claims, the sharpest minds are often too busy to sit still – which is why we caught up with Sarah Hirst, Commercial Director at IAA UK to give us 10 minutes of honesty, perspective, and insight… Read more

The Aviva Foundation and Mencap launch financial confidence programme 

The Aviva Foundation and Mencap have launched a new financial confidence programme designed to help people with a learning disability develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed decisions about their money and increase their independence. Read more

Vehicle output stabilises but investment at risk without urgent action 

UK vehicle production fell -7.5% in the first half of 2026, with factories turning out 385,979 cars and commercial vehicles, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). After a challenging start to the year, however, output stabilised in the second quarter, dipping by just 128 units (-0.1%) year on year as exports strengthened and car production returned to marginal growth. Read more

Baidu’s Apollo Go and Freenow by Lyft begin road testing in London 

Baidu, Inc has announced that its autonomous ride-hailing platform, Apollo Go, has begun road testing in London with Freenow by Lyft. Read more

Adoption of used vans by fleets set to more than double, says Arval 

The adoption of used vans within the next three years by fleets is expected to more than double, new research suggests. The 2026 Arval Fleet and Mobility Observatory shows that, while one-in-six fleets (15%) say they are operating used vans today, more than a third (39%) plan to add more within the next three years. Read more

Prices cut and production drops as Chinese cars flood UK market 

The head of the UK car lobby group says “good” and “cheap” vehicles from China are among reasons for a decline in domestic production. There has also been “a lot of discounting” by major European manufacturers. Read more

Quarterly sales of electric cars break records in several key markets amid energy crisis 

Despite a challenging backdrop for the global car market, sales of electric cars surged in the second quarter of this year as the energy crisis sparked by the war in the Middle East brought fuel price volatility back into sharp focus, according to a new IEA report. Read more

Leading Carpenters Scotland Through Growth and Change 

When Carpenters Group set out to establish a Scottish operation, the ambition was to create something that reflected the strength of the wider business while recognising that the legal landscape north of the border operates differently.  Read more

Qualcomm named BMW Group’s lead compute silicon provider  

Qualcomm Technologies Inc and BMW Group have announced a major agreement for the provision of compute silicon for BMW Group’s next-generation digital cockpit and advanced driver assistance and automated driving (ADAS/AD) systems through the next decade.  Read more

The Chinese robot army transforming the UK’s retail industry 

Every time you click “buy” on an online order, the chances are that your purchase starts getting processed within minutes. Increasingly, the journey starts with a squat silver floor robot gliding beneath a storage rack, lifting a shelf and carrying it across a warehouse to a waiting worker. Read more

Ben launches Fantasy Football League 

Automotive charity Ben has launched its Fantasy Football League 2026-27, inviting people from across the automotive sector to compete for more than £1,000 in cash prizes while raising funds to support colleagues facing life’s toughest challenges. Read more

Autoglass has become the first business in the Belron Group to transition our company car fleet to 100% electric vehicles. Read more