Daily Motor News-Wednesday 4 December

Industry partnership will exploit artificial intelligence to automate fraud detection 

A new industry collaboration that draws on Aston University’s deep expertise in digital technology is setting out to transform how claims are verified in insurance and police investigations. In a first for the insurance sector, the project will exploit new forms of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to help tackle the growing trend of fraudulent claims, currently valued at £1.1bn in the UK. Full story

Euro NCAP Unwraps the Safest Cars for the Season 

This December may be the last of 2024’s Euro NCAP’s safety releases, but there is something for everyone in the line-up. The offering of fifteen cars presents vehicles from nearly every class and includes some highly anticipated electric cars such as the Renault 5 and its ‘hotter’ version, the Alpine A290. Full story

Birmingham seeks approval for default 20mph limit 

Birmingham City Council has asked the Government to allow it to introduce a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across the city. The Birmingham Transport Plan, which was adopted in 2021, says the council will establish 20mph as the default speed limit for all residential streets and local centres, but retain a 30mph limit on strategic and distributor roads. Full story

Police road signs to drop ‘accident’ for ‘collision’  

Police will be able to replace ‘Police Accident’ road signs and in-car messaging with ‘Police Collison’ in the latest step to improve the language used around road safety. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and campaigners have welcomed the move on the basis the majority of collisions are the avoidable outcome of human behaviour and the word ‘accident’ failed to reflect this. Full story

Why Britain’s pothole crisis is an opportunity for the aftermarket 

Labour’s £500m pledge to rid our decaying roads of potholes can’t come a minute too soon for motorists, but it’s good news for the repair trade. The ABI (Association of British Insurers) told CAT that in the third quarter of this year, insurers paid out £2.9bn in motor insurance claims. Full story

Sending parents back to driving school 

Only 13% of parents think they’re a consistently good role model to their children when it comes to motoring skills, according to a new survey of over 2,270 parents. The research, which was conducted by the UK’s largest pre-17 driving school Young Driver, has prompted the organisation to launch a special driving lesson for parents who want to refresh their knowledge and make sure bad habits haven’t slipped in. Full story

Tesla considering supporting independent dealers as used EV volume ramps up 

Tesla is exploring steps it could take to support the used EV market no matter whether it’s an independent, franchised dealer or its own dealerships that are stocking its cars. It needs to protect its residual values and encourage more used car buyers to consider switching to electric, so is introducing a certified pre-owned scheme for its used vehicles. Full story

Christmas at the pumps set to be cheapest since the pandemic 

Despite a slight rise at the pumps in November, drivers are on track to enjoy the cheapest Christmas at the pumps since the pandemic, according to new data from RAC Fuel Watch. Petrol went up by a penny to 136.5p over the month while diesel rose by nearly 2p (1.8p) to 142.25p, taking the cost of full tanks for 55-litre family cars to £75 for petrol and £78 for diesel. Full story

Cox Automotive reveals positive trends in the UK used car market, but challenges still prevail 

The UK used car market is projected to see only modest growth in the coming years, with transactions expected to rise from 7.4 million in 2024 to just under 7.9 million by 2027, according to the latest analysis from Cox Automotive. Full story

£1,000 apprentice cashback for employers 

Apprenticeship Central has revealed that employers can claim up to £1,000 tax free when taking on an apprentice under the age of 19. It has highlighted this after its own research revealed that few bodyshops are aware of this potential benefit. Full story

AkzoNobel installs hydrogen-powered spraybooth at new automotive training centre 

One of the automotive industry’s first hydrogen-powered spraybooths has been installed by AkzoNobel at a new training centre in Belgium. Full story

Redefining Motorsport Insurance 

Shepherd Compello has announced its new partnership with Podium Insurance, a specialist motorsport brokerage. The partnership will provide essential support in navigating the regulatory and compliance challenges that came with establishing their insurance start-up. Full story

Stunning or rubbish? Jaguar’s new concept car divides opinion 

Luxury car maker Jaguar has unveiled its new electric concept car and, like a recent controversial teaser video, it has divided opinion. Some on social media said the new Type 00 car was “exciting” and “absolutely stunning”, while others called it “rubbish” and told Jaguar’s designers to “go back to the drawing board”. Full story