Daily Motor News – Wednesday 5 February 2025 

ILC ARTICLE

5th February 2025

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “January’s [new car sales] figures show EV demand is growing – but not fast enough to deliver on current ambitions. Affordability remains a major barrier to uptake, hence the need for compelling measures to boost demand, and not just from manufacturers. The application, therefore, of the ‘Expensive Car Supplement’ to VED on electric vehicles is the wrong measure at the wrong time. Rather than penalising EV buyers, we should be taking every step to encourage more drivers to make the switch, helping meet government, industry and societal climate change goals.” Full story

NBRA joins ILC as Industry Body Partner to further support repair community

NBRA – the UK’s leading vehicle body repair membership organisation – has joined ILC as an Industry Body Partner to help support the UK’s accident repair community and provide even greater value to its members.

Building on an already close working relationship, the partnership sees NBRA onboarded with ILC as an Industry Body Partner providing its members with discounts to ILC events, and free access to daily motor insurance claims market news and insights. Full story

Zurich enhances private client offerings

Zurich has introduced a series of enhancements to its private client proposition, alongside a brand refresh. The insurer has updated its home and motor products in response to broker feedback. The changes apply to both new and existing clients with immediate effect. Full story

Supersizing vehicles offers minimal safety benefits — but substantial dangers

There’s a clear ceiling to the notion that bigger is safer, new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. For vehicles that weigh less than the fleet average, the risk that occupants will be killed in a crash decreases substantially for every 500 pounds of additional weight. But those benefits top out quickly. For vehicles that weigh more than the fleet average, there’s hardly any decrease in risk for occupants associated with additional poundage. Full story

AI sensors aim to boost road safety and cut deaths

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be used across the West Midlands to try to cut the number of people killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads, officials say.Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is using AI sensors at 40 locations to record near misses and work out where to bring in safety measures. Full story

Smarter claims management, smoother settlements

Making an insurance claim can sometimes be challenging, requiring detailed paperwork and lengthy checks. Those handling the claim are keen to provide fast support for customers in their critical moments but need to ensure they balance efficiency with accuracy and fairness. Enter the Insurance Copilot, an AI-powered solution developed by Allianz Technology, designed to change how claims are managed. Full story

EV share rises despite contracting market but tax hikes threaten targets

The UK new car market fell by 2.5% to 139,345 units in January, according to data released by the Society of Motor manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), as weak consumer confidence and tough economic conditions combined to deliver the fourth consecutive month of decline. Registrations by both fleet and private buyers were down in the month, by 3.7% and 0.5% respectively. Full story

NIO Inc. delivered 13,863 vehicles in January, Increasing by 37.9% YoY

NIO Inc. delivered 13,863 vehicles in January 2025, representing an increase of 37.9% year-over-year. The deliveries consisted of 7,951 vehicles from the premium smart electric vehicle brand NIO, and 5,912 vehicles from the family-oriented smart electric vehicle brand ONVO. Cumulative deliveries reached 685,427 as of January 31, 2025. Full story

Ferrari’s first electric car on track for October 2025 reveal

In the midst of Ferrari’s 2024 results presentation, CEO Benedetto Vigna appeared to confirm the date when we can expect a full unveiling of the firm’s upcoming all-electric car – the first EV in Ferrari’s long and illustrious history. Full story

Targa Telematics: partnership signed with Volkswagen Group Info Services AG

Targa Telematics, one of the leading global players in the field of IoT and the development of digital solutions and platforms for connected mobility, announces a strategic partnership with Volkswagen Group Info Services AG to expand its range of data solutions for fleet operators. The integration will involve dynamic vehicle data from fleet vehicles of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Audi, Škoda, Seat, and Cupra. Full story

Apprenticeship Central shines a spotlight on VDAs

Apprenticeship Central has highlighted the key role Vehicle Damage Assessors play in a bodyshop’s efficiency and success. More than just an estimator, the VDA plays a pivotal role as the link between the customer, the repair process, and the business’s bottom line. A skilled VDA doesn’t just contribute to the business; they help define its success. Full story

BMW Group UK announces a new charity partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust

On World Cancer Day, BMW Group UK is proud to announce a new three-year charity partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust, the only UK charity dedicated to providing the unique care and support required by young people with cancer. Full story

Drivers suffer fourth month of rising prices at the pumps

The price of petrol and diesel has risen for the fourth straight month, making unleaded 5p a litre more expensive than it was at the start of October and diesel 6p more, new data from RAC Fuel Watch shows. Petrol went up 2p a litre in January to an average of 139p (136.9p at start of 2025) and diesel by nearly 3p to 145.7p (from 142.9p). Full story