ARC360 News – Friday 22 May 2026

iBodyshop latest to join ARC360 Corporate Partner cohort

iBodyshop, the cloud-based bodyshop management platform developed by Clear21, has joined ARC360 as a Corporate Partner, further strengthening the community’s focus on innovation, operational efficiency and collaboration across the vehicle repair sector. Read more

Steer Automotive Group has launched a unified training academy designed to strengthen technical skills development and support the next generation of talent across the accident repair sector. Read more

Fix Auto UK has re-established its presence in Tewkesbury following the acquisition of the former repair facility by franchise partners Paul Gravell and Matthew Davies. Read more

A new one-day training course designed to support bodyshop leaders and repair professionals has been confirmed for 9 June 2026 by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) in partnership with Bodyshop Consulting. Read more

Darren Blacklaw has stepped into a new role as Operations Director (mobile repair) at DSL.

Stellantis unveils €60bn strategic plan to accelerate growth and profit

Stellantis today unveils FaSTLAne 2030, its €60bn, five-year strategic plan to accelerate growth and profit. At the morning session of Investor Day at the Company’s North America Headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Stellantis Leadership sets out the six core pillars of its strategy moving forward. Read more

Stellantis and Wayve partner to bring hands-free door-to-door supervised automated driving at scale

Stellantis and Wayve today announced they have entered a strategic technology partnership under which Stellantis plans to integrate the Wayve AI Driver – Wayve’s automated driving intelligence – into the STLA AutoDrive platform, enabling hands-free, supervised Level 2++ driving in both urban and highway environments. Read more

Stellantis and JLR to Explore Collaboration Synergies for Product Development in the US

Stellantis and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore opportunities to collaborate on product development in the United States. Read more

Hyundai Motor Group’s Mobile Robot Platform ‘MobED’ Honored as ‘Winner’ at 2026 Red Dot Design Award

Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) Robotics LAB’s MobED (Mobile Eccentric Droid) has been recognized as a ‘Winner’ at the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2026, one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions. Developed by the Group’s Robotics LAB, MobED is a next-generation mobile robot platform designed to operate seamlessly across a wide range of terrains and applications. Read more

“Hey Google, can I park here?”

Volvo Cars and Google aim to create a new generation of contextually aware driving experiences by bringing together the best of their respective technologies, leveraging the latest advancements in AI and Google Gemini. Read more

Safety and assistance systems: comprehensive, predictive and reassuring driver support 

The Škoda Epiq is equipped with a comprehensive range of advanced driver assistance systems. Even in its standard specification, the electric SUV crossover comes with Front Assist, Side Assist including Rear Traffic Alert and Exit Warning, Lane Assist, and Traffic Sign Recognition. Read more

Neue Klasse vehicles are becoming a central component of the home energy ecosystem: BMW and SOLARWATT are expanding their partnership

BMW and SOLARWATT are further expanding their collaboration in the field of smart energy and home charging solutions. With the launch of the first models in the Neue Klasse, the BMW iX3 and the BMW i3, BMW is beginning the rollout of its bidirectional charging technology. Read more

Ready Set Ford. Welcome to Our New Era for Europe

Ford has revealed its strategy to evolve ‘from a vehicle manufacturer into an indispensable productivity partner for businesses of all sizes.’ Plans include two new work-ready commercial vehicles, and five all-new passenger vehicles over the next three years. Read more

Megacasting: Thatcham launches welding certification

Thatcham Research has introduced a new aluminium welding certification designed to help technicians repair increasingly complex vehicle structures, including emerging megacast designs. Read more

FCA: Young drivers warned about fake insurance sold on social media 

Half (49%) of young drivers have bought insurance through social media or messaging apps, new research reveals. With 4 in 10 (39%) unconfident in spotting the signs of a fake policy, thousands could be paying for cover that doesn’t exist. Read more

R-M optimizes bodyshops resource planning with the software aspaara AI

With aspaara, R-M accelerates AI-driven transformation across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as a complementary solution to Body Shop BOOST, while aspaara AI can be deployed both as part of Body Shop BOOST and as a standalone solution, complemented by consulting services. Read more

Private plates market surges

The UK’s personalised number plate market generated almost £289m in 2024/25, according to new Freedom of Information (FOI) data obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The figures, released following a request by premium automotive retailer Stratstone, highlight continued growth across auctions, fixed-price sales and transfer fees. Read more

Pod acquires EO Charging to expand fleet and depot charging capabilities

Pod has announced the acquisition of EO Charging, a specialist provider of EV fleet charging and end-to-end depot charging software solutions, significantly expanding Pod’s commercial fleet and energy management capabilities. Read more

Ian Scott has joined GSF Car Parts as Head of Green Parts.

ACG, a leading funding partner for the automotive repair sector, has announced the appointment of Steve Armstrong as Chief Executive Officer. Read more

Paula Bogoviciute has started a new position as Regional Client and OEM Performance Manager at Steer Automotive Group.