ARC360 News – Friday 7 August 2026

ILC ARTICLE

7th August 2026

Turning research into repair intelligence

For many years, Thatcham Research has been recognised as one of the automotive industry’s leading sources of technical knowledge, research and vehicle intelligence. Speaking on the Showcase Stage at ILC’s repair sector event – ARC360 2026, Sean Richardson, Content & Research Marketing Lead at Thatcham Research, introduced delegates to AIQ, a new platform designed to bring much of that information together and make it more accessible to both insurers and repairers. Read more

iRG Repair Group has been recognised by Enterprise Rent-A-Car for its customer service performance, with the business receiving multiple accolades that reflect its focus on repair quality and customer experience. Read more

Solera, NAPA and Skillmaker have launched Direct-Hit XR, a new smart glasses solution that gives automotive technicians hands-free access to real-time, technician-verified repair guidance. The technology is integrated within the NAPA XcceleratoR platform and is designed to bring repair intelligence directly into technicians’ field of view. Read more

FMG Repair Services has achieved ARIES Level 4 accreditation, recognising the progress the business has made in reducing carbon emissions and delivering against its sustainability plans. Read more

Liam McBride of Revive! Bolton & Blackburn has been named a finalist in the Best Customer Service category at the Bolton News Business Awards. The recognition highlights his commitment to delivering an outstanding level of service to customers across the region. Read more

OMODA becomes Official Automotive Partner of the Lloyds Tour of Britain

Through the partnership, OMODA will support the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women and Men, joining a growing portfolio of partners helping to deliver one of the UK’s largest and most accessible sporting events. The collaboration will see OMODA integrated into activity surrounding this year’s races, including the Omoda VIP in Race Car Experience with further opportunities to engage fans and communities planned throughout the Tour. Read more

Chery International surpasses 20 million global sales

Chery International has surpassed 20 million global vehicle sales, across more than 130 countries and regions, since the group’s founding in 1997. In its first 10 years it sold one million vehicles, but in the first half of 2026 alone, it exported 943,800 vehicles. Exports were up 71.5% year-on-year in H1 2026. Read more

June 2026 new car pre-registration figures

SMMT released figures for June pre-registrations in the UK new car market. The data shows the number of cars disposed of by vehicle manufacturers in June 2026 that were defined as pre-registrations. Read more

Korean automakers benefit from Japan’s setbacks

South Korean automakers may have an opportunity to increase their market share in major overseas markets as Japanese competitors struggle with declining sales, rising costs, and production disruptions caused by a powerful earthquake, industry experts say, AzerNEWS reports, citing Korean media. Read more

Mercedes-Benz and ChargePoint partner to deliver seamless fleet charging solution for business customers

Mercedes-Benz and ChargePoint are partnering to introduce a comprehensive end-to-end charging solution for fleet operators in the United Kingdom and Germany. Developed for businesses and fleets of all sizes, the partnership allows Mercedes-Benz business customers to electrify their fleets with greater confidence, efficiency and simplicity. Read more

Investing in Colleague Development

National Windscreens continues to invest in the development of its people, supporting customer safety and the future skills needs of the automotive glazing industry. Colleagues have recently completed a range of GQA awards as part of the business’s ongoing approach to maintaining professional standards, developing technical capability and supporting competence across the organisation. Read more

Best of Belron 2026: the world cup of windscreens

For two days in June, Lisbon became the centre of the global vehicle glass industry as 30 of the world’s finest windscreen technicians gathered at the MEO Arena for Best of Belron 2026. Representing national champions from across the Belron family, competitors arrived having already proved themselves in fiercely contested domestic finals. But while only one technician would leave Portugal with the coveted title, the event itself was about something far bigger than competition. Read more

WSG launches direct-to-consumer EV warranty

Warranty Solutions Group (WSG) has launched a direct-to-consumer electric vehicle (EV) extended warranty product. The product was intended to provide more specialised support for ageing EVs, as manufacturer warranties expire. Read more

Waiting on repairs: Why solicitors are seeing more clients owed for more than just vehicle costs

A damaged vehicle is often the most visible consequence of a road traffic accident, but it is rarely the only one. Read more

AkzoNobel shareholders overwhelmingly vote in favor of intended merger with Axalta

Shareholders at the Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”) of Akzo Nobel N.V. (“AkzoNobel”) today overwhelmingly voted in favor of all resolutions related to the proposed all-share merger (“the Merger”) with Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (“Axalta”). Read more

Newcastle named UK hotspot for EV-qualified repair businesses

Newcastle upon Tyne has the highest proportion of vehicle repair businesses employing an EV-qualified technician, while nine UK authority areas have none registered under the IMI TechSafe scheme. Read more

BCA opens battery repair centre at Doncaster site

BCA has opened a battery repair centre at the Doncaster site, managed by BCA Fleet Solutions, offering battery repairs for electric vehicles and hybrids entering the remarketing process, when the manufacturer warranty has expired or become invalidated. Read more

1stMILE and Splitit Launch Buy Now, Pay Later Solution Across Automotive Tire and Service Repair Locations Nationwide

1stMILE, a leading financial experience platform for the automotive aftermarket, and Splitit, a provider of card-linked installment payments, today announced a partnership to launch 1stMILE Buy Now, Pay Later powered by Splitit, bringing flexible point-of-sale installment payments to automotive service providers nationwide. Read more

The Pros and Cons of Using AI to Diagnose Your Car Problems

The stench of burning plastic smacked Vicky Vivaldi in the face. Her Ford F-150’s air conditioning had failed—a pretty big deal in the throes of an Orlando July. Read more

The bodyshop industry is mourning the passing of Andy Smith, a highly respected figure whose career spanned Akzo Nobel, BASF, MKPE and LKQ, where he earned a reputation for his professionalism, loyalty and dedication. Tributes have highlighted the lasting impact he had on colleagues and customers, with condolences extended to his family and friends. Read more

Vertu has appointed John Curry as Head of Business at its BMW dealership in Durham, where he will oversee the site’s day-to-day operations. Curry joins the dealership from Vertu Hyundai Peterlee, where his leadership saw him named General Manager of the Year at the 2025 Vertu Management Awards. Read more

Fix Auto UK has appointed Steve Lawrence as its new Head of Service Delivery, a newly created role designed to support the continued development of its repair network. The appointment comes as Fix Auto UK targets growing its network to 350 repairers over the next 10 years. Read more