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In one of my soon to be released podcasts and in an interview on Men’s Radio Station I talked about this drawing a similarity between the charger network and an old Morecombe and Wise sketch with Andre Previn the famous conductor. In the sketch the orchestra built up to the piano solo that was to be performed by Eric. Having been given the nod by Andre he played something akin to chopstics.

Following this Andre walked over to Eric and said, ‘You’re playing all the wrong notes.’ Eric replied, ‘I’m playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order!’ And that’s what we have with the charger network. We have plenty of chargers, they’re just not in the right places! Anyway, I thought I would share! Onto the actual article.

Location data should be used by local authorities to ensure that electric vehicle chargepoints are fitted in the best places, a new report says.

The Government’s Geospatial Commission says the transition to EVs will be enabled by a dependable, well-located public charging network that councils are ideally placed to help deliver.

Its Charging Ahead report points out location of chargepoints is as important as absolute number, with local authorities well placed to identify local needs and play a fundamental role in facilitating private sector investment.

They must make informed decisions about how many, which types and where chragepoints are installed, based on demand and site suitablility.

Viscount Camrose, minister, department for science, innovation and technology, said: “The transition to EVs is central to the government’s plan to decarbonise the transport sector, keep the UK at the forefront of clean transport and tackle pollution, all while seizing the potential for growth and job creation in the UK’s growing EV industry.

“Local authorities and the wider sector should continue to embrace new location data and analysis to accelerate the targeted rollout of chargepoints so that drivers can find and access reliable chargepoints wherever they live.”

The report explores the breadth of location data and applications available to support local authority decisions about were to install new chargepoints and identifies five opportunities to better use existing location data, as well as new sources of information to:

1. Understand the location and availability of existing chargepoints by making chargepoint operator data standardised and consistent
2. Understand consumer charging behaviour and travel patterns by using population movement data
3. Identify the location of EVs by using commercially-held data about leased vehicles
4. Identify existing electricity network capacity through better use of distribution network operator data
5. Identify areas without off-street parking by using proxy data.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

With car thefts on the rise, drivers are being urged to do more to deter thieves using high-tech methods to steal vehicles.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported a 25% year-on-year increase in car thefts in May, but FleetCheck says awareness of the methods that can be employed to stop relay thefts, for example, remain patchy among vehicle operators and the general public.

Peter Golding, managing director at the fleet management software company, said: “Feedback from our client base indicates that fleets often know thefts are an increasing problem but while some are being very proactive, others are poorly informed about the methods that thieves are now using and how to deter them as is the general public.

“We’d like to see much more of an acknowledgment that this is becoming a genuine issue and agreement on best practise that can help to stop private and company cars and vans being stolen.”

Many of the most effective methods of protection against high-tech car theft are relatively simple and inexpensive.

“In the case of relay theft, it can be an issue of putting the key into ‘sleep’ mode, which some models allow, or placing it inside a Faraday wallet to disrupt the signal, something that costs just a few pounds,” Golding explained.

“Interestingly, some security experts recommend meeting the high-tech approach of the thieves with pretty low-tech responses.

“If someone is creeping onto your drive armed with a laptop, then an old-fashioned steering lock stands a good chance of deterring them.”

He says that fleets need to brief drivers about the potential for high-tech theft and explain what is needed from them in terms of protection.

“This is an area of fleet management where driver buy-in is crucial but can be difficult to generate,” he added.

“For company car and van drivers, a car theft can be seen as an inconvenience rather than a major worry and employers need to make it clear that they expect certain measures to be met, such as where vehicles are parked and keys kept, for example.”

The same rules apply to privately owned cars. Drivers need to be more aware of the dangers and what they can do to protect their vehicles. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

 Graham Hill Note: You will read in the report below that large numbers of drivers are reporting ‘broken’ chargers but it would seem that not all ‘broken’ chargers are actually broken. It would seem that many reports of chargers that are broken are actually issues with paying for the charge. There are around 40 different chargers available with most having their own payment method.

Whilst the law has changed forcing the charger manufacturers to take contactless debit and credit cards very few current chargers are able to accept them as the law wasn’t applied retrospectively. The charger providers also encourage their own payment method by providing lower rates if you use their app to pay.

Unfortunately, as many have found, it isn’t the charger that’s broken it’s the inability to pay. This is something that is being worked on and will improve in time. There is what is known as an RFID card (Radio Frequency Identity Card) which goes a step towards universal payment but whilst you can use the card on a large number of chargers you have to set up the app or website for each network.

The answer would be to set up an app for use across all networks with central payment and on-charger contactless payments but that would need the government to get involved. Unfortunately, they are being guided by the wrong people.

On to the piece:

Half of UK electric vehicle (EV) drivers encounter a broken public charge point when they arrive hoping to charge 25% of the time, new research suggests.

The YouGov survey, commissioned by Ctek, found that charge points were faulty for at least one-in-four charging attempts on the public network.

EV drivers who encounter faulty charge points most often do so at destinations such as shopping centres and leisure venues (30%), in public car parks (21%), on motorways and major highways (16%) and near their home (12%).

Furthermore, the survey suggested that more than half (52%) of UK EV drivers have to wait to use a public charger, with delays reported for one in every four visits. Some 8% said that they never have to queue.

Queues were most often found at destinations such as shopping centres and leisure venues (33%), in public car parks (19%), on motorways and major highways (17%) and near their home (10%).

The survey also found UK EV drivers want simpler ways to pay for public charging. Almost one in four (23%) have five or more EV charging apps on their phone and one in three (34%) have three or more RFID tags or cards.

Instead, EV drivers said their top three ways to pay would be: one app for all charge points, known as e-roaming (the preferred choice for 19%); ‘plug & charge’ (19%), the ISO15118 standard where the car and the charge point communicate automatically with payment taken from the account linked to the EV’s owner; and tapping a bank card (17%).

When asked where they would like to charge, 62% of UK EV drivers said at home. Three out of 10 EV drivers (30%) said they would like to charge on the highway, 21% at a destination and 20% said at work (up from 11% in 2022).

Cecilia Routledge, CTEK’s global director for energy and facilities, said: “The UK charging sector and national and local government need to work harder on expanding and maintaining the charging infrastructure to reduce the frequency of broken chargers and queueing.

“If EV ownership expands in line with our survey results there must be many more additional opportunities to charge at destinations, workplaces, car parks and on highways. And they must work and the charging be easier to pay for.”

New charge point regulations

The Government has published new regulations for public charge points, including a reliability standard of 99% for rapid chargers.

The new rules, outlined in the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, aim to improve the charging experience for EV drivers.

Better reliability, clearer pricing, easier payments and open data, which could transform the mapping and ease of planning journeys, are all prioritised.

All chargers over 8kW (not slow chargers/lamppost chargers) will have to have contactless payments within the next year.

In terms of data, the Government says that all public chargers will have to provide real-time information on their status for free, which will benefit mapping tools.

Charge point operators (CPOs) will also be required to be transparent about their pricing, have roaming deals with third parties within two years and ensure that all chargers have 24/7 helplines.

Crucial to building public confidence will be the reliability of the charging network, with the new rules mandating a 99% reliability rate over a CPO’s network.

Drivers enthusiastic to make the switch

The YouGov survey, nevertheless, suggests drivers are keen to switch to electrified vehicles in big numbers, with almost one in four people (24%) saying their next vehicle will be a fully electric or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

The latest sales figures, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), showed a similar proportion (25.1%) of the new car market in June, was either a PHEV or a battery electric vehicle (BEV).

However, it is significantly less than almost two-thirds (60%) of drivers who told Lex Autolease that they will move away from petrol and diesel vehicles and opt for battery technology when choosing their next car, with two-fifths (40%) set to choose a full EV.

Ctek’s research suggests that more than seven out of ten (71%) current EV owners intend to buy a BEV or PHEV again, while 50% of current petrol and diesel drivers plan to stick with an internal combustion engine (ICE) car.

Factors that would make non-EV owners more likely to buy an EV include more highway chargers (cited by 54%), destination charging (49%), public charging in their neighbourhood (45%) and a charging unit at home (43%). Half (50%) of working non-EV drivers said workplace charging options would make them more likely to purchase an EV.

When asked to choose some factors that would encourage future EV purchases, lower car prices were the top choice by current ICE drivers, with more than half (59%) saying a lower purchase price would help.

Routledge said: “Our annual YouGov survey shows a strong demand from both existing EV owners and ICE drivers to buy electric as their next vehicle – both new and used.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Drivers with eye conditions are being warned about imminent policy changes which could result in a £1,000 fine and three points on their licence.

The DVLA has confirmed it is set to update its guidance for drivers with eye conditions in the coming weeks.

This comes after the Association of Optometrists (AOP) raised concerns over the published list of notifiable health conditions in October last year.

The AOP highlighted the current DVLA guidance was not specific enough and suggested every driver in the UK who receives an eye test will need to be advised to tell the DVLA, rather than it just affecting those with eye conditions which could impact their driving.

If it is determined bad vision is a factor of a driving accident, the driver will be fined £1,000 and have three points on their licence if they had not notified the DVLA of their condition prior to the accident.

Failure to notify about vision loss or issues could even result in a driving ban in more serious cases.

This is why it is important for the guidance to be clear and specific to those with medical conditions on whether they need to update the DVLA of their condition.

Insurers Quotezone have identified other conditions that could prevent motorists from legally taking to the road or invalidate their insurance – leaving them unprotected in the case of an accident.

Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone.co.uk, said: “It is important for all drivers to be aware of the medical conditions DVLA needs to be aware of.

“Many of the conditions named by the DVLA won’t actually affect your ability to drive, but they do need to be kept up to date with any changes.

“Taking all precautions to be safe on the road is extremely important and drivers must play their part to ensure their well being and the wellbeing of other road users is protected to the best of their knowledge.”

The DVLA has an extensive list of over 110 conditions that can affect driving, so some motorists may be unaware of all of these conditions or the extent to which they can affect driving ability.

Wilson said some lesser known conditions can carry an increased risk and therefore insurance premiums can be higher – or more seriously, some ailments can even result in the driver’s licence being revoked.

He said: “If drivers have been diagnosed with any of these conditions they need to inform both the DVLA and their insurance provider, since having inaccurate details on the insurance policy can void the insurance and leave drivers unprotected.”

Drivers can report their eye condition online to the DVLA here.

Here are some important health conditions drivers must make the DVLA aware of:

1. Syncope

Syncope is a condition that causes a temporary loss of consciousness. Fainting conditions including syncope, which causes blackouts, must be reported to the DVLA.

2. Certain operations

Operations on certain body parts, including your legs, can exempt you from driving, yet this can be up to the discretion of the doctor, who should inform you on driving procedures after leaving the hospital.

3. Heart conditions

Any heart conditions must be reported to the DVLA. For example, arrythmia must be reported as it can affect the ability to safely stop a car, and can be distracting.

4. Stroke

After having a stroke it is possible that you may be able to drive again in the future, but initially you must stop driving for one month after having a stroke. If you have returned back to normal health after a month, you can start driving again, however the DVLA needs to be informed if health problems still persist for longer than a month after the stroke.

5. Vertigo

Recurrent or sudden dizziness must be reported to the DVLA as it may effect your ability to remain safe on the roads. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A potentially massive data leak is being looked into by the authorities after it was alleged Tesla failed to adequately protect data from customers, employees and business partners.

The data protection watchdog for the Netherlands said on Friday (May 26) it was aware of possible Tesla data protection breaches, but it was too early for further comment.

Germany newspaper Handelsblatt reported on Thursday (May 25) that Tesla had allegedly failed to protect data, citing 100 gigabytes of confidential data leaked by a whistleblower.

“We are aware of the Handelsblatt story and we are looking into it,” a spokesperson for the AP data watchdog in the Netherlands, where Tesla’s European headquarters is located, told Reuters.

They declined all comment on whether the agency might launch or have launched an investigation, citing policy. The Dutch agency was informed by its counterpart in the German state of Brandenberg.

Handelsblatt said Tesla notified the Dutch authorities about the breach, but the AP spokesperson said they were not aware if the company had made any representations to the agency.

Tesla was not immediately available for comment on Friday on the Handelsblatt report, which said customer data could be found “in abundance” in a data set labelled “Tesla Files”.

The data protection office in Brandenburg, which is home to Tesla’s European gigafactory, described the data leak as “massive”.

“I can’t remember such a scale,” Brandenburg data protection officer Dagmar Hartge said, adding that the case had been handed to the Dutch authorities who would be responsible if the allegations led to an enforcement action.

The Dutch authorities has several weeks to decide whether to deal with the case as part of a European procedure, she added.

The files include tables containing more than 100,000 names of former and current employees, including the social security number of Tesla CEO Musk, along with private email addresses, phone numbers, salaries of employees, bank details of customers and secret details from production, Handelsblatt reported.

Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said: “Autonomous intelligence technology is the most advanced type of AI, as it removes the need for human intervention.

“While we may still be a long way off a driver being able to take their eyes off the road, we are still putting faith in something which we don’t yet fully understand.

“This new technology is being designed with the driver in mind, but it is crucial that cybersecurity is not forgotten, as there may be dangers hiding beyond the control panel.

“It would take hackers a lot of work to bypass the built-in security features of these cars, but they could still find a way.

“Ransomware, wireless carjacking, key fob cloning and cyber-attacks on connected devices in the hardware and software of the car are all potential security concerns that could arise.

“This is an exciting time for car makers and the potential positives of self-driving cars outweigh the negatives. However, without a strong cybersecurity focus to future-proof these desirable vehicles, there is a risk criminals could already be preparing to manipulate this technology — so they can make a quick getaway without a hand on the steering wheel. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Charge point operator Gridserve has increased the cost of charging an electric vehicle (EV) on its Electric Highway network.

The price rise took effect yesterday (Thursday, June 1), with the cost of using its high-power chargers increasing by 3p per kWh, to 69p/kWh.

To simplify pricing, and also to reduce some confusion around the levels of power delivered, Gridserve is also moving all DC chargers, including its medium-power chargers and those at our Electric Forecourts, to the same pricing.

The charge point operator said that one rate for all DC chargers on its network will “avoid unnecessary confusion of different rates at different locations, or even different rates at the same location”, where it has multiple charging speeds.

It added: “While DC charging will increase slightly at this time, we’ve been able to keep our AC chargers at 49p/kWh, to remain as affordable as possible and still below the industry average.”

It acknowledged that the price for DC charging may be “unwelcome news”.

“We also hope you appreciate that Gridserve have held our pricing below that of competing networks for some time now, whilst our cost base has continued to inflate, in some cases above our pricing,” it explained

“It vitally important that we continue to ramp up investment in chargers, people, materials, and in our supply-chain partners, to deliver the infrastructure, services and confidence necessary to support the transition to EVs in the earliest possible timeframes.”

Gridserve says it needs to do this in a way that is sustainable for both its business, and its customers.

“That’s why we are only marginally increasing pricing, and even at the new levels will remain amongst the most competitively priced charging in the UK for high-power chargers,” it said.

Pre-authorisation limit for charging an EV

Gridserve has also announced that it is updating its Rugby Services Electric Super Hub pre-authorisation limit.

While it is able to keep its pre-authorisation to £1 across the rest of the Gridserve Electric Highway, the Tritium chargers at Rugby need a higher pre-authorisation to begin the charge session.

The charger then delivers energy up until it reaches the pre-authorisation limit and stops the charge.

Gridserve explained: “We’ve received a lot of feedback from customers that this is often an inconvenience, as they have to return to their cars to re-start charging when they haven’t reached the required state of charge.

“In order to try and limit disruption to our customers charging sessions, we are increasing the pre-authorisation limit to £35 at Rugby Services. This is still among the lowest in the industry and we will endeavour to keep it that way.”

It continued: “Price rises will never be welcome news but our promise to you is that we will continue to invest heavily in strengthening the UK’s charging provision so that drivers have the confidence to switch to electric vehicles and the transition to electric happens in the shortest possible timeframes to limit climate change and the negative impact on our planet.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

By David Bartlett, head of accident management, AA Business Services

The days of being guaranteed a courtesy car while your vehicle is being repaired are largely behind us.

The automotive market and landscape have changed and are continuing to evolve.

A myriad of factors has impacted the availability of courtesy vehicles, and the reality is that they’re now in limited supply, regardless of insurance agreements for their provision.

The current landscape

As a result of global factors including the Covid 19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, hire car providers are facing pressures, like many areas of industry, that are impacting the availability of vehicles.

One of the main challenges they’re facing is rising costs and this can be largely attributed to resourcing and energy.

Labour market shortages have put upwards pressure on wages. Together with an increase in the National Living Wage of 9.7% and rising inflation, this has contributed to a perfect storm in the rising cost of resourcing.

The price of petrol and diesel has also reached record highs over previous months. This has hit rental companies hard, as every delivery and collection requires a runner car that incurs the cost of an additional driver and fuel.

Worldwide, there’s been an average increase of 47% in rental costs, so if rental is your contingency, these costs need to be factored into budgets.

Due to ongoing supply chain challenges, we’re still seeing a delay and shortage of new vehicles coming to market, pushing up the price of new and second-hand cars as well.

In the past few years new vehicle costs have risen over 20% and in some cases its over 40% for used vehicles.

It’s therefore simply not a viable option for most repairers to increase the number of courtesy vehicles, extend leases or replace those ageing or unfit, leaving them with a smaller fleet.

Coupled with this, order delays for a number of parts are extensive and unpredictable, which is out of repairers’ hands, and in some cases, this results in fleets of courtesy cars being tied up with drivers for longer. And this is a worldwide problem.

So stark is this issue in certain areas that there have been recent reports of some insurers and fleets writing off historically repairable cars to save themselves the rising costs of providing courtesy cars. This is more of an issue or policies that include a credit-hire for drivers.

A further and developing challenge placing demands on bodyshops is insurance policies for electric vehicle (EV) drivers which stipulate the provision of replacement EV courtesy cars.

As it stands, EVs aren’t an affordable option for most repairers and, even if they were, the majority don’t yet have the fast-charging infrastructure to turn these vehicles around quick enough, let alone navigate the increased energy costs and minimal uplift in rates for such requests.

Alongside – and as a consequence of – this changing landscape, we’re seeing an ageing profile in short-term fleet operations.

To effectively manage this, and navigate the current supply challenges, requires ongoing innovation to find the best solutions to minimise fleet costs and downtime and this is what we’re doing at the AA in close partnership with our suppliers and partners.

Taking control

So, what does this mean for fleets? With so many variables at play, fleets and drivers need to focus on what they can control.

One ball firmly in their court is their accident management programme.

So, where should you start? Firstly, turn attention to your insured events experience.

In the event of an accident that renders a vehicle off the road, regardless of where the fault is attributable, how’s your business going to be impacted?

This is a question that every organisation needs to know the answer to, and it will vary widely depending on the nature of the work carried out by employees – for example, are your employees desk based, or do they need to drive to carry out their role?

To get an accurate picture, it’s also important to undertake analysis of your accident management history.

This should include your average vehicle downtime and the cost of this to your business. Knowledge is power and it’s only through understanding how your business is affected by vehicles being off road that you can best plan to mitigate the impact on business.

Once you have the information you need, take action.

What this looks like will depend on the results of your analysis and shape of your organisation.

It may be that if your fleet is predominantly used for commuting and visiting customers, you need to update your company car policy to explain to drivers what they can do in the event of an accident without a courtesy car. This can include working from home, for example.

If your business relies on vehicles to operate, such as carry-out deliveries, then the solution will be more complex.

You can look at temporary options to implement such as vehicle rotation and amending shift patterns to maximise the use of all vehicles in operation at any one time.

We’re seeing the benefit of contingency planning for this purpose first-hand as many businesses now opt for an end-to-end accident management solution.

This sees the various – often very separate – aspects of incident management strategically linked into a single service.

It means working in close partnership with customers to keep their vehicles on the road, helping them to navigate the fast-changing landscape, while remaining safe and compliant at all times.

Looking ahead, it’s important we all acknowledge that the landscape has changed and we’re likely to see a further decline in the availability of courtesy cars. So, it’s important to adjust fleet expectations and be proactive.

Any organisation that operates a business-critical fleet needs to take action by adopting a robust end-to-end accident management solution.

This way they can maximise business productivity by minimising the risk of disruption in the event of an accident.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Toyota is developing new battery technology that will give future electric vehicles (EVs) a range of up to 932 miles (1,500km).

Unveiling its future EV plans, the manufacturer says that it will introduce a step-change in battery performance over the next five years. 

From 2026, it will introduce new battery technology offering a range of 1,000km (621 miles), by increasing the energy density of the battery, weight reduction and improving vehicle aerodynamics.

At the same time, it aims to cut costs by 20% compared to the current bZ4X and achieving a quick charge time of 20 minutes or less from 10-80% power.

Toyota is also developing low-cost batteries that it says will contribute to the spread and expansion of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

The bipolar structure battery, which has been used in the Aqua and Crown hybrid vehicles, is now being applied to BEVs.

The battery uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and is expected to be available from 2026-2027.

The low-cost battery will offer a 20% increase on range compared to the current bZ4X (up to around 375 miles), but come with a 40% reduction in cost, and recharging in 30 minutes or less (10-80% charge).

However, it is the development of all-solid-state batteries which could deliver a step-change in how far the manufacturer’s car will trave on a single charge in the future.

Having discovered a technological breakthrough that overcomes the longstanding challenge of battery durability, the company says it is reviewing its introduction to conventional hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and accelerating development as a battery for BEVs.

It is currently developing a method for mass production, striving for commercialisation in 2027-2028.

The technology, it says, will deliver a 20% improvement in range compared to the 1,000km range promised from 2026, with an even quicker charge time of 10 minutes or less (10-80% charge). That would give Toyota a BEV range of up to 1,200km (745 miles).

A higher-level specification battery being developed at the same time, however, is aiming for a 50% uplift, delivering a range of up to 1,500km (932 miles).

“What we want to achieve is to change the future with BEVs,” Takero Kato, president of new Toyota EV unit BEV Factory, said in a video posted on the manufacturer’s YouTube channel today (Tuesday, June 13).

“We will launch the next-generation battery EVs globally and as a full line-up on the market from 2026,” Kato said.

Today’s announcement comes after Toyota revealed in April that it was continuing its investment in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology, with the aim to launch models that cover more than 120 miles on a single charge.

At the time, the carmaker said it planned to position its future PHEV models as the “practical BEV”, sitting alongside a strengthened line-up of electric and hybrid cars.

In April, the automaker sold 8,584 EVs worldwide, including under its Lexus brand, accounting for more than 1% of its global sales in a single month for the first time. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Contract Hire or leasing as it’s generally known relies on two things for the really cheap rates. Firstly the fleet discounts that can be passed on to consumers through the rates and secondly a buoyant used vehicle market, The higher the resale value the lower the rate. So drops in the used car market are not good news.

An imbalance between supply and demand in the used electric vehicle (EV) market could push prices down by up to a further 10%.

That’s according to Dean Bowkett of Bowkett Consulting, who says that consumer interest in EVs remains minimal against a backdrop of rising supply.

Used EVs have now fallen by 21.2% over the first four months of 2023 (from January 1 to May 1), according to analysis by Indicata.

In fact, according to recent analysis by the AA, some used EVs, with less than 10,000 miles on the clock, can now be bought for half the price of a new electric car.

Bowkett told the latest Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA) member meeting: “We could soon be in a situation where for mainstream cars that are available with both petrol and electric drivetrains, the latter is marginally cheaper.”

Rupert Pontin, vice chair at the VRA, says that the future of EVs in the used car market is very much a live debate within its organisation.

“Indeed, there are those who believe that supply and demand are now balanced and can point to rising values for some models that appear to be underpriced,” he said.

“However, others believe that further falls in value will happen, and given the swingeing reductions seen over the last year, there is an extreme degree of caution in the market.”

He added: “Fighting the forces of supply and demand is tremendously difficult, and vehicle values are very much a dynamic outcome of those factors.”

The meeting also heard from Alastair Cassels of MHA on the three key issues facing motor manufacturers during the immediate future – the forthcoming zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate, distribution costs and competition from new entrants.

He says that the ZEV mandate could have huge implications for manufacturers selling cars in the UK, including some of the biggest mainstream names.

“It is possible that for those who don’t meet the mandate’s targets, fines of £15,000 per vehicle could be imposed, which is a dramatic figure,” explained Cassels.

“Carmakers who don’t have sufficient EV representation in their ranges will be in very difficult positions and may have to do everything from buy credits from other manufacturers to strangling supply of petrol and diesel vehicles to balance their sales.”

The VRA meeting was held at the premises of VRA members City Auction Group in Peterborough, and also featured Rob Severs of iVendi looking at the impact of the new Consumer Duty regulations on motor finance, while there was a panel discussion looking at data issues currently affecting the remarketing sector featuring Jonathan Hartley, sales and marketing director, Jepson; Jeremy Raggett, account director, Autotek21 and Mark Rose, managing director, Tracker.

Pontin concluded: “Our members are living through a time when our sector is perhaps seeing more change than at any point during their working lives and the VRA is playing a crucial role in helping businesses keep abreast of the latest developments, something that can be seen in our growing membership base.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A potentially massive data leak is being looked into by the authorities after it was alleged Tesla failed to adequately protect data from customers, employees and business partners.

The data protection watchdog for the Netherlands said on Friday (May 26) it was aware of possible Tesla data protection breaches, but it was too early for further comment.

Germany newspaper Handelsblatt reported on Thursday (May 25) that Tesla had allegedly failed to protect data, citing 100 gigabytes of confidential data leaked by a whistleblower.

“We are aware of the Handelsblatt story and we are looking into it,” a spokesperson for the AP data watchdog in the Netherlands, where Tesla’s European headquarters is located, told Reuters.

They declined all comment on whether the agency might launch or have launched an investigation, citing policy. The Dutch agency was informed by its counterpart in the German state of Brandenberg.

Handelsblatt said Tesla notified the Dutch authorities about the breach, but the AP spokesperson said they were not aware if the company had made any representations to the agency.

Tesla was not immediately available for comment on Friday on the Handelsblatt report, which said customer data could be found “in abundance” in a data set labelled “Tesla Files”.

The data protection office in Brandenburg, which is home to Tesla’s European gigafactory, described the data leak as “massive”.

“I can’t remember such a scale,” Brandenburg data protection officer Dagmar Hartge said, adding that the case had been handed to the Dutch authorities who would be responsible if the allegations led to an enforcement action.

The Dutch authorities has several weeks to decide whether to deal with the case as part of a European procedure, she added.

The files include tables containing more than 100,000 names of former and current employees, including the social security number of Tesla CEO Musk, along with private email addresses, phone numbers, salaries of employees, bank details of customers and secret details from production, Handelsblatt reported.

Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said: “Autonomous intelligence technology is the most advanced type of AI, as it removes the need for human intervention.

“While we may still be a long way off a driver being able to take their eyes off the road, we are still putting faith in something which we don’t yet fully understand.

“This new technology is being designed with the driver in mind, but it is crucial that cybersecurity is not forgotten, as there may be dangers hiding beyond the control panel.

“It would take hackers a lot of work to bypass the built-in security features of these cars, but they could still find a way.

“Ransomware, wireless carjacking, key fob cloning and cyber-attacks on connected devices in the hardware and software of the car are all potential security concerns that could arise.

“This is an exciting time for car makers and the potential positives of self-driving cars outweigh the negatives. However, without a strong cybersecurity focus to future-proof these desirable vehicles, there is a risk criminals could already be preparing to manipulate this technology — so they can make a quick getaway without a hand on the steering wheel.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News