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Tesla price cuts, the arrival of new manufacturers from China and an increase in production are resulting in fleets starting to see discounts on new electric vehicle (EV) orders.

That’s according to Mike Potter, CEO of Drive Electric, who told delegates at the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP)’s 2023 Conference, it was a sign that EVs are becoming a “normal part of the fleet market” as well as the sector seeing a return to something a little closer to “traditional market conditions”.

“We’re not talking about massive discounts but the time when all EVs were sold at list price appears to have passed, at least for the time being,” he said.

“The moves made by Tesla appeared to us to be designed to try to prompt some kind of price realignment in the EV market and, to some extent, that has worked – although it has arguably had negative effects in terms of setting future residual values.

“Certainly, others have had to look at their own sales to fleets and whether incentives needed to be introduced.”

He added: “New entrants from China have also been a factor.

“MG is now really established as a standard fleet choice at the entry level EV end of the market and the arrival of others such as BYD could have a similar impact in the mid-market.

“Their product appears to be strong enough to challenge existing players and if availability is good, they could mount a serious challenge.”

EV lead times ‘shortening’

Some fleet managers in the audience reported that lead times on EVs were starting to fall, sometimes substantially – although this could create its own problems.

Peter Milchard, AFP board member, said: “It was interesting during our panel discussion to hear that some fleets, who are sensibly placing EV orders 12-18 months ahead of when they actually need the vehicles based on recent supply experiences, are now seeing some of those orders arriving in 6-9 months.

“On one hand, it’s good news, because it suggests that lead times are returning to sensible levels in some instances, but it does mean that their orders are arriving a year earlier than they really need them, which can obviously be an issue in itself.”

Solus versus panel funding

The conference also debated the advantages of solus versus panel funding for fleets.

Steve Winter, of Appleridge Fleet Consultancy, said: “You can easily find differences of between £30-£100 per month on the same vehicle depending on the leasing company.

“These are not normally a sign of anything other than the appetite of that business for leasing you a certain kind of model of vehicle but does show the importance of benchmarking when it comes to vehicle acquisition.

“Fleets should consider having a panel of lenders is the right solution.”

The AFP conference took place at The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, and focus

ed on practical advice for fleets facing a range of current issues.

Sessions took the form of panel discussions with leading fleet managers chaired by AFP board members. These covered topics including handling supply matters, dealing with the rising costs of leasing and rental, managing an aged fleet, reimbursing drivers of electric vehicles, and optimising van fleets while gearing up for electrification.

AFP chair Paul Hollick said: “The ongoing impact of everything from the pandemic to the current economic crisis means fleet managers are facing a multitude of difficult issues for which there are often no easy answers such as rising costs across the board, ongoing supply difficulties, electrification of van operations and the ageing of their existing fleets.

“We wanted delegates to leave with ideas they can put straight into action – and the feedback that we are receiving suggests that the conference very much achieved that aim.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

There was a 24.9% year-on-year increase in the number of vehicles stolen across England and Wales, according to new data published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Analysis shows that there were 130,389 vehicles stolen last year, compared to 104,435 during the previous year (2021).

Furthermore, AA Insurance Services says that theft from vehicles rose by 9.9%, with 212,900 people having items stolen from their vehicle compared to 193,647 the year before.

Devon and Cornwall Police were unable to supply figures to the ONS, so the true figure is likely to be even higher.

Gus Park, managing director for AA Insurance Services, says that the rise in vehicle thefts is “worrying” and highlights that security is “vitally important”.

He added: “Unfortunately, there is no one thing that can guarantee keeping your car safe from theft, but just making it a bit harder for the thieves can make it less likely that they’ll go for your car.”

When it comes to taking cars, thieves are keeping pace with manufacturers by using a variety of hi-tech methods to steal them. Relay theft, key cloning and signal blocking continue to be the main methods of illegally obtaining vehicles.

When it comes to taking things from cars, faster and more traditional methods are adopted such as smashing windows or forcing windows and doors open are adopted to gain phones, wallets, and other valuable possessions.

AA Insurance Services is reminding company car and van drivers to not store valuables in their vehicles if possible, or at the very least advise drivers to keep items hidden away.

Visible deterrents such as using a steering wheel lock plays a crucial role in keeping thieves at bay, because these devices cannot be overcome by the technology now being used by gangs to steal cars, it says.

Although nothing is fool proof, this deterrent is likely to make the thief move on to the next unprotected car.

Separate data from the Metropolitan Police, which was published recently, revealed that tool theft from a vehicle had increased by 25% – accounting for a third of all tool thefts recorded in the capital in 2021 and 2022.

Tradespeople are 10 times more likely to experience tool theft from a vehicle than they are from a building site or their place of work – with only 14% of cases leading to the suspect being identified. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer Gotion High Tech, which supplies Volkswagen, has revealed the Astroinno L600 with a range of 1,000km (620 miles).

Gotion has spent the past 10 years developing the lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery having wanted to improve the energy density of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

Dr Qian Cheng, the executive president of Gotion Global, said: “Astroinno L600 LMFP cell achieves 240Wh/kg in gravimetric energy density and 525Wh/L for volumetric energy density.

“It can achieve more than 4,000 cycles at room temperature and 1,800 cycles at high temperature, easily achieves 18 minutes of fast charging, and passes all safety tests.”

He added: “Because of the high energy density of Astroinno battery, we can also achieve a range of 1,000km (620 miles) without relying on NCM (nickel manganese cobalt) material.”

In terms of battery design, it has also reduced the number of structural parts by 45% and lowered their weight by nearly a third, while the wiring required has fallen from 303 metres to 80 metres

Gotion expects to start mass production of the L600 battery cell in 2024.

The 620-mile range quoted by Gotion would be a huge increase in terms of what is currently available on the market. Volkswagen’s new electric ID7 upper-medium car, for example, will have a range of up to 438 miles.

An electric concept car from Mercedes-Benz, the Vision EQXX, did manage to cover more than 1,200 km (746 miles) on a single charge, last year.

It travelled the distance in real-world driving conditions from Stuttgart in Germany, to Silverstone in the UK, surpassing the 1,000 km (620 miles) record it had set in April, 2022.

The car uses a 100kWh battery, which is ultra-compact, with a footprint that is 50% smaller and 30% lighter than the 107.8kWh pack used in the Mercedes EQS.

It achieved an average consumption of 8.3kWh/100km, more than double that of the EQS.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Fuel retailers have increased profit margins, resulting in drivers and fleets having to pay more at the pumps, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found.

The CMA says that, while the evidence shows that the majority of fuel price increases are due to global factors, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, indications are that higher pump prices cannot be attributed solely to factors outside the control of the retailers.

Based on evidence gathered as part of its Road Fuel market study, it has concluded that the higher prices drivers are paying at the pumps appear, in part, to reflect some weakening of competition in the road fuel retail market.

Fuel margins have increased across the retail market, it says, particularly for supermarkets over the past four years.

As a result of these increasing margins, average 2022 supermarket pump prices appear to be around 5 pence per litre (ppl) more expensive than they would have been had their average percentage margins remained at 2019 levels.

Although supermarkets still tend to be the cheapest retail suppliers of fuel, evidence from internal documents indicates that at least one supermarket has significantly increased its internal forward-looking margin targets over this period, according to the CMA.

It did not name the supermarket but added that other supermarkets have recognised this change in approach and may have adjusted their pricing behaviour accordingly.

The CMA is also concerned that it may be seeing evidence of weaker competition in diesel, as compared with petrol, since the beginning of 2023.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “We are very pleased to hear that the Competition and Markets Authority has confirmed what we have been saying for a long time about the biggest retailers taking more margin per litre on fuel than they have in the past.

“Currently, the average price of diesel is more than 20p a litre overpriced simply because they refuse to cut their prices.

“The wholesale price of diesel is actually 4p lower than petrol, yet across the country it is being sold for 9p a litre more – 154.31p compared to 144.95p for unleaded.

“Something badly needs to change to give drivers who depend on their vehicles every day a fair deal at the pumps. We hope even better news will be forthcoming later this summer.”

The CMA says that, while some degree of variation in diesel retail margin is to be expected given the high levels of volatility in diesel wholesale prices, the high margins in 2023 appear to have gone on longer than would be expected.

It said it needed to understand whether weaker competition is part of the explanation for this.

The CMA added: “While the level of engagement with the study has varied across supermarkets, we are not satisfied that they have all been sufficiently forthcoming with the evidence they have provided.

“In particular, important information has only been received late in the day and after several rounds of information gathering.

“Given the concerns we have about a market of such importance to millions of drivers it is vital we get to the bottom of what is going on.”

The CMA will now conduct formal interviews with the supermarkets’ senior management in order to get to the heart of the issues.

Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said: “The CMA have made supermarkets the focus of their update, noting only that non-supermarket retailers are traditionally price followers in the market.

“As noted by the CMA, petrol and diesel prices are still volatile due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The market is very dynamic and independent forecourts are in many cases undercutting supermarkets on price. Our advice to motorists remains to shop around.

“We have cooperated with all of the CMA’s requests for information and will continue to do so as they prepare their final report to be released.”

The CMA will issue its final report no later than July 7, covering the full range of issues it has considered in this market and setting out any further action that we think is needed. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A used electric vehicle (EV), with less than 10,000 miles on the clock, can be bought for half the price of a new electric car, according to analysis of used values by the AA.

A Vauxhall e-Corsa, which starts from £33,930 new, could be bought for less than £17,000 with less than 7,000 on the clock and manufactured in 2021 on the AA Cars website.

Likewise, a Hyundai Ioniq Premium, which starts at £43,445 new, could be bought for around £17,500 for a model only one year old.

AA president Edmund King says it is crucial for fleets to lead the way to mainstream electrification as most drivers buy their cars second-hand which depends on a heathy used car market evolving from fleet sales.

However, recent research from Bridgestone and Webfleet suggested that more than three quarters of fleets (76%) are delaying the move to electrification due to cost pressures.

Kind said: “There appears to be some stalling along the road to electrification from three quarters of fleets trying to save on capital costs.

“For some fleets this could backfire as they will miss out on lower running costs whilst being hit with higher repair bills on an aging fleet.

“It will also have a knock-on effect and further delay the uptake of EVs into the mass market.”

He continued: “Used EVs are trading at 47% of their original value, compared to 67.1% for petrol, 65.1% for diesel, 72.8% for hybrids and 62.7% for plug-in hybrids. These comparisons are based on vehicles of 36 months old or 60,000 miles.

“This means there are some bargains out there and it could push those in two minds to make the leap to electric.

“Hybrid values seem to support that, showing popularity among those wanting to keep a foot in both camps.

“Drivers should remember that running costs for an EV are considerably lower, they drive well, are better for the environment and are fun to drive.”

Share of EVs in used market increases

The analysis of used EV prices comes as Indicata reports that the market share of used EVs rose above 3% for the first time as sales slowly increased during April.

It says that used EV sales rise by 0.3% in April driven by a price fall of a further 2.7% in the month. Used EVs have now fallen by 21.2% over the first four months of 2023 (from January 1 to May 1).

Used EV stock levels have moved significantly in 2023 with Market Days’ Supply (MDS) falling from 168 to 65 days.

The MDS metric measures the available stock against sales at the current run rate to determine how many selling days the available stock can cover.

That compares with diesel which became the UK’s fastest-selling powertrain in April with an MDS of just 35.8 days.

Petrol cars meanwhile moved into May with an MDS of 46.4 days and hybrids 52 days.

“The used EV ecosystem seems to be settling down with falling prices translating into demand and sales which is helping keep stock levels in check,” said Jon Mitchell, Indicata’s group sales director.

“What is interesting is the renewed focus on diesel which shows there is still significant demand in a market where fuel efficiency is still a key priority. We saw diesel stock levels fall during April on the back of growing sales,” he added.

There is also evidence of new car supplies starting to improve following a healthy March plate change.

In April, this translated into tactical sales by OEMs and dealers of sub-12-month-old cars increasing sharply.

Overall used car prices rose by 0.1% in April fuelled by strong demand for value and prestige used cars. This was reflected in the fastest-selling used car table, which was topped by the Tesla Model 3, closely followed by the Dacia Duster and the BMW X3.

The VW Golf remained the country’s top-selling used car followed by the Ford Fiesta and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The UK is among the top three European countries considered most ready for the switch away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric, new research suggests.

LeasePlan’s 2023 EV Readiness Index measures the preparedness of 22 European countries for electric vehicles (EVs) based on three factors: the maturity of the EV market, the maturity of EV infrastructure, and the total cost of EV ownership in each country.

The UK remained in the top 3 with an overall score of 36 out of 50, behind Norway and the Netherlands.

Maturity of the EV market increased by 19% (42 points) across Europe – with the UK increasing by 1 point – reflecting the overall improved penetration of EVs in European countries.

However, although EVs are still more affordable in most European countries compared to an ICE alternative, the total cost of ownership (TCO) maturity of EVs has slightly decreased by 6% (14 points). This is mostly driven by rising energy prices in 2022. 

Alfonso Martinez, managing director of LeasePlan UK, said: “It is great to see a significant improvement this year in the UK – we are more ready than ever before for the shift to EV.

“It is now essential that we keep this momentum going: this year’s Index shows drivers in the UK are ready and willing to make the switch to electric, and we must keep pressure on both European and UK Government to ensure a robust public charging infrastructure is available to all drivers – including commercial vehicle fleets, incentives for switching like low Benefit in Kind rates, and OEMs that are able to keep pace with demand.” 

LeasePlan’s report highlights how EVs held a 23% share of the UK’s car market is the highest scoring in terms of Government incentives.

The UK has also significantly improved charging infrastructure compared to the previous year with more than 71,000 public charge locations and over 13,000 fast charge locations per population. The second highest across Europe.

“The continued investment in charge points (including rural areas), electricity prices beginning to fall, and Government’s Budget that announced continued low rates of benefit in kind rates for EVs have all helped ensure electric remains cost comparative with a petrol or diesel equivalent,” continued Martinez. 

“We want every single driver in the UK to be able to go electric, and while this year’s results are promising, we still have work to do.”

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The UK Government is working with international partners to develop new laws for monitoring the health of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

The plans to make the fitting of battery state of health (SOH) monitors compulsory on all new EVs were discussed at last week’s meeting of the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA).

Abdul Chowdhury, head of vehicle policy at the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), explained that because the battery forms a large part of a used EV’s value and performance, providing information on its health would support consumers in making informed comparisons between vehicles and help alleviate concerns over battery degradation.

He said: “The UK government has been working with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and other international partners to develop technical regulations on SOH monitors and minimum battery performance standards and is currently analysing options for adopting these regulations into UK law.

“The EU is also considering options, and its Euro 7 proposals look set to bring SOH monitors in from July 2025.”

A battery state of health (SOH) is an estimate of a battery’s remaining total capacity, compared to the total capacity at the EV’s production.

The Global Technical Regulations on EV batteries developed at UNECE, where many international automotive standards and regulations are set, cover two key aspects.

The first is to mandate installation of SOH monitors on EVs which must be accessible to the consumer, meet accuracy requirements and be validated through in-service testing.

The second is to set a minimum performance standard of 80% SOH from 0-5 years old or 100,000km, whichever comes first, and 70% SOH for vehicles between 5-8 years old or 100,000 to 160,000km, whichever comes first.

Other areas where OZEV was looking to provide support to the used EV sector included providing standardised EV information to customers at the point of sale and helping to ensure that sufficient numbers of technicians were trained to repair EVs.

Chowdhury continued: “The used market is critical to the UK’s transition to zero emission vehicles and meeting our net zero ambitions.

“It is where 80% of all cars are bought and sold, and as we move from early EV adopters to a mass transition, its health is critical to ensuring a fair and equitable transition for all.”

Government support has included financial incentives to stimulate the new EV market and increase the supply of vehicles feeding through to the used market.

Funding for charge point infrastructure at homes, workplaces, residential streets and across the wider roads network is also supporting consumers to buy used EVs, added Chowdhury.

The potential for legislation around battery monitoring comes as an advisory group of battery experts is being assembled to explore ways of promoting greater confidence in the used EV market.

Organised by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), the half-day event – Battery health: supercharge your knowledge – will take place on May 16

At the VRA event, members heard that there are no Government plans for direct financial support for used EV purchases. However, it says that all policy options are continually under review and OZEV closely monitor the health of the used market and are always open to receiving any evidence.

“Used EVs continue to be among the most-discussed topics in remarketing and being able to hear directly from someone such as Abdul at the centre of Government thinking was fascinating and provided a high level of insight for VRA members,” said VRA chair Philip Nothard.

The event also featured a panel discussion on the used EV market and used vehicle supply in general featuring Phill Jones, chief operating officer at eBay Motors Group; Greg Smith, commercial director at Carshop Supermarket; and Michael Tomalin, CEO at both City Auctions Group and PurpleRock.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New car registrations are expected to exceed previous estimates, while the used market continues to track towards surpassing seven million transactions this year, new analysis from Cox Automotive suggests.

Overall sentiment about the new car market has been boosted by 2022’s surprisingly strong performance and confirmation that Q1 of 2023 continued this positive trend.

As a result, Cox Automotive’s revised baseline forecast for the full year predicts it will end 2023 with 1,942,667 registrations, a 13.5% lift on last quarter’s forecast of just over 1.7 million.

The updated forecast indicates we’ll see 476,691 new registrations in Q2, a 16.4% improvement on the forecast published at the start of the year (409,378), while Q3 is on track to end with 558,803 new vehicle registrations.

Cox Automotive’s used car forecast predicts that the UK market will see 7,096,932 transactions during 2023, a 3.2% year-on-year improvement.

Q2 is expected to deliver 1,832,842 transactions, while Q3 is predicted to see 1,866,540 transactions.

Published in Cox Automotive’s latest AutoFocus insight update, the forecasts consider a baseline, upside and downside scenario for each market.

The baseline is, the company believes, the most likely scenario to materialise.

Philip Nothard, Cox Automotive’s insight and strategy director, said: “It’s heartening to once again unveil an upbeat sector forecast.

“So many challenges that have dominated our commentary on new and used markets for successive quarters are finally fading.

“That’s not to say that the road ahead is free from obstacles and the visibility is crystal clear, but we progress towards the halfway point of 2023 in a better position than many dared hope.”

He continued: “Our revised new vehicle forecast reflects the confirmation of 2022’s registration figures and evidence gathered throughout Q1 that manufacturers are returning to a ‘push’ market.”

More than 85 million cars and LCVs were manufactured in 2022, a 6.08% year-on-year increase and a drastic improvement on the lows of 77 million seen in 2020.

“With supply chains now approaching where they need to be, manufacturers can once again ramp up production and define the volume of vehicles that are supplied to the market, as opposed to the demand-driven ‘pull’ market we’ve experienced since the first lockdown,” added Nothard.

The new car forecast also accounts for the clearer picture the sector now has of the two most influential dynamics within the new market: the influence of EVs as a proportion of new registrations and the quicker-than-anticipated emergence of new Chinese brands in the UK.

The net result is a 20.4% year-on-year increase, which, for context, remains 15.9% behind pre-pandemic levels.

Nothard said: “We’ve reviewed all the relevant data points and remain confident in our existing forecasts.

“It would be understandable to look at what’s happening with new registrations and conclude that this performance will naturally translate over to the used market. Still, we must remember that most of today’s new vehicles will not be seen in the used market until 2026, and possibly longer still if predictions of fleets and private buyers retaining vehicles for longer prove to be accurate.

“We must also remember that the used market continues to be impacted by huge volume lost over the past three years; some 42 million fewer vehicles were made globally in this period compared to the previous three years.

“This equates to 2.3 million vehicles that should’ve entered the UK’s used market around now but never did. Nevertheless, the fact that we’re looking at completing more than seven million used car transactions this year is a very positive position to be in.”

The full details of Cox Automotive’s latest new and used car forecasts can be read in issue nine of its AutoFocus insight update. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Ford has introduced the first hands-off driver assistance system that can be used on motorways.

BlueCruise makes its debut on the Mustang Mach-E and is approved for use on UK roads by the Department for Transport (DfT).

It enables hands-free assisted driving at speeds of up to 80mph.

The system monitors road markings, speed signs and evolving traffic conditions to control steering, acceleration, braking and lane positioning, as well as to maintain safe and consistent distances to vehicles ahead – right down to a complete halt in traffic jams.

BlueCruise is classified as a Level 2 autonomous system and can be activated on 2,300 miles of pre-mapped motorways in England, Scotland and Wales, designated as Blue Zones. Drivers must remain attentive at all times and are monitored by an infrared camera continually.

If the system detects driver inattention, warning messages are first displayed in the instrument cluster, followed by audible alerts, brake activations, and finally slowing of the vehicle while maintaining steering control. Similar actions are performed if the driver fails to place their hands back on the steering wheel when prompted when leaving a Blue Zone.

Owners of 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles in Great Britain are the first to be able to activate BlueCruise via subscription. The first 90 days are included with the vehicle purchase and, thereafter, a £17.99 monthly fee applies.

Ford engineers undertook 100,000 miles of testing on European roads to validate latest-generation advanced driver assistance systems including BlueCruise and its supporting features, in addition to over 600,000 miles covered in the US and Canada before the system was introduced to those markets last year.

Validation drives in Great Britain helped prove out the ability to handle circumstances drivers encounter every day, such as worn-out lane markings, poor weather and roadworks.

Torsten Wey, manager for advanced driver assistance systems at Ford Europe, said: “There’s a good reason why Ford BlueCruise is the first hands-free driving system to be cleared for use in a European country: We’ve proven beyond doubt that it can support the driver while also ensuring that they keep their eyes on the road for their safety and that of their passengers while the system is active. That means BlueCruise can make other road users’ journeys more comfortable too.”

Driver monitoring system

Thatcham Research vehicle technology specialist Tom Leggett says that before BlueCruise can be enabled, a driver monitoring system (DMS), using infrared cameras positioned in the instrument cluster, will ensure that the driver has their eyes on the road.

“Crucially, the driver is not permitted to use their mobile, fall asleep or conduct any activity that takes attention away from the road,” he explained.

“This demonstrates just how important DMS is, not only in enabling current assisted driving technology like BlueCruise but also as we move towards fuller levels of automation in the future.”

He explained: “Although the vehicle can help control speed and position in lane, the driver is still wholly responsible for safety.

“It’s therefore no surprise that Ford and other car makers are looking to introduce technologies like this ahead of ‘Level 3’ automated lane keeping systems, which have experienced lingering questions around liability especially.”

Because BlueCruise users remain responsible and liable, says Leggett, a lot of the legal and technical complexities of automation and self-driving have been avoided, while still offering drivers a beneficial comfort feature that can reduce fatigue on long, monotonous journeys.

He concluded: “We would expect car makers to ensure safe adoption by way of driver education and clear messaging in the vehicle manual and on the dashboard.”

As of January 2023, car manufacturers are able to seek type approval to launch Level 3 technologies with expanded self-driving capabilities at speed of up to 80mph.

The rules previously capped the use of such systems to 37mph, but were not adopted by the UK Government. Ministers gave the green-light to allow self-driving cars last August.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

All drivers and especially fleets are being urged to make company car and van drivers aware of an emergency alert test on their mobile phones to avoid them being distracted.

The siren will sound for 10 seconds on almost every smartphone in the UK on Sunday, April 23, at 3pm.

The alert system will be used to warn of extreme weather events, such as flash floods or wildfires and only when there was an immediate risk to life.

It could also be used during terror incidents or civil defence emergencies if the UK was under attack.

Lucy Straker, campaigns manager at Brake, the road safety charity, told Fleet News: “With the emergency alert test, it is important that people know when it is happening (3pm on Sunday 23 April) so if they have to drive or ride at that time, they are prepared and understand how to respond.

“If your phone is switched on, the alert will play for 10 seconds. If you are driving when the alert occurs, please do not look at or touch your phone until you have safely parked your vehicle and turned off your engine.

“We would also recommend fleet managers inform their drivers of the alert and, if possible, schedule journeys to avoid driving when the alert takes place.”

The test message and alarm is expected to hit 90% of mobile phones in the UK. Phone users can swipe away the alert message or click “OK” on their home screen to continue using their phone as normal.

People who have their phones switched off will not receive the message – but it will sound if your phone is switched to silent.

The Government has tried to play down concerns that drivers will be distracted by the alerts, potentially leading to accidents, saying evidence from local trials of the alert shows people will wait until they are stationary to check their phones.

Straker said: “We always recommend that people turn off their mobile phone whilst driving or riding – or put it out of reach, in ‘Do not disturb/Driving mode’ or on silent – so that it is not a distraction.

“We know that any distraction that takes a driver’s mind off the road, for any length of time, is potentially lethal.”

In 2021, mobile phone use contributed to more than 116 fatal or serious collisions on UK roads. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News