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50% of car drivers broke the speed limit on 30mph roads in 2022, according to newly-released figures from the Department for Transport (DfT).

The figures are based on speed data from DfT automatic traffic counters, chosen to represent ‘free flow’ traffic speeds by excluding data from locations where driver behaviour might be affected by factors such as junctions, hills, sharp bends, and speed cameras.

The figures show that 50% of cars exceeded the limit on roads with 30mph limits, compared with 45% on motorways, and 11% on national speed limit single carriageways.

The DfT said that compliance with speed limits in 2022 was slightly higher than in 2021, which it said could be partly due to lower traffic levels in the previous year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It said the 2022 figures were broadly similar to those seen from 2011 to 2019.

The data also showed that the average car speed under free flow conditions was just below the speed limit on motorways, at 69mph, at the speed limit exactly on 30mph roads, and well under the speed limit on national speed limit single carriageways, at 51mph.

Reacting to the figures, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “It’s concerning to see that every year half of drivers exceed the limit on 30mph roads, with more than a fifth (22%) last year driving more than five miles an hour too fast.

“The implications of speeding on these roads are likely to be greater than on faster roads, not least as they’re generally in areas with more pedestrians and cyclists.

“One possible explanation for why speed limit compliance is so much worse compared to other roads is that drivers may be used to looking for speed limit signs, which are much less prevalent on 30mph roads as generally speaking the presence of streetlights indicates the limit is 30mph. While drivers should know this, perhaps there is a case for the use of more ‘repeater’ signs in 30mph areas so there is no doubt.”

Giving his reaction, Nextbase head of road safety Bryn Brooker said: “It’s good news that speed limit compliance ticked up slightly in 2022, but still disappointing just how many motorists aren’t obeying the rules. There seems to be a bit of a herd issue here – since about half of motorists are speeding in 30mph zones, people match their speed to those around them.

“Speed limits exist for a reason. The difference between 30mph and 40mph might not seem huge, but if something goes wrong that speed makes a huge difference: a pedestrian hit at 30mph has an 80% chance of surviving, a pedestrian hit at 40mph has just a 10% chance of surviving.

“Given that most of the speeding was within this zone, this is an area British motorists really need to improve on.” By Graham Hill Thanks To Business Car.

 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

The introduction of new phased driving licensing system for young and newly qualified drivers is supported by the majority of people, new research suggests.

A survey, conducted on behalf of the road safety charity Brake and insurance company Axa UK, found 63% of respondents were in favour of the change, with just 16% against.

Brake say drivers under the age of 25 are four times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash if they are driving with others – claiming peer pressure leads to young motorists showing off.

New restrictions would see amendments made to the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act to ban passengers under the age of 25 in the driver’s first year or six months.

The Act already bans drivers if they get six points in their first two years of driving.

It has been backed by Support for Victims of Road Crashes – an advisory to the Department of Transport (DfT) – and National Police Chief’s Council Roads Policing lead Jo Shiner.

Extra restrictions on newly qualified drivers, which would have seen curfews and limits on passengers in the car, were dismissed in January 2022, because there was a recognition that young drivers needed to use cars for employment.

Government statistics show as many as a quarter of new drivers are involved in accidents in their first two years on the road.

The Government met with road safety campaigners in May to discuss the proposals. 

A new report – Driver testing and education –  published today (Friday, July 14) by Brake and Axa UK, challenges the Government to conduct a high-level strategic review of road safety, because safer drivers mean safer roads for all.

The top recommendation from the report is to implement a progressive licensing system that provides safeguards for learner and newly qualified drivers.

A progressive licensing system – which introduces elements such as a minimum learning period and a lower blood alcohol limit, while also reducing the number of similar-aged passengers a newly licensed driver can carry – has proved successful in reducing road deaths and injuries of young drivers in other countries, the charity says.

For example, a similar system in New Zealand led to a 23% reduction in car crash injuries for 15–19-year-olds, and a 12% reduction for 20–24-year-olds. 

There is good evidence that additional hazard perception training is another effective way to improve driver safety, it said.

Ross Moorlock, interim CEO at Brake, said: “This report shows that nearly two-thirds of drivers surveyed said they would support a phased or progressive licensing system, and only one-sixth (16%) would be against it.

“This overwhelming majority demonstrates that there is clear public support and appetite for a system like this, and for ensuring we prioritise the safety of young drivers on our roads.

“We ask the Government to ensure that in another six years we aren’t still asking for a system that we know could help safeguard young and new drivers on our roads.”

The issue was discussed at a recent Fleet News at 10, with proposals to ban drivers under the age of 25 from carrying young passengers as part of a ‘graduated driving licence’ scheme broadly welcomed by fleets.

However, some have suggested that any changes to the licensing regime should avoid penalising those who drive for work.

The report from Brake and Axa also focused on other aspects of system change, lifelong learning and further testing such as clearer speed limit signs on single and dual carriageways, more driver education and awareness around stopping distances, and a further call for a reinvestment in active travel schemes.

Axa Commercial CEO Jon Walker said: “This study raises a number of issues around driver education, testing and licensing that warrant further consideration.

“It’s concerning to see that 71% of respondents were unable to identify the correct distance they should keep from the car in front and 59% chose the incorrect national speed limit on dual carriageways.

“We therefore urge the Government to undertake a high-level strategic review to explore the issues raised in more detail, including the introduction of a graduated driver licensing scheme.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Almost a third (28%) of working adults are still hybrid working with one-in-six (16%) solely working from home, potentially increasing an employer’s grey fleet risk.

Venson Automotive Solutions says that if an employee’s place of work clause in their contract has changed to home working, their privately owned car will automatically join the ranks of the grey fleet, when used for work related travel.

Employers who are unaware of their legal obligations to ensure staff owned vehicles used for work related travel are properly maintained and legally compliant, may be unknowingly missing duty of care requirements, it warns. 

Simon Staton, client management director of Venson Automotive Solutions, explained: “Employers have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees.

“With around half (49%) of UK drivers admitting to skipping essential servicing and vehicle repairs amidst the cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever that processes are in place to manage aspects such as driver licence checking, insurance validity, vehicle condition and mileage audit amongst grey fleet vehicles.

“Businesses and fleet managers, therefore, need to review their Driving for Work policies as working from home looks set to stay for some businesses.”

It is not only service and maintenance of grey fleets that businesses must consider. Grey fleet vehicles are often older than company owned cars so can contribute disproportionately to a company’s carbon footprint.

By promoting workplace benefits like salary sacrifice schemes, not only can employees make savings over a retail deal for electric vehicle, but the implementation of such an arrangement supports the ‘green’ agenda for businesses, says Venson.

“Of course, for many employees, buying a new car is a stretch just now,” said Staton. “The key benefits of salary sacrifice, however, include a fixed all-inclusive monthly fee so drivers don’t get unexpected maintenance costs.

“Employees also get National Insurance savings, ‘hassle-free’ acquisition, with no credit check or deposit needed and fleet discounts and for some organisations a beneficial VAT position reflected in monthly costs.”

He concluded: “With hybrid and homeworking becoming a permanent fixture more cars risk edging into the grey fleet.

“Business owners and fleet management teams must keep on top of this to ensure they are not putting their firm or employee at risk, especially with an aging, less well-maintained UK car parc.

“They might also want to consider alternative options like rental or EV pool cars for those occasional driving for work employees.

“It all helps to cut the burden of managing a grey fleet and reduces CO2 emissions at the same time.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A record number of drivers ended up in the dock accused of speeding last year, but drug driving and mobile phone prosecutions fell.

Analysis of the 2022 Criminal Justice Statistics carried out by the AA, reveal that almost a quarter of a million drivers (245,043) appeared in court accused of speeding last year, the highest since records began.

The number of drink-driving cases brought to court also rose during 2022, up by 1.8% to 33,099.

However, the AA’s analysis shows that there was a 16% reduction in cases of drug driving and a 15.5% fall in drivers pursued in the courts for using a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: “These figures serve as a reminder of the huge consequences both poor and illegal driving can result in.

“Those willing to gamble when behind the wheel should think again.

“Some may say that record speeding cases are just a reflection of too many cameras, but speeding can be life ending and life changing, so it is only right that those excessive speeders are properly punished.

“While the number of cases for using a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel and drug driving have fallen, we are not fully convinced that this is due to improved compliance.

“Our own studies show that a quarter of drivers regularly see others picking up a phone when behind the wheel, meanwhile a reduction in dedicated traffic officers means some drivers feel they can get away with certain behaviours.”

The analysis also showed that more than 55,500 cases were heard for vehicles being on the road without tax, a 12.3% increase compared to the previous year.

Similarly, more than 101,057 people found themselves in court for failing to supply information after being required to do so by the police, up from 96,799 in 2021.

Last year, 83,100 drivers were in court for driving without insurance, down 11,000 cases compared to 2021, while more than 3,000 drivers stood accused of driving without a valid MOT.

In total 710,738 cases came to court for motoring offences last year with 642,236 resulting in a conviction. This means that nine out of 10 motoring cases that end up in court result in a guilty verdict, showing that drivers are highly unlikely to be acquitted.

I would ask the question – Are the number of drug convictions and using a mobile phone whilst driving down because of a lack of police? If that’s the case the lack of police makes the rise in drink driving convictions look even worse. Speeding can be caught on cameras but to charge a drink, drug or mobile phone abuser we need a law enforcement officer so the situation could be very much worse than the situation reported. 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

Car buyers have been warned that any step-change in EV battery technology could create future shocks for residual values, according to FleetCheck.

Toyota has recently said it is working on new solid state battery technology that could deliver over 900 miles of range.

The average battery range for new electric vehicles is already almost 300 miles, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Peter Golding, managing director at the fleet software specialist FleetCheck, said the major advances in technology could present predictable effects.

Golding said Toyota’s solid state designs, CATL talking about doubling energy density and Mullen Automotive’s improved battery management to name a few, is welcome, but also creates problems.

He said: “A manufacturer who has access to better batteries is going to want to make them available as soon as possible in order to gain a competitive market advantage but this is going to affect EVs already in use.

“It won’t render them obsolete but it could make them much less attractive, especially if the new tech is not just more effective but cheaper, which is conceivable.”

Golding said that while values on current EVs are unlikely to collapse completely, there could be major reductions.

He added: “This would have a substantial impact on leasing companies too, of course, who are already being very conservative in their EV future forecasts thanks to the quite dramatic drop in values seen over the last year.

“Buying EVs and bearing the RV risk remains a risky business.

“It seems to us that there is no way around this situation.

“EVs are still a relatively new technology in a mass market sense and step changes in technology are very much a possibility but any advances will probably be a double edged sword and fleets need to factor that into their decision making.”  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

Fetch, a new on-demand car-hailing service using remote-controlled driverless vehicles, has been launched by Imperium Drive.

The service, which has undergone 18 months of testing, is first launching in Milton Keynes before being rolled out across the country.

It will be able to connect with other urban areas and key transport interchanges, such as airports.

Customers can hire a car through the Fetch app, stating when they need it and for how long.

An electric vehicle (EV), which is remotely controlled by an operator, is then delivered to them. The customer then drives the car themselves to their destination and when the rental period is up, the remote vehicle operator takes over and pilots the car back to base or to the next user.

Koosha Kaveh, the chief executive of Imperium Drive, said: “It’s driverless but not autonomous – yet.

“There’s still a human involved, but they’re sitting in a control centre piloting the vehicle in the same way you would a drone.

“When fully autonomous, we think this system has the potential to replace private car ownership in the UK. Why pay all the costs of having a car on your drive when you can just pay for one to arrive when you need it.

“For short trips, the service offers the same convenience as a ride-hailing or taxi service, but with the ability to cover greater distances at less than half the cost of services like Uber or Bolt.”

There are currently four cars in the Imperium Drive fleet, operating within a four-mile radius of the Milton Keynes city centre hub.

Further regional hubs are planned to enable intercity travel and airport transfers.

To ensure the safety of occupants and other road users, the cars have multiple cameras attached to them, giving the operator a 360-degree view, and the operating system uses computer image algorithms to detect anything near the car.

RAC road safety spokesperson Simon Williams said: “While this scheme has been tested very successfully over an 18-month period, we worry that the experience of remotely driving a vehicle distances the driver from the potential road safety consequences in a video game-like manner.

“Although the remote driver has a reasonable view in front and around them by not being present in the vehicle they are – like it or not – somewhat disconnected from the reality of actually being behind the wheel.

“There’s also a risk they could be distracted by something in the room where they are located. We also fear there could be serious consequences when this scheme is rolled out more widely and if the delivery distances were to be lengthened to take in faster roads.”

Imperium Drive’s leadership team has a combined 45 years of experience in telecoms, robotics, autonomous vehicles and advanced mobility, with more than 60 patents and over 500 scientific citations.

To watch the demonstration on YouTube click HERE

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A lack of skills to work on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is putting road users at risk, according to a new report from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).

It suggests that there are currently only 3,000 ADAS-certified technicians, yet 106,000 will be needed by 2030.   

Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI, said: “Drivers are becoming accustomed to and reliant upon autonomous features on their vehicles.

“Any failure could be catastrophic. For example, if a driver took a second too long to notice that their adaptive cruise control had failed on a motorway, they could easily suffer a serious high-speed collision with the vehicle in front.

“It would be a similar story if lane keeping assist, or the lane departure warning failed, and a driver drifted into the neighbouring lane in front of a faster vehicle.

“The risks could be even higher for more advanced features such as autosteer and automated lane change.”

It is the first time that the scale of level 2 autonomy in the UK car parc and the skills required to maintain it has been analysed.

It found that 5% of the UK car parc features level 2 autonomy (where the vehicle can control acceleration, braking, and steering), but there are currently only 3,000 technicians with IMI TechSafe qualifications to work on vehicles featuring ADAS.

In 2023 alone, the IMI estimates a shortfall of 6,000 technicians to support the UK car parc. By 2030, 44% of cars on UK roads will include ADAS, requiring a total of 106,000 qualified technicians

Based on current qualification and training trends, the IMI estimates that there will be a shortfall of 51,000 qualified technicians in just seven years.

Nash continued: “It is no exaggeration to say that it is a matter of life and death that these technologically advanced vehicles are maintained only by fully qualified technicians.

“The skills need is immediate with such a significant proportion of UK cars already using level 2 autonomy. It is also critical to recognise the serious economic impact of the skills gap.

“A lack of qualified workforce means delays in vehicle repairs, undermining UK mobility.”

While the IMI’s report highlights a big skills gap across the whole automotive aftermarket, there are several subsectors that are more advanced.

In particular, the accident repair, body and glazing sectors have a greater proportion of their workforce qualified to work with ADAS because of the critical role they play in repairing vehicles after accidents.

But there is still a gap in qualified technicians to service the current car parc, says the IMI.

This sector, which comprises a large number of independent repair shops, as well as dealership networks and large, multi-site repair organisations have invested in the latest tools and technologies as well as training for their workforce in order to remain competitive.

The IMI estimates that there are currently 1,800 technicians ADAS qualified in these subsectors with a requirement for 25,000 technicians ADAS qualified by 2030.

Nash said: “Autonomous vehicles rely on complex systems, including advanced electronics, sensors and software.

“Without the necessary skills to diagnose and fix issues with autonomous systems, the safety and reliability of the vehicles cannot be guaranteed.

“Not only that, the increasing integration of autonomous technology in vehicles means that technicians need to have a deep understanding of how different systems interact and work together, requiring a commitment to continuing professional development to keep up with the latest advancements in the field.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News