Aftermarket March 2023

8 AFTERMARKET MARCH 2023 BIG ISSUE www.aftermarketonline.net A public consultation looking at potential options for the future of the MOT was launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) in January. Emissions monitoring and how changes to vehicle technology like electrification and ADAS should be reflected in the test were up for discussion. One option being considered was the measurement of the particulate number (PN) and NOx for diesel, petrol and hybrid vehicles. Other areas under consideration were the testing of EV batteries, measures to limit vehicle volume, as well as MOT and mileage fraud. More controversially however, the government was again pushing for the MOT to begin when a vehicle is four years old. “The average MOT costs £40 and the move could save motorists across Great Britain around £100 million a year in MOT fees,” the DfT suggested, helpfully, in the introduction to the consultation. Its statement continued: “Since the MOT was introduced in 1960 – and especially in recent years – there have been major developments in vehicle technology such as lane-assisted driving which have increased road safety, while the spread of electric and hybrid cars is rapidly changing the nature of vehicles on our roads. Data shows that most new vehicles pass the first MOT test at three years. With the number of casualties in car collisions due to vehicle defects remaining low, government analysis shows the change from three to four years for the first MOT should not impact road safety.” Common-sense-approach The IGA said it would undertake a full impact assessment of the proposed changes and consult with its members and the wider industry before making its response. IGA Chief Executive Stuart James observed: “The MOT has been in the government’s spotlight for some time and the IGA were expecting a review of this type, however the far-reaching nature of the consultation goes deeper and wider than anticipated. A common- sense approach to the consultation will be needed, with road safety being of paramount importance above gaining votes in the next election. “Vehicles are becoming more complex and the environmental impact of road transport plays an ever-increasing role in the UK government’s commitment to Net Zero. While the number of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles on the road relates to less than 2.5% of all vehicles on the road, it is inevitable that the MOT will need to adapt to provide a 21st-century solution to these challenges. The MOT plays a MOT CONSULTATION 2023: INDUSTRY REACTS The frequency of the MOT and more has again been up for discussion, via a consultation on the future of the test