8 AFTERMARKET MAY 2024 BIG ISSUE www.aftermarketonline.net With the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Order (MV-BEO) now in place for almost a year, independent garages in the UK should be assured of their right to work on cars still under manufacturer warranty. The UK-specific order superseded the EU-derived Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MV-BER) on 31 May last year. However, beyond this are the practical considerations. Just because independents have the right to service newer vehicles, it does not mean they are capable. They will need the right training, the right equipment, and more. There is also the issue of access to technical information, and access to security systems, which is being covered under the SERMI scheme. Whether we see an increasing electrification or a wider diversification of the car parc, regardless of the timescales involved in the end of ICE vehicles, garages are going to need to make sure they have the skills, kit, and access in place now in order to take advantage of the opportunities that are out there. This goes beyond the seemingly binary EVs versus ICE vehicles issue. Taking the EV question as an example, recent EV TechSafe data from the IMI showed that at the end of January 2023, 52,000 UK techs, across both franchised outlets and independent garages held qualifications that enabled them to work on EVs, making up 22% of the total. that total was 45,300 six months earlier. As the car parc balance shifts, the numbers required will rise. The IMI also estimated that by 2030, more than 107,000 EV-trained technicians will be needed. By 2033 there will need to be 139,000, and 185,000 by 2035. At the current rate of training, a shortfall of 30,000 is expected by the time the ban of new ICE vehicle sales comes into force in 2035. Previously the shortfall was expected to become most pressing in 2029 and by 2032 reach 13,000. However, the gap will now not appear until 2032 itself, and sit at the lower figure of 5,570. As the proportion of new EVs rises and owners seek out servicing and repairs beyond the franchised arena and in the independent aftermarket, as is their right, garages are going to need to be actually capable of provide that service to customers. The same principle applies to new tech beyond the drivetrain, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Empowering garages Hayley Pells, Policy and Public Affairs Lead at the IMI, said: “The introduction of the MV-BEO is a positive step towards empowering garages to work on newer cars. However, it's crucial to recognise that rights alone don't equate to readiness. “ The relentless pace of evolution around vehicle technology, taking in ADAS as well as EVs and hybrids, means that garages might have the right to work on vehicles still under manufacturer warranty, but if they do not have the required skills, or the equipment and overall set-up, the legal framework that provides this is useless to them. Hayley continued: “The motor industry is rapidly evolving, particularly with increasing electrification and sophisticated technologies. It is imperative that independent garages invest in RIGHTS VERSUS READINESS: WORKING WITH THE MV-BEO The MV-BEO recently reaffirmed the right for independents to work on newer cars, but are garages doing enough to capitalise on this?
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