IMI to lobby government for licencing

11 August 2014  

The IMI is to call for the government to licence the automotive repair sector in a new lobbying campaign set to begin when parliament returns from its Summer recess.

According to research conducted by the body, 70% of UK voters believe it is already a requirement for vehicle technicians to have a licence to practise. The call comes as the UK government  passed legislation to allow driverless cars on the roads from 2015. The IMI will argue that modern vehicle technology has reached a level where regulation is necessary to ensure automotive technicians are currently competent – for the safety of motorists.

The issue of licencing was discussed at the Aftermarket Round Table event, with an accompanying survey revealing that 81% of respondents from the independent aftermarket believe the industry should be licenced.

IMI CEO Steve Nash comments: “The imminent prospect of autonomous vehicles on UK roads makes the issue of licensing extremely urgent. The proliferation of hybrid vehicles and complex driver assist systems has already increased the skills requirements for effective and safe working on modern vehicles. Service technicians without the proper training are increasingly putting themselves and motorists at risk.

“Our parliamentary research suggests that MPs currently see the motor industry as low skilled, low paid and dirty. It is vital that they and the public come to a better understanding of the requirements necessary to work on modern vehicles, especially with a new wave of technology on the horizon.”