New analysis from The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has revealed a serious shortfall in the number of technicians qualified to repair and maintain vehicles featuring ADAS.
Around 13% of vehicles on the road feature some form of autonomy, while just 2% of the technicians in the UK, equating to 4,425 individuals, are IMI TechSafe registered and qualified to work on the systems, including repairing and maintaining them.
The situation will become more complex in the years ahead. The second phase of the General Safety Regulation in the EU came into effect in July this year, mandating systems such as intelligent speed assistance, driver drowsiness and attention warnings, automated emergency braking, reversing detection and more.
With the majority of cars on UK roads built to EU specifications to save costs, the increase will be included in most new cars sold since July. With fleets still dominating vehicle registrations, these systems are likely to find their way into independent workshops within three years.
More ADAS reliance
“The proportion of ADAS-equipped vehicles has grown from 11% in January 2024 to 13% in July, yet there has not been a similar increase in the proportion of ADAS-trained technicians”, explained Kevin Finn, Executive Chair of the IMI. “As the proportion of vehicles featuring these technologies accelerates, ahead of the introduction of fully automated vehicles, it is critical that more technicians are trained to work on vehicles with this technology.”
With ADAS the pre-cursor for fully automated vehicles, following the Automated Vehicles Bill 2024 receiving Royal Assent in May 2024, the IMI is keen to see future legislation take into account the skills required to meet the maintenance and repair needs of the growing technology-driven car parc.
As drivers become more reliant on these safety features, the risks when failures occur increase dramatically. For example, when lane departure warnings or emergency braking fail at high speed, the outcome could be catastrophic.
When vehicles are serviced, many drivers falsely believe the ADAS systems are checked, so they do not seek out specialist checks and maintenance, unwittingly putting themselves and other road users at risk.
Training available
The IMI launched Level 2 and Level 3 ADAS qualifications in 2022. The IMI TechSafe recognition program provides independent assessment and recognition of the technical competence of technicians working in the UK automotive sector.
IMI TechSafe identifies a member’s professionalism and safe working practice in the field of electric vehicles (EV) and other safety-critical vehicle systems such ADAS.
Read the full IMI ADAS TechSafe report for July 2024: ADAS TechSafe Technician Forecasts – July 2024
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