Author: Aimee Turner

Start-up Jigcar has accomplished a £750,000 pre-seed funding round. Founded by three former members of Cazoo, Jigcar goals to rework the logistics operations of multi-site automobile dealer groups by optimising stock turnover, reducing costs, and improving customer experience Despite its January entry into the market, the corporate said it has already gained traction among the many top 50 UK dealers, including partnerships with well-known franchise groups similar to Glyn Hopkin, Steven Eagell, and Perrys Motor Group. The startup’s platform uses AI to administer and optimise logistics across all sites, internal drivers, trucks, and third-party logistics providers. This technology, accessible via…

Simon King of Autotech Recruit discusses the challenges the industry is facing when recruiting, how these issues could be overcome through applying latest methods and technology to draw talent The automotive industry skills shortage has been exacerbated by a scarcity of young talent entering the sector, an ageing workforce, and an increasingly green agenda driving up the number of other fuelled vehicles onto UK roads. To realize and retain latest talent today, automotive employers must exhaust the channels available to them and be open to latest recruitment strategies in a bid to achieve a wider audience. For the automotive industry,…

John Clark Motor Group is opening of a brand new MG dealership in Perth, marking the addition of a second MG retailer to their expanding portfolio.  The brand new John Clark MG Perth showroom in Dunkeld Road, will complement the present MG Dundee retailer, enhancing the group’s presence in Dundee, Perth, and surrounding areas. The Perth location will offer a full range of services, including latest and used automotive sales, aftersales, and parts. This strategic expansion aligns with the group’s commitment to the MG brand whose diverse lineup includes the trendy MG4 EV hatchback and the favored MG HS SUV.…

Many insurers and brokers are still failing to reveal they’re offering fair value to customers despite industry efforts to enhance governance and oversight regarding Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) products.GAP insurance is an add-on to motor insurance and covers the difference between a vehicle’s purchase price and its current market value.Earlier this 12 months, the FCA said its data showed that there had been cases where only 6% of the quantity customers paid in premiums was paid out in claims with some firms paying out as much as 70% of the worth of insurance premiums in commission to parties within the…

The variety of automotive retailers offering electric vehicles (EV) has stayed consistent year-on-year, with the dearth of growth blamed on government indecision and market instability.Auto Trader’s research reveals that greater than half (53%) of outlets disagree with reinstating the 2030 ban on selling petrol and diesel vehicles.Amongst franchise retailers, nearly half (48%) support the 2030 ban, in comparison with only 31% of independent retailers.Following the previous government’s decision to push the ban to 2035 last October, nearly 1 / 4 (22%) of franchise retailers said they would scale back their electric vehicle (EV) inventory, while almost half (48%) of independent…

Automotive makers are heading in the right direction to satisfy their zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets for this 12 months, despite many falling in need of the electrical vehicle (EV) sales targets.The ZEV mandate, which compels automakers to sell a selected percentage of electrical cars annually, imposes fines of £15,000 for every automotive sold below the goal. In 2024, the goal is ready at 22%, regularly increasing to 80% by 2030.By the tip of July, electric vehicle registrations had increased by 10% to 195,000, in accordance with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).Nonetheless, this still represents only 16.8%…

Wessex Garages and GWM ORA have teamed as much as support the Cardiff Devils, highlighting their dedication to sustainable practices in each the automotive and sports industries. The partnership, now in its tenth yr, aligns with the values of all parties involved, specializing in green technology and community engagement. “We’re incredibly proud to proceed our sponsorship of the Cardiff Devils,” said Chris Wiseman, managing director of Wessex Garages. “Our 10-year partnership, now enhanced with the introduction of the ORA 03, showcases our commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge technology. The Cardiff Devils are a key a part of the South Wales…

A strategic partnership between two players within the wholesale vehicle sector has been forged to revolutionise the way in which used automotive dealers source and finance stock.Wholesale funder NextGear Capital has teamed up with the web auction platform 1link Trade Buyer, allowing NextGear Capital customers to seamlessly add vehicles purchased on epyx’s 1link Trade Buyer to their stocking plan.The combination streamlines the vehicle acquisition process, offering dealers fast access to trade vehicles, including hundreds of ex-fleet cars and vans available on 1link every week.Darren Mornin, managing director of NextGear Capital, highlighted the advantages of this partnership, stating: “Acquiring stock is…

AI-powered communication platform AutoChat PRO has officially launched with Devonshire Motors as its first customer within the UK.For several years, AutoChat has been offered an AI assistant for dealership web sites. Now, with AutoChat PRO, it’s offering an AI assistant to dealership staff, including customer contact centre employees, receptionists, and sales staff.The primary version of AutoChat PRO enables the dealership to upload documents like brochures, tariffs, manuals, and technical documents into organised buckets.As a substitute of manually trying to find information, staff can depend on the AI assistant to quickly retrieve the required details from these documents, providing quick answers.“Within…

Hendy Group has opened a brand new multi-brand showroom in Tonbridge for Vauxhall and Peugeot. This £1 million investment on a brownfield site has created over 40 recent jobs. The Hendy Vauxhall and Peugeot facility offers state-of-the-art vehicle service and repair capabilities, Motability support, and specific sales and repair for the newest Vauxhall vans. To support the growing range of Vauxhall and Peugeot electric and hybrid vehicles, the brand new site includes charging bays for each the on-site team and visiting customers. The workshop incorporates a Class 7 MOT facility and eight bays for automotive and business vehicle servicing, ensuring…