MOT to feature self-driving vehicle standards by 2030

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has put limiting road casualties, emissions and particulate matter within its Strategic Plan to 2025 and Vision to 2030, which were published 4 April 2023. DVSA’s Strategic Plan and Vision also seek to demonstrate how the agency will harness data in order to improve MOT quality control. Both are likely to impact the way garages and fast-fits that offer MOT testing operation in future.

One of DVSA’s key pledges is to reduce the number of people killed and injured on UK roads. The UK has some of the safest roads in the world, however, between 2017 and 2020, an average of 1,697 people were killed on our roads each year. And a further 148,385 are either seriously or slightly injured.

Meanwhile, the number of vehicles registered in the UK is at the highest level ever. In just 20 years, the number of registered vehicles has increased by 9 million – or an average of an extra 1,200 vehicles being added to the roads every single day.

With the transition to electric propulsion falling within the timeframe of the DVSA’s document, it was no surprise that this subject forms a significant part of the ongoing strategy: “We’re on the cusp of a transport revolution, where about 1 in 8 new cars sold in 2030 could have self-driving features. To help people stay safe, we need to make sure they have the confidence to use these new cars.”

The point is that electrification will bring an unprecedented quantity and quality of new systems and data.

Electric and self-driving vehicles, combined with increasingly connected vehicles and roads are designed to “keep us safer from injury, death, pollution and climate change”, according to DVSA. And they can also improve the efficiency of roads and supply chains. What’s more “the data revolution can transform our efficiency and services.”

And that’s why DVSA specifically committed to “adapt driving standards for vehicles with self-driving features” by 2030. At the same time, DVSA will “make sure vehicle approval tests allow new vehicle technology to be trialled and rolled out across the country.”

Using data to raise MOT standards

DVSA further said it will “make the best use of data and technology to improve standards of MOT testing…” Exactly what that means is not clear, but do know that DVSA “will encourage investment at MOT garages in connected test equipment to make sure tests meet standards and have been delivered as we continue to simplify the service delivery to customers.”

DVSA will also “adapt our services to respond to any implications of driver assistance and self-driving features in line with government’s new safety ambition and launch a flexible digital platform to improve vehicle testing services, with real-time test data.”

In addition, testing will be developed “to make sure modern emissions systems are tested robustly.”

Truck and bus MOT to be reviewed

DVSA also committed to “review the MOT model for HGVs, buses and trailers”. In the area of annual tests for heavy vehicles (MOTs), DVSA is planning to continue improving how it supports ATFs (Authorised Testing Facilities) and vehicle operators. Many of these changes are part of the Heavy Vehicle Testing review, which DVSA has built into its strategy. And, again, the upgrades are digitally-focused:

“We’ve worked hard to give ATFs the tools they need to manage their vehicle testing. We’ll add more features to our new digital account to streamline and make processes more efficient for ATFs – which will also benefit vehicle operators.

“We’ll work with ATFs to overhaul the way we schedule testing time – so they can give vehicle operators the best availability and choice when making bookings.”

There is also talk of mobile inspection: “Subject to trials, [DVSA will] introduce mobile inspection equipment for remote compliance checks.”

Using AI to target unscrupulous MOT testers

Furthermore, there were specific suggestions that DVSA will use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to target unscrupulous MOT testers: “[We will] refine the machine learning and data analysis we use to target MOT garages who choose not to do the right things and, where appropriate, prosecute them.”

As well as stick, there was reference to some kind of carrot, with the DVSA report stating that the standards body will “recognise the MOT garages that follow best practice and reward them appropriately.”

And finally, as far as MOT garages are concerned, DVSA said it will “respond to the outcomes of [the DfT’s [the Department for Transport] call for evidence on MOT testing, including any improvements to how MOT garages are regulated and the data we publish to help encourage compliant behaviour.” Thankfully there was no mention of MOT frequency on this occasion, which – if nothing else – suggests that the overall concept of national standardised maintenance test will be kept in some form at least until 2030.

Commenting on the publication of the strategy and vision documents, DVSA Chief Executive, Loveday Ryder, said: “Whatever your stake in DVSA, we want to set out what the DVSA plans to achieve of behalf our customers and stakeholders. That’s whether you work for us or in partnership with us, or you are responsible for holding us to account.

“Our Strategic Plan to 2025 and Vision to 2030 set out our ambitions and the challenges we set ourselves to achieve our Vision to 2030 of keeping Britain moving, safely and sustainably.

“The transformative plans in these documents demonstrate our drive for more efficient services. We will always keep looking for ways to build on this to support the government’s ambitions.”

Hayley Pells, Policy Manager at the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), added:

“Key to the success of such a vision is greater road user confidence which can only be achieved with sustained investment in the skills, particularly for the new automotive technologies including driver assistance systems and new drivetrains. The IMI welcomes the opportunity to continue working with the DVSA to ensure skills training and qualifications are fit for purpose for sustainable, connected, and safe transport across the UK.”

In other words, investing in the right training and equipment will become increasingly important as the vehicle parc electrifies over the next decade or so.