MOT
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is providing a free MOT update at Automechanika Birmingham, taking place on Thursday 8 June from 9am – 11.30am in the Concourse Suite 1, NEC Birmingham. Technicians can register to attend and discuss the evolution of MOT training with MOT tester training expert, Kate Street.
Many drivers put their car in for an MOT early in order to find out if any faults need repairing, in the belief they can still use the vehicle until the old test runs out despite any discovered issues. However, if their car fails the MOT, it is immediately deemed to be no longer road legal, regardless of how long the previous MOT’s validity has remaining.
Randstad is expressing growing concern about proposals to extend the MOT test from three years to four for newer vehicles. The company’s deep engine cleaning brand TerraClean reduces emissions and restores a vehicle’s performance. The TerraClean supplier contends that the proposals would severely affect the government’s control of emissions.
Wendy Williamson, chief executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) will be providing an overview of some of the latest challenges facing the industry in 2017 and how the aftermarket is responding to these issues at Automechanika Birmingham. The association has run similar briefings at shows such as The CV Show.
It isn’t just the trade that opposes potential changes to current MOT legislation. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has published the results of a YouGov survey, and these results indicate that a large majority of car owners want the MOT first test to continue taking place when their vehicle reaches three years of age.
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has thrown its weight behind a cross-industry campaign to encourage a government rethink on proposed changes to current MOT legislation. It is also calling on all involved in the tyre industry to make their voices heard via an official petition.
MTS, the UK’s second largest distributor of tyres, is backing the ProMOTe campaign, which has been re-established in response to the government’s plan to extend the time allowed before the first MOT of a car or motorcycle’s life from three years to four.
Garage equipment specialist V-Tech has announced that from April 2017 it will be offering five year warranty as standard on MOT bays, in a move it describes as “an industry first.” V-Tech originated to supply handheld diagnostic systems as demand took off in the early 2000s. Since then, it’s grown rapidly to become a national supplier and installer of a wide range of garage equipment.
Ultimately, the MOT test is there to protect motorists, other road users and the environment. With the news that the UK Government is considering extending the date of first MOT from three to four years, questions on whether this will damage the overall effectiveness of the test with regards emissions components are inevitable. Especially when figures show that as many as one in five cars fail their first MOT.
MoT failure rates due to tyre defects are, states TyreSafe, unacceptable. The safety organisation reports that data it requested from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) reveals nearly 2.2 million cars failed the MoT in 2016 as a result of dangerous or illegal tyres, a figure that shows tyre defects to be behind 27 per cent of all car MoT failures. Of those, 106,000 failures involved cars taking their first MoT upon reaching three years of age. That equates to a five per cent failure rate due to tyre defects for all cars taking their first MoT. Overall, tyre defects are second only to lighting as the most common reason for MoT failure.
Euro Car Parts has started a petition in support of the current 3-1-1 MOT test regime. Joining industry voices such as the NTDA and IAAF, Euro Car Parts has voiced concerns that road users’ safety will be compromised if the date of a car’s first MOT is extended to four years.
With excitement revving up for the release of ‘17’ number plates on 1 March, buying a car is a significant purchase. A new study from American Express has found that 19 per cent of adults will spend an average of £11,094 buying a brand new or second hand car this year, equating to a bumper £1081 billion across the UK as a whole.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) says that proposals to extend the MOT test from three years to four for newer vehicles are “fraught with danger.” With proposals to extend the frequency of MOTs currently at the consultation stage, the IAAF is highlighting the dangers involved and the risks that could threaten driver safety.
The IAAF’s chief executive Wendy Williamson told the Radio 4 You and Yours consumer programme that proposals to extend the MOT test from three years to four for newer vehicles are fraught with danger. With the proposals to extend the frequency of MOTs currently at the consultation stage, the IAAF is highlighting the dangers involved and the risks that threaten driver safety.
A new course from Bosch is designed to ensure that technicians can develop the skills and knowledge to perform the statutory vehicle inspections required for MOT testing. Designed for those who are not already qualified as MOT testers, the training comes as a result of a DVSA change devolving the responsibility for training to other providers.
Bosch has a longstanding relationship with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), one of the awarding bodies for the training, and those who pass the final assessment will receive the IMI Level 2 Award in MOT Testing (Classes 4 and 7). Those wishing to book their MOT demonstration test with the DVSA must first hold the Level 2 Award.
The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) has reaffirmed its opposition to the DfT’s plans to extend the first MOT test from 3 to 4 years. The NTDA was the first trade association to respond to then Chancellor George Osbourne’s initial proposal back on 8 July 2015.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.