LOOKING ahead to the next twelve months, the BVRLA’s chief executive Gerry Keaney has provided the following outlook:

• Automotive lobbyists and legislators will spend much of the year trying to thrash out a new agreement that will create a secure, standardised and fair technology framework for the vehicle data share between manufacturers, vehicle owners, the independent aftermarket and other third-party service providers.
• Fleet owners will have to deal with the aggressive market strategies of certain OEMs who see their connected car platforms as a key opportunity to gain a direct relationship with the customers of rental and leasing companies. OEMs are also trying to gain a bigger share of the vehicle repair and servicing, breakdown and mobility services markets, which competes directly with the offerings provided by rental and leasing companies.
• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) will make major inroads into fleet vehicles in 2016, with the biggest impact being seen on road safety.

• Raising the profile of  the Grey Fleet and its impacts on costs, emissions and road safety will be a priority for the BVRLA this year. Policymakers will come under increasing pressure to tackle the issue and our members will be there with solutions.
• The government will be tempted to use the recent VW emissions crisis as an excuse to raise fuel duty as it looks to eliminate its Budget deficit.
• Hybrids will continue to lead the market for ultra-low emission vehicles as more manufacturers lower their prices. A growing range of vehicles with different capabilities and price points will seduce growing numbers of company car drivers.
• The car sharing market will continue to mature with the emergence of more corporate mobility schemes and a long-awaited surge in electric car club use in London.
• The changing demographics of UK motoring meant that the government needs to give serious consideration to the future of benefit-in-kind taxation, salary sacrifice agreements, fuel benefit charges and capital allowances. We will continue to call for a tax regime that places a fair and proportionate burden on business motoring and incentivises cleaner fleets.
• Fleets’ frustration with government agencies such as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will grow as budget cuts result in them inevitably delaying the introduction of some digital fleet services.
• Uptake of telematics-enabled usage-based insurance will expand from the younger driver sector into both the rental and fleet markets.