Comment: Why regulation must catch up with a rapidly evolving vehicle and automobility sector
There has been a historical lack of regulation and standards for vehicle adaptations in the automotive industry, according to automotive accessibility specialist Mobility in Motion. To counter this issue, UK adaptations manufacturers and organisations, like Mobility in Motion, have developed the new Vehicle Adaptation Manufacturing Standards (VAMS) for introduction in the UK, after four years in the making. Martin Peaker, Group Engineering Director at Mobility in Motion, shares his thoughts…
With 1.2 million disabled people currently driving on UK roads and many more road users requiring some form of assistance through vehicle adaptations, it is alarming that in the past, there has been a lack of safety and quality assurances in place to ensure that vehicle users have access to the best products possible.
Given the rise in electric vehicles (EVs) and, beyond that, autonomous vehicles, the requirements for more intricate mobility adaptations will only increase and, as a result, equipment and technology must evolve to offer greater assistance remaining safe and of high quality.
Quality standards and regulations are slowly catching up
There has been an abundance of regulation created for common car products, such as type approval regulation, which ensures that when a vehicle is created, every subsequent manufactured vehicle must adhere to the approved model in dimensions, performance safety, and more.
There has historically, however, been a gap in the regulatory frameworks that cover additional products that may be integrated into a vehicle to aid accessibility, such as vehicle hoists or pedal aids. Installing additional machinery into a vehicle frequently meant that the new equipment was not covered by type approval as the original car was already approved and, as a result, the driving adaptations industry found itself without a set of dedicated standards.
The adaptations sector traces its roots to small, home-based manufacturing set ups and in lieu of a proper regulatory framework, bad practice in the industry has been rife. The effect of this is that many mobility aids may have been made without the correct knowledge or resources to guarantee safe products.
To counter this issue, the new Vehicle Adaptation Manufacturing Standards (VAMS) are being introduced in the UK. The standards, which have been 4 years in the making, have been developed by UK adaptions manufacturers and organisations such as Mobility in Motion.
The presence of VAMS offers a much needed minimum quality standard that UK adaptation manufacturers must meet and represents a significant step forward for the industry.
Overcoming the EV adaptation challenges
As of September 2024, there are 1.25 million electric vehicles (EVs) on UK roads. As the automobile sector seeks to transition fleets to electric in order to comply with government regulations that call for 100% of vehicles sold to be electric by 2035, two key obstacles are arising that provide significant barriers to the vehicle adaptation industry.
One key challenge is safety. EVs operate at very high, often lethal voltages meaning that unless product installers are incredibly careful, serious accidents can be caused through explosions and fires.
Another obstacle that must be overcome relates to the major structural differences of EVs compared with their traditional counterparts. Key components, such as motors, converts and high-voltage lines are often in new, unexpected positions. In addition, we’re also seeing a wider variety of vehicle setups with EVs, hybrids and more – making the task of designing and installing adaptations ever more complex.
Solutions to these barriers do exist. For example, when it comes to safety, many garages now have specially equipped EV bays, tools and personal protective equipment (PPE) such as insulated gloves and footwear to prevent accidents.
At Mobility in Motion, we’re remaining alert to new and evolving technological advancements in order to develop safety protocols with the Motor Industry Research Association that will enable us to support and train our installer networks. Beyond this, we’re actively pushing for better regulation at a European level to ensure adaptations are considered in quality assurance planning.
The fastest advancements in technology and regulation for 30 years
The automobile sector is rapidly evolving technology motors towards EVs, driverless vehicles, and beyond.
The increased uptake in EVs is also having a broader regulatory impact with a new cybersecurity regulation already coming into effect this year – requiring those looking to fit vehicle adaptations to gain a cybersecurity management certificate in order to bypass software encryptions implemented by the Original Equipment Manufacturer, in order to begin installing adaptations within an EV.
Mobility in Motion are quickly moving to ensure engineers are getting up to speed with this by delivering specific EV cybersecurity courses – something that all adaptation companies will need their engineers to get to grips with.
Looking further ahead, the autonomous vehicles market is expected to be worth US$214 billion by 2030. The UK’s Autonomous Vehicles Act (2024) is being introduced with the aim to establish a legal framework for self-driving vehicles, with a particular focus on safety and infrastructure requirements.
As the sector does move towards autonomous vehicles – many barriers for vehicle adaptations will also arise alongside this. For example, autonomous vehicles will need a lot of sensing and safety systems, on top of those that already exist in a more traditional vehicle, which may complicate adaptation processes.
The mobility adaptation sector must keep on the pulse of such autonomous systems in order to offer usable products that can ultimately improve the accessibility of future vehicles.
Launched in 2023 to transform the landscape of automotive accessibility. Mobility in Motion provides one of the largest ranges of mobility products available in the UK. Its focus is on delivering products that make life easier, helping people embrace car travel with confidence and freedom.