Thatcham Research has joined motor insurance research institutes from 15 countries in calling for vehicle damage and repair costs to be considered earlier in the vehicle design process, helping to keep motoring and insurance affordable for consumers.

The call was made at the annual RCAR conference in Mexico City, where experts highlighted the growing impact of vehicle complexity on repair costs and insurance claims. Together, the institutes identified three priorities: improving vehicle repairability through design, expanding the adoption of parking and manoeuvring automatic emergency braking systems, and promoting repair methods that prioritise repair over replacement wherever technically feasible.

Research presented at the conference showed that wider deployment of Parking AEB technology could reduce collision damage claims by up to 15% worldwide, while RCAR low-speed crash testing continues to provide manufacturers with a common benchmark for reducing damage in everyday collisions.

The announcement comes as UK motor repair costs continue to rise. According to the Association of British Insurers, vehicle repairs accounted for £1.9 billion of the £2.9 billion paid out in motor claims during the first quarter of 2026, while the average accidental damage claim increased to £3,699.

Jonathan Hewett, chief executive at Thatcham Research, said: “Most drivers will never be involved in a high-speed crash, but almost all of us will experience a low-speed collision at some point. How much those incidents cost depends greatly on how the vehicle was designed. By working together through RCAR, insurers and manufacturers can reduce damage, improve repairability and help keep mobility affordable for consumers.” 

Encouragingly, new Thatcham Research data suggests manufacturers are responding. More than half now rank repairability above traditional priorities such as performance, comfort and styling, while the average damage sustained by new vehicles in standardised low-speed impact tests has fallen compared with 2025.

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