UK vehicle-rescue organisations unite to stay in front

Advances in new-car technology have prompted the launch of a unified initiative from the UK’s biggest roadside-assistance organisations, to ensure that their patrols remain at the cutting edge of technical expertise.

Automotive-technician accreditation (ATA) for roadside assistance has been developed by the Automobile Association (AA), Mondial UK and the Royal Automobile Club (RAC), in association with the Institute of the Motor Industry(IMI), the professional association for the motor industry, which governs the scheme.

Testing the “hands on” practical skills of patrols in a range of technical disciplines, ATA also assesses theoretical systems knowledge to ensure all-round current competence. An initial 100 patrols have achieved accreditation as part of a pilot programme. It will eventually be available to 5,000 patrols across the three organisations.

So that organisations can keep abreast of innovations, patrol technicians will be required to renew their accreditation every five years, as part of their continuing professional development, which will be independently monitored by the IMI.

The ATA roadside-assistance scheme consists of two levels of accreditation– diagnostic technician and master technician.

ATA broke new ground in the retail motor industry in 2005 when it was first introduced for garage technicians, following three years of research and development. A voluntary initiative, ATA is underpinned by an ethical code of conduct, which accredited technicians must sign before being issued with their photo identity card.

Backed by the Government and all major car manufacturers, as well as leading service and repair chains, ATA has some 4,000 UK and Ireland technicians accredited to date. The scheme has since expanded into other sectors, including auto-glazing, crash repair, motorcycle servicing and vehicle estimating. In addition, ATA has won approval from consumer groups and the trading-standards authorities.

As well as recognising proven technical competence and knowledge, ATA brings recognition, status and credibility to skilled people and their businesses,which all stakeholders anticipate will help to improve consumer confidence across the motor industry.

Sarah Sillars, IMI chief executive, said: “Rapid vehicle evolution demands the utmost technical proficiency and the launch of ATA for the roadside-assistance sector will bring continued reassurance to motorists that they will be aided by technicians who are ambassadors for the cause in promoting skills, customer service and integrity.”

Steve Dewey, AA road-operations director, commented: “Our patrols thrive on delivering excellent service to our members, fixing cars at the roadside, so it’s critical that our patrols and AA as an employer invest continually in this expertise. For the first time, they will have external accreditation that will help with their continuing professional development. We demand high standards from them, so the ATA scheme will be of mutual benefit, as well as to customers, by benchmarking standards across the industry.”

David Bizley, RAC technical director, said: “Roadside technicians address a wide variety of technical problems in the most challenging of conditions. ATA for roadside assistance provides recognition of the very high levels of skill of the technicians working within this sector, which are among the highest in the motor industry.”