The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has warned that a lack of skills to work on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is endangering road users and undermining UK mobility.
IMI has reported that 5% of UK car parcs have level 2 autonomy (where the vehicle can control acceleration, braking and steering), and there are currently only 3,000 technicians qualified with IMI TechSafe to work on ADAS-featured vehicles.
By 2023 alone, IMI predicts a shortage of 6,000 technicians to support UK car parcs, and by 2030, 44% of cars on UK roads will include ADAS, requiring a total of 106,000 qualified technicians.
Based on current qualification and training trends, IMI estimates there will be a shortage of 51,000 qualified technicians in just seven years.
Steve Nash, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry, said: “Drivers have become accustomed to and dependent on the autonomous features of their vehicles.
“Any failure could be catastrophic. For example, if a driver takes too long to realize that their adaptive cruise control has failed on the highway, they could easily have a serious high-speed collision with the vehicle in front. It’s the same story if Lane Keeping Assist or Lane Departure Warning fails and the driver switches to a neighboring lane in front of the faster vehicle. The risk can be higher for more advanced features like Autosteer and Automated Lane Change.
“It is no exaggeration to say that it is a matter of life and death that these technologically advanced vehicles are only maintained by qualified technicians. The need for skills is immediate with a significant proportion of UK cars already using Level 2 autonomy. It is also important to recognize the serious economic impact of the skills gap. The lack of a qualified workforce meant delays in vehicle repairs, undermining UK mobility.
“Autonomous vehicles rely on complex systems, including advanced electronics, sensors and software. Without the necessary skills to diagnose and repair problems with autonomous systems, vehicle safety and reliability cannot be guaranteed. Not only that, the increasing integration of autonomous technology in vehicles means technicians need to have a deep understanding of how different systems interact and work together, requiring a commitment to continuing professional development in order to keep abreast of the latest advances in the field.”