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In order to qualify for the group reductions and resultant cost savings, vehicles must have the systems fitted as standard, while manufacturers that offer them as an option further up the range are not eligible for the discounts. Matthew Avery, head of research at Thatcham, tells BusinessCar: "A reduction in group ratings is in process now and works out to one to five groups, but this is only applicable if the system is standard fit."
He continues: "You're looking at a 10-15% insurance cost saving on average. Ford reckoned the insurance cost saving worked out to about £50 per car [across the board], so if you spread that across a fleet of any size, it's huge."
Several vehicle manufacturers already offer AEB systems as standard fit on their vehicles and those that do are keen to crow about the results. The Mazda CX-5, Ford Focus and Volvo V40 are some of the cars currently on sale that are fitted with AEBs as standard, but the near mandatory inclusion of the technology in future Euro NCAP test requirements means it's likely to become standard fare on an ever-increasing number of new cars.
While in favour of AEBs and their associated cost reductions, Mark Jowsey, director of manufacturer liaison at whole-life cost specialist Kee Resources, says the move highlights the fact that insurance costs are often ignored by fleets, and warns of the additional risk involved when procuring cars with higher insurance groups.
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