Diversion ahead: MOTs are going digital

In a move first flagged back in August as a likely change for the way that MoTs are issued, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is today reported to be stepping closer to making the MOT system paper-free. As a trial stage to incoming change, garages in Gloucestershire may soon be among those offered the option by the DVSA to no longer issue a traditional paper fail certificate if customers are happy to access their MOT record and history online. The DVSA says that while physical fail certificates can still be issued, particularly for complex failures, it will be encouraging garages to present customers with the option to view certificates online.

As part of the Department for Transport for a seven-year modernisation goal, the government has already signalled that it wants to “massively reduce” the amount of paper used across the entirety of the DVSA’s remit. In accordance with this aim, MOT certification will become digital-by-default option – with the added benefit of cracking down on industry fraud and unsafe vehicles on the road.

Chris Price, head of MOT policy at the DVSA said: “Moving to a digital MOT record will reduce the amount of paper used which is beneficial to the environment whilst also making it easier for customers to access their vehicle records and view the results, if they need to view the certificate they can.” He added: “One of the key users of our data are the police.

We have been supporting them on Operation Tutelage – which was originally set up to crack down on insurance evasion however they have also started to focus on those without a valid MOT.” If police detect a vehicle on the road without an MOT, and the driver isn’t taking their vehicle for an MOT, they will send the motorist a nudge letter reminding them to get their vehicle tested. If this is ignored, they may be stopped by the police and be subject to a fine.

He told MOT testers: “We hope sharing this data will make it easier to crackdown on those who try and drive without a valid MOT.

This will have the benefit of improving MOT compliance and improve the volume of tests you conduct.” Paperless transition would also grease the wheels of recall exercises when a fault can be traced through existing on-road vehicles and quickly rectified. However, not all industry stakeholders fully agree with the paperless transition: one MoT tester told the government in feedback: “Surely we need a back-up system, which would obviously be a paper trail.

I understand technology has to move on, however the motor repair industry is still way behind other industries. I believe we should operate on a level which can benefit all, rather than those who were taught computer-based education.” And a small MoT testing station warned: “Many of our customers are elderly and when they bring their vehicles in for MOT they come armed with a folder full of paperwork relating to their car/van.

They still rely on paper documents to keep up to date with what is due and when so they can organise themselves. We hand over a copy of the MOT Certificate/failure sheet at the end of each test so customers actually feel as though they are getting something (albeit some pieces of paper) for their money.” They added: “As the vast majority of our customers know very little about cars (why should they?) they are reassured that they can simply show the appropriate paperwork to whoever carries out their repairs without having to try and explain anything.

We use the MOT documentation as part of our customer service procedure, which as a small independent MOT Testing Station helps us compete in a busy and often cut-throat environment.

The customer experience is just as important to us as the MOT Test itself.

Going digital for absolutely everything is not the answer.”