Ensuring product safety

Product safety is a key focus for Motus in the later stages of a vehicle's lifecycle – when it is serviced and maintained, sold as a pre-owned vehicle, supplied as a rental and when it requires parts and accessories. We apply stringent quality controls at every touchpoint.

OEMs are responsible for the safety aspects of the vehicles they manufacture. All imported vehicle models are subject to a country's homologation¹ process before they are introduced to that market. In South Africa, the process covers safety, cost, emissions and parts support for 10 years.

In the UK, if the vehicle has been fundamentally modified prior to registration (that is, changes have been made to the mass or dimension of the vehicle or that affect the vehicle's safety systems), it must undergo further inspections. This impacts the body modifications we do on commercial vehicles.

The quality control of parts and accessories happens at source, and Aftermarket Parts assures the quality of these products when adding them to its product portfolio. All imported and locally manufactured safety critical products, such as wiper blades, brake pads and lights, must comply with the relevant ISO standards and SAE International's² technical standards and recommended practices, and must be approved by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) before they can be sold in South Africa.

The Consumer Protection Act is a key piece of legislation in South Africa that applies to the quality of our automotive-related products and services.

What we are doing

Assisting OEMs and customers to maintain safe vehicles

We help OEMs maintain their safety and brand standards. For new vehicles, quality checks are conducted before they are delivered to the dealership and pre-delivery inspections take place before they are handed over to customers. Our effective recall procedures ensure that we engage with customers quickly in the event of an OEM recall so that parts can be replaced timeously. When dealing with a recall and to maintain our customer care standards, we aim to reach every one of our customers impacted and encourage them to engage with authorised dealerships or representatives before any work is undertaken on their vehicles. Our warranty departments track claims, component failure rates and recurring problems, providing the importer brands with this data to inform their quality improvements.

We offer competitive service and maintenance plans, roadside assistance to help stranded drivers and passengers in the event of mechanical breakdown and VAPS such as deposit cover, extended warranties and Adcover that protect our customers against various risks associated with vehicle ownership and financing.

One element of the Competition Commission's Guidelines for Competition in the South African Automotive Aftermarket (Automotive Aftermarket Guidelines) requires that customers be allowed to request the unbundling of service and maintenance plans. Our sales staff are trained to engage with customers on the implications of opting out of taking a service or maintenance plan. While this is an important development for customer choice, it does come with risk, including foregoing the credibility, professionalism and quality of work provided by OEM dealership service departments, and jeopardising the manufacturer warranty should customers fail to service their vehicle in line with manufacturer requirements.

Our service campaigns communicate the importance of using good quality parts in the continued safety and optimal performance of vehicles. We also promote special offers such as discounted prices on out-of-warranty service kits and beneficial labour rates to assist customers with out-of-warranty vehicles. Customer loyalty programmes, such as the Kia Klub and Renault Drivers Club, build strong customer relationships and deepen brand loyalty, focusing on customers with out‑of‑service plan or out‑of‑warranty vehicles. Some brands also provide digital apps that provide customers with easy access to service history and service and maintenance plan information.

1	Granting of approval by an official authority.
2	SAE International (initially established as the Society of Automotive Engineers) is an engineering standards organisation.

In South Africa, our partnership with Discovery Insure offers drivers who are part of Discovery's Vitality Drive Programme a telematics-based warranty offering that provides comprehensive and market-leading mechanical breakdown and electrical failure cover. Drivers receive discounts on their vehicle services as a reward for driving well.

Vehicle servicing and maintenance

Our OEM dealership service departments use OEM-specified equipment and technology, as well as OEM-certified parts and aftermarket accessories. OEMs provide ongoing product and technical training for customer-facing employees, workshop technicians and quality controllers. This is supplemented with our own training programmes. Workshop tools and equipment are regularly maintained in line with OEM standards, using third-party specialists where required.

Our Auto Pedigree Service Centres compete in the independent service provider (ISP) space, and offer vehicle owners access to affordable high-quality vehicle maintenance. The service centres provide major and minor services, brakes and clutch replacement, suspension, transmission repairs and engine overhauls, offering customers either OEM parts or approved Motus aftermarket parts. At year-end, 10 Auto Pedigree Service Centres were in operation and we intend to grow our footprint by another third in 2023.

In the UK, compulsory Ministry of Transport (MOT) tests check that vehicles older than three years meet road safety and environmental standards. We remind customers whose vehicles are subject to an annual MOT test when their MOT certificates are about to expire.

Certain brands and service workshops use digital solutions to record the health of a vehicle and any service and maintenance requirements, and share this information between parts, workshop and service providers. Video is also used to communicate with customers to show them what is wrong with their vehicles, helping them make quick decisions relating to additional maintenance or repairs.

Pre-owned vehicle sales

Our stock of good quality pre-owned vehicles is derived from the following sources:

• Our rental fleets in South Africa, where we on sell quality pre-owned vehicles with up-to-date service histories. The services and maintenance are undertaken in our own workshops and panel shops or by our franchised dealerships.
• Our vehicle brands which offer high-quality reliable pre-owned vehicles, reconditioned to their set standards. All vehicles have a balance of factory warranty.
• Reliable SA and UK business partners and auction houses from whom we purchase vehicles that are less than six-years old with mileage under 140 000 kilometres. All purchased vehicles have a full Dekra Report (a comprehensive digitised and image rich report on the technical status of a vehicle) and are subject to our own quality processes before we take ownership.

Aftermarket parts

For owners with vehicles outside of the warranty period, we offer three tiers of aftermarket parts, namely premium genuine OEM products, private label products and entry level products that are fit-for-purpose for older vehicles.

Suppliers of parts must be ISO/TS16949 accredited, an International Automotive Task Force technical specification (the highest quality standard globally) and are held to strict service level agreements. Our aftermarket parts sourcing team obtains all documentation and certification applicable to the product and country from which it is sourced. For example, products sold in Europe must have the applicable CE marking and/or E marking, which is the manufacturer's declaration that the product meets European Union standards for health, safety and environmental protection. This is a non-negotiable control when sourcing from Europe.

Measures are in place to closely monitor and manage parts return and failure rates. Where unintended health and safety risks are identified, parts are recalled.

For accessories, we engage with local producers and ensure that accessories are approved by OEMs and have the necessary NRCS certificates and test reports.

How we measure our performance

In South Africa, we subscribe to the Motor Industry Ombudsman and the Insurance Ombudsman, which are impartial and recommend resolutions to disputes between the automotive industry and its customers. We monitor all cases reported to the Ombudsmen as well as those reported to the National Consumer Tribunal. Related reports are reviewed regularly at various management forums.

Vehicle servicing and maintenance

Random customer satisfaction surveys are conducted to inform quality improvements in terms of workshop servicing and parts. The importer OEMs also conduct their own surveys on our customer service performance, providing an additional layer of assessment.

Individual technician training hours and competency levels are tracked. OEM inspections and our own internal technical audits ensure that OEM standards and targets are met, that agreed training is completed and that the vehicles we service operate safely on the road.

In the UK, the commercial vehicles division is ISO9001 certified (quality management system standards). Regular internal audits are conducted to ensure the correct processes are followed, and shortcomings are reported on the operation's health and safety system for analysis and action. An independent external audit is undertaken annually and a full audit by the ISO awarding body every two years. The Vehicle Certification Agency also conducts quality inspections.

Pre-owned vehicles

All pre-owned vehicles in South Africa undergo a stringent 116-point quality assurance check conducted by an independent quality assurer. A similar process is adopted in the UK and Australia. In certain instances, customer satisfaction surveys are conducted on the sale of pre-owned vehicles in the South African operation.

Quality assurance

Regular deal file audits, compliance audits and quality assurance of all calls handled by our call centres ensure we maintain a high-level of quality in our products and services.

Providing compliant financial services and products.

Keeping abreast of regulatory changes.

Protecting our data.

Car rentals (South Africa only)

All rental vehicles undergo a 26-point check, applying the SAVRALA¹ standards, before every hire. Car Rental has adopted the ISO9001 standards, and has completed the first phase of the certification. The second phase is scheduled for later in the 2022 calendar year.

Aftermarket parts

The quality and safety of parts is regularly assessed against manufacturing standards and related regulatory requirements.

Governance of social impact.

1	SAVRALA (the Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association) is an independent industry body that sets acceptable industry norms for rental vehicles.