The King’s Speech: Head of ZF Aftermarket Reacts

Figures from the railway and engineering industry continue to react and respond to the King’s Speech, delivered yesterday afternoon. The Speech, which is delivered annually by the monarch in the House of Lords, outlines the current government’s plans and policies for the year to come.

King Charles III delivered his first speech as a crowned monarch, including the government’s plan for the rail industry and the transport industry at large. This includes the mention of a Draft Rail Reform Bill, outlined in the accompanying briefing, published on the government website before the speech was delivered yesterday afternoon.

The drafted bill has five proposed strands, including bringing together network management and the commissioning of public services, a simplification of the fares and ticketing systems, a development of conditions which will allow the private sector more investment, a simpler rail industry structure, and an improved customer focus regarding accessibility and freight. These measures are proposed for the whole of the UK.

A PDF copy of the full briefing can be found on the government website.

Other transport sectors were also included in the briefing, including a proposed Automated Vehicles Bill. Unlike the Rail Reform Bill, this is not in draft form.

The Automated Vehicles Bill will set a safety framework in law; companies will be held accountable once vehicles are on the roads. Incidents from self-driving vehicles will be investigated and Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) will be digitalised.

These details are also found in the briefing PDF published on the government website.

Figures from across the industry have reacted to the government’s proposed plans and policies.

“For the UK is to fulfil its aspirations of becoming a tech powerhouse, it is imperative that emerging technologies are embraced, one of these being autonomous mobility,” Philippe Colpron, Head of ZF Aftermarket, said.

“Though the ambition of having a widespread adoption is exciting, it’s vital to acknowledge that the transition to autonomous mobility won’t occur overnight as it will require, beyond technology readiness, a full eco-system of services. It is good to see the Government starting to plan ahead. One crucial challenge which we should ensure not to overlook is the importance of predictive and connected maintenance solutions for the autonomous vehicles,” Colpron added.

“While they promise advancements in safety, efficiency and convenience, their success is intricately linked to diligent and preventive maintenance solutions. There are currently over 42,000 repair and maintenance businesses across the UK, and we must ensure to bring them along, for example through training and workshop technology, so they can continue servicing the vehicles of today and tomorrow.”

ZF is a global technology company supplying systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility. ZF allows vehicles to see, think and act. In the four technology domains of Vehicle Motion Control, Integrated Safety, Automated Driving, and Electric Mobility, ZF offers comprehensive product and software solutions for established vehicle manufacturers and newly emerging transport and mobility service providers. ZF electrifies a wide range of vehicle types. With its products, the company contributes to reducing emissions, protecting the climate, and enhancing safe mobility.

With some 165,000 employees worldwide, ZF reported sales of €43.8 billion in fiscal 2022. The company operates 168 production locations in 32 countries.

ZF’s leading aftermarket and fleet solutions portfolio is built on its strong brands LEMFÖRDER, SACHS, TRW and WABCO. A broad product and service offering, advanced connectivity solutions for digital mobility management and a global service network, support and enhance the performance and efficiency of all vehicle types throughout their life cycle. The company’s aftermarket organisation is both an architect and pacesetter for the Next Generation Aftermarket and the preferred partner for fleet and aftermarket customers worldwide.