Kwik Fit has hosted its first-ever Insights Day for the fleet sector, attended by key decision-makers from major leasing and rental firms.

Attendees were able to experience different types of vehicle and different types of tyres with professional drivers

The event, held at the MIRA Technology Park near Nuneaton in Warwickshire, shared key information to help fleets improve safety by reducing accident rates, manage tyre wear across their vehicles and ultimately reduce costs.

Attendees, who are collectively responsible for a combined fleet of more than 1.5 million vehicles, were also taken round the track by test drivers to show different tyre performance in different conditions.

Activity modules across the full-day programme were designed to help inform fleets in their planning, both for the medium and long term. Presentations spotlighted the challenges faced by both vehicle and tyre manufacturers, forthcoming legislation and future vehicle technology. The Kwik Fit tyre experts also covered developments in tyre complexity, both in the context of meeting the widening needs of the ever-changing car parc and in responding to the drive for more sustainable products.

The day also included data from Kwik Fit’s proprietary analysis of current rates of tyre wear, examining the difference between ICE vehicles and EVs. The company says it has potentially the largest dataset on tyre wear in the UK, with more than 1.2 million observations being added to the data by its analysts each year. This information can be tailored by vehicle type to enable customers to plan for any changes in the profile of their own fleet.

Attendees were able to experience different types of vehicle and different types of tyres for themselves. Tests included comparisons between budget and premium tyres when straight line braking on wet and icy surfaces, as well as the difference in handling on wet and dry roads. Guests were able to feel for themselves the levels of confidence different tyres provided when handling unexpected situations.

Tom Edwards, fleet sales director at Kwik Fit, said: “We’ve already had some great feedback from attendees about the value of the event in providing them with practical information which they can feed into their planning. As Kwik Fit works with a wide range of tyre manufacturers, we are able to provide a sector-wide view, rather than focusing on just one brand, and we believe this independent insight is invaluable to decision-makers.”

Future events will build on the format of the first session and anyone interested in invited to get in contact with the Kwik Fit fleet team.