Thatcham is the motor insurers’ automotive research centre which is established in 1969 by the motor insurance industry. The aim of Thatcham Research is specifically maintaining safety standards which ultimately leads to containing or reducing the cost of motor insurance claims.
Thatcham is the only not for profit insurer funded research centre in UK with the forefront of vehicle safety, security, and repair.
Thatcham Research so far achieved:
- 1974 – First research to control the cost of repair (doorskins)
- 1989 – Opened Thatcham Training to improve body repair standards
- 1993 – Creation of Thatcham Standards to address car theft
- 2004 – Researched better car seat design using Hyper G sled
- 2007 – Joined Euro NCAP to add whiplash testing expertise
- 2011 – Focused on Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
- 2014 – Thatcham’s Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) Tests added to Euro NCAP’s 5 Star Rating
2016 – Creation of Automated Driving Insurers Group (ADIG)
- 2017 – Funding for research framework for assessing vehicle cyber risk
- 2019 – New research into electric vehicles and lightweight structure