Thatcham Research is pleased to announce that Ben Townsend is taking up a new position as head of automotive.

Ben will spearhead the risk intelligence company’s emergent ‘automotive vertical’ function, which is focused on supporting the wider sector in delivering safe, secure, and repairable mobility.

This is part of an ongoing process to align the business to provide improved automotive sector support, working with vehicle manufacturers, repairers, and insurers to build value at the earliest stage possible in the vehicle lifecycle.

As the automotive sector continues to grapple with change, from emerging Net Zero imperatives and resultant shifts in consumer buying habits, to new competitors from emerging markets challenging the established order, Thatcham Research is focusing on the sustainable adoption of new vehicle technology to ensure the best experience for all road users.

Townsend said: “Based on our unique brand of data and research-driven risk intelligence, our automotive products will draw upon more than five decades of dedicated experience as a business to ensure that the ecosystem can bring safe, secure, and sustainable product to market. Key to achieving this is anticipating risk before models are launched and uplifting ‘insurability’ as a core design attribute that keeps cars on the road.”

Thatcham Research chief executive Jonathan Hewett said: “By supporting vehicle manufacturers through the design process, bringing automotive risk intelligence combined with unrivalled insight from our direct lines into the repair and insurance sectors, we can create more sustainable and insurable mobility solutions in this dynamic and challenging environment.

“We are therefore pleased to announce Ben’s appointment to lead our new automotive vertical. This role will provide focus to the organisation, encouraging a product led approach that creates real gains for our external stakeholders.”

Ben, who will report into chief commercial officer Miller Crockart, joined Thatcham Research in 2017, bringing over 20 years’ experience in the engineering industry, encompassing aerospace, defence (Martin Baker Aircraft) and automotive (Jaguar Land Rover), Ben is also a fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and a Chartered Engineer.