Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

{{Multiple issues| {{Third-party|date=January 2020}} {{COI|date=January 2020}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Short description|UK automotive industry association}} {{Infobox organization |name = Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders |image = Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.svg |image_size = |caption = |abbreviation = SMMT |formation = 1902 |status = Not for profit company |purpose = Employer organisation for the UK motor trade |location = London |region_served = United Kingdom |num_members = UK automotive companies and motoring organisations |leader_title = Chief Executive |leader_name = Mike Hawes,<ref>{{cite web|title=Chief Executive|url=http://www.smmt.co.uk/about-smmt/structure/chief-executive-mike-hawes/|access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> |main_organ = SMMT Executive (President – Mick Flanagan, Vice President, Adient)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smmt.co.uk/2023/11/smmt-announces-new-president-mick-flanagan-vice-president-adient/|title = SMMT announces new President|date = 29 November 2023}}</ref> |parent_organization = |affiliations = Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles (ACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers Association) |budget = |website = [http://www.smmt.co.uk www.smmt.co.uk] }}

The '''Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders''' ('''SMMT''') is the trade association for the United Kingdom motor industry. Its role is to "promote the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad."

==History== SMMT was founded by Frederick Richard Simms on 16 July 1902. In January 1959 it moved to Forbes House, Belgravia, and in August 2011 it moved into its current offices at 71 Great Peter Street, London.<ref name=history />

===Motor Show=== One of its early functions was holding motor shows, the earliest of which was at Crystal Palace in January 1903 (now known as the British International Motor Show). The Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) was formed in 1946. In 1978, the Motor Show moved to the National Exhibition Centre. In 2006, the Motor Show returned to London at ExCel in 2006.<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=SMMT history|url=http://www.smmt.co.uk/about-smmt/history/|publisher=SMMT|access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref>

===Vehicle registrations=== {{main|Vehicle registration plates of the United Kingdom}} In July 1972 it started the Motor Vehicle Registration Information System (MVRIS), which works on behalf of the government to collate data about new registrations of vehicles.<ref name=history /> Data is obtained from vehicle manufacturers and/or importers and the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency. Figures are released on the fourth working day of every month and detailed analysis is available for purchase.<ref>{{cite web|title=MVRIS New Vehicle Registrations UK|url=http://www.smmt.co.uk/smmt-membership/member-services/market-intelligence/vehicle-data/mvris-new-vehicle-registrations-uk/|publisher=SMMT|access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref>

===Consumer protection=== The Motor Industry Code of Practice for New Cars was launched in 2004, which provides trading standards for consumers, via automotive traders who are registered with the '''Motor Codes''' code of practice. The UK car industry has had a reputation of a minority of garages and repair companies giving consumers a less-than-satisfactory level of performance, with (generally) female consumers being cynically targeted for excessive costs for maintaining their cars. Call-out charges for repairs and roadside breakdowns have been known to be uncompetitively high. The Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair was launched in August 2008 to correct any ''cowboy'' practices of financial manipulation. More than 4,000 garages across the UK now are registered with this scheme. It was claimed by the National Consumer Council that substandard repair work by UK garages was costing consumers around £4 billion a year.<ref>[http://www.motortrade.org.uk/motor-codes/ Motor Codes]</ref>

==Activities== The organisation "promotes the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad" for a sector that produced 1.6 million vehicles – including cars and commercial vehicles – and 2.71 million engines in the UK (2018) and employs a UK workforce of more than 823,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smmt.co.uk/reports/smmt-motor-industry-facts-2019/|title=SMMT Facts|publisher=SMMT|access-date=2019-05-31}}</ref> The organisation advocates and lobbies on behalf of the sector,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7414753/Budget-2010-boost-for-car-industry.html|title=Budget 2010 boost for car industry?|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=2010-03-30 | location=London | first=David | last=Williams | date=2010-03-11}}</ref> in particular for vehicle and component manufacturers, and the motor retail sector.

===Lobbying=== Scientists on the Climate Change Committee advised a total ban of petrol and diesel engine sales including for hybrids by 2032 to meet the UK government's decarbonisation goals. The SMMT lobbied the government to delay this ban. The resulting delay was a "significant victory for the car industry" according to ''The Guardian''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/15/car-industry-lobbied-uk-government-delay-ban-petrol-diesel-cars|title = Car industry lobbied UK government to delay ban on petrol and diesel cars| website=The Guardian |date = 15 March 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.smmt.co.uk Official website] * [http://www.motorcodes.co.uk Motor Codes] * [https://eurohausdubai.com Car Workshop in Dubai] * [http://www.industryforum.co.uk SMMT Industry Forum Ltd] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100602094847/http://www.acea.be/index.php/collection/about_us_acea_associated_organisations/ Europe-wide motor manufacturer organisations]

===Video clips=== * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTu9C3iSP0Y Low carbon buses at Energy Live News] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guQUpZS640M Vince Cable and low carbon vehicles]

{{Automotive industry in the United Kingdom}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Society Of Motor Manufacturers And Traders}} Category:1902 establishments in England Category:Automobile associations in the United Kingdom Category:Automotive industry in the United Kingdom Category:Motor trade associations Category:Non-profit organisations based in the United Kingdom Category:Organisations based in the City of Westminster Category:Organizations established in 1902 Category:Trade associations based in the United Kingdom