One of the most interesting articles in AM over the past month reported that Cazoo is calling for a specific criminal offence covering mileage alteration, following growing concern among used car dealers about clocking, writes Professor Jim Saker, president, Institute of the Motor Industry.
Its survey of 310 UK dealers found that six in 10 believed mileage fraud had increased over the past five years, while 81% regarded it as a serious industry issue. These figures are concerning, but there is an important qualification: they reflect dealers’ perceptions rather than a verified measure of how widespread clocking has become.
No true view of mileage manipulation
And therein lies the problem. We simply do not know the true scale of mileage manipulation, or whether the industry’s existing checks are sufficient to detect increasingly sophisticated methods.
Checking a vehicle’s MOT history has become a familiar precaution, but it is hardly foolproof. Historical mileage discrepancies can reveal obvious tampering, yet they offer limited reassurance if digital systems have been manipulated or misleading readings have been introduced elsewhere.
This challenge will become even more significant when mileage-based charges for electric and plug-in hybrid cars are due to begin in April 2028. Accurate mileage data will have direct financial implications, making confidence in the information more important than ever.
Organised car theft costing economy dear
Ironically, reading the AM article coincided with a BBC Radio 5 Live report on cars stolen to order and shipped overseas. Police estimates reported in July 2026 put annual UK vehicle theft at around 115,000, while organised vehicle theft is estimated to cost the economy more than £1.7bn a year.
RUSI reported in June 2025 that vehicle theft had risen by 75% over the preceding decade. An increasing number of these thefts utilise electronic interference with the cars vehicle’s security system. As a result of this many people are going back to having anti grind whole steering wheel locks as being the most effective way of deterring electronic attack.
That is where the industry’s longer-term challenge lies. There isn’t an obvious mechanical fix if organised criminals can exploit vehicle electronics, connected services or digital management systems. Could mileage readings be manipulated without obvious evidence, undermining the very data on which buyers and future tax systems depend?
There is also a fundamental difference between theft and clocking. Having the threat of having your car stolen car creates an immediate incentive for its owner to act. Mileage fraud can remain invisible, leaving subsequent buyers to discover the consequences.
Better verification, stronger digital security
The industry needs better verification, stronger digital security and clearer accountability.
The threat could come from organised criminal networks, state-sponsored actors or even individuals’ intent on disrupting the systems on which society increasingly depends. Whatever the source, the uncomfortable question is whether the automotive industry has the capability to defend itself against such threats.
Given the growing sophistication of connected vehicles and the systems that manage them, the evidence so far gives me little confidence that we are adequately prepared.
Author: Professor Jim Saker, president, Institute of the Motor Industry
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