Motability Pauses Drive Smart Program on Complaints

Motability, the UK charity-led scheme that enables disabled people to lease new vehicles using their government-funded mobility allowance, announced on Thursday, May 14, 2026, that it is pausing its Drive Smart telematics program following widespread customer complaints.

The initiative required eligible participants to install a tracking device, known as a black box, in their leased vehicles along with a companion app. The technology monitored driving behaviors such as speed and braking, issuing weekly ratings of green, amber or red. It applied to first-time customers, named drivers under 30, and those with a history of multiple insurance claims, regardless of age. Safe driving earned rewards redeemable at retailers, while persistent poor ratings, such as four red weeks in 12 months or two consecutive reds after warnings, could result in removal from the scheme. In a prior pilot launched in 2025, Motability removed 300 drivers for unsafe habits.

The program aimed to promote safer driving, reduce accidents and curb rising insurance costs, which the organization described as one of the largest expenses in vehicle leases amid increasing claims. Motability Chief Executive Andrew...