Thatcham Research
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersThatcham, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Thatcham Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thatcham Research
- Legal name
- Thatcham Research
- Website
- https://thatcham.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thatcham Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Risk Intelligence
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DOT/Annual Vehicle Safety Inspections & Roadworthiness Certification (TLAKANAJ)
Keywords
Where Thatcham Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Thatcham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Thatcham Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Insurer Membership: UK motor insurers pay membership fees to access Thatcham Research's vehicle risk data, ratings, repair methods, and safety intelligence
- Vehicle Data & Licensing: Licensing of vehicle risk data, Group Rating scores, Variant Code, and ABI codes to insurers, aggregators, software houses, and vehicle manufacturers
- Testing & Consultancy Services: Fee-for-service testing (crash, active safety, security certification), bespoke research projects, and Insurability by Design consultancy for vehicle manufacturers
- Training Academy: Automotive Academy providing training and accreditation for repair technicians, with courses in paint, panel, VDA, MET, ADAS and EV repair
- Web Services & APIs: Risk and Repair Web Services providing data access via APIs for parts, times, methods, ADAS, Vehicle Risk and Variant Code data
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Insurer Membership - tiered access to vehicle risk data and services |
| Subscription | Annual | escribe platform subscriptions |
| Subscription | Annual | Web Services API access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Thatcham Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thatcham Research is the UK's only not-for-profit automotive risk intelligence organisation that rates every car for safety, security, and sustainable repair. It delivers vehicle risk data, ratings (Vehicle Risk Rating and Group Rating), repair methods (escribe platform), physical crash and active safety testing, security certification, training through its Automotive Academy, and consultancy services such as Insurability by Design to UK motor insurers, vehicle manufacturers, and the collision repair sector.
Product overview
Thatcham Research is the UK's only not-for-profit automotive risk intelligence organisation offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services focused on vehicle safety, security, and sustainable repair. The core offering centres on Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR), which provides vehicle risk assessment data to insurers. This is supported by Group Rating (currently transitioning to VRR), Variant Code for granular feature identification, and Vehicle Risk Data as the underlying dataset with 100+ data points per vehicle. The product suite includes Active Safety Testing and Crash & Safety Testing for Euro NCAP assessment, Thatcham Security Certification for alarm/immobiliser/tracking products, and escribe as the UK's leading repair methods solution integrated with major UK estimating systems. Repair sector offerings include Vehicle Repair Methods (BS10125 compliant), Insurability By Design consultancy, and Risk and Repair Web Services APIs. The Automotive Academy provides training and accreditation, while the AiQ platform serves as the data delivery mechanism. Bespoke Research services support custom programmes for manufacturers and government. The portfolio serves insurers, vehicle manufacturers, repairers, and government/regulatory bodies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- escribe: The UK's leading repair methods solution designed to help the industry return damaged vehicles back to their pre-collision condition.
- Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR)
- AiQ
- Automotive Academy
- Thatcham Security Certification
Products and services
- Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) Comprehensive vehicle risk assessment system that rates every car for safety, security, and sustainable repair using a dynamic five-assessment model; serves UK motor insurers for underwriting and pricing decisions.
- Vehicle Risk Data Live industry-standard dataset containing key information about insurable cars, LCVs, and motorcycles, with each vehicle carrying 100+ individual data points and a unique eight-digit ABI code; sold to insurers, aggregators, and software houses.
- Group Rating
Quantifiable outcome
- 82% of UK drivers feel safer with ADAS; over half report systems have prevented collisions
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Thatcham Research
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Thatcham Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
Thatcham Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BYDcore12-month partnership (from January 2026) focused on repair-friendly EV design. Thatcham Research advises on repair methods, training, and New Vehicle Security Assessment compliance. Partnership aims to reduce unnecessary write-offs, extend vehicle lifespan, and support affordable insurance for BYD's expanding UK model range.
- Euro NCAP (former partnership ended 2026)core22-year partnership ended in March 2026. Thatcham Research was a founding member of Euro NCAP and contributed to European vehicle safety testing since 2004. Following Euro NCAP's biggest protocol revision since 2009, Thatcham launched its own independent ADAS testing programme.
- Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR)minorResearch partnership conducting surveys and economic analysis on automotive topics including ADAS effectiveness, skills shortage impact, and EV adoption trends.
- What Car? MagazinecoreAnnual What Car? Safety Award in partnership with Thatcham Research, testing vehicles for ADAS performance and awarding safest new cars.
- Bodyshop MagazineminorAnnual Bodyshop Magazine Awards recognizing outstanding talent in collision repair industry, with finalists competing at Thatcham Research Automotive Academy.
- RCAR (Research Council for Automobile Repair)coreInternational association of vehicle research centers; Thatcham Research participates in RCAR protocols for damageability and repairability assessments.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Thatcham Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI): US insurance industry-backed organisation that collects and analyses vehicle insurance loss data to support risk rating and loss prevention. The closest direct functional analogue to Thatcham's insurer-funded vehicle risk intelligence model, with comparable data, ratings, and loss-cost research outputs.
- CAP HPI: UK provider of vehicle data, valuations, and technical specifications to automotive and insurance markets, owned by S&P Global. Direct competitor in the UK vehicle data and risk ratings space, providing overlapping Group Rating-style products to UK insurers and OEMs.
- Allianz Center for Technology (AZT): Germany-based automotive research centre owned by Allianz, providing vehicle repair, damage, and testing research through RCAR membership. Direct peer within Thatcham's own RCAR network, performing comparable repairability and crashworthiness research for European insurers.
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): US non-profit funded by auto insurers that performs crashworthiness and crash-avoidance testing, issuing vehicle safety awards. Operates a near-identical business model to Thatcham (insurer-funded crash testing, ratings, and consumer-facing safety rankings) with strong accreditation and media leverage.
Broad incumbents
- Euro NCAP: Pan-European vehicle safety assessment programme for which Thatcham was a founding testing partner until March 2026. Broader incumbent authority in the same vehicle safety testing space; Thatcham's exit to run an independent ADAS programme positions Euro NCAP as the established incumbent competitor in consumer-facing safety ratings.
- Verisk (Auto and Insurance analytic divisions): Large US-listed data analytics provider serving insurance and automotive customers with vehicle risk data, telematics, and claims analytics. Operates at greater scale and capital intensity across comparable insurer-facing vehicle risk and repair data use cases, representing a potential disruptor to Thatcham's UK-centric data franchise.
- LexisNexis Risk Solutions: Global data and analytics provider serving insurers with vehicle, identity, and claims data. Already a Thatcham integration partner (offering VRR data to brokers at point of quote), making them both a channel partner and an incumbent competitor with broader UK and international distribution.
Emerging players
- Solera Holdings (Audatex / AudaNet): Global provider of vehicle claims, estimating, and repair management software integrated into insurer workflows. Adjacent competitor and partner in the UK repair estimating ecosystem, overlapping with escribe's repair methods and ADAS data delivery into insurer claims systems.
- Transport Research Laboratory (TRL): UK-based transport and mobility research organisation with vehicle safety, crash testing, and ADAS research capabilities. Adjacent peer operating crash and active safety research with overlapping regulatory and government work, but broader in transport policy than Thatcham's insurance-led focus.
Others
- RCAR (Research Council for Automobile Repair): International association of vehicle research centres of which Thatcham is a member. Acts as an industry body and peer network rather than a competitor, but its collective protocols shape the global repairability standard that Thatcham's escribe product is benchmarked against.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Thatcham Research social profiles
Digital presenceThatcham Research compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Thatcham Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thatcham Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Thatcham Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thatcham Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thatcham Research
What does Thatcham Research do?
Thatcham Research is the UK's only not-for-profit automotive risk intelligence organisation that rates every car for safety, security, and sustainable repair. It delivers vehicle risk data, ratings (Vehicle Risk Rating and Group Rating), repair methods (escribe platform), physical crash and active safety testing, security certification, training through its Automotive Academy, and consultancy services such as Insurability by Design to UK motor insurers, vehicle manufacturers, and the collision repair sector.
Is Thatcham Research a public or private company?
Thatcham Research is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Thatcham Research founded?
Thatcham Research was founded in 1969. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Thatcham Research based?
Thatcham Research is headquartered in Thatcham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Thatcham Research make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Insurer Membership is the primary driver. The others are vehicle Data & Licensing, testing & Consultancy Services, training Academy and web Services & APIs.
Who are Thatcham Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), CAP HPI, Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Broad incumbents are Euro NCAP, Verisk (Auto and Insurance analytic divisions) and LexisNexis Risk Solutions. Emerging players are Solera Holdings (Audatex / AudaNet) and Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). RCAR (Research Council for Automobile Repair) is listed as an others.
Does Thatcham Research have an API?
Yes. Datasets and information served through Thatcham Research products and services are also available via a comprehensive suite of web service APIs. These allow access to parts, times, methods, ADAS, Vehicle Risk (Code44) and Variant Code data offering flexible integration into solutions and workflows. Use cases include EV quarantine requirements notification at FNOL, ADAS data integration for windscreen repair, and parts pricing integrations for Vehicle Risk pricing activities.
What industry is Thatcham Research in?
Thatcham Research's product category is Automotive Risk Intelligence. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKANAJ, DOT/Annual Vehicle Safety Inspections & Roadworthiness Certification. Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.