Shoosmiths’ annual Automotive Conference brought leaders together to tackle disruption—from automated vehicles to finance trust. Here are the key themes shaping what’s next.
Published: 29 May 2026
Author: Jonathan Smart
The annual Shoosmiths Automotive Conference brought together leaders from across manufacturing, technology, finance and legal to tackle the forces reshaping the sector – from automated vehicles and supply chain resilience to motor finance trust and the future of dealerships. This article brings together the day’s key themes and debates, setting out what’s changing now and where the industry is heading.
This time, automated vehicles are moving from concept into real-world deployment
Panel: Automated vehicles: An exciting road ahead for the UK & beyond
Speakers: Ben Gardner, Partner, Shoosmiths; Robert Bateman, Manager – Vehicle Research & Advanced Engineering, Nissan Group of Amieo; Mihail Krepchev, Head Of Legal, Wayve Technologies Ltd
The opening panel was clear: AVs are moving out of theory and onto UK roads. With robotaxis expected in London, a maturing regulatory framework and live commercial trials, the shift is underway. To illustrate the point Nissan has moved beyond research into real-world deployment and mobility services. Wayve, meanwhile, pointed to growing investment and heavyweight partners. The message was simple: this is no longer a distant future.
No single player will deliver AVs alone; collaboration across OEMs, software firms, regulators and infrastructure partners is essential. . On that front the UK has an edge with regulatory readiness, deep engineering talent and an influence on global standards. But technology alone won’t unlock scale. Public confidence remains critical and adoption will only follow once people trust how AVs behave on real roads.
AVs are not just about self-driving cars — they’re about access, safety and new services with Robert Bateman framing AVs as a shift from carmaker to service provider. They can also be of benefit for nervous drivers, people with limited mobility and those who currently depend on others to travel. As a result, more consistent driving, safer streets and smarter cities could deliver lasting economic and social value for the UK.
Supply chains are being rebuilt for resilience
Panel: Build or integrate? Re‑wiring supply chains, logistics & manufacturing
Speakers: Caroline Chester, Legal Director, Shoosmiths; Wei Wu, Corporate Partner & Manufacturing Lead, Shoosmiths; Rupal Harrison, Head of Legal & Compliance, Company Secretary, Daimler Truck & Daimler Buses UK; Edwin Morgan, Policy & Public Affairs Director, UKWA
Geopolitics, tariffs, fuel volatility, labour shortages and energy disruption have exposed how fragile global models can be. This isn’t the end of globalisation: it’s a reset. Businesses are rethinking where they need control, where single‑source risk runs too deep, and where localisation or vertical integration can protect continuity.
The build‑versus‑integrate debate has become a strategic choice about ownership. Speakers argued that companies should retain control of what matters most — data, forecasting, analytics and customer insight — while partnering on platforms, logistics and specialist tech. Examples like build your dreams (BYD) show the upside of owning more of the value chain. But the warning was clear: trying to build everything slows execution and raises risk.
Despite rising customer expectations, many B2B supply chains still lack real‑time visibility. That gap raises hard questions around data ownership, cybersecurity and cross‑border compliance. At the same time, challenges like battery logistics, charging infrastructure and freight electrification are simply too big for any one business to solve alone. The takeaway? Future resilience will be built on shared data, stronger ecosystems and more joined‑up policy and infrastructure planning.
Motor finance is a trust issue, not just a regulatory one
Panel: Reset to restart: Being the trusted brand again
Speakers: Wayne Gibbard, Commercial Partner, Mobility, Logistics & Manufacturing Sector Co-Lead, Shoosmiths; Mitch Barltrop, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting
Motor finance is experiencing a trust reset, driven by regulatory scrutiny and shifting customer expectations.. FCA commission redress has created uncertainty, but compensation mechanics aren’t the real story. The bigger challenge is what this moment means for long‑term customer trust — and how the sector rebuilds it.
As part of the session Shoosmiths and FTI Consulting presented the results of its motor finance study which surveyed 2,000 vehicle owners across the UK on their experiences and attitudes – click here for the full survey findings. Customers still value motor finance, but too often they don’t trust what they’re being shown. Confusing pricing, complex incentives and dense documentation remain the pressure points — even where practices have improved. The message was simple: strip it back. Explain pricing clearly. Speak like a business that’s on the customer’s side. Transparency is no longer just about compliance — it’s how brands win.
Public perception is being driven by media, social channels and claims firms — often ahead of legal outcomes. The panel noted that firms have gained little credit for changes already made, partly because direct customer communication is still too weak. The takeaway: take control. Lead with clear, authoritative, customer‑first messaging — or risk trust being defined by others.
Physical dealerships remain central, evolving into multi-functional hubs combining sales, servicing and brand experience.
Panel: Showrooms, not showpieces: The investable reality of auto retail
Speakers: James Needham, Real Estate Partner, Mobility, Logistics & Manufacturing Sector Co-Lead, Shoosmiths; Catherine Hood, Real Estate Partner, Shoosmiths; David Hammersley, Business And F&I Manager, NFDA; Richard Stephens, Director, Robert Stephens & Co; Nigel Wells, Head of Network Development, Stellantis &You
Despite the growth of online sales, car buying remains a major financial and emotional decision. Customers want to see, test and experience vehicles in person. Physical sites also play a critical role in explaining increasingly complex products — particularly EVs and finance — where confidence is built face to face.
As a result, dealerships are becoming more flexible, multi‑functional spaces. Sales, servicing, aftersales — and in some cases multiple brands — are coming together under one roof. Brand experience still counts, but sites now need to work harder commercially and deliver value across the full customer journey.
Affordability, flexibility and infrastructure are the real constraints. Dealers face high fit‑out and operating costs, shorter lease horizons and the need to retrofit sites for EV charging. At the same time, competition for land is intensifying as automotive uses compete with industrial and logistics demand. As a result, real estate strategy is becoming a core commercial decision, not a background issue.
Back to basics: Clarity, judgement and focus
Panel: Running legal like a business: Practical steps for lawyers in a changing industry
Speakers: Jonathan Smart, Litigation Partner, Mobility, Logistics & Manufacturing Sector Co-Lead, Shoosmiths; Jonathan Lipman, Group General Counsel, Mercedes-Benz UK; Paul Gilbert, Director, LBC Wise Counsel
Lawyers need to translate complexity into plain English, be open with their teams, and stop living in permanent reaction mode according to the final panel session. Stronger boundaries matter. Not to block the business, but to support it properly, without burning out or losing focus.
The panel identified a growing confidence in AI tools like Copilot, particularly for practical gains such as summarising emails or sharing knowledge across teams. But the discussion drew a firm line: AI supports better prioritisation and efficiency; it does not, and should not, replace legal thinking.
As a result, the core job remains the same: run the day job well, spot what’s missing, understand the wider business context, and build a stronger function for the future. In summary, legal teams need to spend less time on low‑value tasks, be sharper about what genuinely needs legal input, and make deliberate, risk‑based choices about where to focus their energy.
More information
To stay up to date for the conference next year, register via the link below: