Motorists will soon be able to choose which workshops they can have their vehicles repaired in, with the launch at the end of this year of a new system that will categorise and rate workshops according to their service standards and expertise. The workshops will be linked to auto insurance companies.
Information on the workshops will be presented on a common portal for motorists to access, reported Gulf News.
In the case of an accident, motorists will be able to see where their vehicles are being repaired and the standard of service at a particular workshop.
The Emirates Standardisation and Metrology Authority (Esma) is currently working on regulations to govern the sector across the country that will set a minimum requirement in terms of skills of mechanics and service standards for a workshop to operate, Mr Abdullah Al Muaini, Esma’s Director-General, told Gulf News.
He said the regulations and the system will be ready by the end of this year, after being sent to the Cabinet for approval.
“Once approved, the system will be implemented in stages, so that the workshops have enough time to meet our standards,” he said.
“We will first look at the level of the standards at the workshops to ascertain whether they meet the minimum requirements. If they don’t, then we will give them a grace period to improve their service,” he added.
In the next stage, the workshops will be categorised according to the type of service they offer, such as AC repair, tyre service, bodywork, engine work and so on.
“Our aim is to categorise and classify all workshops across the country. We will certify them, we will examine and certify the mechanics who work at these workshops and then rate these units according to the skills possessed by the employees who work in the workshops and the equipment the workshops possess,” said Mr Al Muaini.
Insurance players told the Emirates Today that insurers in the local market send vehicles for repairs to workshops which charge the cheapest price, irrespective of the standards of services provided, due to pressure on profits. However, several insurers have also been lobbying for the classification of auto repair shops so as to improve services.
Insurance Authority officials said that an auto repair shop classification system would reduce the number of disputes which arise between insurance companies and vehicle owners.