How AA stopped a car breaking down before the driver even set off

BREAKDOWN service the AA is used to rescuing drivers in distress – but now it can even prevent motorists from starting their cars if it believes the vehicle will break down.

Chief executive Simon Breakwell revealed how AA engineers had phoned a driver and told them not to start their Audi after the firm’s Car Genie device detected problems with its engine.

The gadget monitors the vehicles’ engines and software, feeding back information from the car to the AA to predict problems such as engine failure and gearbox faults.

It is now being used in about 6,000 cars as a trial and the AA says indications so far are that it has been able to predict about one-third of breakdowns before they happen.

It plans to expand the trial to tens of thousands of members this year.

Breakwell, 52, said: ‘Even if it is just a fraction of that, we have the potential to move the AA from not just being there when you do break down, but trying to prevent you from breaking down in the first place.

‘The reason why that is powerful is because when your car does break down it is invariably a total nightmare; you remember vividly when it happened and how upsetting it was.

‘So preventing that happening could be a very powerful thing for our members.’ He added: ‘I was in Oldbury a couple of months ago where we actually called up a member – had a little Audi, if I recall – and told them not to start their vehicle because there was a problem with their big end [part of the engine].

‘So in some cases [it is] messaging members, in some severe cases actually calling a member up and telling them not to start their vehicle. So it’s all of those things, diagnoses, all kinds of problems.’ The AA says it hopes Car Genie could help it provide scheduled repairs as well as being a breakdown service.

The firm was rocked by the departure of executive chairman Bob Mackenzie last year as well as profit warnings, which have prompted a strategic review. Showing signs of recovery, the AA reported a 2pc rise in annual revenue to £959m.

Roadside assistance revenue was up £5m to £747m, while insurance services rose from £131m to £133m. Profits of £391m were down 3pc, partly due to it paying third-party garages to take some roadside assistance calls due to high demand in the summer.

Breakwell said it was getting more patrols onto roads, as he recognised members didn’t like being picked up by garages.

Analysts at Cenkos said devices including Car Genie meant the AA now had a clear technological lead over its rivals. They added: ‘It’s still early days, but with a strengthened board and management team, the AA’s recovery is under way.’ The AA is paying a dividend of 5p per share.

Its shares have fallen around 60pc since last year, but regained 17.4pc, or 19.8p, yesterday to close at 133.5p.

Yesterday also saw Breakwell back the recovery, splashing out £169,000 on 142,249 shares at an average of 118p per share.

It is believed to be his first share purchase since he was appointed as the company’s permanent chief executive last September.

The share slump has prompted speculation of takeover bids, although none has been disclosed to the market.