RAC, Europ Assistance, Falck, and VHD announce the creation of ERA Automotive

A new alliance created to enhance global coverage, unrivalled levels of technical expertise and customer experience in road services, has been formed by bringing together the major European road services assistance providers - RAC, Europ Assistance, Falck and VHD.

The newly-formed European Road-services Alliance (ERA Automotive) will operate on a pan-European basis, by bringing together the individual expertise and respective geographical footprint of each partner, complementing each other from the UK to the Nordics and Baltic countries, across all continental Europe.

RAC, Europ Assistance, Falck and VHD have founded a unique partnership for motoring services with this alliance (now benefiting from a clear and distinctive identity), covering directly nearly every country in Europe.

Pierre Brigadeau, Group Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Europ Assistance, says: “Thanks to our 339 years of combined experience in roadside assistance, our exclusive alliance creates a strong, reliable and experienced partner of choice for motor manufacturers, leasing companies, fleets and insurers wherever they may be located in Europe.”

By bringing together a common culture to achieve progress in motoring services, the four partners commit to work jointly, with one customer-facing identity, to develop and share newly-acquired innovation to offer innovative breakdown services consistently across Europe.

David Wallace, managing director of RAC Business Roadside, said: “This new alliance is inspired by three common values. The first is Innovation: new technologies are reshaping the automotive industry. This has forced us to re-think the way we have delivered our services in the past.

“Next comes Simplicity: our mission is to help customers in complex situations; our common aspiration is to do it with the best customer experience.

“Last is Consistency: we work in a global industry. When you drive a car you expect the same, seamless experience no matter where you are.”

Thanks to a strong commitment by the four partners to work together, the new alliance will ensure clear accountability, transparency and ease-of-business through a simplified pan-European account management. For automotive customers this will mean a single point of contact, better central steering and greater control over their motor assistance programs across Europe.

Lars Vester Pedersen, CEO at Falck Assistance Nordic said: “This exclusive partnership goes even further into the simplification of motoring services. It provides one trusted partner for clients in need of a seamless and top quality experience for their drivers, as we service directly through our fully-owned local entities 99% of all interventions in Europe.”

The creation of ERA Automotive is accompanied by the launch of a new look and logo combining the identities of all partners. Peter Varekamp, CEO at VHD adds: “The new logo of ERA Automotive is the best summary of what our new partnership stands for: four lines with the colours of the four partners coming together like a crossroads, to form a very distinctive, modern and universally known mark."