Electrification and driver expectations: why clarity is redefining roadside assistance ?
In a European automotive market undergoing rapid electrification, roadside assistance situations increasingly involve higher technical complexity and software dependency. Electric and hybrid vehicles introduce different failure patterns, specialised safety protocols and more diagnostic ambiguity.
When technical situations become less intuitive, uncertainty increases, for both drivers and assistance networks. In this environment, transparency, ETA visibility and structured communication become critical elements of service quality.
Electrification is increasing operational complexity in roadside assistance
The European automotive market is undergoing a structural transformation. In 2025, more than 60% of new vehicle registrations in the European Union are electrified. Battery-electric vehicles represent 17.4% of registrations, hybrid-electric vehicles 34.5%, and plug-in hybrids 9.4%.
This rapid shift is not only redefining vehicle engineering. It is also reshaping roadside assistance operations.
Electric and hybrid vehicles introduce different failure patterns, higher dependency on software systems and stricter safety protocols related to high-voltage batteries. Diagnostics are increasingly data-driven. Immobilisation scenarios can require specific expertise, specialised handling procedures and coordination across digital systems.
Roadside assistance is therefore becoming structurally more complex.
Transparency, digitalisation and fewer calls: new assistance expectations
Market studies and operational feedback point to a clear convergence of driver expectations in roadside assistance situations:
- continuous and accessible information,
- clear visibility on estimated arrival times (ETA),
- more digital interaction throughout the assistance journey,
- fewer phone calls required to understand what is happening.
These expectations mirror broader shifts in automotive customer experience, where digital journeys and real-time visibility are becoming standard. Assistance is no longer an isolated event; it is part of a connected service ecosystem.
Why information has become a key driver of automotive customer experience
Customer dissatisfaction in roadside assistance rarely originates from the final technical resolution. It most often emerges in the intermediate phases, when drivers lack clarity on the status of their situation.
In an environment characterised by:
- limited workshop capacity,
- growing software- and EV-related complexity,
- uneven skills availability across networks, the absence of reliable information increases uncertainty.
This uncertainty leads to repeated inbound calls, reduced trust, and a degraded perception of service quality, even when coordination is effectively underway.
Information therefore becomes an operational stabiliser.
It reduces unnecessary contacts, protects customer trust and reinforces OEM service credibility. It structures waiting time, reduces pressure on contact centres, and stabilises customer perception across the assistance journey.
Why ETA visibility and proactive information are reshaping assistance journeys
Drivers increasingly expect roadside assistance to meet the same information standards as other digital services. They look for status updates, predictable timelines, and clear explanations without having to actively request them.
ETA visibility does not primarily address speed expectations. It addresses predictability. When information is structured and communicated proactively, unnecessary interactions decrease and confidence in the assistance system improves.
Listening and information coordination as operational responses
At ARC Europe, listening is treated as a strategic function. Listening means understanding and analysing what drivers expect at each stage of the assistance journey and organising information accordingly.
We coordinate roadside assistance across Europe by ensuring that relevant information flows clearly between OEMs, networks and certified local providers. This coordination supports service continuity, even under constrained operational conditions.
As OEMs seek to protect customer experience and loyalty, retention and aftersales performance, the ability to deliver reliable and structured information becomes a core component of roadside assistance systems.
Informing is already assisting: a new interpretation of roadside assistance
Driver expectations in 2026 confirm a structural shift in roadside assistance. Transparency, digitalisation and ETA visibility are no longer optional features. They are essential elements of service quality.
In a European automotive market shaped by regulatory pressure, electrification and capacity constraints, proactive information becomes a pillar of service continuity. It reduces uncertainty, supports operational coordination and directly improves perceived assistance quality.
Informing is no longer only about reassurance. It has become a core part of how assistance is delivered.
Informing is already assisting.
