Motoring journalist and television presenter Richard Hammond has partnered with automotive diagnostics specialist Carly, to help UK drivers to improve their understanding of issues affecting modern vehicles and learn how to deal with them.
Richard Hammond – a much-loved British television presenter and journalist, well known for co-hosting motoring programmes BBC Top Gear, and The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime, both with Jeremy Clarkson and James May – has a well-regarded and popular car restoration business, The Smallest Cog. He also hosts the TV show Richard Hammond’s Workshop on Discovery+.
Rather than a traditional celebrity endorsement, the collaboration will focus on educational content, practical advice and real-world eventualities that reflect the realities of modern car ownership. Through the partnership, Richard Hammond will explore common vehicle issues, share insights from his own experience and use Carly technology to demonstrate how drivers can gain greater visibility into the health of their vehicles over the length of their ownership.
The association reflects a shared commitment to improving transparency around vehicle maintenance and reducing the uncertainty many drivers face when warning lights appear on the dashboard. By making diagnostic information more accessible and easily understood, Carly’s aim is to help motorists address issues before they lead to more serious and costly repairs.
As part of the partnership, which aims to help UK drivers understand technology behind modern cars, Carly’s compiled the top 5 car issues for a few car brands aged between 2016–2024. Carly’s data reveals that software, sensor, battery voltage and vehicle communication issues are among the most commonly detected problems across some of the UK’s most popular car brands according to the latest SMMT figures (May 2026). This dataset highlights how important it is for drivers to be able to access vehicle diagnostics quickly so they can assess any issues with their cars and take suitable action before repair costs escalate.
Modern vehicles rely on many interconnected control units, sensors and electronic systems. While these technologies improve performance, efficiency and safety, they can also make fault diagnosis much more challenging for drivers. Carly’s latest analysis of millions of diagnostic sessions shows that software-related faults, sensor malfunctions, battery voltage issues and vehicle communication errors are among the most commonly detected problems across popular modern car brands. Frequently detected issues highlighted by this Carly dataset include CAN-BUS communication errors, undervoltage and overvoltage faults, fuel pump and turbocharger sensor faults, and emissions-related issues, including particulate filter and catalyst system faults. See the table below for more detail.
The dataset suggests that while mechanical reliability remains of great importance, many of the most frequently detected issues in today’s vehicles are now linked to electronics, software and communication networks*. Using Carly’s systems to get an early diagnosis of such problems can help drivers address faults before they develop into more costly repairs and avoid unnecessary garage visits.
Carly UK Growth Manager Emma Brown said: “As vehicles continue to become more connected and technologically advanced, access to clear and understandable diagnostic information is becoming increasingly valuable for drivers seeking greater confidence and control over vehicle maintenance. We’re excited to be partnering with Richard Hammond to help bring that message to UK motorists and beyond. By helping drivers identify potential issues earlier, Carly gives them clearer insight into their car’s health, so they can make more informed repair decisions, reduce the risk of unnecessary costs and feel more in control when faults or warning lights appear.”
In response to his association with Carly, Richard Hammond said: “What made this partnership interesting to me is that it’s not really about advertising – it’s about helping drivers better understand modern cars in a practical, real-world way. Cars today are driven as much by software and data as they are by mechanics, and that’s exactly the kind of conversation we’ll be focusing on.”
The recent dataset from Carly underlines how technology in modern vehicles can make pinpointing issues increasingly tricky without help from a diagnostic system. The collaboration between Richard Hammond and Carly highlights the increasing importance of giving drivers the tools and information they need to be confident when working on their cars.
Power Drive 