The RAC has acquired vehicle diagnostics specialists Nebula Systems to help boost its telematics offering.

The new venture gives the RAC full ownership of its vehicle diagnostic information and the ability to read a depth of data from the broad vehicle parc.

This is not only critical for the RAC in delivering market-leading roadside breakdown services to members, but also for fleet managers and business owners who will benefit from more insight into the health and maintenance of their vehicles, it said.

RAC Telematics managing director Nick Walker said: “The announcement today of the acquisition of Nebula Systems is really the first step in a series of developments that will lead to the RAC moving from a reactive, to a proactive and ultimately predictive breakdown service.

“This is a deal that will give our telematics systems much greater capability and will really position the RAC as leaders in vehicle status data.”

He continued: “For a fleet manager or business owner, the RAC Telematics system will provide complete clarity into the health and behaviour of their vehicles which means they can be proactive about dealing with issues before they develop into the kind of problems that could take a vehicle off the road. This will help to reduce costs and downtime, leading to more efficient fleet management.

“This is a deal that represents a great leap forward for RAC Telematics in terms of what it can do for RAC members, and also provides a platform for future developments in this exciting technological area.”

Andrew Steer, CEO at Nebula Systems, said: “For Nebula, the investment and brand recognition that the RAC brings will give us the massive boost we have been looking for so that we can accelerate the development of our own exciting and disruptive aftermarket and car enthusiast projects.”