Responsible business
Vehicle quality and safety and customer care
We are committed to designing and building exceptional vehicles that combine craftsmanship, performance and innovation with the highest standards of quality, safety and customer care. Throughout the vehicle lifecycle, we strive to meet or exceed regulatory requirements while continually improving our products and services.
Vehicle quality
Quality is intertwined throughout the design, engineering and manufacture of every Aston Martin. From craftsmanship and supplier quality to production and final vehicle inspection, quality is everyone's responsibility and is supported through building a culture of continuous improvement, supporting collaboration and encouraging problem-solving, openness and continuous challenge.
Quality is led by our Quality Director, who reports directly to the CEO and is responsible for implementing our Quality Policy through an effective Quality Management System ('QMS') and clear standards.
We are certified to ISO 9001:2015, covering the design, engineering and manufacture of our vehicles, as well as associated spare parts, components, distribution and warehouse operations. Our QMS follows the 'Plan, Do, Check, Act' model and is underpinned by our Quality Policy, governance framework, internal audit programme and company-wide quality reviews. The basis of this is our monthly Quality Committee, that set strategic objectives and review performance. Weekly tactical meetings focus on emerging quality issues, supported by daily operational quality meetings at our manufacturing sites.
The Aston Martin Board receives quarterly updates on quality performance, while training requirements are embedded within our operating system and monitored by our Quality team.
Vehicle safety
Safety is embedded throughout the design and development of every Aston Martin vehicle. From the earliest concept stages through to testing and final approval, safety considerations are integrated into every stage of the vehicle development process.
Meeting vehicle safety requirements in every market where our vehicles are sold is fundamental to our approach. While these regulations define the minimum safety requirements for our vehicles, we consider all safety standards at the time of designing our vehicles. Our safety engineers maintain and update a comprehensive set of global vehicle safety targets, working closely with our Legal and Certification teams to help ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations worldwide.
Safety features
Features designed to enhance passive safety include core aspects such as strength of the vehicle body and crash structures, chassis control and braking systems, interior and restraint system design and electronic control systems.
As passive safety technologies mature, our focus increasingly includes Active Safety and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). These systems are designed to help reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions by supporting drivers and mitigating the effects of human error.
We take a holistic approach to active safety by supporting the driver with a ‘Hands-on (wheel), Eyes-on (road) and Mind-on (driving)’ philosophy by minimising distractions and ensuring an effective human-machine interface (for example hard buttons in an easy to find and consistent location, not just relying upon a touchscreen that changes) and the addition of ADAS features to achieve this.
Our core vehicles include, as standard, many of the latest ADAS features and these are available in all worldwide markets to ensure a consistent level of safety to our customers wherever they live. Many of the features are required to fulfil regulations in some markets, but Aston Martin looks to go beyond these requirements and add features that are state-of-the-art and consistent with our “Hands-on, Eyes-on, Mind-on” philosophy.
To develop these systems, we undertake extensive testing on test tracks and public roads, supported by simulation and hardware-in-the-loop technologies, following internationally recognised standards.
Customer care
Our aim is to provide the highest standards of care and service to both our customers and dealer partners throughout the ownership experience. Our dedicated Aftersales team plays a key role in connecting customers and dealers with Aston Martin, providing expert support and helping to ensure a seamless ownership journey.
We actively encourage customer feedback and use the insights we receive to support continuous improvement in both our products and services. Our global dealer network provides specialist technical expertise, service support and parts distribution.
As a low-volume luxury manufacturer, we recognise the importance of maintaining a direct relationship with our customers. In addition to dedicated customer and dealer support teams, we provide comprehensive technical documentation, diagnostic services and access to a dedicated parts warehouse that supports the timely supply of service parts worldwide. Where additional support is required, Aston Martin technicians can be deployed to assist vehicles anywhere in the world.
Vehicle recall
Aston Martin operates robust processes for the monitoring, investigation and management of vehicle safety concerns, enabling corrective actions to be implemented when required. Field issues are monitored on an ongoing basis through structured cross-functional review processes, helping to identify and address potential concerns at the earliest opportunity.
Where safety-related actions are required, including vehicle recalls, these are managed by our regional teams in accordance with applicable local regulatory requirements. Completion rates and reporting obligations are managed in line with the requirements of the relevant authorities in each market.
Our product safety and field management processes are regularly tested and reviewed and are subject to both internal audit and oversight from relevant regulatory authorities, helping to ensure they remain effective and aligned with our commitment to customer safety and care.