British car production in 2018 dropped 9.1 percent year on year from a year ago, but exports hit a record high, according to data published Thursday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Figures showed car production in Britain slid to 1.52 million units in 2018. However, exports in 2018 hit a record high since 2012, with 81.5 percent of UK-made cars shipped overseas.

The EU remained the country's largest trading partner, accounting for 52.6 percent of UK car exports in 2018, or 650,628 units.

Meanwhile, the investment into the auto sector plummeted by 46.5 percent year on year from 2017, at only 588.6 million pounds (773.5 million U.S. dollars), which indicated that Brexit uncertainty seriously impacted the industry.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, said: "The industry trades globally, benefitting from strong government support for the sector, a competitive business environment and free and fair trading arrangements with the EU and other global markets."

"Despite challenges as the UK leaves the EU, the fundamental strengths of British automotive manufacturing have not changed, but it's imperative we have economic and political stability to safeguard future growth and our mutually beneficial trading relationships," he added.

According to SMMT, Britain's auto industry employed 186,000 people directly in manufacturing and contributed 20.2 billion pounds to the economy annually.