10 DR 0 MI RIVER LLIO RS ON BookMyG servicing & re prices to b compar VER 10 million dr RI arage.com epairs with Ts, book MO red instant rivers have marketing tea eir in- to be th of garages ac ed b Also trust l B ki T • Responsive We am house e UK ross th by THOUSANDS bsites directory list If not, ge your Are y ting today. et your free e? fair shar you getting S AR GET T • Review Widget ools • Booking T RTED s The No.1 magazine for automotive information JUNE 2023 www.aftermarketonline.net INSIDE Is your business approved? P14 Neil Pattemore asks what might happen if the freedom that defines independent garages is eroded A month in the life of a vehicle tech P26 A whole host of unlikely vehicle faults are sent to test Frank Massey’s knowledge and abilities Diagnotics: It is Evoque-ative P28 A Range Rover Evoque with a wide array of fault codes was the cause of much recent headscratching for Ryan Colley REGISTER FREE FOR AUTOMECHANIKA BIRMINGHAM, 6-8 JUNE: HTTPS://AUTOMECHANIKA-2023.REG.BUZZ/PRESS Visit us at Automechanika in the Networking Lounge
OVER 270 MANUFACTURER LEVEL TRAINING PROGRAMMES COVERING EVERYTHING FROM EVs AND HYBRIDS TO IGNITION PARTS AND VEHICLE ELECTRONICS Automotive technology’s on the move. As a result technicians face more complex challenges than ever before. That’s why NGK has teamed up with market leaders OVA to bring to the Aftermarket what we believe is the most comprehensive and cost effective training platform available today. The NGK Academy. It’s training. But not as you know it. ENGAGING INTERACTIVE VIDEO BASED TRAINING THAT IS DESIGNED TO HELP :- DEVELOP PRACTICAL SKILLS AND EXPAND KNOWLEDGE IMPROVE WORKSHOP PRACTICES BUILD A HIGH QUALITY, MORE WIDELY CAPABLE, WORKFORCE GET A BETTER RETURN FROM YOUR TRAINING BUDGET AT LAST ONLINE TRAINING FOR THE AFTERMARKET THAT REALLY DELIVERS TRY IT FOR FREE at ngkacademy.com then get access to over 270 training programmes from less than £1 a day (+VAT)
www.aftermarketonline.net JUNE 2023 AFTERMARKET 3 CONTENTS BUSINESS 8 Big issue: Autotech Connect 12 ZEV Mandate: Sector reacts 14 Neil Pattemore: Is your business approved? 16 Tina Drayson: Shut up and listen 18 Digital roads: What does the future hold? 20 MEWA: Environmental impact TOP TECHNICIAN/TOP GARAGE 22 TOPDON: Supporting technicians TECHNICAL 24 Aftermarket of the future 26 Frank Massey: A month in the life 28 Ryan Colley: It’s Evoque-ative 30 Repairify: OE tools AUTOMECHANIKA BIRMINGHAM 31 Automechanika Birmingham 2023 preview IN FOCUS 39 Diagnostic tools 42 Garage management systems 44 Clutch and transmission 46 Lifts and jacks 50 Snap-on: Delivering diagnostic tools PLUS... 52 Competition/General products 54 On the road: Maverick Diagnostics 56 Garage visit: Cleevely EV 58 EVs and hybrids 60 Training update 64 Recruitment 66 Teabreak ACHTUNG BABY! Editor | Alex Wells alex@aftermarket.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 345 Managing Director | Ryan Fuller ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Contributors Ryan Colley | Tina Drayson | Neil Kennett | Frank Massey | Neil Pattemore | Martin Pinnell-Brown | Günes Yenen Operations Manager | Emma Floyd emma.floyd@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Marketing Executive | Hope Jepson hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 371081 Finance Department accounts@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Chief Executive | Ian Atkinson ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Published by | DFA Aftermarket Media Ltd 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1BE Alex Wells, Editor Average net circulation July 2021 to June 2022 19,073 @aftermarketmagazine @aftermarket01 @aftermarketmagazine ISSN 2516-9149 Aftermarket is published 10 times a year and is sent free of charge to applicants meeting the publisher’s criteria. All others may subscribe at £60 per anum, £120 Europe and £150 rest of the world. While every care is taken to provide accurate information, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or ommisions, no matter how caused. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior consent of the publisher. The views of contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Copyright: DFA Media Group 2023. The best things in life are free they say, and as Editor, I do get my fair share of gratuities. For example, at the launch of the battery tester by Maverick Diagnostics and AVILOO, which you can find a write-up on across pages 54-55, I ended up with a rather nifty cap, which I took on holiday with me over the Easter break, which was muchneeded as there is a lot coming up over the next few weeks, including of course, Automechanika Birmingham 2023, more on which later. Sadly, I can’t supply all my sartorial needs via PR giveaways, so I’m always on the look-out for fresh clobber. During our recent family visit to the Costa Del Sol, I was in a playground supervising the children when I spotted fellow dad sporting a tie-dye U2 ZOO TV Tour 1993 t-shirt. I missed this tour back when I was a teen, and still I wish I had gone. A t-shirt would be the next-best thing. Was it original or a repro? I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. All I did know was that it was hideous and I wanted it. If it was original, it might be worth a lot, and maybe he’d actually been to the show. He might be really attached to it in fact, so would I need to go in like a deranged plutocrat? “For your tatty tour top, I’ll swap you one night with my million-dollar wife.” To be honest that’s less an Indecent Proposal, more an incoherent one. It’s lucky I’m not an unravelling oligarch though, as I would have ended up chasing the immaculate Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud that I later saw snaking its way up the hill from the beach, trying to put an offer in. A car like that is a rare sight in Benalmadena, believe me. That being said, they might be more common in Marbella, although ‘common’ isn’t a word that should be used when referring to such a beautiful car. Anyway, back from the trip, I’m full of energy now and ready for Automechanika Birmingham 2023. It’s hard to believe the last one was actually four years ago now. Last year’s UK Garage and Bodyshop Event, also from the same organisers, was a much-needed jolt back into live events for this sector, and was much-enjoyed by everyone who attended. A full-size Automechanika Birmingham is a much bigger affair and will be correspondingly even more amazing I am sure. Have you signed up yet? If not, stop reading, go to the cover, copy down the link that takes you to where you can get your free ticket, book it, and then come back here. Don’t worry, I’ll wait. Of course, if you are reading this at the show itself, you will already have your free entry sorted. You will, of course be wondering what to see. We have you covered there as well, as across pages 31-38 you will find our pull-out Automechanika Birmingham 2023 special show guide. Everything you want to know will be in there. What are you waiting for? I would say it’s even better than the real thing, but the actual event is so much better. See you at the show!
NEWS The rules governing competition in the vehicle repair market are set to change on Thursday 1 June, with the UK-derived Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Order (MVBEO) replacing the EU Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MV-BER). The views of the sector had been sought by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which ran a consultation on the draft guidance to the MV-BEO. This closed on Tuesday 16 May. The IGA was one of a number of sector organisations that submitted a consultation response, as IGA Head of Member Services Frank Harvey noted: “The new MV-BEO, proposed by the CMA is very much in line with the original MV-BER but has been updated to accommodate some of the technological changes in modern motor vehicles. “In the first round of the consultation, the IGA highlighted several areas where we thought the Order could be improved, including stronger guidance for motorists saying they have the right to take their vehicle to an independent repairer without invalidating the warranty, along with the need for a system for vetted independent operators to access security-related information for repairs. We have welcomed the steps the CMA has taken in this direction. They provided some clarity on the topic of consumer choice by asking manufacturers and approved repairers to make it clear in any warranty documentation that vehicle owners can choose to use independents for servicing and non-warranty repairs. “For independents, the MV-BEO Guidance Document specifies that vehicle manufactures should make technical information, in all its formats, available to independent operators within the same timescale that it is make available to its authorised repairers. The MVBEO lays out that any software or activations codes required must also be available. However, there is a caveat that says security-related data can be ringfenced from this requirement. The MV-BEO also sets out guidance on parts supply and in particular what first-tier parts suppliers can and cannot expect in terms of protection to enable them to supply matchingquality parts to the automotive aftermarket.” There is some room for improvement though, as Frank observed: “The draft MV-BEO has followed the EU in adding access to vehicle data, training and tooling into the Block Exemption rules. However, it falls short of clarifying the situation in relation to connected cars and the direct communications the vehicle manufacturers enjoy with vehicle end users via the human machine interface (HMI) of the connected car and the potential this has for influencing customer choice. The IGA has raised these points as well.” Frank added: “We have also welcomed the clear statement in the guidance that independent operators should be able to access data generated by the vehicle such as fault codes and other in-vehicle data. This provides an element of future-proofing should in-vehicle data be required as part of the MOT at some point in the future, as was hinted at in the recent consultation from the DfT on changes to the MOT.” The MV-BEO will not be the end of the story as IAAF Chief Executive Mark Field observed: “The legislation supports independent operators in the automotive aftermarket, and is complemented by the vehicle Type Approval regulations that include the detailed repair and maintenance (RMI) requirements. However, since the previous MV-BER and Type Approval RMI legislation have been in place, vehicle design and technology has changed significantly and has led to not only the vehicle manufacturers entering the aftermarket as service providers in their own right, but with the vehicle manufacturer controlling the remote access to their vehicles. Existing business models have significantly evolved, and new business models are being implemented.” Mark added: “Today’s vehicles are highly sophisticated and contain new systems and interfaces that are used to access the vehicle, its resources, functions and data. This also creates the need to have cyber-secure vehicles, but legislation must ensure that this is not used by vehicle manufacturers to impose a monopoly to control all aspects of the diagnosis, service and repair of the vehicle.“ www.aftermarketonline.net 4 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2023 www.aftermarketonline.net MV-BEO to become law IGA unveils EV fault-finding course The IGA has launched a new one-day practical fault-finding course for EVs. The course, backed-up by the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Repair Alliance (HEVRA) will be available at various RMI training locations, with the first course planned for June. Topics covered include common faults in the inverters, interlock circuits, DC – DC Convertors and charging circuits, and will look at contactor issues. IGA Chief Executive Stuart James noted: “Members have said that even with a Level 3 qualification, their technicians often don’t feel confident to move into diagnostics of the high voltage EV systems. This new course, designed with the support of the experts at HEVRA, is another positive step forward to supporting the independent garage community.” Technicians will need to be qualified to a minimum of HEV Level 3 prior to attending. The course is open to non-members, but IGA members will benefit from a preferential rate. For more on training, turn to pages 60-62.
MONTH 2017 AFTERMARKET 3 www.aftermarketonline.net JUNE 2023 AFTERMARKET 5 TPS sign up as Top Technician/Top Garage sponsor for 2023 TPS has renewed its sponsorship of Top Technician and Top Garage for 2023. Following a successful first year as a sponsor of Top Technician and Top Garage, TPS will again support both competitions. Catherine Baker, TPS Head of Group Parts Operations, said: “The TPS team are delighted to again be working with the Top Technician and Top Garage competitions. For TPS, people are very much the beating heart of our business, as is also the case with our customers and their businesses. Putting people first and recognising their achievements is important to the way we work, and the Top Technician and Top Garage awards align well with such core values.” She added: “The awards similarly recognise the best of people, either individually or as part of a wider business, and we look forward again to supporting the competitions as they recognise excellence in the aftermarket sector.” Top Technician and Top Garage 2023 come to you in association with the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) and the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). Full Event Partners: Snap-on, TOPDON, TechMan, Delphi Technologies, BookMyGarage, ALLDATA Europe and TPS. For more on Top Technician and Top Garage 2023, turn to page 22. New Liverpool site for AS-PL UK AS-PL has opened the doors at its latest new site – in Liverpool. The company’s UK base had been in London since 2017, but it has now moved to its new North-West based 1,000-square metre warehouse and office. There are 1,500 pallet places on-site, and a three-level mezzanine with a total area of 500 square metres. AS-PL UK Regional Sales Director Kevin Sharp observed: “This is an amazing opportunity for us to further establish ourselves in the UK market.“ AS-PL Regional Sales Director Kamil Olejniczak added: “After the success of opening a warehouse in Italy and Spain we were prepared for the next step.“ Full Event Partners: Stress biggest issue for staff says Ben 66% of automotive employees say stress has the biggest impact on their health and wellbeing, according to a new survey from Ben. The survey of 1,000 people in the industry also found that the proportion suffering from stress in the workplace had gone up by 8% year-on-year, with those questioned pointing towards high workloads, pressure to meet targets and not enough staff. The survey also suggested that poor sleep has increased from 49% to 62%. 92% said their cost-of-living had increased compared with a year ago and those struggling to make ends meet has increased from 18% to 28%. In addition, 10% said they were skipping meals due to rising costs. 52% expected the cost-of-living crisis to affect them in the year ahead, while 33% thought supply chain shortages would have the biggest effect on their lives. A further 31% were already worrying about staff shortages. Health and Wellbeing Director at Ben Rachel Clift observed: “In addition to stress being the biggest issue, it’s clear to see that automotive workers are also under more pressure and aren’t taking enough time to rest and relax outside of work. There are also some worrying trends relating to the cost-of-living crisis, such as skipping meals.” For a summary of the results, go to: https://www.ben.org.uk/surveyreport2023
NEWS 6 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2023 www.aftermarketonline.net Users of Snap-on Intelligent Diagnostics have until Friday 30 June to make sure they are in a position to win a unique Snap-on Ford Model-T salesman car replica. As part of the Snap-on Centennial celebrations in 2020, an original 1923 Ford Model-T was commissioned to be refurbished as a replica of the original Snap-on salesman car, designed for Snap-on’s Roaring 20s salesmen to transport and show off the company’s tools. Every customer that buys a new Snap-on Intelligent Diagnostics platform or software subscription up until Friday 30 June will be entered into the prize draw, which will take place on Friday 7 July. At this point, the name of one lucky customer will be drawn at random to win the Model-T. For more information, visit: www.snapon.com/EN/UK/Diagnostics/OffN av/Diagnostics-Product-Enquiry In it to win it: Snap-on Model T prize draw eBay relaunches Certified Recycled car parts portal Motorists in the UK saved £99 million in 2022 by opting for used parts according to new research by eBay. This was timed to coincide with the relaunch of its Certified Recycled portal, through which 81 certified sellers offer recycled vehicle parts. Commenting on the programme, Dr Tony Tong, Head of Automotive at eBay UK, said: “With parts delays, rising costs and more focus than ever on making the right choices to reduce our carbon footprint, these parts have the potential to help save money, time and the environment.” All in parts eBay’s Certified Recycled programme are vetted and warrantied, while all businesses taking part have been certified by the Vehicle Recyclers Association (VRA) and are subject to an annual audit of processes and policies. eBay has produced a White Paper looking at the potential benefits of using Certified Recycled parts: https://static.ebayinc.com/a ssets/Uploads/Documents/eBa yUK-Certified-Recycled-Parts2023.pdf To see behind the scenes at Charles Trent, one of the Certified Sellers working with eBay, make sure to read the July/August issue of Aftermarket. Website win for Top Garage champ Essex-based Shaikly Motor Company, Top Garage winners in 2022’s multi-site class, has seen its new website appear in more than 500,000 page one Google searches in just eight months. Shaikly Motor Company Director Rebecca Shaikly said the goal is quality, not quantity: “Our website is clear, informative and easy to navigate, so the customer can determine if Shaikly is the right place for their vehicle – before they even make contact. It means we can allocate resources accordingly and properly manage the calls that do come in.” For the new site, they used Garage Services Online. Rebecca observed: “Garage Services Online made it very cost-effective for us and, just as importantly, their customer service mirrors our own. We’re very happy.”
NEWS www.aftermarketonline.net JUNE 2023 AFTERMARKET 7 New motorsport sponsorships for Lucas Oil Products Lucas Oil Products UK has become the official lubricant and additive partner for the Time Attack, Motorsport UK Drift Pro and Racing Hondas Championships. Dan Morgan, Director of Sales and Operations for Lucas Oil Products UK, commented: “The Time Attack Championship and its associated championships provide Lucas Oil with a terrific opportunity to increase its involvement in UK motor racing.” Andy Barnes, Director of the Time Attack Organisation and rights-holder for the three championships, added: “We are confident we can build a strong relationship that will help Lucas achieve its promotional goals via our high profile and multi-discipline on-track motorsport activities and our hugely popular and well-attended series of car shows.” For more information, visit: www.lucasoil.co.uk A new garage network, 1TEC Auto Hub, has been launched by LKQ Euro Car Parts, with MPM Oil, Pagid, Schaeffler, Shell, Valeo, Varta, and ZF Aftermarket also backing the project. Garages that sign up to the new chain will gain access to technical and diagnostic, marketing support and materials, business support and training including access to LKQ Euro Car Parts’ LKQ Academy, along with a rewards platform. Commenting on the launch of 1TEC Auto Hub, LKQ Euro Car Parts Chief Commercial Officer Kevan Wooden said: “Through 1TEC Auto Hub, we’re seeking to create a network that supports a professional community of independent workshops and empowers them to futureproof their businesses. 1TEC Auto Hub has secured impressive backing from some of our industry’s leading brands. Each brings with them unique benefits for the network, which will be key as together we work with our 1TEC Auto Hub garages and help them reach their full potential.” LKQ Euro Car Parts will be promoting the new network at Automechanika Birmingham 2023, taking place from 6-8 June at the NEC. For more information, visit: www.1tec.co.uk LKQ Euro Car Parts launches garage network BM Catalysts roll DPF video BM Catalysts is hoping its new video showing how a DPF works will be as popular as its recent catalytic converter video, which has already been viewed more than 130,000 times on YouTube. BM Catalysts Marketing Manager Holly Brailsford said: “Our first video on catalytic converters proved highly popular. Our latest video aims to provide what can otherwise be quite complex information, in an accessible and engaging format.” To view the video, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocMCtN-jIoQ
8 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2023 BIG ISSUE www.aftermarketonline.net With the cybercrime threat to businesses increasing, and the digitisation of industry ongoing, the Autotech Group is looking to help the automotive aftermarket both protect itself and incorporate new tech to increase productivity via a new division; Autotech Connect. Through the new division, Autotech Group has set-up partnerships with hardware, software, training and IT providers to bring expertise to businesses in the automotive aftermarket. Autotech Group CEO Gavin White explained: “Our intention is to help aftermarket businesses understand the threats and opportunities created by software and connected vehicles and, through our partners, help them navigate the challenges with the aim of increasing productivity, reducing risk and exploring potential solutions. “For many years, we have talked about the skills shortage, how aftermarket businesses are struggling to keep up with the evolving vehicle marketplace and the need for training. The industry, particularly independent businesses, is permanently on the back-foot, pedalling to keep up and they are now facing further issues presented by evolving vehicle technology.” The offering also promotes the benefits of assisted Reality (AR) devices, as Gavin noted: “Using AR is a tremendously exciting opportunity and, if used correctly, can help streamline processes and empower vehicle technicians as the most up-todate technical information they need will be right in front of them. However, AR is just one small part of addressing the challenges facing the industry.” He added: “There is a journey to undertake, and the digital foundations must be laid to allow the aftermarket to capitalise.” Perfect storm Autotech Connect received its official launch at the Millbrook proving grounds, where representatives from the Autotech Group and a number of the experts they have brought together were able to explain the context in greater detail. Opening proceedings, Gavin White said: “Autotech Connect is the latest brand from our stable. We are primarily known as a training business, but this is not a big step in a new direction for us. It is stitching what we do together. It is extremely vital in terms of who is coming into the sector. You see what is whizzing around us. The skills set in the industry is not where it needs to be. We are on the fourth generation Toyota Prius and we are still talking about making the apprenticeship cover EVs and hybrids. It astounds me we are not teaching the skills that are needed. I don’t think the MOT Consultation is as big a threat as what we are here to talk about. The agenda AUTOTECH CONNECT: TAKING ON CYBERSECURITY/TECH CHALLENGE The growing cybersecurity threat has prompted the Autotech Group to launch its latest division: Autotech Connect Above: Autotech Group has set-up partnerships to bring expertise to businesses in the automotive aftermarket
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today is the perfect storm.” Gavin continued: “I started looking at this two years ago. Technology was the alarming one that kept coming up, but the vast majority of the automotive aftermarket do not see the tidal wave coming at them. We speak to a lot of independent garages. They tell us they need EV training, but they are doing it because their insurance company told them they needed it. We have these outside businesses telling us that unless you look at cybersecurity and EV training, then insurers won’t insure them.” There are broader issues at play as well: “Garage owners think they can work on ICE vehicles for the next 15 years, but VMs are weaponizing technology to kill off the aftermarket. Unless we as influencers support mechanisms within the trade, we are only two years on autonomous vehicles, but we are not teaching technicians to work on an EV, then what hope do we have? I think people are really starting to feel it in their pockets.” This is all linked to wider demographic issues affecting the industry. “We sell parts, we sell labour. But if you don’t have the people, then you are stuffed. The youngsters of today do not aspire to work in the motor trade. We need to help the industry digitise. We need to help these garages of the future to prosper. Helping to set the scene, Laurence Abbott, Technology and Marketing Officer at Autotech Group went through a number of recent highprofile cyber security breaches that cost businesses dearly, including TESLA, John Deere Tractors, Kwik-Fit, Toyota, BMW and Arnold Clark, from whom customers details were famously stolen in a hack at the end of 2022. “Always with risk, there has to be a solution,” said Laurence, “and hopefully Autotech Connect can provide a solution.” Risk assessment Next up, discussing cyber risk assessment and insurance was Jason Cohen, Head of Business Development at commercial insurance broker Hamilton Leigh: “Cyber is a very big part of the risk assessment now. Cybercrimes are expected to cost the world £9.3 trillion by 2025. 43% of businesses identified cyber security breaches or attaches in the last year. The most common method was phishing, which was experienced by 83% of firms. 95% of cyber losses come from your own funds. They fall into three broad categories; Theft of funds, theft of data, damage to digital assets. “We work with large dealer groups, most of them have no cash on site at all. All their funds are digital, which are vulnerable to cyber-attack. What hackers will also be after is information that the company will not want made public, such as the MD referring to an employee in a derogatory way in an email. As with most sectors, there is a huge reliance on ability to be online. For example, a lot of bodyshops will do their assessments digitally. If that was ripped away from you, you could see how this would be a problem. Businesses are part of a local community, and are trusted by their customers. Looking at the Arnold Clark hack, if customers can go up the road and buy from someone who offers a better level of cyber protection, they will go there. If you are giving away your credit card numbers you are doing it with an element of trust. On risk management, Jason noted: “As a broker, it is very important we are risk management-led. There are only six or seven insurers that write the motor trade. You need to have a very clear policy to show those insurers that you are managing the risk, and that you take risk management seriously.” On how this works internally, he said: “Culture is key. Across your business you have to make sure that people take it seriously. A link being clicked can expose your business. It is a culture thing. Itcomes from the top down and you really have to push this home.” Cyber-security MOT It often helps if someone from outside comes and stress-tests your business to see where the gaps are. With this in mind, next up was Francis West, CEO at cyber-security specialists Westtek, who asked, rhetorically, if anyone had ever taken a cyber security MOT: “Three or four years ago, we saw what I would call a tsunami of cyber-attacks on small businesses. Our mission is to educate and protect over 1 million businesses from cybercrime by 2026. When businesses have a problem, they always tell me ‘I thought our IT provider had this covered.’ I always reply ‘why would you blame your electrician if the roof fell in?’ 10 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2023 BIG ISSUE www.aftermarketonline.net The digital foundations must be laid to allow the aftermarket to capitalise ” Above: Gavin White
JUNE 2023 AFTERMARKET 11 www.aftermarketonline.net “Every 19 seconds, a UK company suffers a successful cyber-attack. On average, they are losing a minimum of £8.500. It usually takes a company 237 days to discover they have been compromised. 94% of attacks come in by email. This is why you need a very big bouncer sitting in front of your inbox. You are nine times more likely to suffer a cyber-attack at your business than a burglary. Two thirds of all fraud in the UK is now cyber fraud. Only 2-5% of UK companies are reporting cybercrime.” He went on to explain how easy it was to gain access to the systems at an awardwinning independent garage he visited with Gavin recently. “I was inside within 30 seconds sitting in my car outside, as the Wi-FI was unprotected.” It went on from there, taking in putting malware into the system simply by putting a memory stick into the back of a PC, an act that took him three seconds. Offering up the various ways garages can protect themselves, Francis suggested: “Have several wi-fi networks, one for the office, one for the visitors, one for the cars, then infections cannot jump across.” Taking a moment to reflect, Gavin noted: “A lot of hackers have been trying to attack the big organisations, but the hackers are now looking at the automotive industry, as it is a big sector. The vultures are circling.” With the context established, Laurence Abbott returned to explain the thinking behind Autotech Connect: “This is something the industry needs now.” Clear communication is key, as he observed: “One of the problems is the language. One of the good things about Autotech Group is that we have the relationships with the industry. “The success of the automotive industry was almost solely based on mechanical competence, but it is changing beyond all recognition. This brings it into the mainstream where we can relevant to everyone. Autotech Connect is going to work with the leading hardware, software training and IT solution providers to deliver technology-driven solutions to make sure automotive businesses and workshops are ready to address the challenges of the future today.” He went onto wryly observe: “I’m starting to think the VMs are very bad people, as they are trying to squeeze everybody out. The IAAF has been very vocal about the data going back to the VMs, which adds up to about 35 terabytes a day. You can connect to the vehicle and see the light on, but not access the data. Connected vehicles are coming down the road. The average car now has 100 million lines of code. The Ford F150 has 150 million lines of code. To contrast, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has 15 million lines of code. I look at aviation as this really advanced and technical industry, but automotive is 10 times more complex. Previously a vehicle was defined by the hardwear, but a car will be like a mobile phone soon. We will move to a software model. You won’t be able to put a bigger exhaust on it, but you will be able to boost the battery to make it go faster. We want to help the industry get the foundations right.” Digital transformation Commenting on how the digital transformation can actually help businesses, specialist Vince Galvin from NEOS48 Consulting, was next up, talking about how digital tools can deliver efficiencies for automotive companies: “Technology has to become part of what we do. There are all these threats coming, and it is all about how Autotech Connect can help. It is daunting. There are people coming into the automotive industry taking about gigabytes. We are taking this and putting it into a language people can understand. We are generally an industry that thinks let someone else deal with this first. The early adopter needs to get on it now though. If you were wondering how this all might physically manifest itself, Derrick Sawyer, Regional Director Northern Europe at RealWear Inc was on hand with some nifty headsets to show the benefits of assisted reality: “We are taking this and using it for virtual training. The automotive sector has been using it for guided repair, and they then wanted to use it for everything all the time. Remote assessment, remote audits, real-time approval. It starts to remove the cost of delay from the sector. 347 BMW dealers in the U.S used it and got a 70% -75% faster fix rate. Volkswagen started with commercial vehicles, and tested on five locations, and dialled their experts in for instant dial-in-andfix. What they saw was a 93% repair efficiency improvement. This was then rolled out to 700 car dealers.” Summing up for the day, Gavin concluded: “The digital transformation knocking at the door is a massive opportunity, but how do we filter this down? At Autotech Group we serve both sides of the industry. We are asking how can we help you to set up for the next 20-30 years. It is about giving access to the experts and getting the work done. We don’t pretend to be the experts, but we know the people who are.” www.aftermarketonline.co.uk The Garage Equipment Association e Upholders of Industry standards since 1945 ard ! reditation c for hisac Ask your engineer f cr IS Y . Y ent A For peace of mind always use a Garage Equipm Association member. GEA accredited engineers work to an industry code of conduct Your assurance their skills and knowledge have been independently assessed. YOUR EQUIPMENT ENGINEER GEA ACCREDITED? Th .c www.gea co.uk xp Dat GEA ACCREDITED ENGINEER Name Company Discipline E te ID Number XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456
With EV expansion dependent on electricity generation being increased and more charging infrastructure, plans to expand power production and boost green industry were announced by the government at the end of March, along with a consultation that will look at how to make the 2030 deadline to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles a reality. Commenting on the Powering Up Britain policy paper Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Access to cheap, abundant and reliable energy provide the foundation stone of a thriving economy with our homes and businesses relying on it to deliver our future prosperity. Following our unprecedented cost of living support this Winter, which continues, this plan now sets out how we fix this problem in the long term to deliver wholesale UK electricity prices that rank amongst the cheapest in Europe, as we export our green growth expertise to the world.” As part of its plan to make possible the phasing out of internal combustion engine vehicles, the government has opened a consultation on its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which will see vehicle manufacturers required to sell a particular proportion of EVs up to 2030. Transition Commenting on the consultation, SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said: “Automotive is on track to deliver zero emission motoring, so we welcome this long-awaited consultation on a watershed regulation for the UK new car and van market. We want regulation that gives consumers choice and affordability, and enables manufacturers to transition sustainably and competitively. While the proposals rightly reflect the sector’s diversity, late publication and lack of regulatory certainty make product planning near impossible, and the continued lack of clarity as to what technologies will be permitted beyond 2030 undermines attempts to secure investment. “Measures to improve the customer charging experience are a step in the right direction, but the fact that contactless credit or debit card payments will not be available on the vast majority of public chargers is a major failing that will significantly disadvantage EV drivers. It is also disappointing that, unlike in other countries, there is no commensurate regulation to drive investment into the public network given that paucity of chargepoints remains the biggest barrier to buying an electric vehicle. Ultimately, for this mandate to be successful, infrastructure providers must now turn promises into investment and catch up with the commitments of vehicle manufacturers.” He added: “The UK new car and van market is already moving at pace towards electrification, the result of massive investment by manufacturers and increased consumer demand. If the UK is to lead the global race to zero emission mobility, however, it must go further and faster in unlocking infrastructure investment, incentivising EV ownership and helping ensure more of these vehicles are developed and built in Britain.” NFDA Chief Executive Sue Robinson said: “We are pleased that government has answered our calls to provide further clarity on how it plans to reach its Net-Zero targets and the ban of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, and support the transition to electric vehicles. Whilst it is positive to see government addressing key issues towards adoption, NFDA is concerned that more still needs to be done to achieve these ambitious net-zero targets, especially through further stimulating consumer demand in EVs. On the government’s commitment to invest £380.8m into charging infrastructure, Sue said: "An efficient charging infrastructure is crucial towards boosting consumer confidence and driving transport decarbonisation. NFDA will be engaging with the relevant government departments to encourage a structured approach towards 12 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2023 BUSINESS www.aftermarketonline.net POWERING UP: GOVERNMENT UNVEILS ZEV MANDATE There were a variety of reactions across the sector to the government’s energy plans and its consultation on the ZEV mandate The challenge to accelerate EV adoption is both to put in place the infrastructure…and to educate drivers ”
JUNE 2023 AFTERMARKET 13 EYEBROW www.aftermarketonline.net WE WILL SOLVE THAT IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY / BOSC FAU VETHAT ESP? CH 8 ULTY WE WILL SOLV ABS/E IN A P WW ONICS ACTR PROFESSIONA 01206 849920 WW OUK AL WAY 0 C WW ONICS. WW.ACTR .CO.UK improving the UK charging network”. Commenting on the consultation, she noted: “With growing interest and demand from motorists for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) it is encouraging to see more focus rightly shifting towards supply, ensuring more products are entering the UK market with a ZEV mandate. “ Challenge Andy Marchant, Traffic Expert at TomTom, said: "The government has a roadmap to achieve its goal of ending the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2030. Incentive and funding seem to help more and more people switch to electric vehicles, with over 22.6% of new registrations of electric vehicles. The challenge to accelerate EV adoption is both to put in place the infrastructure enabling optimal use of charging points, and to educate drivers to trust the technology to overcome the range anxiety with EV: integrated EV navigation systems offer connected services on the best route based on itinerary and charging stations availability, to give drivers the best possible experience. "In addition to improved EV incentives, technology and infrastructure, smarter transport solutions are urgently needed to reduce traffic congestion in the UK. UK drivers spent 2% more time in main cities’ traffic jams last year compared to 2021. It’s clear that the sheer volume of slowmoving traffic, coupled with the UK's antiquated road infrastructure, continues to have a significant impact on transport emissions." Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, added: “The wheels for the EV revolution are firmly in motion. The ZEV mandate will set the roadmap towards 2030 zero emissions transport - cutting harmful emissions for both people and the planet. The industry needs clarity and decisive action to place the UK EV market in pole position. We need to end our reliance on imported fossil fuels as we transition to zero emission vehicles powered by homegrown green energy. The devil will be in the detail, and this is our chance to further drive down costs and encourage new models to enter the market, giving drivers access to cheaper, greener, tech on wheels transport.” To read the government’s policy paper, visit: www.gov.uk/government/publications/poweringup-britain For Aftermarket’s regular round-up on the latest on EVs and hybrids, turn to pages 58-59
BY Neil Pattemore Running a vehicle repair business is never a simple task – all those awkward customers, and sometimes staff, not to mention your competitors around the corner, key suppliers, technical training and all the various tools and equipment needed, to mention but a few. However, when all your planning and hard work come together, your business succeeds because your team work hard to ensure that you provide a great service that is valued by your customers and the final result is that you are profitable. Great job! Key elements What I haven’t mentioned are those key elements that are outside of your control, but which directly or indirectly impact your business. The list may be longer than you think and probably includes not just variable costs, such as when a war impacts energy costs so greatly, but closer to home in every sense of the word, are those elements where compliance is required, but that which you need to comply with are outside of your control. Local planning restrictions, parking constraints or business rates are all critical and can be decided without any consultation. Perhaps more concerningly, the UK government can implement legislation that directly impacts your business without consulting with you. The most recent example is a very detailed document that amends a whole range of legislative requirements for vehicle type approval. At this point, I imagine that your eyes are glazing over and your brain has simply asked ‘why should I worry about this?’ Let me explain, as this is critical to your ability to diagnose, service, repair or maintain your customers’ vehicles – which is rather fundamental to the success of your business model! The automotive aftermarket requires access to a wide range of technical information, tools, training and spare parts, but all of this originates directly, or indirectly from the vehicle manufacturer who have their own dealer network, so are not incentivised to support competition from the independent repair sector. Critical A quick history lesson is needed here of why legislation is so critical for the Aftermarket. In the 1980s, it was a simple issue of interpreting the first electronic systems’ blink codes, followed in the 1990s as vehicles became more technically advanced, with the ability to access and use the data and DTCs as the basis for repair and maintenance. This had become an increasingly key issue and the legislator needed to act to ensure that effective competition was still possible. This was created as part of the European Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MV-BER), which provided an exemption from Competition Law requirements when main dealers had geographical monopolies when selling vehicles, but also supported competition between authorised and independent workshops. This came into force in 14 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2023 BUSINESS www.aftermarketonline.net IS YOUR BUSINESS APPROVED? Independence is the one of the defining principles of the UK automotive aftermarket; What happens if that freedom is eroded?
JUNE 2023 AFTERMARKET 15 www.aftermarketonline.net 2002. This provided a framework that detailed what a vehicle manufacturer had to make available to independent operators (i.e. all aspects of the aftermarket – diagnostic equipment, tools, spare parts, training, technical information etc.) on a nondiscriminatory basis when compared to what their main dealers could access and use. This was a good basis, but in legal terms it is based on Competition Law which was difficult to enforce if a vehicle manufacturer was deemed to be non-compliant. The legislators in Brussels (the UK was still part of the EU at this time) were made aware of the difficulties of an independent workshop trying to legally challenge a vehicle manufacturer (i.e. good in principle, difficult if not impossible in practice), so decided that as this was predominately a technical issue that it should become part of the vehicle type approval requirements. This allowed a much more detailed description of how access to a wide variety of requirements must be made available to independent operators and which in turn, could be checked by the type-approval authority, both at the time a vehicle was type-approved or later if a noncompliance was raised via an aftermarket trade association. This was introduced in 2007 as part of the Euro 5 Type Approval regulation and has been significantly updated in 2018, before coming into effect from September 2020. The MV-BER has also now been revised to better reflect the realities of the market and is being implemented from 1 June this year (so, as you read this, basically right now), but behind all of this legislation, Brexit has occurred. Although the Department for Transport (DfT) had issued two previous consultations to which various Aftermarket associations had responded, without being informed by the DfT, these associations learned between Christmas and New Year that a new UK Regulation had been implemented that came into force at 23.00 on 31 December 2022 (effectively 1 January 2023) as part of the UK government’s overall revisions of EU legislation that will still apply in the UK. This new Regulation (2022 No. 1273) was a 141-page list of detailed amendments to various pieces of legislation that refer to vehicle Type Approval. Serious concerns This was designed to help tidy up the quite complicated array of vehicle type approval requirements for vehicle manufacturers. However, for the aftermarket, there are some serious concerns. These range from the deletion of important references, such as the access to repair and maintenance information (RMI), as well as the security forum which created the SERMI scheme to provide standardised accreditation for independent operators to access antitheft related RMI from all vehicle manufacturers, to completely deleting EU secondary legislation. However, although this new Regulation retains the reference to the EU type approval regulation that came into effect in September 2020 (EU 2018/858), it does not reference what has subsequently been enacted in the EU to provide the greater technical details of ‘how’ the requirements must be fulfilled (secondary legislation), only the what’. In other words, the retained UK type approval regulation uses expressions such as “Manufacturers' obligations to provide vehicle OBD information and vehicle repair and maintenance information,” but without stating the process, costs, conditions or the detailed content of how this will be done. As another example, the legislation states: “Manufacturers shall also make training material available to independent operators and authorised dealers and repairers,” but again, not the details of how this would be done, so when trying to book onto a vehicle manufacturer’s training course perhaps no places exist for 12 months or more for independent repairers. Equally, the UK government has not provided any indication of what they may be considering to provide this further technical detail – and without this, independent operators will be increasingly controlled by what a vehicle manufacturer chooses to impose, ultimately restricting independence and competitiveness. Against the background of other Type Approval requirements for vehicle cybersecurity, embedded applications for diagnostics or prognostics for bespoke service and maintenance requirements (which are fully controlled by the vehicle manufacturers), the UK government needs to wake up and smell the coffee and listen to the needs of the UK aftermarket to ensure consumer choice for competitive vehicle repair and maintenance services are covered by detailed secondary legislation. xenconsultancy.com
BY Tina Drayson, Operations Manager, CCM If I asked the question ‘are you a good listener?’ I would imagine most of you would think that you are. Imagine the following scenarios; You are having a one-to-one meeting with a member of your team in your office. Your computer pings with an incoming email and you glance at the corner of your monitor to take a quick look at who it is from You are having your team’s monthly meeting and your phone or smart watch buzzes with a new message, and you take a quick look You are having a discussion with a supplier/customer regarding an issue and something happens outside and you glance out the window to see what is going on. In all the above, you are not actively listening. Focus Taken from the book ‘Stolen Focus’ by Johann Hari is the following excerpt. When I went to interview Professor Earl Miller, he says there is one key fact that every human needs to understand. Your brain can only produce one or two thoughts in your conscious mind at once. But rather than acknowledge this, we invented a myth. The myth is that we can think about three, five or 10 things at the same time. In the 60s, computer scientists invented machines with more than one processor so they could really do two things at once. They called this ‘multitasking.’ We took the concept and applied it to ourselves.” What is really happening here, is we are switching from one task to another albeit quickly. So when we look at our phone, watch, monitor what we are really doing is disengaging and not listening to the conversation, switching back quickly and we lose focus. When a customer is in your reception and makes it clear that they want to communicate, it should be about the customer not you or the business. A skill from front of house is to be able to make this customer feel important and listened to, whatever they choose to discuss. Customer – “We were looking at visiting Vietnam this year.” Your chimp brain is jumping up and down because you went there six months ago. In your head you are putting together your reply – “I went there, it’s amazing. I stayed here, I visited here etc.” This is a classic example of listening to respond and not to understand. You have missed the part where your customer says – “but sadly my wife had a stroke and now we can’t go” The clue is in the first sentence, we were looking. It is in the past tense. Your response would have been much different if you had listened to understand. “Sorry to hear that. How are you and your wife coping? Could we help in the future by collecting your car for you?” Imagine how your customer felt when he left your reception in this instance. Active listening Not listening is not a visual thing. You cannot just see that someone is not listening unless they are drumming their fingers impatiently on a desk. It is just the inability to pay attention to what someone else is saying, you hear but you don’t listen. Actively listening means that you give that person your full attention, ears open, eye contact and mouth closed. There are ways to show that you are paying attention, you can repeat the last few words that someone has said, you can nod at the appropriate time and you can reiterate what you have heard when that person has finished to ensure you have heard and understood. Think about the message that you give when you don’t listen to understand; Your views are not important You are not important You are wrong I know this already You are wasting my time. Imagine that you are a manager and every time an employee tries to address a problem or an idea with you, you give them the listening to respond treatment. Normally because you get defensive or think you know better. What do you think happens over time? Yep, got it in one, they stop trying. So, we have established that we cannot multitask and there are always distractions, so back to the question ‘Are you a good listener? 16 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2023 BUSINESS www.aftermarketonline.net SHUT UP AND LISTEN Tina returns, and is keen to discuss the importance of listening. Are you paying attention?
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