Business 12 www.aftermarketonline.net DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 What’s on the horizon driving into 2025..? Industry leaders gaze into the aftermarket crystal ball to forecast challenges and opportunities that may loom in the new year. We must future-proof our technicians for auto’s biggest transformation yet, says SMMT aftermarket development manager Peter Lawton... As the number of EVs on our roads grows, so too will the need for more aftermarket technicians to service and repair them. Currently, repair methods for batteries can be pretty hard to come by, but work is underway to roll out new techniques and programmes. Of course, familiar ICE vehicles are still around in their droves. ICE servicing will continue to take the lion’s share of the aftermarket’s attention and, as the average age of vehicles-in-use reaches new highs of more than nine years, they’ll likely need more work on them as well. While the EV parc is growing, it’s still relatively small. You’re far more likely to encounter new technology in the shape of ADAS in the workshop. Industry training partners and specialist suppliers offer support in genning up in this area too, so take advantage. Ensuring this burgeoning generation of vehicles has skilled technicians who can handle their complexity is critical as this technology becomes more and more commonplace. Regular inspections, verification and maintenance by technicians will ensure ADAS functions continue to work correctly and enable motorists to feel and benefit from these life-saving benefits. The government is continuing to look at how this may become a part of the good old MOT – ensuring the test is fit for this next generation of vehicles – and SMMT and its members have been involved in these discussions. As we move into 2025, the UK’s automotive aftermarket faces a new era of collaboration alongside significant challenges, says Mark Field, chief executive of the IAAF… As businesses face increased pressures following the recent budget, the sector has seen a shift toward pooling resources. Rising costs and financial strains on the industry make these partnerships essential for maintaining competitiveness and resilience. By working together, as one automotive industry, businesses can navigate the pressures of a changing landscape, ensuring they remain viable in a highly competitive market. This challenge, compounded by the ongoing skills challenges, requires a concerted effort from all sectors of the aftermarket to ensure its future growth and stability. I remain optimistic that with the right strategies in place, the aftermarket can continue to thrive, offering a sustainable and competitive future for both businesses and consumers. In 2025, ADAS systems will be increasingly difficult for independent garages to ignore says Julian Goulding, head of sales for Hella Gutmann… The time has come to address how to deal with ADASequipped vehicles, in the same way workshops have been considering other challenges such as electric and hybrid vehicles, while also navigating the thorny issue of vehicle access. Figures from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) show that, by 2025, 20% of vehicles on UK roads will be equipped with ADAS technology. These vehicles will be on the ramp in independent workshops, and technicians will need the skills and equipment to work on them. This makes upskilling and training, as well as investment in key equipment essential as we enter the second half of the decade. Another key issue for garages is access. With dealer tools often the only way to gain entry to crucial systems, independents must make sure they are not locked out. Remote diagnostics will become increasingly crucial in 2025 and beyond as a result. Technology and the need for training will continue to be key concerns for garages in 2025, but with the support of HELLA and Hella Gutmann, workshops will be able to face up to the challenge and make the most of the opportunity. Mike Schlup, MD at Kalimex, distributors for K-Seal and JLM, said he sees 2025 continuing to offer further opportunities for the aftermarket… The resistance by the motoring public to EVs combined with DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025
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