Diagnostics 32 www.aftermarketonline.net MARCH 2026 Diagnostic tools are one of the biggest and most consequential investments a workshop will make. Get it right, and diagnostics become an enabler — faster fault-finding, broader capability and better customer conversations. Get it wrong, and you’re left with an expensive piece of kit that doesn’t quite fit the work you do. That is why A1 ADAS Group has become a trusted reference point for workshops looking for clear, experienceled guidance. A1’s teams carry out diagnostic, coding and ADAS work every day, either in-house or via mobile technicians operating nationwide. Equipment recommendations are shaped by what works under pressure, on real vehicles, in real workshops. A1 has now been appointed as one of a small number of UK distributors for Autocom’s ICON diagnostic tool. Here, A1 UK sales manager Matt Hume explains why ICON earned a place in A1’s diagnostic portfolio… When assessing diagnostic tools, the starting point should not be brands, but workshop profiles. Some businesses focus on cars. Others work predominantly with light commercial vehicles. Many support fleets, while some operate at the heavier end of commercial repair. Those distinctions have always existed, but what has changed is the expectation that a single workshop should be able to support a wider range of vehicles efficiently and profitably. ICON stood out to us because it supports that reality without forcing workshops down a rigid path. It’s a PC-based diagnostic tool that can be configured for cars, trucks, or both on the same system. Also, the level of crossover between car and light commercial diagnostics is unique, and it makes a real difference in day-to-day use. Historically, workshops operating across these vehicle types have often had no option but to invest in separate diagnostic tools, with duplicated hardware, subscriptions and training. ICON allows workshops to choose car software, which goes further than any other into light commercial vehicles, truck software, or a combined subscription based on the work they do, rather than what a tool forces them to buy. At A1, no diagnostic product is added to the line-up unless it has been tested properly in real workshop conditions. We took ICON into garages and used it as the primary diagnostic tool over several days. Every vehicle was scanned with ICON. That kind of testing quickly shows where a tool works well and where it creates friction. ICON proved reliable and consistent. Gateway unlocks worked as expected, vehicle identification was accurate, and reporting was clear and usable rather than something technicians would avoid. Security gateway access is integrated into the software packages, allowing technicians to carry out everyday tasks such as diagnostics, service functions and brake procedures without hitting unnecessary restrictions mid-job. Another area that mattered was how ICON handles ADAS functionality. ICON includes ADAS capability within the standard software. There’s no separate subscription simply to access calibration-related functions. For mechanical repair businesses, ADAS specialists and windscreen companies, that makes it far easier to support the vehicles they are already seeing without overcomplicating their diagnostic setup. The system also walks technicians through procedures and setup requirements. ICON runs on a Windows laptop or tablet, which many technicians still prefer when dealing with complex diagnostics. A particularly useful feature is the ability to identify a vehicle and see available diagnostic functions using registration lookup before the vehicle arrives. ICON hasn’t been brought in to replace anything. It’s been added because it fills a genuine gap. Investing in diagnostics that match workshop realities Putting ICON through its paces (from left): Per Gillberg, Tim Klaar, Ant Yates and Matt Hume
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=