Opinion 12 Act now or risk being left behind As the vehicle parc evolves with a growing number of vehicles which are electrified, connected, or equipped with advanced technologies entering the market, Nick Connor, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), argues that workshops that invest now will be best placed to win work, retain customers and protect their businesses in the future. If you’re an independent workshop owner, it’s easy to understand why EV and advanced vehicle technology training isn’t always at a top priority. Right now, you’re dealing with rising costs, recruitment challenges, productivity pressures and customers who need their vehicles back as quickly as possible. And for independents, many of those vehicles will be petrol or diesel and probably only feature limited advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). When faced with a choice between investing in training and equipment that generates immediate revenue versus training that may not deliver an obvious return for months or even years, many businesses understandably focus on the here and now. The problem is that the vehicle parc isn’t standing still. While many workshops are responding to today’s workload, the vehicles entering the market are steadily changing the shape of tomorrow’s. The market has already changed In April, the UK passed a major milestone with the registration of its two millionth battery electric vehicle (BEV). In May, BEVs accounted for 27.3% of all new car registrations, while hybrids and plug-in hybrids represented a further 26.7% of the market. Together, electrified vehicles now account for more than half of all new vehicle registrations in the UK. This matters because today’s new vehicles are tomorrow’s aftermarket workload. Every vehicle entering the market will eventually require servicing, maintenance, diagnostics, repair and calibration. Increasingly, those vehicles will contain high-voltage systems, sophisticated electronics and connectivity and advanced driver assistance systems ADAS that require specialist knowledge and safe working practices. The question is no longer whether these vehicles will reach independent workshops. The question is whether your workshop will be ready when they do. In reality, many workshops are already working on vehicles that incorporate high-voltage systems, connectivity, hybrid technology or safetycritical ADAS features. Modern vehicles are evolving rapidly. ADAS technology that was once limited to premium vehicles is now commonplace across the market. Features such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems are becoming standard. While there is a natural tendency to delay investment until demand becomes impossible to ignore, that approach carries its own risks. By the time EVs represent a significant proportion of a workshop’s workload, trained technicians may be harder to recruit, training demand may be higher and competitors may already have established a reputation for servicing these vehicles. Customers who have found a workshop they trust rarely move back simply because a competitor eventually catches up. ADAS is changing the conversation While much of the industry focus currently is on electrification, ADAS may prove to be an equally significant challenge for the aftermarket. Unlike many traditional vehicle systems, ADAS is directly linked to safety-critical vehicle functions. Incorrect calibration following a windscreen replacement, suspension repair, wheel alignment or accident repair can affect how a vehicle brakes, steers or responds to hazards. This is no longer simply a technical issue. It is a customer safety issue. As these systems become more widespread, workshops need to be able to Nick Connor, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI)
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