The challenges faced by the automotive aftermarket in a new digital era, was the theme of a recent address by Wendy Williamson, chief executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF).

The speech looked at how changes are influencing technology, intelligent mobility and legislation. It also revisited Type Approval, a continuing theme of IAAF’s lobbying activities for the past four years, vital for the aftermarket to ensure continued access to vehicles both now and in the future.  She informed the assembly that the VMs “are trying to convince the EU that Extended Vehicle is the fairest, most secure and easiest way to access the vehicle in years to come”, and with the IAAF disagreeing, she stated that “our long-term goal is to continue to fight for the standard interoperable platform.”

She also stressed that the recent ‘Proof of Concept’ exercise aims to demonstrate why the IAM needs direct real-time access to time-critical in-vehicle data and resources to provide a base for future EU legislation”, citing that “these principles are now underpinned as our key requirements in the future as we must not let technology become an excuse for unfair and distorted competition.”

Wendy also cautioned that changing lifestyle trends are seeing a change in ownership patterns and the digital era is fundamentally changing how we think about driving, therefore “we must adapt and change to ensure that we don’t get left behind”. She warned delegates of the new challenges faced by today’s digital era as the industry embraces new technologies, new environmental considerations and lifestyle changes, and how emissions, electric and autonomous vehicles “will have a profound effect on our future”.

She concluded, “We need to be prepared for changes in digitalisation, technology, automation, connected driving and societal changes. As ever we will need to continue to adapt and find new ways, to ensure that the aftermarket is geared up to supply the parts, whatever they are, tools and equipment required to service and maintain the vehicles of tomorrow.”