Tackling aftermarket challenges

Tackling aftermarket challenges – a look at future trends for independent workshops Tackling aftermarket challenges – a look at future trends for independent workshops

Part one: Advanced Driver Systems (ADAS). Few industries operate at such a rapid pace as the European aftermarket. Independent workshops across Europe are constantly upskilling and adapting their business models to remain competitive. In our series 'Tackling Aftermarket Challenges', Luca Govean, DENSO’s Director of Independent Aftermarket Sales, counts down five key challenges facing the European aftermarket, to help workshops prepare for the future.

"There will be no avoiding ADAS technology"

What was once a new innovation has quickly become commonplace in new vehicle design and while your workshop may not have overwhelming demand for ADAS-related work now, it will in the future. The European Commission recently announced that ADAS systems will become mandatory on all new cars from 2021 as they become an integral part of autonomous and electric vehicle design. According to Luca Govean, an understanding of how these systems work and how they are affected by more standardised repair and servicing work is key if workshops are going to take advantage of the new vehicle parc.

“An increase in ADAS-related work means workshops need to pay serious consideration to their floor space and equipment,” he explains. “Unlike when the industry transitioned into computer controlled engine management systems and some repairers chose to become undercar specialists, there will be no avoiding ADAS technology. Even a job as straightforward as a windscreen repair will become a specialist job, since the way that ADAS systems are tied into the windscreen means cameras and sensors will inevitably be disrupted, rendering safety systems inefficient.”

Not only are specialist calibration and diagnostics tools required to successfully service ADAS systems, but the right training is also essential for technicians. Workshops may also need to ensure their business liability is up-to-date, follow factory procedures and document work at every step.

DENSO has been helping to develop the latest safety technologies for more than 20 years and is behind some of the most innovative ADAS technologies including the world’s first two-dimensional light detection and ranging system (LIDAR) in 1996. More than two decades ago, DENSO introduced a linear radar that scans an area in front of a vehicle horizontally to identify potential collision risks. Such technologies are becoming the norm in the aftermarket and presenting lucrative profit opportunities for workshops that have the skills, equipment, space and confidence to work on these systems.

About Luca Govean

Luca Govean has been with DENSO since 2016 and leads regional teams across Europe, helping them to achieve their goals. He has extensive previous experience covering passenger cars, trucks and trailers in OE and aftermarket positions.