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HDA’s Hubbard: ‘Greatest Opportunity Is Enabling Technologies’
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By Counterman
In link hidden, please login to view, we gave leaders from the major distribution groups and trade associations an opportunity to reflect on the most critical issues affecting the automotive aftermarket. For the second year in a row, we let distribution leaders “riff” on these topics in their own words.
Here’s what Tina Hubbard, president and CEO of HDA Truck Pride, had to say on one of the most critical issues facing the automotive aftermarket today: Right to Repair.
Have you ever heard of the Congressional Baseball Game? No? Don’t fret: Until recently, I didn’t either!
Established in 1909 and set at Nationals Park, the game features actual members of the U.S. Congress playing America’s favorite pastime. Pitting Democrats against Republicans, members of Congress practice for months prior to the game and positively look forward to this annual charitable event. The halls of Congress are bustling, hotels are sold-out, and crowds of people are drawn to Washington, D.C. You may be asking: What does this have to do with our industry? Well, what a perfect time to meet with Congress and their staff to talk about the most important issue facing our industry: Right to Repair!
Established in 1909 and set at Nationals Park, the game features actual members of the U.S. Congress playing America’s favorite pastime. You may be asking: What does this have to do with our industry? Well, what a perfect time to meet with Congress and their staff to talk about the most important issue facing our industry: Right to Repair!
This year’s event took place on June 14, and HDA Truck Pride took full advantage of the opportunity. The Auto Care Association created an opportunity for HDA Truck Pride and Fleet Pride to co-sponsor a tailgate party prior to the game and to meet with strategically chosen Congressional teams. This event gave our industry the opportunity to speak with more than 200 Congressional staff members, with 20 sit-down meetings over two days, about the importance of Right to Repair. Our message was simple and stressed the importance of our industry in everyday life. The simple phrase “If you bought it, a truck brought it” drove the point home and opened candid and lively conversations about Right to Repair.
As we met with the various offices of Congress, we talked about the essence of the Right to Repair. Our message was that this is about the freedom of choice and access for everyone. The aftermarket, and especially the commercial-vehicle aftermarket, is a vital necessity to keeping our country moving. Critically important to this industry is “uptime,” and if the vehicle isn’t moving, we’re all losing.
Coincidentally, while our industry was advocating on The Hill, NHTSA presented a letter to the Counsel for Vehicle Manufacturers refuting the Right to Repair initiative based on safety concerns. The letter was extremely wordy, and we feel misinterpreted the Massachusetts “Data-Access Law,” but most certainly focused on passenger cars and the light-vehicle market. Even more interesting is the fact that as soon as we left D.C., a letter from American Truck Dealers arrived at the doorsteps of the Energy and Commerce Committee strongly opposing the REPAIR Act (H.R. 906).
Why am I writing about this? Because it’s working! Our voices are being heard. And our competition is ramping up and getting louder!
We are stronger together as a united voice. While our opposition is large and has deep pockets, our industry is mighty and massive as well. The only way to win is for every one of us to get involved. You can do this quickly by visiting
link hidden, please login to view to send a letter to the your local federal legislators and by visiting link hidden, please login to view to learn how to engage on a much deeper level. I implore you to join the industry in our fight to support the Right to Repair. Now is our time! The post
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By Counterman
Delphi Technologies, a BorgWarner brand, announced that it released 87 parts across its product lines, the first of several parts announcements to come in 2023.
“We’re pleased to further expand our parts coverage for vehicles in any stage of their lifecycle,” said Jenna Boone, general manager of Delphi Technologies North America. “We have multiple product announcements planned throughout 2023 and beyond, so we’re excited to demonstrate the growth in our portfolio while remaining dedicated to our quality and reliability.”
Of the five new products to its fuel-delivery line, three are first-to-market fuel-pump module assemblies (FG2262, FG2669 and FG2667), according to the company. The new products cover approximately 2.43 million vehicles in operation (VIO) in the United States and Canada, covering both domestic and import brands such as the Chrysler Pacifica and Voyager, Nissan Rogue and Acura TLX.
Sparta has added 22 parts to its portfolio. The specialty line by Delphi Technologies for high-mileage and early-model vehicles now covers an additional 11.36 million VIO for the United States and Canada. The added products include fuel-tank sending units, fuel-pump module assemblies and fuel-pump strainers for brands such as Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Chrysler, Nissan, Jeep and Hummer.
“Our goal with Sparta is to fulfill a request we’ve been receiving for years: a fuel line specifically dedicated to earlier makes and higher mileages with the Delphi Technologies quality technicians have come to know,” said Malcolm Sissmore, vice president, sales and marketing of Delphi Technologies. “We have a lot of great things in store for this year, Sparta included.”
Delphi Technologies continues to launch steering and suspension parts across all makes and model years, adding 21 new parts to cover 17 million VIO in Canada and the United States. More than 10 types of parts were announced, some of which include tie-rod ends, ball joints, control arms, stabilizer-bar link kits and more.
Regarding the company’s engine-management portfolio, the product line announced a total of 39 new parts. Sixteen of the new parts are manifold absolute-pressure sensors, bolstering an additional 20 million VIO for the United States across brands such as Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Volkswagen, Dodge and BMW.
A sizeable addition for the engine-management line are 10 new ABS wheel-speed sensors for a total of 10 million VIO in the United States for brands such as Lexus, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota. Other parts announced include ignition coils, engine crankshaft/camshaft position sensors, an air-charge temperature sensor and a mass airflow sensor.
For more information about recently release Delphi Technologies parts, visit the “New” tab on
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By Counterman
In our cover story for
link hidden, please login to view, we asked distribution leaders to reflect on the successes and challenges of 2022 and share some of their insights for the industry in 2023. Here’s our Q&A with Paul McCarthy, president and CEO of MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers.
AMN/CM: What is the greatest threat facing the automotive aftermarket? What is the greatest opportunity?
PM: I have combined these questions, because if you look through a longer-term lens, the aftermarket’s greatest threat and opportunity are the same: technology.
EVs have generated concern in the aftermarket, but that needs to be kept in perspective. Remember the aftermarket’s history: With every new technology there were projections that there will be nothing or not enough to repair – but every time we still see problems and failures with these new parts and technologies. Think of fuel injection, electronic ignition or TPMS. Auto engineers are not perfect, and the real world is a difficult operating environment. In fact, NADA data indicates that EVs are coming back to the dealer more often than ICE vehicles – and needing more repairs per visit than ICE. New technologies have historically been good for aftermarket revenue – and we are looking at a flood of new technologies unlike any we have ever seen.
With so much focus on electrification, we aren’t talking enough about the revolution happening now: ADAS. We released a study at Vision that projected ADAS will exceed a billion-dollar market for replacement parts by 2030. Let me say that again: a billion-dollar market for replacement parts. That’s all opportunity and upside for the aftermarket.
And, the story of increasing vehicle content is not only ADAS or EVs. The increase in new-vehicle prices demonstrates the lifecycle opportunity. New-vehicle prices hit an eye-watering $30,000 a decade ago; now, the average is $50,000. And while some of that is near-term supply issues, increasing vehicle content has driven this long-term trend. Every one of these new technologies can break or need calibration or maintenance. We believe this huge increase in vehicle content bodes well for the future of aftermarket tickets.
The aftermarket is now living the famed “Innovator’s Dilemma” everyday: the challenge of managing two businesses. One, maximizing the returns from our existing business, which has a very long, fat tail. In parallel, we are growing new, innovative businesses prepared to take advantage of the aftermarket opportunities of electrified, automated and connected vehicles. In our view, the aftermarket is well-positioned in both the old and new industries.
The aftermarket should not be afraid of the future. If we engage the classic aftermarket entrepreneurial spirit, we believe technology and content bring more opportunity than risk.
AMN/CM: How can the independent aftermarket parts and service segments best prepare to repair the car of tomorrow as ADAS, EVs and other technologies become more prominent?
PM: In addition to the points above, we have a lot of work and training to do – together, up and down the value chain – to make sure that shops are prepared, and consumers know that the aftermarket is ready and able to supply the parts, tools and technologies to fix these vehicles. And we can.
AMN/CM: How is the Right to Repair issue impacting your members’ business?
PM: All this opportunity is contingent on one thing: Right to Repair legislation that allows market competition. Right to Repair, and the Federal REPAIR Act, are necessary to realize our future.
Consumers need this. If Congress takes action to ensure choice in vehicle repair and maintenance, consumers will save enormous amounts of time and money.
We appreciate the cross-industry partnership on this bill – a unified effort is essential to success. We have momentum. You’ve heard about the many bipartisan bill co-sponsors, the executive order, the FTC report and the hearings all in favor and support of consumers right to choose where and with what parts their vehicle is repaired. This new Congress is our moment; it may be our best chance of getting a bill passed. If we don’t succeed, by 2035 $63 billion in consumer service choices will be thwarted by repair restrictions – and that number will quickly grow. Our industry must – and will – be heard to protect consumers and free markets.
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By Counterman
Delphi Technologies announced the addition of 142 parts to its main line and an additional 21 parts to its specialty Sparta line of fuel pumps.
As a manufacturer of fuel delivery parts for more than 80 years with 95% market coverage, Delphi Technologies has added 35 new parts to expand its fuel portfolio. These parts include fuel pump strainer sets, fuel pump hanger and module assemblies and fuel transfer units, all of which undergo OE-quality testing for reliability and durability.
The new parts represent repair-coverage opportunity for more than 6.4 million vehicles in operation (VIO) in the United States, as well as 600,000 VIO in Canada on applications such as Chrysler, GM, Honda, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz.
“We’re committed to continuous range growth to always be the aftermarket supplier of choice for application coverage,” said Malcolm Sissmore, vice president, sales and marketing of Delphi Technologies. “As our portfolio grows and offers exciting opportunities for customers, they can be assured that quality and reliability will always be central to the development of our products.”
Sparta, Delphi Technologies’ range specifically designed for older and high-mileage vehicles, recently made its formal debut at AAPEX earlier this year and is already expanding. The Sparta line added 21 new parts to its fuel pump line, covering 4.9 million VIO in the United States and nearly 347,000 VIO in Canada. The added products include fuel pump module assemblies, fuel tank sending units, fuel pump strainers, mechanical and electric fuel pumps, and fuel pump check valves.
Delphi Technologies also announced the addition of 21 new part numbers to its steering and suspension line, which already boasts 98% sales coverage. This includes control arm and ball joint assemblies, control arm bushings, tie rod ends and more. All Delphi Technologies chassis products are engineered to perform to OE standards, are tested extensively and come with accessories to ensure safety and reduce fitting time, according to the company. Top applications for these parts include Chrysler, GM, Honda, Lexus and Toyota, covering 16.2 million VIO in the United States and 1.6 million VIO in Canada.
Additionally, the company’s engine management category announced 86 new parts, mainly consisting of sensors and ignition coils. The parts cover more than 141 million VIO for the United States, 11 million VIO for Canada, with top applications for Chrysler, GM and Toyota. Some parts announced include ABS wheel speed sensors, engine camshaft position sensors, engine coolant temperature sensors, coil-on-plug for ignition coils and vehicle speed sensors. For more information about recently released Delphi Technologies parts, visit
link hidden, please login to view. To browse Sparta offerings, visit link hidden, please login to view. The post
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By Counterman
When it comes to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), there’s good news and bad news for the automotive aftermarket.
First, the good news. The total addressable market for ADAS replacement parts and service is projected to skyrocket from $317 million in 2021 to $1.1 billion in 2030 – expanding at nearly 17% compound annual growth rate.
Those projections come from
link hidden, please login to view, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based consulting firm that conducted a study on ADAS opportunities in the aftermarket. The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) commissioned the study, which included interviews with 350 repair shops, an in-person focus group and a review of 91 journals, articles and academic papers on the subject. Speaking at the AASA Vision Conference, Jim Fish, lead partner at Innovatrium, asserted that ADAS is “singularly the highest growth opportunity in the aftermarket.” In 2021, more than 1 million vehicles required ADAS service in an aftermarket shop, according to the Innovatrium study.
And now for the not-so-good news: More than 90% of ADAS work that comes into mechanical shops is outsourced to a dealership.
On the collision repair side, the researchers found that more than 75% of ADAS services coming into an auto body shop are performed elsewhere. In 2021 alone, auto body shops outsourced $177 million worth of ADAS calibration work. While mobile technicians might pick up some of that work, the majority likely goes back to a dealership.
The researchers concluded that ADAS features such as automated emergency braking, blind-spot detection, lane-departure warnings and rear cameras will lower crash rates by 20% in 2030. What’s noteworthy about that data point is that 45% of ADAS features are deactivated by the consumer.
Factoring in the independent aftermarket’s limited capabilities for ADAS service – and the likelihood that some consumers will forego ADAS repairs if their vehicles are drivable – the total “likely” ADAS opportunity for the aftermarket is $236 million by 2030.
“This is a radical reduction from the total available market to the total likely market,” said Matt Ballard, head of research at Innovatrium. “ … We’re starting off with this low capability in the aftermarket, and it’s growing slowly. And presently, there doesn’t appear to be anything that would change that.”
Still, the researchers concluded that ADAS is a problem worth solving. They identified three major problems that are inhibiting growth of ADAS business in the independent aftermarket.
Problems Worth Solving
1. Cost of ADAS Repairs
The cost of ADAS replacement parts and equipment are out of reach for most shops, the study found. In many cases, only OEM parts are available, and the lack of standardized calibration processes add to the complexity of performing ADAS work.
“Our call to action is we need aftermarket alternatives,” Fish said. “We need parts that can do this. … And then standardized processes are going to increase aftermarket adoption.”
2. Low Shop Competency
ADAS is a new and intimidating technology that requires a high-end diagnostic skillset to properly service it. Some shops say there isn’t enough volume of ADAS work to develop in-house capabilities.
The researchers asserted that more training for technicians is needed to bring shops’ ADAS competency up to speed.
3. Consumer Usage of ADAS
More and more mass-production vehicles now come standard with potentially life-saving ADAS features. However, the real-world application of this technology is troubling, with 45% of ADAS features being deactivated for various reasons.
According to the study, 41% of consumers are shutting off ADAS features because they don’t believe they actually work, while another 41% find these features distracting and 30% believe they’re not needed.
The researchers recommend a combination of consumer education/information; regulations to ensure that ADAS features are being used as they were designed to be used; and verification.
Fish argued that ADAS is on a trajectory that’s similar to the aftermarket’s gradual adoption of the SAE J2534 standard for reprogramming vehicle ECUs. Fifteen years ago, most ECU reprogramming was being sent to a dealership. Today, 80% of mechanical shops with six or more bays are performing their own J2534 reprogramming.
“We have a long way to go, but we’re not going to get there unless we do something about it,” Fish said. “And no one company is going to solve this. It’s just not going to move the needle. We really need all of us together.”
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