Diagnostic tool and vehicle technical support brand, Maverick Diagnostics, joined IAAF recently. Established I n1999 as Maverick Technology Ltd, Maverick Diagnostics is an established provider of original dealer diagnostics tools and technical support to the aftermarket in the UK and Europe.
Pro-Align vehicle diagnostic expert and Hella Gutmann will bring a hands-on workshop experience to Lanarkshire in Scotland in November 2021. The event, giving business owners and vehicle technicians from across Scotland an opportunity to trial on some of the world’s leading industry systems, will be hosted by New College Lanarkshire on 17 November. Pro-Align is the sole UK distributor of leading US wheel servicing equipment brand Hunter. Hella Gutmann is a pioneer of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) calibration for the independent aftermarket. Recognising the increasing synergies between their areas of expertise, the two companies became brand partners earlier in 2021.
Recognising the proliferation of ADAS within the car parc and the servicing demand it brings, Corghi has expanded its product range, with the release of the Proadas. The new product enables the calibration of safety-critical front sensors such as camera, radar and lidar, and targets businesses ready to enter ADAS servicing with an “easy to use” solution. The Corghi Proadas is available in the UK via distributor Rema Tip Top and is compatible with most equipment produced by the brand’s parent company, the Nexion group.
The rise of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems within the European car parc is a fast-growing trend. Not only are many cars already fitted with ADAS, the standardisation of various forms of ADAS on new vehicles, coupled with their adoption within the fast-growing electrified car parc, ensure that the demand for ADAS-enabled vehicle servicing will continue to rise. Therefore the ability to service increasingly connected vehicles remains the most prominent consideration for servicing equipment suppliers. Everard, the UK distributor of Beissbarth equipment, notes that ADAS recalibration represents a necessary step in many routine maintenance jobs, calling it a natural extension to wheel alignment services. Altering wheel alignment often changes the alignment of sensors and cameras; for ADAS to work as vehicle manufacturers intend, it is vital that these components are carefully and accurately recalibrated.
New multinational “portfolio company” Repairify is making its industry bow at the US Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. The company, part of Kinderhook Industries, LLC, includes asTech, the Texas automotive technology firm specialising in remote diagnostics that acquired Dunstable-based RED (EU) Ltd in March 2021, as well as other businesses engaged in automotive servicing, such as adasThink, BlueDriver, FleetGenix, and Mobile Tech RX. Repairify represents Kinderhook’s new strategic initiative to align this family of brands, with the aim to “emerge as a global leader in Automotive Technology and Intelligence to help the automotive collision, mechanical, and dealership sectors master the modern vehicle.”
Delphi Technologies has launched the BlueTech VCI diagnostics interface that offers “an extensive suite of diagnostic interrogations, real world data, and more”. According to Delphi Technologies, the firm’s previous Vehicle Communication Interface (VCI) will still be fully supported within the diagnostic range to “offer workshops choice and flexibility in finding a diagnostic solution which meets their needs”.
The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) recently participated in the European Commission (EC) “access to in-vehicle data” workshop. Thanking the EC for the chance to contribute to such a strategic topic for the automotive industry, the ETRMA called on the EC to publish “an ambitious legislative proposal on access to in-vehicle data” in the first quarter of 2022.
Delphi Technologies has launched the Delphi Technologies Academy – a new e-learning platform aimed at those in the automotive industry wanting to “enhance their skills and keep up to date with the latest technological developments”. The platform, launched in September, significantly enhances the company’s existing training portfolio.
Absolute Alignment has officially opened its new head office located in Aldershot, Hampshire. The bespoke headquarters features a training area including a two-post lift, a dedicated build area – to calibrate and test equipment before dispatch and delivery, a main office area and a storage area.
Following the launch of its new “‘pay as you calibrate’ equipment”, it is worth considering where this move fits in terms of the company’s current business strategy. For anyone wondering, asTech is a Plano, Texas-based automotive technology firm specialising in remote diagnostics. So the first question we asked was who is asTech?
asTech launching what the company says is the industry’s first ADAS ‘pay as you calibrate’ initiative. The company is offering ADAS equipment with no upfront cost, and repairers will be able to pay as they use the equipment based on a small number of calibrations per week.
During the pandemic year 2020, connected and intelligent car solutions reached a value of 1.8 billion euros. A third of the market is represented by ADAS systems (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, equating to 600 million euros). The largest segment is constituted by so-called solutions for the connected car, which in 2020 slowed down to 1.18 billion euros (-2%), after having grown in double figures during both 2018 (+ 31%) and in 2019 (+ 14%). Similar trends can be seen across Western countries, which oscillate between -5 per cent and + 5 per cent.
Automotive supplier Hella intends to sell its 50 per cent share in the South Korean joint venture Mando Hella Electronics (MHE) to Mando. The two partners have now signed a corresponding agreement and the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021 calendar year. The price is “around €60 million.”
Vehicle manufacturers, dealerships, the DVSA and driving instructors should include a comprehensive lesson for motorists on how to use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) so they are a road safety benefit and not a potential hazard, says IAM RoadSmart following the publication of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s (FIA) ‘How to maximize the road safety benefits of ADAS’ report.
AB Dynamics is showcasing its ability to replicate simulated swarm tests quickly and accurately in the real world and vice-versa. According to the company, this work enables the testing and development of ADAS and autonomous systems to be significantly accelerated whilst also reducing risk and cost.
Maverick Diagnostics
Corghi
Beissbarth
asTech
Delphi Technologies
Pixabay; Pexels
Delphi Technologies
Absolute Alignment
asTech
CarGlass
IAM RoadSmart
AB Dynamics