ELK GROVE, Calif. – ALLDATA has announced that for the third year in a row, the company will participate in the AAIA’s Shop of Tomorrow exhibit at the upcoming 2011 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas.
ALLDATA will show how repair and diagnostic information could significantly impact the future of the automotive repair industry. In addition to participating at the Shop of Tomorrow, booth No. 3066, ALLDATA will also exhibit directly across the aisle at booth No. 3265.
Leveraging standards developed by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), ALLDATA will demonstrate how a telematics device can enable communication between the car and the car’s owner via an iPad2, and the car’s preferred shop’s management system. Notifications can range from simple maintenance reminders to diagnostic trouble codes. The demonstration will show how a driver might be alerted and/or be routed for service.
"For most repair professionals, it is already difficult to keep pace with the technical advances and diagnostic requirements that are now common with each new vehicle release," said ALLDATA Senior Product Marketing Manager Ben Johnson. "We are exploring technologies that will help shops efficiently and effectively diagnose and repair complex problems. Efficiency and marketability of service have evolved as the key to remaining profitable in a highly competitive environment. Using telematics and industry standards, we will show how a shop might begin servicing the vehicle when the problem occurs, instead of when the vehicle shows up in the service bay."
"ALLDATA was an early advocate for standardized shop technology and continues to support the AAIA interface standards," said Scott Luckett, AAIA vice president of Information Technology. "They have been aggressive in showcasing how standards can be leveraged to bring their products to the customer in new and innovative ways. Without standards such as iSHOP and ACES embedded into a shop’s software and equipment, a shop may soon find it difficult to continue operating effectively."
iSHOP allows a range of shop systems to share customer and vehicle data as well as diagnostic results and other relevant information, reducing redundancies and unnecessary keystrokes, according to AAIA. ACES (Aftermarket Catalog Enhanced Standard) is the North American industry standard for the management and exchange of automotive catalog applications data.
Presentations demonstrating these technologies will be held daily during the show at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. In addition, on Nov. 3, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Johnson and Luckett also will present "Inside the Shop of Tomorrow and Aftermarket Telematics" as part of the AAPEX Learning Forum. The presentation will take place in the Venetian Hotel.
Stop by booth No. 3265 for information on all ALLDATA products.
