The 2019 Australian Auto Aftermarket (AAA) Expo being held from April 4-6 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre will provide automotive repairers and service providers with a detailed free seminar series throughout the three-day event.
Two seminars designed for workshops that are worried about the future of the industry will take place: Anti-competitive practices are misleading consumers into thinking they don’t have a choice for service and repair, and each new model requires another investment in new tools and equipment. Are these factors going to choke our future? Will the customer base shrink with capped price service deals and fears of voiding the warranty? Will the capital outlay for every new tool become unsustainable? These seminars will help you learn about how the industry is responding to both of these threats and how you can play a vital role.
On Friday, April 5 (2 p.m.) a not-to-be-missed seminar titled “Vehicle Data and Service Information: Access & Equity in the Aftermarket,” will be presented by Lesley Yates and Darren Todd.
Lesley Yates is the manager of government relations and advocacy for the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) and has worked tirelessly on all sides of the political spectrum to ensure that Australian consumers gain the right to have their Choice of Repairer. Yates brings more than two decades of experience in advocating government policy, public policy and government relations to the 2019 AAA Expo.
Darren Todd is a senior technical trainer with Bosch, bringing vast international automotive technology development experience to this detailed two-part seminar. Bosch is a global technological and market leader in electrified, automated and connected mobility. The German company invests billions of euros in research and development projects globally, undertaking significant engineering development in dedicated local centers of excellence. The company was recently granted the first Automated Driving System (ADS) permit for on-road testing of highly automated driving systems in Australia.
The central focus of this seminar will be on data being the lifeblood of the modern automotive aftermarket, discussing some of the more exciting developments in this space.
Yates also will host a discussion about the AAAA’s Choice of Repairer advocacy campaign and the latest developments toward the establishment of a mandatory code for the sharing of dealer-level repair and service information. Yates will answer important questions about what this OEM information is and how and when it will be shared with independent workshops. Todd will follow this presentation with a practical demonstration of data in action, using pass-through technology to explore how technicians can take advantage of OEM service information and systems in their workshops.
The second day of the 2019 AAA Expo (4 p.m.) also features an important seminar titled, “Vehicles and Technology: Tomorrow’s World Today,” presented by Bosch Australia’s Automotive Aftermarket General Manager Nikki Gerling.
Gerling will cut through the all of the jargon and paint a real picture of the key trends that are already reshaping our industry, as we move toward a mobility future that is electrified, automated and connected. The focus of the presentation is the fact that technology is changing faster than ever before and the global automotive industry is undergoing its most profound transformation since the invention of the car itself. This important seminar seeks to ensure repairer and service provider understanding of the extent and shape of the changes that lie ahead for automotive repairers.
You can take part in both of these and several more business-building seminars totally free of charge when you register to attend the 2019 AAA Expo, which is being held concurrently with the 2019 Collision Repair Expo (CRE) at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 4-6.
To register your attendance, visit aftermarketexpo.com.au.
