27/02/2017

The International Aftermarket Meeting will offer a global briefing of the sector with a focus on Mobile Solutions

Editorial Staff

By the year 2020, an entire generation of “connected” people, the so called C Generation, will have grown up in an digital and connected world, and digital technology and its tools will be a second nature to this group. This megatrend is already affecting the automotive industry and the aftermarket. The International Aftermarket Meeting 2017 provides an opportunity to hear from experts what does that mean for the aftermarket.

27/02/2017

ACEA Conference: EGEA and “Independents” to protect free competition in the industry

Massimo Brunamonti

ACEA presented its proposal for the so-called "Extended Vehicle", which plans to channel all communications and data via servers owned by the manufacturer of the vehicle in order to guarantee upgradeability, accessibility, data security and privacy protection. According to EGEA as well as others, this could be a dangerous instrument to be used by vehicle manufacturers to gain an unfair advantage over the market.

24/01/2017

The 2017 edition of Autopromotec is a sell-out

Editorial Staff

The next edition of Autopromotec, the most specialised international exhibition of automotive equipment and aftermarket products to be held in Bologna from 24^th-28^th May 2017, is shaping up to be an even more dynamic and must-attend event than past editions. At roughly six months from the opening, exhibition space for most product sectors has already sold out. Organisers are also announcing a strong increase in the number of exhibitors (+19% increase over the same period in 2014), a factor that has led to the upgrading and optimisation of several exhibition areas.

24/01/2017

“Compensational technologies, interdisciplinary and ethical vision”. Dipak Pant’s view of sustainable development.

Dino Collazzo

According to Dipak Raj Pant, an experienced field anthropologist, economist, founder and current head of the Interdisciplinary Unit for Sustainable Economy, at the Carlo Cattaneo University, where he teaches 'Sustainable Economic Policy and Management', the technological developments currently taking place, such as connected cars and autonomous driving, must be carefully analyzed before they can be fully absorbed in order to reduce the risk of negative repercussions on the entire socio-economic system.

24/01/2017

Connected cars: new European case studies and proposals from German manufacturers. Another threat to independence?

Massimo Brunamonti

The work of the European Commission on the definition of a standardized vehicle data access platform continues without let up. A study is, in fact, currently evaluating the feasibility of the proposals on the table. Meanwhile, German manufacturers and component suppliers have signed an agreement to support a system in which all data will have to pass through a car manufacturer's portal, which, on paper, meets all the free-competition policy requirements, but in reality is causing many sleepless nights for a number independent workshops.

24/01/2017

The insurance sector rocked by self-driving vehicles

Dino Collazzo

“Self-driving cars” will greatly limit the number of accidents on the roads and old insurance policies will soon be eliminated. Nevertheless, according to Matteo Carbone, director of the Connected Insurance Observatory, new policies against cyber risks, integrated services as well as the use of the so called “black box” represents a new business opportunity for insurance companies.

24/01/2017

Full electric vehicles, still too expensive

Dino Collazzo

Electricity represents mobility’s future, yet the expensive battery packs and the lack of a suitable recharging infrastructure is slowing down its diffusion. The 35% threshold of eco-friendly vehicles circulating worldwide will be reached no sooner than 2040. This is how Italy is moving compared to the rest of Europe.

24/01/2017

Online spare parts sales; e-commerce a new business opportunity for the Aftermarket

Dino Collazzo

More and more car owners are buying aftermarket components, such as accessories and tires, online and at competitive prices. A growing business which is likely to erode the revenues of many workshops and specialized dealers forced now to invest in e-commerce, where end-users are attracted by: low costs and detailed product information.

24/01/2017

Connected cars and the smart mobility revolution: variables and opportunities

Dino Collazzo

Self-driven, always connected and able to communicate with people, objects and surrounding infrastructures. Connected cars are bound to change the automotive market as well as the aftermarket. A challenge for vehicle manufacturers, traditional OEMs and hi-tech enterprises, wherein “cyber security” will play a crucial role.

24/01/2017

Trump, economic protectionism and the risks for the automotive sector

Dino Collazzo

Customs excise, international trade agreements review and the return to fossil fuels. Trump’s America is an unknown territory for the automobile industry.

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