Electrification is coming but don’t lose sight of what’s here

Image credit: Depositphotos.com

While many pages have been filled with and conference sessions have been dedicated to electrification, one aftermarket leader wants to remind you of a vehicle technology that is here now and will be making an increasingly bigger impact on your business: ADAS.

Advanced driver-assistance systems have been on vehicles for many years. And by 2030, it’s expected to make up 42 per cent of the car parc, according to data from the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association. Actually, Paul McCarthy, AASA president says that data is now older and thinks that estimate would be higher if made today.

Meanwhile, electrification will make up just a few per cent of the car parc.

Remember, McCarthy pointed out, it was just a few years ago that autonomous vehicles were all the rage — even Tesla head Elon Musk called it a “solved problem.”

ADAS, especially up to Level 3 automation — where the vehicle can make decisions based on changing situations around the vehicle — there’s “a huge aftermarket opportunity,” McCarthy observed.

It’s predicted that ADAS will be a billion-dollar industry for collision and repair. “So it’s a real growth opportunity,” he added during the AASA’s Mobility Technology Conference which was forced to move to a virtual event due to Hurricane Ian hitting Florida.

But it won’t come without some work. Right now, about 90 per cent of mechanical and 70 per cent of collision shops send ADAS work back to the dealer.

“So we have a lot of work, we have a lot of training to do to help shops and consumers be prepared and know that the aftermarket can supply the parts and the tools to fix these vehicles,” he said.

ADAS is also key to the future of the automotive industry as a whole. The purpose of ADAS is to keep drivers safe and make driving easier. “We have an aging population. And as we age it’s making it easier for us to drive longer,” McCarthy pointed out.

As people move away from cities — as seen during the pandemic — making it easier to drive entices more driving.

“So we believe that vehicle automation will grow all of our markets,” McCarthy said.