AUTOMECHANIKA SHANGHAI CONCLUDES ENERGISED FOR A YEAR OF DEVELOPMENT

The Shenzhen edition of the show was held across February 15-18

On the 18th of February 2023, exhibitors and visitors waved goodbye to the 17th edition of Automechanika Shanghai, hosted at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center.

Event organisers stated that all signs point to a surge of market activity in the global automotive supply chain, with visitors from 89 countries and regions attending the show. Through innovations across the fairground, networking activities and events, the four-day exhibition also reflected many rising trends around vehicle connectivity and new energy, and relinked ties between the overseas and domestic supply chain.

Key figures from Automechanika Shanghai –Shenzhen Edition:

• Onsite visitors: 106,383 from 89 countries and regions

• Exhibitors: 3,302

• Scale: 220,000sqm

• 58 fringe events

• Online visits through AMS Live: over 400,000

• 43 hybrid programmes broadcast on AMS Live

A renewed sense of anticipation was felt all around the fairground, with numerous overseas and domestic partners reuniting for the first time since the previous edition in 2020. Overall, the event saw a 33 percent increase in visitors, a true indication that the market is open for business and trade.

Exhibitors keenly showcased their latest innovations in line with an industry-wide shift towards environmental sustainability, autonomy, intelligence and new mobility. In this regard, Parts and Components; Electronics and Systems; Tomorrow’s Service and Mobility; Accessories; Customising; Diagnostics and Repair / Body and Paint and Tyres and Wheels offered full coverage of the up to downstream supply chain.

Participants also praised the show’s take on the brand’s Innovation4Mobility concept. In the Showcase, the Innovation4Mobility Mainstage, Green Repair Zone, A New Era of Commercial Vehicles, and Motorsports and High Performance areas drew attention to key market segments in China with strong growth and development potential.

This year, a total of 58 fringe programme events ran concurrently with the main show, of which all covered the latest global trends and advancements in the market.

Once again, AMS Live was a key communication gateway empowering remote and onsite users to explore purchasing decisions and capture the latest market information. On-demand video content and exhibitor searches on the platform remained open until the 17th of March 2023.

“After a two-year hiatus, it was very rewarding to see the fairground burst into action and transform into an assembly point for the overseas and domestic market,” Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd General Manager, Fiona Chiew, said.

“The Innovation4Mobility Showcase was a triumph as it offered a wider perspective on new mobility solutions, market trends and policy updates.

“Showcases and discussions also echoed the focus on next-generation technologies from exhibitors across the show floor. For the show’s return up north in November, we will further build upon the concept to act as a window into tomorrow’s industry.”

The next edition of Automechanika Shanghai will take place from the 29th of November to the 2nd of December 2023 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The event is organised by Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd and the China National Machinery Industry International Co Ltd (Sinomachint).

In addition, the brand’s flagship show, Automechanika Frankfurt, will return to the stage from the 10th to the 14th of September 2024.

For more information on Automechanika , visit www.automechanika-shanghai.com or email auto@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com

ARE YOU EDUCATING YOUR CUSTOMERS ON ADAS?

Consumers are concerningly confused when it comes to this important technology

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) help drivers avoid on-road collisions by supporting the driver to make safe choices, alerting the driver to potential danger, and intervening to avoid an accident.

ADAS systems are being progressively included in new models (currently at 60 percent) and ADAS now incorporates a wide range of systems from Adaptive Cruise Control to Forward Collision Warnings.

Further, we expect to see this trend increase over the next two years as we see the effect of Australia’s adoption of Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Departure warning as mandatory requirements (ADRs) for new car models.

However, consumers do not appear to be keeping up.

Research data indicates that many don’t seem to fully understand the capabilities or how and when to use ADAS, and even if their vehicle is equipped with some features.

Of course, none of this will be news to you as aftermarket and workshop professionals.

As ADAS features increase in a relatively short time frame, a number of concerning key trends are being brought to the fore, including consumer confusion. Research from 2020 onwards shows that while consumers are showing a preference for selecting vehicle models with ADAS, many are unsure of all of the features and how these systems affect the day-to-day driving experience.

And the fact that the car companies are using different proprietary names for similar systems is adding to the confusion.

Consumers can see the safety benefits, but international research indicates car owners don’t quite understand the capabilities of these systems (70 percent) and that incessant beeping can lead to abandonment and misuse.

We know the average handover of a new vehicle can last for less than 30 minutes and what is evident is that consumers are leaving the showroom with a brand-new car without a full working understanding of the vehicle capability.

To be fair, loading up the new car handover process with more details will probably lead to information overload and interestingly, this gap in consumer understanding is an opportunity that the aftermarket can fill.

Many commentators are already pointing out the need for the automotive industry to better educate and engage consumers on how to incorporate ADAS technology into the day-to-day driving experience.

Perhaps this is a role that we can play – for instance, as we undertake logbook servicing of these new vehicles, there is an opportunity to educate consumers on the features and to intentionally work in a conversation about ADAS. Options for messaging here include reminding consumers of their systems.

For example, “your car has lane departure warning, how are you finding the lane keeping assist systems, are you using the systems, and do you find the warning noises to be annoying or beneficial?”

This can lead to discussion and a valuable chance to educate consumers on recalibration.

Independent repair and service workshops are increasingly investing in ADAS equipment and training, and the next logical step is that we should tell customers why their choice of repairer was the best choice to check their safety systems are in proper working order.

Of course, we also need to be investing in the training and equipment required to ensure that this is a true statement.

While ADAS features on a whole are far from brand new – ESC and traction control were introduced last century after all – these systems have evolved. Car makers are bringing out vehicles equipped with more and more varying ranges of advanced technologies and their prevalence can be expected to grow as more innovations in technology are uncovered.

As such, this is the right time for the independent aftermarket to work together to support consumer awareness that we have the training and the technology to ensure their ADAS technology continues to operate within the required operating parameters.

There is also another concerning trend we can expect to see, and the early signs are already here. That concern is that we are experiencing some subtle public messaging from the car industry implying you can only trust an authorised repairer to service an ADAS-equipped vehicle.

This is clearly not true because Australia’s Motor Vehicle Information Sharing Law mandates the sharing of repair information, but consumers may not know this.

The good news is that the perception of our capability is largely in our own hands.

A clean workshop, knowledgeable staff, state-ofthe-art equipment, and constant updates on the progress of the repair can influence perceptions of capability.

Similarly, engaging in an ADAS conversation, ‘pulling back the curtain’ and educating them does a similar job.

It reinforces the message that our industry is ahead of the curve, supporting consumer choice and playing a vital role in keeping our customers and their families safe while enhancing their experiences of driving a sophisticated computer on wheels.