Driving an autonomous, electric and connected vehicle future

The Government is getting behind a Melbourne company specialising in autonomous EVs

The Andrews Labor Government is supporting a Melbourne company specialising in autonomous electric vehicles to develop world-first technology that can be configured for multiple uses – driving the future of mobility today. The Government has provided support to Applied EV towards its new $2 million facility in Bayswater North, which will accommodate research and development as well as early vehicle production and is expected to create more than 20 highly skilled jobs over two years. “The future of travel and transport will be autonomous, electric and connected, and Victorian companies are leading the way,” Minister for Industry Support and Recovery, the Honourable Martin Pakula, said. “Innovators like Applied EV are building on expertise gained from traditional manufacturing with advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence to produce revolutionary solutions for now and the future.” The latest vehicle to be produced by Applied EV is Blanc Robot – a sophisticated autonomous-ready electric vehicle platform that can be integrated with different vehicle bodies and configured for a range of uses. Applied EV has developed a sophisticated “plug and play” software and electrical system called the Digital Backbone that powers the Blanc Robot platform. With a range of charging options, the Blanc Robot provides flexible and energy-efficient transport that is safe, low cost and has zero emissions. Blanc Robot is designed to service goods delivery, agriculture, mining and industrial and waste management, as well as passenger transport, and will be trialled by major international industry players this year. Established in 2015 by executives who built their careers at General Motors Holden and Telstra, Applied EV has grown on the back of strong global demand for its technology and driven by a workforce sourced from Victoria’s extensive talent pool in advanced manufacturing, design and engineering. “We welcome the support from the Victorian Government, which helps take our Melbournemade mobility solutions to the global market – offering a product that is cost-effective, adaptable to business needs and good for the environment,” Applied EV Chief Executive, Julian Broadbent, said. Victoria has backed its highly-skilled manufacturing workforce by creating more than 1,000 new job opportunities for automotive sector employees under the Labor Government’s Local Industry Fund for Transition program. The support for Applied EV extends the Government’s investment in the autonomous and electric vehicle industry. The Government partnered with Transdev in 2019 to develop the first locally-built, fully electric bus with body construction and fit-out carried out by Dandenong-based Volgren.

CAPRICORN RISING STARS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

A record breaking 600 plus Capricorn Members nominated their star apprentices

Australasia’s largest automotive cooperative, Capricorn, says it is delighted to announce the top five Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year competition finalists. In a record-breaking response, more than 600 Capricorn Members from across Australia and New Zealand nominated their star apprentices for this prized annual accolade that rewards and recognises the automotive aftermarket industry’s leaders of the future. The top five Capricorn Rising Star Apprentice of the Year competition finalists are: • Ben Brown – CWR Motorsport (NZ) • Adam McDonald – Voltaic Auto Electrical (WA) • Jordon Dodge – Mark Dodge Auto Repairs (QLD) • Paige Scully – Krupic Auto Repairs (VIC) • Thomas Rutzou – Jag and British Prestige

Service (VIC) All five have been nominated by their employers for leadership skills beyond their years, along with their outstanding willingness to learn, along with displaying genuine pride and enthusiasm for their work and future automotive aftermarket career potential. Once again, the talented 2021 Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year competition finalists include a diverse range of backgrounds and specialisations, continuing an encouraging trend. After a challenging 2021, it is promising to see such a high calibre of apprentices nominated and an increasing number of young women entering the automotive servicing and repair industry. Given such a broad number of Capricorn Rising Star nominations this year, the judging process to identify the top five finalists proved to be a detailed task for the panel of Rising Star competition judges, headed by Capricorn Automotive Chief Executive Officer, Bradley Gannon. “We are delighted with the record number of nominations that our Members submitted this year,” Bradley said. “Given the industry wide shortage of qualified repairers, it has never been more important that we support and encourage our apprentices - and it is clear that there are many young star performers working in our Members’ workshops. “The Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year competition enables our Members to show their apprentices the bright future that awaits them and to maintain their passion for the industry to forge a long and successful automotive career.” Capricorn conducts this industry renowned Apprentice of the Year competition with the generous support of program sponsors Castrol, Repco and The Workshop Whisperer, who have donated several outstanding prizes for the finalists, their nominating workshops and of course the soon to be announced overall 2021 Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year. For more from Capricorn, visit www.capricorn.coop

LED AUTOLAMPS WARNS INDUSTRY OF ALLEGED COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS

The lighting design and manufacturing company is concerned consumers may be at risk of purchasing inferior products

LED Autolamps says it has been targeted by some eBay sellers who are alleged to be passing off fake manufactured LED Autolamps products, some of which are being marketed with LED Autolamps branding and approval numbers. “These sellers have been misleading consumers by passing off a fake Maxilamp range of products, stamping our approval markings on the products, and in some cases even selling these fake parts under LED Autolamps’ branding and promotional name,” LED Autolamps Managing Director, Tony Ottobre, said. Tony continued to say, “these sellers are passing off their products as LED Autolamps products by calling their copied lamp ‘Maxilamp’, a trademark we have used since 2009. Further, the copied lamps clearly show our ECE approval mark on the reflector, and also display LED Autolamps’ part numbers.” “We are very concerned consumers are being tricked into buying an inferior product and a product that does not comply with the ADRs through incorrect LED output,” Tony said. “Consumers are purchasing these products believing they are genuine LED Autolamps product, and when they fail, they have attempted to return to the supplier for warranty assistance only to find they are not the original products they believed they had purchased.” LED Autolamps says it has taken a sample of the alleged counterfeit lights and had them thoroughly tested. “Our test reports justify our claim in the inferiority of these fake parts,” Tony said. In relation to the test reports Tony explains “we had these products tested to ADR/ECE standards and also environmentally tested, but as expected, the reproduced fake Maxilamp failed in ADR 49/00 – Stop Function, ADR 49/00 – Tail Function, ADR 6/00 2a – Rear Indicator Function and ECE Regulation R3 – Retro Reflector.” “Environmental testing was also performed, and the fake parts failed IPX7 with considerable water ingress during the investigation. Further testing in Bundoora of the fake Maxilamp also resulted in LED failure within 12 hours,” Tony said. “In summary, these fake parts are not only being fraudulently marketed with our branding and our approval numbers, but they are also fundamentally a poor product with low quality components in the lamp and poor-quality sealing,” Tony said. “By purchasing genuine LED Autolamps product direct from us or our stockist, you can ensure you or your customer receive a safe and legal product that is fit for purpose and covered by warranties that lead the market,” he concluded. LED Autolamps is based in Bundoora, Victoria and has a European warehouse and sales operation and a Taiwan Manufacturing plant. Its operation and buildings are ISO Certified to either ISO9001:2015 or IATF16949. For more information, or to find your local stockist, visit www.ledautolamps.com

BOX HILL INSTITUTE EMPLOYER PATHWAY PROGRAM

Box Hill Institute needs your help to build a better skilled automotive workforce to meet the demands of the current automotive workshop

Box Hill Institute has embarked on a new employer pathway program and it is getting great results. To address the current skills shortage in the automotive industry, Box Hill Institute says it is working on attracting the right candidates to the Certificate II in Automotive Servicing pre apprentice course by working with automotive business owners, creating social media posts and getting the word out that having a career in the automotive industry can be a lifelong rewarding vocation. Students who have completed or are nearing completion of their pre apprentice course are introduced to prospective employers by a Box Hill Institute team whose sole purpose is to match the right candidate to the right employer. Employers are enjoying the fact that they don’t have to advertise for apprentices and students are loving the opportunity to secure employment at one of the participating automotive workshops. How it works

Hill Institute and explains that they want to employ an apprentice. Box Hill Institute staff review suitable candidates from their student groups and match a student with the employer. The employer then conducts an interview with the student and decides the outcome. There is no cost for this service. Why be part of this initiative?

Employing staff and staff retention have always been hot topics but this program takes a lot of time and effort out of the process, so that there is no need to advertise for someone because Box Hill Institute has a number of students who have completed the Certificate II course and are job ready. The candidates

Students in this program have a passion for motor vehicles and want to gain meaningful employment in the automotive industry. They have shown commitment to getting a job by enrolling in the Certificate II in Automotive Servicing course, showing up to classes on time every day, getting through their studies in the required time and displaying a great attitude towards work. Students who have finished the Certificate II course have also completed a health and safety induction and units such as Workplace Health and Safety, using workplace tools and equipment, following environmental requirements, vehicle servicing, inspecting and servicing braking, cooling, fuel, steering and suspension systems. If you would like to be part of this program or find out more, please call Roger Phillips or Mark Liberto on 03 9286 9623 or email automotive.programs@boxhill.edu.au For information on other automotive programs such as Automotive Air Conditioning or VicRoads Licensed Vehicle Testing, visit www.boxhill.edu.au and search ‘automotive.’