AutoForum April 2011

WWW.AUTOFORUM.CO.ZA

APRIL 2011

I N F O R M E D

PAGE 29

A N D

Technica tackles training online

NEWS AFRICA

NEWS AFRICA

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTRALIAN BODYSHOP NEWS

Toyota yaris goes hybrid INNO V ATIONS

I N N O V A T I V E

SAFER EVs

Inside trailer maintenance lagging BEHIND

AUTOMECHANIKA SA REVIEW

winning customers online TransUnion Auto Trends Forum PAGE 1

APRIL 2011

CONTENTS

WWW.AUTOFORUM.CO.ZA

APRIL 2011

I N F O R M E D

6

Cover Stories

PAGE 29

8

TransUnion Auto Trends Forum

24

Toyota Yaris goes hybrid

28

Winning customers online

40

Safer EVs

46

Trailer maintenance lagging behind

60

Automechanika SA review

64

NEWS AFRICA

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTRALIAN BODYSHOP NEWS

TOYOTA YARIS GOES HYBRID

Trade Talk Highlights of global and local industry news

NHTSA-NASA release results of Toyota unintended acceleration study

4

WINNING CUSTOMERS ONLINE TRANSUNION AUTO TRENDS FORUM PAGE 1

Thank you to Toyota South Africa for our cover photo.

Editorial 6

The last month has seen a major event on SA soil and with Automechanika now over, we hope that the discussions, innovations and presentations will allow our industry to move forward and prosper. While many of the topics and news to come out of the show are featured in this April issue, make sure you don’t miss our story on the Auto Maintenance and Repair event held in Beijing, as well as the key issues under discussion in the Commercial Vehicle section - they are not to be missed if you are involved in fleet maintenance or management. Happy Easter Break.

OEM automotive electronics to grow steadily

12

Have you got your Act together?

13

TRW reigns in - and puts the brakes on dangerous situations

14

Component order pooling to improve SA competitiveness

18

Boundary free mobilty

21

Call for standards in taxi emergency exits

22

TransUnion Auto Trends Forum

24

CSIR releases pothole guide for municipalities

26

Toyota’s hybrid Yaris concept

28

CONTRIBUTORS: australian bodyshop news Michel Malik Dave Scott Robert Kaiser ROY COKAYNE Warwick robinson Graham Bush

30

ADVERTISING: Grant West Warwick Robinson C: 076 727 8161 C: 082 855 7750 Greg Surgeon

F: 086 627 1135 C: 083 449 6137

Suppliers must keep an eye on China

38

Winning customers online

40

PRODUCTION: Kaz nel

Five building blocks crucial to a solid small business

42

BodyShop News 60

Inside TRAILER MAINTENANCE LAGGING BEHIND

AUTOMECHANIKA SA REVIEW

News Forum

38

SAFER EVs

I N N O VAT I O N S

12

I N N O V A T I V E

Technica tackles training online

NEWS AFRICA

Technica tackles training online

A N D

SAMBRA conference a success

Business Forum

EDITOR Clare Rutkiewicz

Assistant EDITOR Bridgette Scheelke

Email: info@autoforum.co.za PUBLISHER: Swift Publications & Olympic Park Trading Suite 446, Postnet X033, Rivonia 2128

64

AutoForum has an ABC circulation of 14 318 ABC (January 2010 to June 2010)

www.AutoForum.co.za I N F O R M E D

EvSAT = safer EVs

46

The future sounds of motoring

48

Abro ACD/Midas Group

Automechanika SA Innovation Award winners

50

Aer-O-Cure

Technology for all at Automechanika SA

52

Electrolog gets the recognition it deserves

52

Atlas Copco South Africa’s Multibrand division now offers Chicago Pneumatic

52

Alert Egine Parts Alfa International Autocosmos/Electrolog Behr Hella

Bosch Federal-Mogul First National Battery Forté

Commercial Vehicles Running out of trucking runway

58

South Africa’s orphan road transport fleet

60

Merc’s new programme to win loyalty

62

Highveld Garage Hofmann Megaplan Ital Machinery

Leaderquip MACS Automotive

Showtime Automechanika Johannesburg

64

2011 Auto Maintenance and Repair Show, Beijing

67

Mercedes-Benz South Africa MISA NAPA/Midas Group PIA/Midas Group POS Service Holland Probe Corporation Safeline

New Releases 68

Silver Falcon/Hurricane Silverton Radiators

After-Marketplace Directory Directory listings

I N N O V A T I V E

Advertisers Guide

Innovations

Latest offerings of local products

A N D

Snap-on / John Bean Technica Tenneco / Monroe

70

Trysome Turbo Exchange

Wheelquip

67

7 69 36-37, OBC 19 7 62 47, 49 27, IBC 45 53 61 59 25 25, 39 63 15 31 46 16-17 5 51 43 23 32-33 35 39 8-11 55 57 20-21 41

While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the advice and information given to readers, neither the editor, nor the publishers, can accept any responsibility for any damages, injury or loss which may arise there from. The opinions expressed by contributors to this magazine are not necessarily shared by the editor or the publishers.

Trade Talk

AutoForum - April 2011

www.AutoForum.co.za

MACS draws winner As part of the excitement at the recent Automechanika trade show, MACS Automotive held a lucky draw for one of its Robinair Baby Cool ACM 3000 Recovery, Recharge and Recycle Units - valued at over R30 000.

Charmaine Pieters of MACS with the winning draw

Charmaine Pieters of MACS Automotive drew the lucky winner - with AutoForum’s Greg Surgeon on hand to oversee the proceedings - picking Len Poole’s name from the hat.

Poole is the owner of Electro Diesel Motolek Auto Electric Specialists, from Vredenberg in the Cape.

FNB celebrates 100 m batteries First National Battery (FNB) in February celebrated 80 years of battery production, and the manufacture of nearly 100 million batteries.

This company is a manufacturer and distributor of lead acid batteries and supplies most SA automotive OEMs - nearly all locally manufactured vehicles for export are fitted with FNB batteries. It produces more than 2.2 million batteries annually – a large portion of which is distributed by the nationwide Battery Centre franchise “ We have purchased several new facilities, including a plant in Woodbrook, East London that houses the production of the new generation Valve-Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries, which utilise Absorbent Glass Matt (AGM) technology,” explains Louis Denner, Managing Director of FNB. The AGM battery is the first of its kind produced in the Southern hemisphere, and is designed to meet the specifications of German luxury motor vehicle manufacturers and to service the low emission Start/Stop vehicle technology of the future.

The technology was last month awarded the gold certificate for product innovation at Automechanika SA’s Innovation Awards – see page 50.

The company is also trying hard to be green - with recycling initiatives and stringent measures to minimise its impact on the environment. This latter has involved a massive upgrade of its Benoni smelter to facilitate the recycling of approximately 1.2 million scrap batteries per year and sees production of some 17 000 tons of refined lead for use in the manufacture of new batteries.

BMW-PSA Peugeot Citroen in hybrid deal The BMW Group and PSA Peugeot Citroën have announced their plan to invest €100 million in a hybrid technology JV. The project, entitled ‘BMW Peugeot Citroën Electrification’, will operate out of two locations – the greater Munich area in Germany and Mulhouse, France, and will create an estimated 400 jobs by the end of the year.

Subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities, the new company is expected to launch its operations by the middle of 2011, and the new hybrid components will equip both partners’ vehicles from 2014 onwards. “As responsible carmakers, we aim to create an open European platform and foster the development of European standards for hybrid technologies. This joint venture will also enable us to develop advanced technological manufacturing expertise in Europe in the field of electric powertrains, and to retain all its potential for creating value,” said Philippe Varin, Chairman of the Managing Board of PSA Peugeot Citroën.

The two companies have been involved in cooperative agreements for almost ten years, starting with jointly designed and produced 4-cylinder engines in 2002. The new initiative will focus on components such as battery packs, E-machines, generators, power electronics, chargers, and software for hybrid systems.

PAGE 4

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AutoForum - April 2011

New book on vehicle body structure design With balancing efficiency, performance and aesthetics more important than ever for vehicle designers and engineers, it is now imperative that body design staff have the knowledge needed to make quick, informed and intuitive decisions. SAE International has released a new book that provides readers with just such knowledge.

‘Fundamentals of Automobile Body Structure Design’ by Donald E. Malen provides fundamental information on automobile body structure design, explained using models to provide insight into the behaviour of body structural systems.

The body structure is an important vehicle subsystem that serves many functions, including being the armature that holds the parts of the vehicle together, contributing to safety performance in a collision and contributing to noise and vibration refinement. From an economic point of view, the design of the body is a critical element in establishing the lead time of a model.

The book provides a solid understanding of the principles of body structure design, illustrating the effect of changing design parameters on the behaviour of auto body structural elements. The book is out this month.

NHTSA-NASA release results of Toyota unintended acceleration study

T

he US Department of Transportation recently released the results of an unprecedented ten-month study into the potential electronic causes of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles. The study was launched early last year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the request of the US Congress, and enlisted NASA engineers with expertise in areas such as computer controlled electronic systems, electromagnetic interference and software integrity – all in an effort to find out whether electronic systems or electromagnetic interference played a role in the incidents of unintended acceleration.

NASA engineers found no electronic flaws in Toyota vehicles capable of producing the large throttle openings required to create dangerous highspeed unintended acceleration. The two mechanical safety defects identified by NHTSA more than a year ago – ‘sticking’ accelerator pedals and a design flaw that enabled accelerator pedals to become trapped by floor mats – remain the only known causes for these kinds of unsafe unintended acceleration incidents.

The evaluations involved investigating electronic circuitry in the vehicles and analysis of over 280 000 lines of software code for any potential flaws, as well as rigorous testing of mechanical components that could have

PAGE 6

potentially resulted in the fault. It also included engineers bombarding vehicles with electromagnetic radiation to study its role in the fault causation.

“NASA found no evidence that a malfunction in electronics caused large unintended accelerations,” said Michael Kirsch, Principal Engineer at the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). As a result of the findings NHTSA is considering taking several new actions, including: • Proposing rules to require brake override systems, to standardise operation of keyless ignition systems, and to require the installation of event data recorders in all passenger vehicles.

• Beginning broad research on the reliability and security of electronic control systems.

• Researching the placement and design of accelerator and brake pedals, as well as driver usage of pedals, to determine whether design and placement can be improved to reduce pedal misapplication.

In 2009 and 2010, Toyota recalled nearly eight million vehicles as part of the sticky pedal and pedal entrapment recalls. The automaker also paid $48.8 million in civil penalties as the result of NHTSA investigations into the timeliness of several safety recalls last year. Across the industry, automakers voluntarily initiated a record number of safety recalls in 2010.

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NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - April 2011

OEM automotive electronics to grow steadily

A

s regulatory pressure mounts from governments the world over, and vehicle manufacturers scramble to differentiate their products from their competitors’, the global demand for light vehicle original equipment manufacturer (OEM) automotive electronics will surge 12.3% annually, to $174 billion in 2014. This is according to a new report entitled ‘World OEM Automotive Electronics’.

MINI becomes mini again When the new incarnation of the iconic MINI went on sale in South Africa all those years ago, comparisons to the original MINI were unavoidable – “It’s not exactly ‘mini’, is it?”

Since then the brand has grown (no pun intended) to include the Clubman (big), the Countryman (you guessed it – even bigger) and hefty concepts such as the Paceman. Now, it seems, MINI is returning to its roots with the recent global unveiling of the new MINI Rocketman Concept at Milan Fashion Week.

According to its makers, the MINI Rocketman Concept “fuses traditional values with innovative technology to redefine the brand’s core principle of the creative use of space”. The three-door Rocketman is a 3+1-seater that employs a unique concept in terms of space utilisation. At just 3.3 metres long the Rocketman would be sure to become a new icon of fun and dynamic city driving.

While the automotive OEM electronics industry in developed markets is largely mature, it appears that there is still much to be achieved in emerging markets, which typically have more basic electronics needs.

Traditionally these markets have focused on technologies that have been long-standard in developed countries, like safety technologies such as standard airbags and antilock brake systems (ABS), as well as powertrain and emissions applications like port fuel injection and closed-loop catalytic converter systems.

What researchers are seeing now is that customers in emerging markets are demanding more noticeable features that focus on comfort, convenience and entertainment offerings - such as power windows, doorlocks and powerful audio heads - all elements that purchasers value for their more visible status.

It seems that safety and security electronics stand to gain the most as more advanced safety features filter down from premium models into mass-market vehicles. The report also expects powertrain electronics to experience strong demand, mainly pushed along by the introduction of ever stricter new fuel economy and emissions standards in developed markets, particularly the US and Western Europe.

Additionally, the report foresees that communication and navigation electronics systems will experience rapid growth as more OEMs integrate these useful technologies into their vehicles. Until now integrated systems navigation systems have not been as popular as manufacturers had hoped, with many consumers opting for far cheaper and more easily replaced aftermarket products.

Instrumentation and comfort, convenience and entertainment electronics, however, will experience lower but still lucrative growth rates as more emerging market players install these features to meet customer demand.

PAGE 12

Have you got your Act together?

W

hether by coincidence or by design, April Fool’s Day (1 April) this year happened to fall on the same day that the new Consumer Protection Act went into effect. It really would be foolish to only now be waking up to the fact that you need to start making changes to ensure that your business is compliant, but many people have been living under the misconception that because Government has been slow to finalise certain elements of the Act that it would be delayed. Not so – it’s finally here and it’s up to you to know how you and your business will be affected.

If you had been fortunate enough to attend the RMI Conference held at last month’s Automechanika you would have a reasonably good grasp of what’s new and what you need to do to make sure that you aren’t caught out on the wrong side of the law. Speaking at the conference, AMH’s Compliance Manager, Brandon Cohen, summed up the most important features and cleared up a number of contentious topics for the automotive sector.

Cohen explained that in such matters an Act is the ‘what’, while the Regulations are the ‘how’. He went on the say that because the Consumer Protection Act is designed to cover the entire business environment, it is now up to each industry to develop its own set of rules in the form of a Code of Conduct. The automotive industry is ahead of the game already in this regard and has been developing its own Code for the past two years with input from Naamsa, the RMI, AMID, IDA, Naacam and MIOSA. Once the Code has been accredited by the Minister it will gain the legal status of a Regulation.

Cohen was quick to allay the fears that many in the industry had been worrying about, saying: “This Act is not the world’s end to retail”. He added that: “There are a lot of positives with this Act.” On the negative side for businesses there are a number of potential pitfalls, but Cohen explained that business owners simply need to understand them and the ways around them. As an example he cited the proposed regulation on data in terms of direct marketing (a section where contravention can result in a prison sentence). In terms of the proposed regulations, a business has to be extremely careful in how they directly market to consumers (direct marketing differs from advertising in that contact is made with the consumer on a personal level – face-to-face selling, email, SMS, direct mail etc). According to Cohen, in the future it will be illegal to punt products individually (e.g. come and buy this model spark plug for this much money) but it will still be possible, for example, to invite customers to come in and see a new range of products that may have just arrived.

One of the biggest concerns for the automotive industry seems to be the return of goods, with retailers expecting an influx of customers coming back saying that a product doesn’t work and that they want a new one.

Cohen explained that, in fact, there is no such thing as a blanket right of return and that in most cases the burden is on the consumer to prove that the product is either defective, has failed or is hazardous. He warned, however, that in these cases, “the whole thing is going to come down to customer care”.

He urged those in the trade to train themselves and their staff to handle customer interactions with care, to know consumers’ rights, but also to fully understand their own rights.

FMCA opens its doors to learners Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) recently held its annual Careers Day (FCD) – an initiative targeted at schools and employees’ children who are keen to explore various career opportunities, not only in the auto sector.

The day involves a group of learners in their final two years of school, spending time at the Silverton Assembly Plant or the Ford Engine Plant in Struandale. Learners are given practical information on the various career opportunities available in the automotive industry, including engineering, manufacturing and assembly operations, finance, human resources, marketing, and quality assurance.

It also allows the teens to interact with a number of established local tertiary institutions, and tour the plants, all of which creates a better understanding of the day-today operations of the various facilities.

“The Careers Day programme is evidence of FMCSA’s aim to invest in the future of young people in South Africa,” says FMCSA President and CEO, Jeff Nemeth. “Education forms a significant part of our commitment to corporate social responsibility, and we trust this effort will go a long way in helping the learners make informed career decisions.

New Auto Electrical Accessories catalogue Motor Electrodiesel (MED) have released their new 2011 Auto Electrical Accessories catalogue incorporating *Aircon Gas & Equipment *Alarms *Auto Wire *Battery *Bulbs *Consumables *Fuel Pumps *Fuses & Holders * Flashers & Relays *Gauges & Senders *Glow Plugs *Hooters & Horns *Ignition Coils *Ignition Leads *Lamps *Mirrors *Sleeving *Switches *Trailer Spares *Tools & Equipment *Terminals & Lugs *Wiper Systems.

For more information, contact Johnny Feinstein (021) 505 4000 or info@medsouthafrica.co.za

PAGE 13

NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - April 2011

Roadworthiness validity period back to 6m - for now Last month the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) announced that following its opposition of the 17th Amendment to the Road Traffic Act, published on November 25 last year, the Department of Transport has been issued with a court order to again accept certificates of roadworthiness (CRW) for a period of six months.

Last year’s amendment called for roadworthy certificates to be reissued after 21 days, in an effort to protect consumers purchasing vehicles that had mechanically changed since being tested for roadworthiness up to six months previously. At the same time, however, it would have meant additional costs to dealers, who were then forced to perform multiple roadworthy tests on the same vehicles, should vehicles not be sold before their roadworthiness certificates expired, or even leading to delays in delivery.

In mid February, the RMI opposed the shortened period at the national Vehicle Technical Committee (VTC), which led to the matter being referred back to the Inter Provincial Policy Procedure (IPPP) committee – a forum of top government officials – for investigation. Just two weeks later, the National Department of Transport’s Director of Enforcement Legislation, Laetitia Botma, confirmed that as of March 1, 2011, the eNaTIS system would accept certificates of roadworthiness valid for the original period of six months.

The issue is not quite resolved yet, however. According to the RMI’s Jeff Osborne, a further round of consultation with industry role-players will commence, which he believes may result in a compromise period of 90 days for the validity of CRWs.

PAGE 14

An employee at the TRW Automotive Braking & Suspension facility in Koblenz, Germany

TRW reigns in - and puts the brakes on dangerous situations

T

RW recently announced the development of a unique intelligent safety system that has been designed to enhance the protection of occupants in tough driving situations or crash situations. By marrying TRW’s Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system with its Active Control Retractor (ACR) seatbelt technology, the system warns the driver while improving the position of the occupant relative to the vehicle’s airbag restraint system and providing automatic braking support.

Working in isolation, the two systems use information from environmental and vehicle dynamics sensors to offer automatic emergency braking support without intervention from the driver, or remove seatbelt slack to help maintain the position of the driver or passenger in anticipation of airbag deployment.

Peter Lake, Executive Vice President for TRW Sales and Business Development commented: “We continue to see an even greater market demand for intelligent or ‘cognitive’ safety systems. Our focus is on delivering solutions for the full range of vehicles from luxury models through to low cost cars in emerging markets.”

“New legislation, such as the mandates for ABS and airbags in Brazil, ESC in Europe and North America, and automatic emergency braking systems on trucks in Europe, open up a wealth of possibilities for safety integration to deliver greater value for vehicle manufacturers and the consumer. Our combination of AEB and ACR is just one example of how TRW is taking safety to the next level.”

The new integrated system uses radar in combination with a video camera to independently gather data regarding road and traffic conditions ahead of the vehicle; the radar looks forward up to 150 metres, while the camera captures a closer, but wider field of view and helps to detect and classify objects in front. If a critical situation is detected, the driver is alerted and the ACR system pretensions the seat belt while a certain amount of brake pressure is be applied automatically.

Clean diesel engines - most innovative auto technology

Your silent technician

N

ew clean diesel engines, electric vehicles and hybrid cars were among the new innovations named recently by the US version of our Automobile Association, the AAA, on its biennial list of the top new vehicle technologies designed to increase performance, reduce environmental impacts and improve safety.

According to the association: “While diesel engines have been around for decades, the days of smelly, noisy, smoke-belching and roughrunning diesels are gone. Modern diesel engines are clean, quiet, refined and powerful. They also are economical, often providing a 30% boost in fuel economy with a corresponding decline in carbon dioxide emissions compared to (petrol) engines offering comparable performance. Some top performers in this area include Volkswagen models with TDI diesel engines, and Mercedes-Benz vehicles with BlueTEC diesel power plants.”

Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, a nonprofit association that represents diesel engine, vehicle and equipment manufacturers and fuel refiners, commented: “With increasing prices at the pump and continued concern about economic growth and recovery, consumers are taking a harder look at the big picture of their next car choice. When they look at the full range of factors of the cost of ownership, including fuel costs, and resale value, they are finding the benefits of investing in proven clean diesel technology. A recentlyreleased study highlighted that despite the slightly higher purchase price associated with diesel-engine vehicles, they are a better value compared to vehicles with petrol engines, because of their lower operating costs and higher resale value over time.”

He cited US Environmental Protection Agency figures that the US could save up to 1.4 million barrels of oil per day – an amount equivalent to the oil currently imported from Saudi Arabia – if a third of US cars, pickups and SUVs were diesel-powered.

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NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - April 2011

Global sales forecast 2011 According to JD Power and Associates Automotive Forecasting, global new lightvehicle sales have been projected to reach 76.5 million units in 2011, surpassing the record of 72 million light vehicles sold in 2010. “Overall growth in the world economy has been supporting further recovery in auto sales,” explained John Humphrey, Senior Vice President of Automotive Operations at JD Power and Associates. “We’re seeing signals of stability and increased consumer demand for new vehicles as economic optimism increases.”

During 2010 most regions experienced promising sales growth, including North America, South America and Asia, with China leading the sales boom on that continent.

The obvious exception to this worldwide growth phenomenon was Western Europe, which suffered from ‘hangovers’ after government-sponsored vehicle-scrappage schemes throughout the region expired in 2010.

It is also interesting to note that 2010 was the first time that emerging vehicle markets accounted for more than half of global light-vehicle sales (51%). JD Power and Associates expects that momentum in the emerging markets is expected to continue throughout the rest of the year.

Component order pooling to improve SA competitiveness - By Roy Cokayne

T

he automotive component manufacturing sector is set to get a significant boost from an initiative to increase the volumes and economies of scale of suppliers - by pooling component orders from local motor manufacturers. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe told a Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa) breakfast at the Automechanika trade fair that the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) purchasing council would shortly finalise a proposal for a localisation programme, which would also strengthen the local automotive component supply chain process and “positively comply with the Competition Act”.

The proposal for the localisation programme will soon be finalised. It is expected to strengthen the local supply chain process and be Competition Act compliant Motlanthe’s comments relate to an initiative launched by local motor manufacturers in about 2009 to pool their resources and orders for common components to increase the volumes and economies of scale of component manufacturers, thereby improving their viability and sustainability. Naamsa Executive Director Nico Vermeulen stressed it was a joint initiative that also involved Naacam and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Vermeulen said the research project had been ongoing for about a year and was likely to continue into the future and was an opportunity for additional localisation and value addition in the SA component and manufacturing industry. He said the project was tied to the need to improve the competitiveness of the SA automotive supply chain and represented a structured and coordinated approach for suppliers to become more competitive. According to Vermeulen, it involved identifying components and technology that was not currently available locally and to bring them to the country if it made commercial sense. He said the initiative would also support the objectives of the new Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP 2), which had as its vision the production of 1.2 million vehicles by 2020, with higher levels of localisation.

Evan Dold, Chairman of the OEM purchasing council, said the council comprised the heads of the purchasing departments of the various locallybased OEMs, and was working together to identify new local content opportunities - which involved trying to identify componentry that has been imported, and for which it could find a local supplier, or bring a new supplier to SA. He said multi-OEM buyer teams were working on a number of projects and feasibility studies trying to identify where the business case made commercial sense. “It’s tough because if it was easy to localise, it would have been done already. The specifications and technology used to produce a component might also be different for OEMs, which means what is okay for one OEM is not for another because technology is driven by the source plant overseas and its almost impossible to get a source plant to change a specification. It’s a major hurdle we have to overcome and might come to nought.”

According to Dold, 12 feasibility studies were taking place currently for new local content that had been identified but “most has not materialised yet in terms of it being in the bag”. He said these feasibilities involved a

PAGE 18

Roy Cokayne is a senior financial reporter for Business Report.

Story continued on page 20

1/2

PAGE 19

NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - April 2011

total of R450 million additional value to the local automotive component sector.

In industry terms, this was not that big but they believed there was “quite a lot more to come”. Dold confirmed a number of studies had got to the point where they were able to commit individually or collectively, with projects worth R50 million confirmed. Dold stressed they were committed to engaging all existing local suppliers who might be interested in exploring an opportunity that would benefit local suppliers, because it would improve their turnover and sustainability. He said one of the key drivers of the feasibility studies was volumes and indicative volume information and specifications would be shared with suppliers - without pricing information, to prevent the initiative falling foul of the Competition Act. Any negotiations with a supplier will be conducted individually.

Dold added an application had been submitted to the DTI for designated project status - a mechanism that allowed players in a specific industry to work together and share certain information in the interests of an objective

ALL ALL ALL

that would be difficult to achieve if that information was not shared. It involves a dispensation to do that for an agreed period of time without falling foul of the Competition Act. He said the application was lodged several months ago and responsibility for it had shifted to the economic development department, adding that in the absence of getting designated project status, they could also approach the Competition Commission for a ruling but this involved a more detailed and time consuming process. Given the new industry policy action plan (IPAP2) document refers to localisation initiatives, the council believed the route to get designated project status was quicker.

When the initiative was first launched, it involved 50 locally based automotive component manufacturers and fitted in with a drive to significantly increase the local content in vehicles. It aimed to reduce costs, combine investment and assist development and growth of automotive component sector in niche areas where it made commercial sense.

Stewart Jennings, Naacam President, said they would support whatever helped the sector but the component industry was experiencing significant pressures at the moment and needed a lot more incentives from government to survive. Jennings blamed this on the strength of the Rand and its pressure on benchmark pricing, while there was additional pricing pressure caused by other increases - electricity tariffs - it could not pass on to its customers.

“It’s a crisis situation. Localisation at best has stalled. If we are to survive and grow we need a lot more additional assistance.”

Jennings added that Naacam was extremely concerned at the growth of imported vehicle sales into the domestic market, particularly Hyundai and its 20% passenger car market share last year, when it did not use any local components, even in the aftermarket. Jennings said Naacam was supportive and encouraged by the investments made

by OEMs but the localisation achieved had not been very encouraging.

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hen Wayne Duvenage, CEO of Avis Rent a Car, heard paraplegic Sarah Nkgeng’s story of humiliation and discrimination while trying to obtain her driver’s licence, he was inspired to assemble a team to help those in similar situations achieve their goals of mobility.

‘Driving Ambitions’ includes assistance from the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA), Masterdrive and others and provides driver assessment and training for people with disabilities. The school’s Avis-sponsored first vehicle, a Hyundai i20, is fitted with permanent hand controls and a dual brake. The project is run by QASA, and employs Caroline Rule, a specialist occupational therapist, to assist in providing professional and scientific support and expertise to students.

Barloworld, which counts numerous people with disabilities in its corporate

ranks, has recently contributed R150 000 towards the initiative.

This is just the first phase of a longerterm vision,” explains Ari Seirlis, National Director of QASA. “As the project expands and more sponsors come on board, we intend establishing a Centre of Excellence at Swartkops Raceway, where people with a range of mobility impairments can be fully and properly assessed and taught to drive using different types of hand controls.

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NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - April 2011

Call for standards in taxi emergency exits - By Roy Cokayne

T

emergency exits that are fitted to new he lives of millions of commuters passenger carrying vehicles.” are placed in danger daily from fires and drowning by faulty emergency exits But Cielie Karow, the Deputy Director in mini and midi buses. The National Road Accident and Incident InvestigaRegulator for Compulsory Specification at the Department of Transport, in tions (NRCS) has issued homologaJanuary invited various people for “a tion certificates for these vehicles, meeting on faulty emergency exits of which allows them to operate legally mini and midi buses where passengers on the country’s roads, despite many burnt or drown to death during acof them allegedly not complying with cidents”. Ivan emergency exit legislation and NRCS has issued homologation le Roux, an exit regulations. certificates for taxis despite many emergency specialist and a of them allegedly not complying public parHomologation with emergency exit legislation ticipant on two is the process vehicle techniused by the and regulations. cal committees NRCS to ensure who attended the meeting, said three a specific model complies with national compulsory standards. The organisation representatives of the NRCS were present at the meeting. has, however, denied knowledge of any concerns about faulty emergency exits The National Department of Transport on the vehicles. also confirmed that a meeting took place with the NRCS about the effecDaniel Ramarumo, NRCS spokesman, tiveness and compliance of glass emersaid the organisation was a member of gency exits in public transport vehicles. the various Department of Transport, According to Sam Monareng, a departSA Bureau of Standards (SABS) and ment spokesman: “ A meeting was held motor vehicle stakeholder technical committees where issues of safety were with the NRCS to determine what the homologation requirements on such discussed. He commented: “We are emergency exits were and the departnot aware of any specific concern bement was part of the physical testing ing raised as to any inadequacy of the

PAGE 22

of such vehicles.” Monareng continued that the department was in the process of requesting the SABS to establish a working group to review performance standards and test methods for the NRCS to standardise the regulation of glass emergency exits. This working group will comprise representatives from the SABS, National Department of Transport, NRCS and the SA Police Services (SAPS) “in an effort to continuously develop and apply legislation and regulations that enhance the safety of all road users at all times”.

Seven adults and three children died in an accident on the N1 between Leeu Gamka and Beaufort West in February and a further eight people sustained serious injuries, including third degree burns, once again highlighting the importance of public transport vehicles having effective and easy to operate emergency exits. However, the accident investigation has not yet been completed and at this time there is no proof that faulty emergency exits were responsible for any deaths or injuries.

Leo Kok, a Toyota SA spokesman, said they had not been made aware of any concerns with emergency exits on the Ses’fikile, their accredited product for

the taxi recapitalisation programme and which had to comply with set NRCS standards, including the positioning, size, proportional cabin placement and access to emergency exits.

Ramarumo said passenger carrying vehicles must comply with comprehensively detailed emergency exit requirements in Road Traffic Regulation 252, and proof of compliance of a vehicle was presented to the NRCS for homologation, which was measured against these comprehensive requirements.

Emergency exits must comply with standard specification SANS 20107, which was an overprint of the UN ECE Regulation 107.

Ramarumo said this regulation did not require testing of the emergency exit, but gave detailed information about the performance, size and installation and was used by all the contracting United Nations (UN) member states.

When investigating vehicles involved in accidents it must also be borne in mind that, depending on the age of the

vehicle, a different set of requirements for emergency exits may apply, he said.

A letter drafted at the January meeting requested Department of Transport Director General, George Mahlalela, to take note of the “existing non compliance regarding emergency exits in public transport”. It also requested Mahlalela, if he agreed with the contents, to sign the request to the SABS to review the performance standards and test methods for emergency exits in public transport and revise the homologation requirements. It points a finger at the effectiveness of glass emergency exits in recent accidents involving public transport vehicles that caught fire or fell into water.

The letter also highlights that there were not any clear performance standards and test methods for emergency exits that linked up with legislation other than SANS 20175 and the requirements in the National Road Traffic Act. Standards were not consistent across all relevant C M Y up CMbeing MY CY vehicles and “therefore ended

manipulated by industry that appears to be bent on exploiting any possible loophole for its own economical benefit resulting in a compromise of safety”.

Physical tests of vehicles resulted in different outcomes but “in most of the cases the glass could not be broken or forced out by an average person”.

“Women and children are definitely at greater risk,” it said.

The NRCS was accused of dragging its feet on compliance issues during an investigation into the illegal conversion of 2 353 Toyota Quantum panel vans into taxis, which also placed the lives of taxi commuters at risk. According to an investigation report into illegal conversions in the Western Cape, Mahlalela testified the practice had been in the public domain since 2005 but the department only took action to stop it in August 2009 “when it became a public concern”.

CMY

K

PAGE 23

AutoForum - April 2011

NEWS FORUM

TransUnion Auto Trends Forum:

The Market, Economic Outlook and the Case For Road Tolling - By Robert Kaiser

T

he first TransUnion Auto information Solutions Auto Trends Forum of 2011, which took place in March, produced some revealing statistics on the current position of the used vehicle market in South Africa and the expected trends for the following months. At the same time, it once again illustrated the value added by updating the retail vehicle sector on the state of the market.

TransUnion Auto CEO Mike von Höne reported that the relationship of new to used vehicle sales had during the past months reduced from 1:2.5 to 1:1.7.

This was mainly ascribed to relatively stable new vehicle pricing levels. Used vehicles that suffered most in terms of trade and resell values were 1 and 2 year olds, where the price differential between these categories compared to new had decreased during 2010.

This situation was however seen to be improving since January 2011. An interesting fact was the percentage difference in the retail prices of used vehicles to new list prices for the various vehicle age groups, ranging from 85% for 1 year olds to 55.5% for 5 year olds and 34.3% for vehicles older than 5 years. Dealers are currently paying an average of 3.4% below the TransUnion Auto Guide published values for stock, whilst the average difference between the Guide trade and retail prices was 13.76% in January. Used vehicle gross margins are expected to be under pressure going forward.

Insofar as the consumer is concerned, a 3.6% growth in the number of credit active consumers was experienced during 2010. The majority of vehicle finance contracts are written between 60 and 72 months but a higher percentage of contracts are being settled under 60 months, the current average being 41 months.

Von Höne expects the used vehicle market to continue to show growth during the next 6 months, albeit at a slower pace, as already evidenced by

PAGE 24

the decreased ratio of new to used sales. However, any drastic price increases of new vehicles are sure to positively influence prospects for the used vehicle division as value conscious consumers turn to used vehicles as a viable alternative.

Dealer sentiments remains strong, as evidenced by the latest WesBank Vehicle Sales Index which stands at an all time high of 6.5 since the indicator was launched in 2007.

In a most interesting address on the subject “The inescapable era of debt and how South Africa is faring,” George Glynos of Econometrix Treasury Management presented a revealing overview of the current state of the world financial markets. Of particular interest are the high levels of government debt in the so-called developed world, especially the United States, the UK and Japan, where the levels of government debt are close to, equal or even in excess of their respective Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Comparatively speaking, South Africa is in an enviably fortunate position, with government debt levels of 30.8% of GDP in the 2010/11 fiscal period. This is largely ascribed to the prudent financial policies followed during the Manuel period.

It is disconcerting, however, that the SA Government is steadily borrowing more and the expected ratio of government debt as a percentage of GDP is expected to increase to 39.3% by 2012/13. Added to this, is debt incurred by parastatals such as Eskom, SAA, Transnet, the Airports Company of SA and SANRAL and the result is indeed concerning. It is notable that both household and corporate debt levels are still on the decline, in contrast to what government and parastatals are doing.

Insofar as the continued relative strength of the value of the Rand against major foreign currencies is concerned, Glynos believes that the Rand will continue to remain relatively strong going forward, despite the SA

n Höne Mike vo

to CEO

nion Au

- TransU

Geor - Eco ge Glyno Treas nometrix s ury M anag em

ent

Nazir Alli - CEO of SANRAL

Reserve Bank’s massive intervention during the past months to stabilise the situation. He sees the reasons for this as being that SA’s trading partners are building debt even faster than South Africa, flat interest rates prevailing in

Robert Kaiser has been intimately involved in the motor industry for the past 25 years. He established Retail Motor Consultants in 2002, a consultancy providing relationship management, marketing and staff recruitment services as well as apprenticeship management programmes and through an associated company, unique Black Economic Empowerment transformation programmes for both large and SME businesses.

those countries compared to SA, a systematic debasing of their currencies through liquidity injections, receiving credit downgrades, slower growth and their lack of commodity links. This situation should also result in interest rates remaining at current levels for some time rather than upwards adjustments. Glynos believes that the way forward for SA in terms of competitiveness in international markets does not lie in weakening the Rand, but rather in concerted attempts to increase its notoriously low levels of productivity.

The case for road tolling in South Africa was defended in an enlightening address by Nazir Alli, accomplished civil engineer and CEO of SANRAL, who pointed out that of the 606 000 km of roads in South Africa, SANRAL manages the 16 170 km of national roads, of which 81% is not tolled. The national fuel levy for road maintenance last year generated R28 billion in revenue; the R20 billion cost of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project illustrated the inadequacy of the resource. Alli stated that the ‘user pays’ principle as represented by road tolling, was an inevitable consequence if the national roads network was to be maintained and expanded. He said that the backlog on maintenance of the national road network (as opposed to provincial and municipal roads) had been eliminated and gave an insight into the manner in which asset monitoring and maintenance planning was being undertaken to ensure timeous maintenance at optimal cost efficiency levels. Truly some food for thought.

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PAGE 25

NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - April 2011

CSIR releases pothole guide for municipalities

L

ate last year, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), issued a media release regarding the dire pothole situation on many SA roads. The heavy rainfall in Gauteng over the summer season means that the threat for road users is acute.

guide. The fixing of potholes is the responsibility of road owners.” While the national road network belongs to the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), municipal and provincial authorities are responsible for the roads under their jurisdiction.

According to the organisation, the 2009/10 summer rainfall season saw an unprecedented increase in the number of potholes and associated accidents on national, provincial and metropolitan ‘sealed’ roads. It contends that concerted road maintenance and pothole repair is needed urgently. In light of this, it has compiled a guideline document that covers the causes, prevention and repair methods of potholes.

The new guide presents mechanisms for quality control of pothole repairs, and provides a standard form for use by inspectors during the field rating of potholes and identification of repair methods. Along with a short, non-technical document, the guide is freely available for use by the various authorities and interested parties.

A study by the South African Road Federation indicates that potholes are costing motor“People are up in ists R50 billion arms about the Budget constraints in vehicle repairs huge number and often lead to reactive and and injury every size of potholes. poor maintenance of roads year. “More potTo respond to holes will lead this, we comto more claims against road authorities bined current expertise and practical for damages to vehicles and even seriexamples and compiled a technical guide on the causes of potholes, means ous accidents due to large potholes,” comments Dr Phil Paige-Green, author of curbing and preventing their formaof the technical guidelines and infration, and providing specific instructions structure engineering expert at the for proper fixing of the seven different CSIR. “There is no doubt that water categories of potholes identified. Given is the primary cause of potholes. The the extent of the situation countrywide, combination of unusually wet conditions we believe the CSIR has an obligaover long periods, excessive traffic and tion, and is also ideally positioned, to poorly-maintained roads is a sure recipe produce such a guideline document,” for the development of potholes.” explains Hans Ittmann, Executive Direche continues. tor of CSIR Built Environment.

He continues: “The CSIR doesn’t fix potholes - our mandate is to provide appropriate research and development solutions, as contained in the technical

PAGE 26

He notes, however, that: “The condition of our national roads compares with the best in the world. SANRAL, owner of the national roads, has effective

maintenance contracts in place. You may notice information boards along national roads where SANRAL provides a contact number for the public to report potholes and poor road conditions. After a pothole report on a national road is received from the public, the holes are fixed, properly, within a matter of days.”

“Serious problems are experienced on most provincial roads. The provinces are allocated an amount for total roads activity, be it the construction of new roads or the maintenance and repair of existing roads. Budget constraints often lead to reactive and poor maintenance of roads. At municipal level, authorities have to use rates and taxes paid by the public to maintain roads - not everyone pays these, so financial constraints are once again a reality.” The value of South Africa’s road network is R1 047 trillion, with the current road maintenance expenditure standing at R9.2 billion. The road maintenance backlog amounts to R100 billion, with an annual road maintenance need of R32 billion.

“It is imperative that funding be provided by the relevant authorities for preventative - rather than reactive routine road maintenance leading up to summer rainfall seasons. That will go a long way towards saving costs of the repeated, patching of potholes - which is often incorrectly done. Negotiations are underway with various training facilities to develop appropriate courses, with the aim of ensuring that both the road inspectors and the pothole patching teams are trained to apply the principles outlined in the document effectively.

AutoForum - April 2011

NEWS FORUM

Toyota’s hybrid Yaris concept

T

he Yaris HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive) concept made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, further cementing Toyota’s position as the trailblazer in the mass-market hybrid arena.

According to the Japanese automaker, the company’s goal is to offer full hybrid power in all its models in Europe as early as possible in the 2020s – a mission kicked-off last year with the launch of the Auris HSD in the C-segment.

The new Yaris HSD would bring Hybrid Synergy Drive to the supermini B-segment, which makes up the lion’s share of the European new car market.

The exterior design of the vehicle is unmistakably ‘Yaris’, but at the same time the car features a number of styling cues that identify

PAGE 28

it as a Toyota full hybrid. Its flat, vertical ‘aero’ corners minimise air turbulence and house front foglamps and matching rear reflectors.

Airflow is managed by a large, integral rear spoiler, underbody covers and 18-inch aero wheels with enlarged gaps to promote cooling.

Even the door handles are shaped to be aeroefficient, while rear side view cameras replace conventional door mirrors.

The Yaris HSD’s true beauty, however, lies in its fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions.

The concept also offers a fully electric driving mode that produces zero CO2, NOx and particulates tailpipe emissions. Taking the eco-friendly features one step further, the Yaris HSD’s roof is entirely covered with solar panels to provide independent powering of the car’s air conditioning unit.

NEWS AFRICA

Vehicle repair insight NEWS AFRICA

In association with BodyShop News Asia and Australian BodyShop News

Contents 30

SAMBRA Conference a success

30

bmw extends approval for basf colour

NEWS AFRICA AutoForum - April 2011

NEWS AFRICA BMW extends approval for BASF Colour BASF Coatings’ automotive refinish products have once again been approved by BMW for 30 countries across the globe.

The two brands have a long-established relationship in the refinishing sector, with the automaker having used BASF Coatings’ automotive refinish products since 1984. “Obtaining international approval is, of course, an honour for us every time,” said Kai Offenhäußer, Key Account Management Automotive Refinish at BASF Coatings. “The high quality of our products and services has convinced BMW,” he added. But the relationship does not stop at paints, BMW bodyshops also make use of BASF Coatings’ other services – including training, bodyshop audits and computer-assisted colour management.

The new agreement is valid until the end of 2012.

SAMBRA conference a success

C

lose on 200 delegates signed up for the SAMBRA conference at Automechanika SA last month, including members of the body repair industry, insurers and the Department of Trade and Industry.

The day’s highlights included a panel discussion by CPA Towing and Labour Relations expert Nick Growler, as well as Dr Frik Botha who looked at upcoming legislation that will affect the body repair industry. The Consumer Protection Act was also discussed extensively with an open-floor question and answer period.

New trends in vehicle colours and new non-sanding primers and nano touch-up systems were discussed by Vicus Herbst of BASF Coatings along with how these will dominate in a business where the final finish wet look of car coatings is set to focus on process optimisation and repair efficiencies - while Santam’s Shenez Somers explained the new insurance models and changing consumer needs. Shenez believes that the increasing complexity in modern vehicles is proving to be a major obstacle in repairing vehicles to original factory specifications.

Other key topics under discussion included the development proposal for the deregistration of vehicle loss adjusters or assessors; the ongoing complaint from SAMBRA members about insurance dominance in the repair cycle with input from the Department of Trade and Industry; and the BEE terms and conditions of recent legislation.

Aleeshen Kisten, SAMBRA’s Director, was upbeat about the success of the conference. He believes the organisation’s proactive progress could be seen in the value delivered to their members who attended the power packed days proceedings.

PAGE 30

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based in ding paint and panel shop Sanrose Panelbeaters, a lea designed to le of a turn-key operation Midrand, is another examp t collaboncies. The project was a join maximise work flow efficie Suren re’s Tony Imbriolo and Aer-O-Cu ration between Sanrose’s Lenaerts.

Ramsammy and MD, Walter Liner area consists of two Car-OThe designated body repair k BR5500, Rac ches, a Car-O-liner Bench Mark VI chassis repair ben gra inte ted Liner Speed benches with as well as a pair of Car-Oll mounted ches were installed with wa scissor lift. These repair ben cient effi ks to help keep a tidy and tooling and accessories rac work area. with bays for 9 -O-Prep preparation area The purpose designed Aer extraction sysbay incorporates under-floor vehicles and a small parts rhead Infrared ove ing systems, Aer-O-Wave tems, Aer-O-Vac Dry Flatten tems. sys trol tes and temperature con systems with double casset Cure aligned with the two Aer-OThis preparation section is s, incorven drive-through spraybooth/o Sprinter type combination coms Thi -O-Mix paint mixing room. porating an integrated Aer of one s sist ns and mixing room, con bination of spraybooths, ove and an n roof waterborne combinatio Aer-O-Cure “Sprinter” high each h, oot standard Aer-O-Cure sprayb additional “Sprinter type” to ed tall ins se types of booths were booth with its own oven. The San at d icles which can be repaire increase the spectrum of veh rose Panelbeaters. their igned a layout to allow for In addition, Aer-O-Cure des h droppers. wit r and complete ring feed installation of a compresso st innovation, late that when it comes to the This modern facility proves tner Sanrose par to der. Aer-O-Cure is proud Aer-O-Cure is a market lea . tus sta their leading repair shop Panelbeaters in achieving

Aer-O-Prep under-floor overspray extraction bays

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Business Forum

Business insight

AutoForum - April 2011

How salable are your salespeople?

According to a speaker at the recent Ward’s Auto Driving Sales Executive Summit, competition is not healthy for business.

Grant Cardone, CEO of the business training firm, Cardone Enterprises, told the event’s attendees to dominate rather than compete, and to ‘own’ the sector they are doing business in. As the author of a book entitled: “Sell to Survive – Why Your Life Depends on Selling”, it’s clear he believes taking a backseat in one’s career is not an option.

The online auto trade magazine Ward’s Auto cites Cardone as highlighting a LinkedIn survey in which 60% of dealership customers rank a salesperson’s attitude as the number one reason they bought at a particular shop.

He believes so strongly in salability that his hiring methods for staff are somewhat unconventional. Rather than allow applicants to send through a CV, he insists on ‘hire me’ videos – believing that if the person grabs his attention and sells him or herself in a video, he or she will be able to sell his products.

It’s not a bad concept – how many of your staff have really grabbed their selling opportunities today? It’s what it all comes down to – whether you sell tyres, parts or car servicing. How highly do your customers rank your salespeople? It might just be the difference between profit and loss this financial year end.

Suppliers must keep an eye on China

G

lobal strategy consultant firm Roland Berger has cautioned Western automotive suppliers to monitor how the market in China is developing, in order to hold on to their positions in this lucrative market.

According to the firm, the global revenues of European automotive suppliers are almost back to what they were before the economic downturn, but nearly 20% of supplier revenues in Europe now depend on how the market in China develops. Last year, following a decade of steady growth, the Chinese market for passenger cars exceeded 11 million units, with private vehicle sales in China expected to exceed 18 million units by 2015.

PAGE 38

Despite these massive numbers - driven by rapid GDP growth and rising disposable income - Roland Berger warns that growth rates will decline substantially as China faces a number of significant challenges such as currency appreciation, unsustainable stimulus plans, tighter monetary policy, unemployment and rising labour costs. “China’s private vehicle market experienced strong growth of 35% p.a. from 2001 to 2007, mainly driven by booming sales of private cars. The private vehicle market then slowed down in 2008 due to the global economic crisis,� says Roland Berger’s Marcus Hoffmann. “Thanks to the government stimulus plan to boost automotive sales, growth of around 50% was achieved in 2009.�

Roland Berger’s analysis of the region uncovered three key consequences for Western auto suppliers. Firstly, vehicle suppliers will have to plan volumes very carefully in 2011 as growth rates will be significantly lower in the next few years.

Secondly, OEMs are shifting more and more production capacity directly to China, with strong pressure from OEMs to localise parts (localisation rates tend to increase by 3-5% annually). As a result, delivery volumes in Europe are under pressure and the potential impact of a further increase in localised parts supply cannot be ignored. Lastly, increasing labour costs and rising exchange rates make parts exports from China less attractive.

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AutoForum - April 2011

Winning customers online

A

ccording to the new JD power and Associates 2011 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study, it’s just as important to provide a consistently satisfying experience across all points of entry on your website, as it is to provide new-vehicle shoppers with adequate information that is easy to access.

The US-based semiannual study, now in its 12th year, measures the usefulness of automotive manufacturer websites during the new-vehicle shopping process by examining four key measures: speed, appearance, navigation and information/content.

This is the first time, however, that the study has examined the differences in satisfaction between auto manufacturer website users who entered the website through its home page and those whose point of entry was a model-level page. Overall, the findings indicate that website users who accessed a website through a model page are significantly more satisfied with their experience than are those who entered the website through the home page.

“Certain brands that perform consistently well among users who enter at the home page and through model pages - such as MINI and Porsche have navigation schemes that remain the same throughout the website,” said Arianne Walker, Director of Marketing and Media Research. “This makes it possible for website users to access relevant information from anywhere on the site. This certainly reinforces the fact that automotive brand websites need to be intuitive and should reduce the number of clicks it takes for the user to get to their desired destination.”

PAGE 40

The lowest-performing websites showed significant gaps in satisfaction between users who entered the site through the home page and those who gained entry through a model page.

“Websites that are ranked as being the least useful or satisfying tend to have home pages that offer very little model-level information, if any, as well as cumbersome or inconsistent navigation,” said Walker. “From whichever point they enter a site, users should have an equally satisfying experience.”

And what were the traits of the top rated sites? Honda ranks highest with a score of 836 on a 1 000-point scale, and rated particularly well in the information/content, navigation and speed measures. According to Walker, Porsche’s improvement from the 2010 study is primarily due to changes in navigation and design that provide users with clearer, more readable page layouts.

“Whenever a website incorporates image and brand changes, it involves a certain amount of risk; however, taking these risks allows manufacturers and marketers to take advantage of the dynamic, changeable nature of the Internet,” said Walker.

“Compared with changing the design of a vehicle model, changing a website provides a relatively low-cost opportunity to experiment, and even allows for reversal of the changes if the experiment doesn’t work. However, it’s important to keep in mind that changes should include some reasonable payoff for the website user.

In fact, users will be more accepting of experimentation if the payoff is clear to them.”

Manufacturer Website Ranking (Based on a 1 000-point scale) Honda

836

Mazda

818

Mini

815

Porsche

814

Acura

813

Ford

810

Mercedes-Benz

805

Nissan

804

Hyundai

803

Mitsubishi

803

Infiniti

802

Kia

802

BMW

798

Lexus

798

Lincoln

795

Dodge

792

Land Rover

791

Cadillac

787

Industry average

784

Toyota

783

Chevrolet

779

GMC

779

Buick

778

Jeep

776

Volvo

776

Suzuki

775

Chrysler

773

Subaru

764

Mercury

757

Audi

740

Smart

739

Jaguar

737

Volkswagen

735

Scion

695

AutoForum - April 2011

Five building blocks crucial to a solid small business - by Pavlo Phitidis

B

uilding the foundations of a successful business is similar to building the foundations of a house.

Whether you are building a home or a business, what you lay down at the very beginning will determine whether the fruits of your labour will be deliciously sweet or decidedly sour.

Because what you put in depends on what you get out, in any endeavour, let’s take a look at five inputs a founding entrepreneur would be well advised to implement right at the beginning of the business lifecycle.

Having worked with literally dozens of early-stage SMEs over the past decade, the five inputs listed below are the ones that most commonly come up when we ask founding entrepreneurs: “What inputs are you most pleased that you implemented at the very start of your business because they were fundamental to the successful eventual sale of the business?”

PROPER SYSTEMS As crucial to the early stage business as the original founding entrepreneur is, he should from day one be actively working to divorce himself from the intricacies of the daily operation of the business. If a business is wholly dependent on the skills and talents of one person, it will never grow beyond that person and it will never be able to be sold as a self-contained and sustainable asset of value. The only way for an entrepreneur to divorce himself from the day-to-day operation of the business, is to put in place proper systems that ensure the business can function as a self-sustaining entity.

The goal of any entrepreneur should be to start with the end in mind. There is nothing quite as important as allowing your business to be fuelled by passion.

However, at the same time, founding entrepreneurs cannot allow emotion to get in the way of building an enterprise that should eventually be sold as an asset of value.

SPECIALIST ADVICE Right from the beginning, the right advice will prevent costly mistakes being made. It may seem a luxury to retain the services of a business incubator, aimed at growing the business, for example, however, any number of wise old adages from “penny wise, pound foolish” to “it takes money to make money” will indicate the value of doing things properly from the word go. The founding entrepreneur cannot and needn’t be a specialist in all areas. The entrepreneur’s gift is vision and he should recognise that the ability to harness the talents of others is what will build a successful business.

The five building blocks fundamental to laying the foundations of a solid eventual asset of value are:

DILIGENT RECORD KEEPING Prospective buyers look at past performance as an indicator of future value.

PAGE 42

This makes the ability to produce proper records that indicate a traceable corporate history absolutely fundamental to the eventual sale of the business. Right from the start, accounting and other back office support should be outsourced in favour of stashing paperwork in cardboard boxes scattered around the office.

PROACTIVE MARKETING Many founding entrepreneurs go into business after picking up contacts from many years of working for other people.

The danger here is that they tend to rely forever more on this small core of corporate customers. The entrepreneur needs to get out there and proactively market his goods and services or run the risk of the business folding when an anchor customer unexpectedly goes out of business one day.

BUYING THE BUILDING While this last input may not be suited to all types of businesses, I have never heard of an entrepreneur who owns his business premises complaining of ruthless landlords whose extortionist rent is threatening to render the business unprofitable. Where possible, entrepreneurs should offer to purchase their premises, raise a bond and rather pay off an additional asset. This is infinitely wiser that lining the pockets of landlords who are very adept at skimming the profits off successful tenants.

Pavlo Phitidis is the CEO of Aurik Business Incubator, an organisation that works with early-stage and growth-stage entrepreneurs to build their businesses into valuable assets. Aurik also works with businesses wanting to increases their BEE scores through Enterprise Development.

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PAGE 43

Beissbarth BMW KDS 3D Wheel Alignment Machine Vehicle manufacturers recommend easy 3D axle measurement devices At the Automechanika trade fair in Frankfurt 2010 Beissbarth displayed their new OEM recommended Homologated, BMW KDS 3D wheel alignment machine and a wide range of lifting platforms, which are particularly well-suited for measuring axles. With the new steering wheel position sensor calibration function, this will be available for all CCD axle measurement devices. In the future, CCD axle measurement devices will also be able to be controlled using the new “Diagnostic

Control Unit” — a robust tablet PC. Many key car manufacturers have already given Beissbarth their approval to use the Easy 3D axle measurement device.

Easy 3D Homologations The Homologated Easy 3D axle measurement system from Beissbarth offers the highest degree of reproducibility with permanent automatic height measurement.

Magnetic brackets for fastening the measurement panels to the wheels

ensure fast and efficient service.

The system performs rim run out on all of the wheels at the same time, without having to jack up the vehicle. No additional cameras are required to adjust the driving assistance systems built into the vehicles.

BMW KDS 3D Wheel Aligner The recommended BMW and MINI Homologated BMW KDS 3D wheel alignment machine is now available for the South African market.

1 Beissbarth BMW KDS 3D Sensor Head 2 Lift Adaptor Mounting Bracket 3 BMW Magnetic Wheel Clamp 4 Small Target Board 5 BMW Ride Height Target

PAGE 45

AutoForum - April 2011

INNOVATIONS

The latest automotive technology

evSAT = safer EVs

A

utomotive supplier Continental has developed a satellite sensor for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that will immediately shut off the high-voltage battery in the event of a collision, while the vehicle is in charge mode. This means that emergency service personnel can recover vehicles without running the risk of suffering an electric shock.

“The evSAT acceleration sensor is active charge mode - it detects an acTHEinINTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE cident and passes this information on to the battery management system which

then shuts off the high-voltage battery,” explains Dr Axel Gesell, Senior Manager Platform Development Sensors & Satellites, in the Passive Safety and ADAS business unit of Continental’s Chassis & Safety Division. “The major benefit of our product is that it prevents fire and rescue service personnel sustaining high-voltage injuries when coming into contact with vehicle metal parts or if they have to cut through the vehicle to recover accident victims.” This is a very real problem in the event of an accident, as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are powered by high-voltage batteries

of up to 400 volts – around twice as high as domestic sockets. ‘evSAT’ stands for ‘Electric Vehicle satellite’ and essentially consists of an independent, triaxial sensor with a CAN interface. During the charge phase the other vehicle electronics, including the airbag system, are not operational. In order to avoid the considerable expense of adapting the airbag system to meet new requirements, the company developed evSAT for the vehicle’s charge mode only.

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PAGE 46

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The US already legally requires the It works by virtue of an algorithm to devehicle power supply voltage to fall to tect a frontal, rear or side collision with below 60 volts within five seconds of an another vehicle and then immediately accident occurring, however, no such transmits a signal via the CAN interface laws exist in most of the EU. “As electo the battery management system, tromobility continues to develop, the which in turn switches off the battery safety of electric vehicles will assume within half a second. evSAT reacts in an increasingly important role. The the same way if it detects a rollover in driving mode. In such cases, the battery need for technologies to meet future is deactivated within a maximum of four seconds. With other types of driving accidents, however, evSAT remains inactive. Instead, the airbag system assumes the task of cutting off the battery.

If the electric or plugin hybrid vehicle has been switched off and is not being charged, the evSAT moves to a standby mode to prevent the battery Continental’s life-saving discharging.

challenges is already demonstrated by the additional demand for evSAT from numerous other vehicle manufacturers,” said Telmo Glaser, Continental’s evSAT Project Manager.

The unit can be installed in a number of different places, but for maximum efficiency it should be placed sufficiently well inside the vehicle (beneath the front passenger seat, for example) to avoid being damaged in an accident. Installation of the unit boasts a number of advantages, including the fact that that there is no need for the conventionally powered vehicle variants within a model series to be modified - it can be integrated into the existing systems of electrically powered vehicle variants without redesign work. The latter also increases flexibility with regards installation space, customerspecific requirements and development time. The sensors will go into production this year.

evSAT sensor

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INNOVATIONS

AutoForum - April 2011

The future sounds of motoring

I

t is often said that you can’t please all the people, all the time – and this rings true in the increasingly lucrative field of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Big, noisy engines equal angry environmentalists; silent, fuel-efficiency equals - concerned pedestrians and lobbyists.

Delphi Automotive is tackling the ‘silent killer’ problem that hybrids and EVs (electric vehicles) cause with two new vehicle sound generators that can help global vehicle manufacturers warn pedestrians of approaching vehicles. The environmentally friendly single-box units have been preemptively designed to comply with legislation that is expected to mandate minimal sound levels for both hybrid and electric vehicles. Additionally, these lead-free, waterproof and temperature resistant sounders are robust, compact, lightweight and low-cost.

“Industry analysts predict hybrid and electric vehicle warning sounds, already covered by guidelines in Japan, will be required in North America and Europe in the near future,” said Beth Schwarting, General Director, Electronic Controls product business unit at Delphi. “Our goal is to help customers address market-driven challenges with environmentally friendly and affordable technologies.”

environmentally friendly solution available.

No consideration has been ignored and the unit’s single-box configuration helps to reduce design, test and manufacturing cost, and its size and weight simplify packaging. The system is able to provide a frequency range of 500 Hz to 10 KHz and can reproduce melodies that represent the identity of individual vehicle manufacturers.

If a higher quality sound is called for, Delphi has also developed a high-fidelity sounder system that uses a cone speaker activated by a lightweight magnet and extends base range to 150Hz. The magnetbased system weighs two-thirds less than a conventional speaker system.

Both systems have been designed to survive the harsh environment that exists under a vehicle’s bonnet and incorporate 32-bit microprocessors with flash memory, a link to the vehicle’s data bus and an audio class-D amplifier.

In the development of these new units, Delphi put to good use the decades of experience “Delphi’s sound generators that the company has are specifically designed to gained in producing a variety warn pedestrians of oncomof vehicle alarm systems. The Delphi EV Sounder hardware MD ing hybrid and electric vecompany has developed two hicles moving at low speed,” sound generating devices said Diedrich von Behr, Managing Direc- or sounders - with the first being an tor for the Delphi’s Electronic Controls electronic sounder system. This unit is about three times lighter than a conven- Europe. “Not only do these ‘green’ systems enhance safety by helping tional multi-box system and employs to make pedestrians aware of 90% less power, making it the most

PAGE 48

Delphi EV Sounder concept

approaching vehicles, they become more valuable when integrated with other vehicle systems.”

Delphi has long enjoyed a reputation for being an expert system integrator, and is now using this skill to enhance the usefulness of its sound generators by connecting them with other systems through the vehicle’s data bus. Instead of implementing several alert systems, OEMs will now be able to benefit from one flexible system that offers multiple features. For example, the system could remind the driver that the battery needs to be charged, confirm that a charging sequence is in progress and notify the driver when the charge is complete.

“Every car has a personality, and we want our customers to be able to choose the system that best represents their brand,” said Schwarting. “With these two systems and the value of integration, we believe we have developed flexible products that will meet our customers’ specific needs.”

Delphi’s first Vehicle Sound Generator will be introduced by a leading European OEM towards the middle of next year.

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E

INNOVATIONS

AutoForum - April 2011

Automechanika SA Innovation Award winners

Bosch’s Parallel Full Hybrid Technology system

T

he South African attitude of “’n boer maak ’n plan” has always meant that locals are ingenious and innovative, and this was more than apparent at the recent Automechanika SA Innovation Awards.

CHAMPION EASYVISION WIPER TECHNOLOGY Designed to improve wipe quality and reduce noise, this new range features a heightened dynamic profile and utilises new materials and techniques.

The awards recognise innovative qualities in products available either to OEMs or South Africa’s automotive aftermarket.

ELECTROLOG ELECTRONIC CATALOGUE Electrolog is a South African developed electronic referencing catalogue that services the needs of the auto electrical aftermarket, housing over 26 000 items.

First National Battery took the gold certificate for its Raylite Ultimate, the only locally manufactured Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) battery with Absorbent Glass Matt (AGM) technology.

This battery was perceived as marking a significant step forward in deep cycle, spill-proof battery technology.

Silver went to Bosch’s Parallel Full Hybrid Technology system, which the jury felt represents a major advance in powertrain technology.

MAHA’s MET 6 Emissions Tester took the bronze award for its compact size, ease of use and accuracy in measuring gas particles.

Seven other products received certificates of commendation at the awards ceremony: AUTHENTIX LFD DIESEL TESTING KIT Relying on proprietary immuno-assay, binding-pair technology, this device allows motorists to check for the presence of illicit paraffin in their commercially purchased diesel fuel.

PAGE 50

FORTRON INJECTOR MAX EC900A Designed as an on-car injector cleaning machine, the Fortron Injector Max EC900A is said to be robust and reliable.

GOODYEAR EFFICIENT GRIP TYRE TECHNOLOGY Goodyear’s latest addition to its product lineup – EfficientGrip with FuelSaving Technology – is said to be the world’s first ultra-high performance tyre engineered specifically to improve the fuel consumption of cars.

RAM SPARE WHEEL READY Spare Wheel Ready enables the air pressure in a vehicle’s spare tyre to be checked quickly and easily. A metre long hose is connected to the valve on the spare wheel, while the other end is attached to an easily accessible point on the bodywork or bumper of the vehicle, allowing the spare wheel to be checked without having to be removed from its fixture.

SPANJAARD CHAIN WAX Manufactured in South Africa and aimed at the motorcycle segment of the market, Spanjaard Chain Wax is made up of a superior blend of waxes and extreme-pressure additives designed to prolong chain life by penetrating deep into linkages, eliminating fling off as well as protecting against wear, water and corrosion.

INNOVATIONS

AutoForum - April 2011

Technology for all at Automechanika SA

I

nnovation was again a strong theme at Automechanika SA, with products such as the JBT-1 Alternator and Starter Tester from Pos Service Holland (SA) Pty. Ltd showing that the automotive aftermarket can now also have access to technology that was previously only available to the OEMs. The JBT-1 Starter and Alternator Tester is an all-in-one 4th generation testing device that has been specifically designed for parts stores, warehouses, auto-electricians and distribution centres. The unit’s features include solenoid pull-in test, voltage drop and contact chatter on the starter side as well as the capability to test virtually every alternator

available, including computer-regulated alternators with COM, DF, DFM, PD, FR-S-IG-C and many more connectors.

The unit tests all starters and alternators on 12 and 24 volts, and starters up to 5.5 kW. It has a built-in digital oscilloscope for the analysis of rectifier/ diode and stator windings, as well as a database that is searchable by part number, plug number or vehicle application. The JBT-1 Starter and Alternator Tester is easy to operate with a touch screen that features step-by-step connection instructions aided by full colour pictures.

For more information contact Harald van Haaster on (011) 704 5196.

Atlas Copco South Africa’s Multibrand division now offers Chicago Pneumatic Atlas Copco Multibrand officially announced at Automechanika SA that it would be supplying the Chicago Pneumatic high performance and reliable compressor range in South Africa. Chicago Pneumatic products have been unavailable in the South African market for the past two and a half decades.

Electrolog gets the recognition it deserves Electrolog, the popular locally developed electronic parts catalogue, was presented with a certificate of commendation at the recently held Automechanika SA Innovations Awards (see Automechanika SA Innovation Award winners, page 50).

Kerrie Gregoriou of Electrolog accepted the award on the company’s behalf. We caught up with him after the ceremony, where he had this to say: “We are thrilled to accept this award. The Electrolog system has been around since 2004 and since then it has evolved to become a powerful tool to those in the industry. We have had so much positive feedback from our users but it is always a great honour to be recognised officially by such a prestigious panel of judges from within the South African automotive industry.”

PAGE 52

Bernie Hanaray GM Atlas Copco Compressor Technique SA (right) & Ian Wild Business Line Manager Multibrand welcomes the Chicago Pneumatic compressor range.

US-based Chicago Pneumatic provides a variety of industries with the necessary tools for establishing successful facilities and is an important addition to the Multibrand stable. With a reputation for quality and durability, the brand will give Atlas Copco an even wider reach into the Southern African industry.

The products are engineered to tackle a wide range of automotive applications. Chicago Pneumatic’s portfolio, supported by Atlas Copco, includes piston compressors, screw compressors, dryers as well as a range of filters ideally suited for passenger vehicle service, passenger and commercial vehicle tyre service, passenger vehicle body workshops, etc. Equipment is exhaustively tested during production processes to pass EC Certification in accordance with ISO Standards.

PAGE 53

AutoForum - April 2011

Tech Tips Tracking down faults - it’s not

I

n our last issue, we discussed the issue of worn shock abs orbers and the fact that this saf ety critical item is often overloo ked, due to their not being readily visible, and therefore difficul t to check for signs of damage or wear. Here follows part two of this special technical tips feature: Choosing a good brand of shock absorbers - When cheap is nasty (and unsafe ) Independent tests have proven that certain cheap, imported shocks are extremely dangerous because they are not buil t robustly, the quality of the oil is inferior, they fail the fatigue test or lack flexibility. Some have even been found to be incorrectly assembled. “Quality is vital in this safety critical component on a vehicle,” says Philip Lutz of Mo nroe.

Lutz says that while his compan y does experience a very low war ranty claim rate, 70% of these ‘acc epted claims’ are actually not faulty or are claims due to fitment issu es.

At the same time, it can be diffi cult to determine if the ‘faulty sho cks’ returned by customers are in fact

Damaged vs new MK

always the shocks -part 2

faulty or not. DIY customers particularly may not have the experie nce or tools to undertake the job and either fit them incorrectly or damage them on installation. He gives examp les of unacceptable warranty claims:

the shock seals will invariably be damaged.

• Over-tightening of mountings : This is normally due to fitters usin g airguns instead of a torque wre nch, particularly if suspensions are still hanging in the air whilst being tightened. It is also Getting the shocks ready a problem if mountings are to fit Priming the shocks is essenti under-tightened. al to get the oil flowing and valves working cor rectly before • VW Rod Circlips being the vehicle is driven. Bear in min d that knocked off: Once again this standards shocks cannot wor is normally due to fitters usin k effectively g at angles greater than 45 deg airguns instead of a torque rees and that the shock has been in a box on wrench. It can also sometimes its side for be caused by the washer that months before being sold. goes above the circlip being fitted upside-down.

• Incorrect application of match ups

• Installation damage: Such as pliers or vice-grip marks on the pist on rod as customers try to preven t the rod from turning while tighteni ng the top nut.

• Wrong shock fitted to a par ticular model vehicle

• Rod damage: Due to missing or damaged protection kits. It mus t be remembered that even if the PK is still in place but is moving on the rod, it is worn and can cause wear to the rod and in turn to the sho cks seals. If it is damaged or mis sing,

• Not setting adjustable shocks correctly: Most adjustable shock must be set before being fitted to a vehicle. Bear in mind that should you take an adjustable shock abs orber out of the box and fit it, the sett ing may be too soft as it is supplie d on its softest setting.

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AutoForum - April 2011

UT O B A G N I H T E H T RS‌ O S S E R P M O C N AIRCO ted with ms can be contamina Air conditioning syste compresthe the normal wear of metal particles from it is this d an , of water moisture sor and tiny amounts l. fai to n cause a system contamination that ca d by the ntamination is provide Protection against co desicthe pansion Tube and filter screen on the Ex or. Other lat mu the dryer or accu cant in the bottom of g oil on wr n include using the teforms of contaminatio ma r he ot y charge type or an type, incorrect liquid m. th the cooling syste rial that interferes wi y removed of moisture is normall While almost 100% to installior pr it is evacuated from the system when m is the ste sy flushing the entire ing (R12 or R134a), parme lco remove any unwe only sure fire way to . ted snuck in undetec ticles that may have purchased s check your newly Remember to alway ny new ys level - these da ma compressor for the oil dIna . oil sors come without s and rebuilt compres los e us ca in the system will as ll equate or excess oil we as ge compressor dama of performance and mage. other component da

PAGE 56

en draints to think about wh Here are some key fac sor: ing oil from a compres ained at? s the compressor dr 1) At what ambient wa oil. oil, Cold = slow/less Hot = more drained t

ps removed to preven

2) Were the ports/ca a vacuum?

the and measured from 3) Was the oil drained body? r so res mp co ll as the cylinder head as we perature depending on the tem 4) Bear in mind that, oz or , approximately 1/2 at the time of draining compressor. more will remain in the s the sor was drained, wa 5) When the compres ned or rotated? compressor crank tur 6) How long was the

compressor drained

tomotive. e Pieters of MACS Au auto.co.za. acs courtesy of Charmain Information supplied it www.macsauto.co.za or marketing@m vis For more information

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AutoForum - April 2011

Running out of trucking runway Trucks up in February Naamsa’s recently published sales statistics show that February really was a month of love for producers of trucks, buses and vans, with sales of 2 254 units reported for vehicles with Gross Vehicle Mass ratings of more than 3 500 kg. This was up 41.5% over January’s final audited results of 1 593 units and represents the best overall monthly result since November 2008.

The results for February 2011 comprised 861 Medium Commercial Vehicles (GVM ratings between 3 501 kg and 8 500 kg), 385 Heavy Commercials (goods vehicles with GVM ratings between 8 501 kg and 16 500 kg), 936 Extra Heavy Commercials (goods vehicles with GVM ratings above 16 500 kg) and 72 passenger Buses with GVM ratings above 8 500 kg. (These volumes include sales reported by Associated Motor Holdings and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors.)

Dr Casper Kruger, Vice President of Hino in South Africa, commented: “With the ‘short’ working months of December and January now firmly behind it, the local commercial vehicle supply industry can now expect to see the emergence of sustainable volume and segmentation trends emerging in the Truck Market.”

- By Dave Scott

A

n aircraft needs runway and the longer the runway, the greater the safety margin. Trucks must also have runway, not in the acceleration phase - but for stopping. Watching cars in heavy traffic fill up the gap in front of a 56 t combination makes one wonder – do motorists really realise that a truck behind you does not mean that it will stop like a passenger car with ABS, EBD and disc brakes on all four wheels? In addition, trailer brakes are so neglected – the majority operate on manual brake slack adjusters that don’t get adjusted – that the average braking efficiency for a vehicle combination on SA roads is considered to be only 50%. So if all the stopping factors are included, what do truck runway distance requirements look like? Read on……

For openers, how far does a vehicle travel in one second at varying speeds? This is all relevant to reaction times and applies to any vehicle.

That excellent little handbook – The Professional Driver’s Digest from Foresight Publications – tables this as follows:

Speed

Reaction time

Distance travelled

60 km/h

1s

16.7 m

80 km/h

1s

22.2 m

100 km/h

1s

33.3 m

Now let’s combine these reaction times with braking efficiency deceleration factors and gravity. Here is an extract from the SAE publication: ‘Bosch Automotive Handbook’ 7th edition pages 438-439, that details how long it would take to stop at 120 km/h with a deceleration factor of 4.4 – that’s about 45% and closer to South African reality. In an emergency situation, a 56t rig would take 115 m to stop at 100 km/h and 160 m to stop at 120km/h - and I have travelled alongside these combinations at 120 km/h.

Deceleration factor - ms2

Vehicle speed prior to braking in km/h

4.4

Distance travelled in pre-braking time (delay) of 1 s in metres

60

9

80

100

120

48

78

115

160

32

50

71

95

This, of course, all assumes a top-class reaction time of only one second.

The ‘Bosch Automotive Handbook’ goes on to reveal that prior to brakeapplication reaction-time starts with ‘hazard-recognition time’. It goes on to state: “The hazard recognition time, also known as the danger reaction time, is the period of time that elapses between perceiving a visible obstacle and /or its movement and the time required to recognise it as a hazard. If, as part of this danger recognition and response process, it is necessary for the driver to turn his eyes towards the hazardous situation, the hazard recognition and danger reaction time will extend by roughly

PAGE 58

Dave Scott is a member of the S.A. Guild of Motoring Journalists, and is a monthly contributor to the press on transport and trucking related subjects. In 2002 and 2003 Dave Scott was the S.A. Guild of Motoring Journalists winner of the category ‘Business Motoring’. As a member of the S.A. Institute of Tribology he takes a keen interest in the application of lubricants to road transport maintenance and the cost of ownership. His key writing focus is on fleet management including the technology of trucks and road transport.

0.4 second.’ Only then does a driver enter the pre-braking phase.

‘Pre-braking time’ is the time lapse between the moment the hazard is recognised and the start of braking. It is divided into four processes • Reaction time - decision-making.

“This is the period of time that elapses between the moment a defined incitement to action occurs and the start of the first specifically targeted action.

Human beings require about 0.2 s for the spontaneous reaction; however the reaction time will be at least 0.3 s if the driver needs to make a decision to perform a preventative or evasive action in response to conscious hazard recognition (choice reaction).”

• Transfer time from accelerator to brake pedal. “This is period of time the driver requires to transfer the foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal.

The transfer time is in the range of about 0.2 s.”

time it takes to transmit the pressure applied at the brake pedal via the brake system through to the point when the braking action becomes effective (complete build-up of the application force and incipient increase in vehicle deceleration).’

• Pressure build-up time to fully effective braking. “This is the period of time that elapses between the braking action taking effect and reaching fully effective deceleration.” Note that EEC standards demand no more than 0.6 s for both the response time and pressure build-up time.

‘Braking time’ is the period of time that elapses between the mathematically calculated start of braking and the moment the vehicle comes to a complete stop. ‘Stopping time’ is thus the sum of pre-braking time and braking time. A simple item such as a defective windscreen washer unit can thus play a vital role in the cascade of events leading to a major incident.

• Response time – transmitting brake pedal-pressure to brake system. ‘The

If a driver starts to peer through a dirty windscreen and loses precious time around trying to identify a hazard, the truck rapidly loses runway. Drivers are known to conduct many distracting in-cab actions, even down to cooking a meal while behind the wheel. Eyemovement in discerning a hazard takes 0.4 s and that is 13 m of runway at 120 km/h.

At the end of a long day on the road, a driver’s reaction time is not going to be an effective one second. Now add to driver reaction the poor mechanical state of trailer braking systems into the pre-braking time and a combination has very little runway left. That’s why the road between Beaufort West and Laingsburg seems to be a killer stretch.

A ‘kompressor-badged’ car, with AMG as an additional mark of performance, doing 180 km/h at night with a 91% braking efficiency will take 190 m to come to rest in a ‘crash-stop’ – with a wide-awake driver. Hmmm…better take care of what’s following you and slow down at night.

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AutoForum - April 2011

South Africa’s orphan road transport fleet - By Dave Scott

T

ruck franchise workshops are a sure indication of the problem – the haulers line up for service while trailers are left at home. Organised brake and tyre inspections that FleetWatch magazine conducts with local authorities result in 90% rejection rates where operators are served with notice that trailers cannot proceed further. Professional fleet audits conducted for the first time inevitably also cause shock at the state of the trailer fleet. A driver recently summed it up when confronted with trailers that had not been serviced: “They only get serviced when they break!” What are the driving issues behind this sad state of the national heavy trailer fleet?

Starting 1 January 2011 there were 150 496 ‘heavy’ trailers over 3 500 kg (GVM Gross Vehicle Mass) registered on our roads – the national ‘Venterjie’ fleet under 3 500 kg GVM totalled 740 443 units. The extra-heavy 4X2 and 6X4 truck tractor segment is around 70 000 so this figure does make sense.

Brakes are ‘vrot’ All South African trailers of 3 500 kg GVM and above first registered on or after 14 February 2004 must comply with SABS ECE R13 (SANS 20013). This means they must be fitted with anti-lock braking systems – ABS – and automatic slack adjusters. Since that date, the Compulsory Manufacturing Specifications have obliged trailer manufacturers to comply. This means around 40,000 new trailers equipped with ABS brakes and auto-slack adjusters have entered the market – the remaining 110 000 are still using manual slack adjusters. What is the significance of this?

Manual slack adjusters on trailers require physical adjustment after every long-distance haul and in reality that simply does not get done. Apart from brake booster/slack adjuster settings that are incorrect on so many trailers, the brakes just do not work efficiently.

One pull on the drain valve rings that equip trailer brake air reservoirs most often results in a shower of oil and water. This means drivers and maintenance people never get to look at simple daily

procedures for trailer brake care – brake valves are compromised and also inefficient. Trailers equipped with ABS brakes are not being maintained for that component. Wheel sensors are loose or hanging free and ABS is just not doing what it was designed for – preventing wheel lock up. Despite the fact that load-sensing is fitted in addition to ABS, the load-sensing device is most often not correctly set or even connected. The probability of trailer wheel lock-up, skidding and losing control plus flat-spotting on tyres is heightened when ABS and load-sensing do not function. Welding on trailers in ignorance of the electronics in ABS has also destroyed trailer ABS systems that do not get replaced (the cost factor and the ignorance factor where no one is aware that the electronics have been fried).

Connectors are compromised Manie Roux, Sales and Technical Manager at Jost SA, recommends that a truck tractor fifth-wheel should be steam-cleaned and re-greased monthly in long-haul, and every 5 000 km in short-haul applications, using a

Unserviced loaded trailer waits

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worn beyond acceptable limits that causes severe backlash in the hauler’s transmission – no one would ever guess gearbox failure comes from the tow hitch!

graphite-additive EP2 grease.

The mating surface on a semitrailer rubbing plate and kingpin should receive similar treatment, but this is far from reality. It appears that semitrailers rubbing plates very seldom get steam cleaned and the only greasing that occurs is that which attaches to the fifth-wheel after a truck tractor has been serviced. This attitude to semitrailer connectors extends to tow-hitches as well, where abnormal wear is accelerated through lack of tow-hitch cleaning and neglect. The writer recently inspected two interlink combinations that confirmed this - the fifth-wheel and rubbing plate between the trailers was dry while the semi-trailer attaching to the truck tractor did show old, contaminated grease.

structure. Landing leg failure is a costly exercise when a trailer is loaded – inspection and maintenance of trailer supports should be scheduled and not ad hoc.

Suspensions are misaligned

Please clean the trailer lights

Just travel behind a trailer combination and witness how crabbing trailers chow tyres and consume fuel. This comes from worn suspensions and accelerates operating costs. A simple test using a ball of string will show the extent of misalignment using the trailer corners to a similar wheel component on each side.

There’s no point in having the latest wind deflector and airflow management system on the hauling unit, when the trailer is dragging out of alignment.

Regulation 169 (1) (f) requires stop lamps to be ‘maintained in a clean condition and in good working order.’ The fact that so many trailer stop lamps are dirty is an indication of the lack of care that exists for other road users. The fact that law enforcement cannot focus on this simple issue is a mystery. Surely to indicate and be seen has got to be a top safety issue for trailer operations?

Landing gear is suspect Trailer landing legs or trailer supports often take a side-thrust beating from forklift trucks during loading. This can cause cracks in the landing leg support

It’s time that the fleet orphans were included in scheduled maintenance. After all, it can be the trailer that initiates a cascade of events leading to an on-road disaster.

Landing leg foot secured with co rd

Trailers don’t live forever. Metal fatigue sets in and cracks are very evident on older trailers. The point is, few really understand the impact that harvesting trailer maintenance will have an impact on the running cost of the prime mover. A classic case is a tow-hitch

Trysome’s lighter wheel chock Trysome’s research and customer feedback indicated that the chocks available in the market were inadequate and failed to meet workplace health and safety requirements. In response, the company has developed a range of polyurethane wheel chocks to suit all types and sizes of mining vehicles from light vehicles to the largest haul trucks.

The new chocks are tough - they are impact, corrosion and chemical resistant – safe, thanks to their high visibility, and solid, yet lightweight. The latter is critical as a lightweight product is easier and safer for repetitive handling. The new design also boasts a new shape, with a ‘toe’ that greatly reduces the risk of expulsion under pressure.

Testing carried out on a loaded CAT 797B truck on a 10% gradient with one chock placed under each wheel resulted in a truck that held its position, proving the design to be suitable for use on appropriate vehicles.

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AutoForum - April 2011

Merc’s New Programme to Win Loyalty

M

ercedes-Benz SA launched their remanufactured parts programme at Automechanika in March. According to the CEO, Dr. Niefer, the national initiative is a strategic priority, aimed at improving customer satisfaction, and retaining loyalty to the brand.

The programme offers consumers up to a 30% cost saving, and can be considered “good as new” - they all come with the same 12-month warrantee as new parts, and are effectively still genuine Mercedes-Benz parts.

According to Naeem Hassim, AfterSales Vice President, the delay in launching the programme in SA was mainly logistics-based, and has become viable due to now having a large enough core parts pool. He went on to explain: “This bold step is aimed at maintaining relationships with customers, in terms of product support and aftersales service, and will keep a larger portion of post motor plan cars within the service network.”

According to Hans Roos of the after-sales parts division, MBSA currently holds a 40% share of the commercial and 60% share of the passenger vehicle parts market, the latter being an area they wish to grow. “The aim is to penetrate

the market to a point where we sell a larger number of units in total, without replacement parts cannibalising the new parts market - it just means that the customer has a wider choice.”

is available and is expected to expand rapidly over the course of the next year.

The core originates in South Africa but parts are drawn from an international pool. Initially alternators, starters and compression pumps will be available, with transmissions being available in the near future. A parts number list

Naeem Hassim, After-Sales Vice President

Dr Niefer, CEO of Mercedes-Benz SA

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PAGE 63

AutoForum - April 2011

Show Time Automechanika Johannesburg

1

T

he second local Automechanika show stirred up a bit of debate in the past few months. With the determination of the local organisers, backed by a confident German team, and a truly great effort by the committed exhibitors, the doors opened to a world-class-looking show on the 9th of March. Both local organisers and Automechanika President Michael Johannes seemed pleased with the reaction from the exhibitors. To anyone who did not attend the show, you missed an opportunity to witness a new benchmark for our local market.

2

While the crowds definitely did not pour in at the anticipated levels for the first 2 days, just about every exhibitor I spoke to felt that the visitors who were at the show, were ones that counted. The the prizegiving for the innovation awards took place at the official welcome function. Raylight took the Gold award with their Ultimate AGM battery, Bosch took Silver for their Parallel hybrid system and Bronze went to MAHA for the MET 6 emissions tester. It was really disappointing and embarrassing to have the crowd basically ignore the speakers completely – that was until Amanda Nair, CEO of Blue IQ actually stopped her address and asked very politely that the crowd quieten down. Well done! The Friday attendance was especially effected by a coinciding event at Soccer city, which was announced by local radio stations as a possible traffic obstacle for the entire day.

The two main halls really looked different to any of the local trade shows of the past few years. Companies went the extra mile in putting together stands that were well laid out and welcoming for visitors, as opposed to standard booths. Both Midas and Bosch were awarded Platinum awards for their participation at the show. National pavilions for Italy, Turkey and China were also well represented.

3

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Another fantastic speaker was the FEDUSA General Secretary Dennis George, speaking after Deputy President Motlanthe’s address at the the MISA executive round table breakfast. He thanked the government for their support for the motor industry, and then proceeded to respectfully request a stronger stance on corruption and nepotism within the government, my favourite quote being that government should question “why they spend 25c on a pencil I can buy at CNA for 5c?”. It is refreshing to see that many 4 more people are speaking to the point at these conferences, and addressing the real problems within our Government

and business relationship. While it is great that Government supports big business it is the entrepreneurs and small businesses within our sector that are the opportunity for education, employment and upliftment.

Of the number of conferences and announcements at the show a couple of

highlights were Mercedes-Benz launching their local remanufactured parts programme which offers up to 30% pricing benefits to consumers, Bosch’s announcement of their training initiative which aims to place 20 learners a year into a 4 year programme within the Bosch service network, and the launch of a new product called Technica, a

revolutionary new training system that is reported in detail on page 8. Midas and the RMI took the show as an opportunity to host their conferences and Merseta awarded their learner of the year competition.

5

6

7 8

9

10

1. Michael Johannes of Automechanika, and Detclef Braun of Messe Frankfurt, 2. Motor Industry Staff Association stand, 3. Amanda Nair - CEO Blue IQ, 4. Rob Mann, Stefan Le Roux (Technica), Brad Ker (CDX), Michael Turnbull (Technica), 5. Michael Turnbull at the Technica stand, 6. Roland Bosse with winner Harry Bezuidenhout, 7. Michael Forsyth, Tammy Mannie, Judy Yang (Atlas Auto Group), 8. Louis Bles (right) and his stand award for ACD, 9. Nic Kruger (right) and the team from Wheelquip, 10. Philip Lutz (left) and the team from Monroe

PAGE 65

SHOW TIME

AutoForum - April 2011

11

12

13

14

11. Fred and Libby from Victor Reinz, 12. Colin and Delon Murphy, 13. The team from MACS, 14. Fred Bengsch and Graham Johnson (Diesel Electric)

PAGE 66

1

2011 Auto Maintenance and Repair show, Beijing

O

nce more AutoForum was proud to represent South Africa at the 2011 Auto Maintenance and Repair Show in Beijing, in March. The AM&R show has a particular focus on equipment and tools, aimed at both the workshop and bodyshop sectors, and is becoming a strong competitor to the Shanghai shows, which tend to be more parts focused. It was interesting to note a significant growth in international visitors, and from a wide variety of countries - evidence that the event is an effective meeting place for distributors and their suppliers. Of the people that I met and chatted to at the show, many were not only sourcing products and meeting with existing suppliers, but also actually refining their own custom specifications on particular products, in order to

better meet their customers’ needs.

The 2011 edition really improved on the previous year’s show, utilising the new expo centre near Beijing’s airport. The venue allows for exhibitors to use open and inviting stands, all within a naturally lit interior that just feels lighter and more spacious. The organisers included many of the extras that make international shows easier to use, such as B2B sessions and multilingual conferences.

overview of the sector and its importance to the larger economy of SA and the surrounding regions, our message to the audience was that manufacturers producing quality goods will do good business in South Africa. Of the few South Africans that I bumped into at the show, everyone seemed pleased with what they saw, and felt that it was a worthwhile trip. Hopefully we will see more of you at the 2012 show.

AutoForum was asked to address the audience at the Symposium and provided a context of the South African Automotive sector, including coverage of the incoming CPA, and its ramifications for importers and distributors of Chinese products. Effectively, after an 3

2

1. Michel Malik (Bodyshop News), 2. Warwick Robinson, 3. Business to business meeting area

PAGE 67

New Releases

AutoForum AutoForum - April 2011 - April 2011

No more rollovers Control Instruments Automotive has announced the Autosave Tilt Switch, designed to detect when a vehicle is at risk of rolling over.

The robust unit has been designed to endure heavy vibrations without giving false readings. After rotating past 45° ‘along its longer axis’ for longer than four seconds, the unit trips a relay and holds until it returns to less than 45° tilt.

Tilting along its narrow axis requires around 70° to activate, allowing a range of applications. The delay is needed where the terrain may cause the rotation to momentarily pass 45° as it needs to stay past 45° for more than 3-4 seconds to trip the sensor. The unit is suited to all types of vehicles, petrol or diesel engines 12/24V. The Autosave Tilt Switch is built to drive a relay (500 ma maximum on the blue wire) to allow for a wide variety of applications such as fuel cut-off, engine-kill or sending a message to an onboard computer.

www.AutoForum.co.za

AE launches long wearing PM valve guides Federal-Mogul recently announced the launch of its new AE Powder Metallurgy (PM) valve guides, manufactured by sintering a blend of powdered metals to a dimensional tolerance of 0.01 mm.

The PM valve guides boast greater resistance to wear and a higher oil retention - thanks to the elevated porosity of the material. In addition it has improved lubrication between the inner guide surface and the valve stem leads, which reduces friction between the two surfaces and extends lifespan.

The guides are steam blackened during the production process, to inhibit rust formation, and are laser etched as opposed to stamp rolled. For more information, contact e-mail Kgomotso.Mashigo@federalmogul.com

The unit’s features include mercury contacts, an operating Voltage of between 10 to 32 Volts and a temperature range between -40°C -+85°C, preset at 60°.

The benefits of the Autosave Tilt Switch include reduced downtime, reduced engine wear and insurance benefits, as well as the safety benefit of preventing possible engine fire.

For more information call 011 627 2500, fax 086 682 8498, email marketing@ci-automotive.com or visit www.ci-automotive.com.

Blue-point MICROSCAN Diagnostic Platform from Snap-on For those looking for quick and simple Global OBD-II diagnostics at the right price, Snap-on has released its MICROSCAN diagnostic platform, which promises to deliver solid power at a high value.

According to its manufacturers, MICROSCAN is not simply a code reader. Technicians get all 10 modes of OBD-II for a complete diagnosis: read and clear codes, view live data, emissions readiness, onboard monitors, pending codes, permanent codes and more. MICROSCAN can also record and play back 64-frame data files.

MICROSCAN is easy to use and portable, allowing shops to verify repairs, road test, check emission monitors and solve basic engine and driveability problems.

Many OBD-II tools can show live data in text mode; MICROSCAN, however, offers live data graphing allowing technicians to see how live data changes over time and can display and compare any two live data graphs side-by-side to show cause and effect. Exclusive to MICROSCAN is Snapon’s Troubleshooter code tips, which saves both diagnosis and repair time. Code tips show the most likely causes for

PAGE 68

thousands of common vehicle problems. Another advantage is MICROSCAN’s time-saving plug-and-play feature, which means it starts working as soon as it is connected to a vehicle. It automatically powers up, determines vehicle protocol and displays any trouble codes in as little as 10 seconds.

With MICROSCAN PRO, technicians get enhanced engine codes for GM, Ford and Chrysler, plus ABS codes. With the optional OBD-I adapter set, MICROSCAN can diagnose older vehicles.

For further info contact your Snap-on Dealer or Sales Rep or contact 0861 762 766, email enquiries@snapon.co.za or visit www.snapon.co.za.

PAGE 69

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