I bit my tongue as long as I could stand it and I finally have to speak my piece about the connected car, big data and telematics. There is no doubt that cars and trucks connected to the vehicle manufacturer through embedded telematics is a game-changing technological development.
But so much of what I read in the industry media and “news” talks about how this new technology will be used by the car companies and their dealers to capture more service share and customer loyalty, without so much as a mention of the overwhelming share of parts and service dollars enjoyed by the independent aftermarket.
I recently read about a Frost & Sullivan study that described the big data-sharing imperative between “dealers, customers and the OEMs.” Excuse me, but where does the leading provider of auto care and maintenance fit into this equation?
Folks, the sky is not falling down. But, those who make a living in the aftermarket parts and service industry must stand up and be counted.
We can’t let statements about the “automotive industry” stand when the reference is exclusively to vehicle manufacturers and their dealer network. Some 75 percent of consumers today choose the independent aftermarket channel for vehicle maintenance and repair.That choice is driven by the convenience of 200,000 locations, the price advantage of lower overhead and a trusted relationship with an entrepreneur.
Telematics may be one tactic in the quest to steer the customer back to the OE dealer for service beyond the warranty period. But, we are an industry built on the fact that consumers are independent and don’t want to be told where to go for service. We must fight to protect the consumer’s right to choose.
The Aftermarket Telematics Task Force was formed last year to serve as the voice of the industry on this important issue. Every OE embedded telematics system I know of is technically closed and proprietary – there is no option on the dash to redirect the data to my preferred service provider, for example, or to opt-out altogether.
We need to educate consumers, policy makers and even ourselves that today’s telematics systems limit consumer choice and disrupt the marketplace.
But, we must also propose a technical solution that allows for freedom of choice and respects the safety and security concerns of talking to the brains of a two-ton machine as it hurls down the road. Through our work in collaboration with ISO and SAE, the Telematics Task Force is working on that technical solution – and I like our chances.
In the meantime, I invite every aftermarket decision-maker, especially those on the front line of the auto care service industry, to learn as much as you can about the OE telematics programs, including their price and feature set. Then educate your customers about the pros and cons of the issue.
Connectivity is cool and many telematics features provide convenience, entertainment and peace-of-mind. But, just as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act protects the consumers right to choose parts and service without jeopardizing their warranty, consumers are also free to choose an independent service provider even if their navigation system prompts them to return to the dealer. Educate your customers about the importance of their Right to Choose the independent auto care industry.
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