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January 24, 2025

Driving Innovation: AI Working Group Charts Path for Automotive Aftermarket AI Adoption

On Dec. 4, 2024, the Emerging Technologies Committee (ETC) AI Working Group convened its second meeting to shape the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in the automotive aftermarket. The meeting, led by Mark Seng – Predii, Ryan Frisch – Hunter Engineering, and Mike Tanner – Auto Care Assoc., set a clear agenda for empowering organizations to navigate AI implementation effectively.

Setting the Stage

The group welcomed new members Lance Brierley – Alliance1 and Ram Marupudi – O’Reilly Auto Parts, who joined the conversation about AI’s transformative potential. With a focus on collaboration and neutrality, the group reaffirmed its mission to provide guidance on critical topics such as data preparation, security, and AI use case identification.

Strategic Objectives

Mike Tanner outlined the Working Group’s key objectives:
1. Learning and Adapting AI Solutions: Equipping members with tools to seamlessly integrate AI.
2. Neutrality and Accessibility: Providing unbiased resources, tools, and guidelines.
3. Industry Focus: Addressing unique challenges in the automotive aftermarket.

By fostering a collaborative environment, the group aims to demystify AI and help members leverage its benefits.

White Papers as a Cornerstone

The group prioritized creating structured white papers to support AI readiness in the following areas:

  • Data Readiness and Strategy: Establishing data quality as a foundation for AI success.
  • High-Impact Use Cases: Focusing on projects that drive measurable outcomes.
  • Infrastructure Readiness: Preparing systems to handle AI integration.
  • Talent Development: Bridging the skills gap to support AI projects.

     

    Guidelines for Vendor Selection

    To ensure neutrality and avoid conflicts of interest, the group plans to develop vendor evaluation guidelines based on key characteristics rather than endorsing specific providers.

    Data Preparation Tools and Standards

    The importance of standardized and cleansed data was emphasized as a cost-saving and efficiency-enhancing measure. Recommendations for data preparation tools will be explored.

    Industry Insights and Trends

    Guest speaker Michael Chung shared insights on current AI trends and opportunities for collaboration with the Market Intelligence Committee. Topics included:

  • Predictive modeling.
  • AI-driven recruitment for technicians.
  • Enhancing electric vehicle (EV) development.
  • AI-driven improvements in parts design.

     

    Automotive Aftermarket Use Cases

    The group identified practical applications of AI tailored to the industry, such as:

  • Diagnostics: Improving the accuracy and efficiency of vehicle troubleshooting.
  • Parts Descriptions: Enhancing the quality of product catalogs.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Streamlining adherence to industry standards through automation.

    Next Steps

    The AI Working Group committed to several initiatives to drive progress into 2025:

  • Roadmap Development: Breaking objectives into smaller, actionable steps.
  • White Paper Drafting: Completing foundational documents on AI readiness.
  • Vendor Evaluation Framework: Outlining unbiased guidelines for AI vendor selection.
  • Committee Collaboration: Partnering with the Market Intelligence Committee on predictive modeling and EV advancements.

     

    The AI Working Group Members include:

     

     

     

    Name

    Company

    Committee

    Mark Seng

    Predii

    Emerging Technologies

    Sam Pradish

    Repairify

    Guest

    Ben Spitz

    Parts Authority

    Sustainability

    Leon Cheng

    YCP

    Marketing Intelligence

    Joseph DeLorme

    Dorman

    Events

    Ram Marupudi

    Oreilly Auto

    Emerging Technologies

    Jill Trotta

    Motor

    Education

    Lance Brierley

    Alliance1

    Technology Standards

    Lisa Jinn

    Denso

    Category Management

    Ryan Frisch

    Hunter Engineering

    Emerging Technologies

     

    Looking Ahead

    The group aims to meet again in late January or early February 2025 to finalize deliverables and prepare for the February Committee Meeting. These efforts position the AI Working Group as a driving force in advancing the adoption of AI across the automotive aftermarket.

    With a focus on education, collaboration, and innovation, the group is poised to empower industry members to unlock AI’s transformative potential.

    •  

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    As vehicle technologies evolve, our emerging technology team and committee is on the front lines with organizations such as ISO, SAE, IEEE and CEN working to define internationally recognized standards for automotive maintenance and repair. Here you'll find the latest updates from their work on your behalf.


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