The Independent Automotive Aftermarket, IAAF has hosted their latest Industry Briefing at Haynes International Motor Museum in Yeovil on Thursday 21st September. The briefing was used to update those who attended about the latest developments in the industry as well as hearing from a range of guest speakers.

The Membership Development Manager for the IAAF, Mike Smallbone, was on hand to steer the Briefing as well as introducing Quentin Le-Hetet, the General Manager of GiPA UK and guest speaker at the event.

The Industry Briefing allows members of the IAAF to remain up to date on the issues and challenges faced in the industry. The IAAF also informs their members about their current developments in regards to the “Connected Car” and “Tyre Approval”. The Development Manager, Derek Smallbone acknowledged the current position of the industry, which appears to be in a static, deadlocked position as a result of 18 months of discussions from the Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems, or C-ITS forum. These discussions have explored a technical framework that can be used to connect vehicles. There are a number of unresolved issues connected to this development are being looked at by a TRL study, with a focus being placed on how best to access in-vehicle data.

The Briefing also looked at the debate connected to proposed MOT charges, with the GIPA General Manager Le Hetet also discussing the decrease in registrations of new vehicles and a subsequent increase in used car registrations. This latest Industry Briefing is the third to be held by the IAAF and the regional meetings have so far proven to be successful, with an increase in the number of members attending since the events were first launched in March.

The next meeting is set to take place at the FPS National Distribution Centre in Sheffield on Thursday the 26th October. There are limited spaces available for these industry briefing therefore the IAAF have advised that members interested in attending book ahead in order to obtain a space.