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Warwick. There is four levels of it, starting off with the very basic stuff. You go up to the very top of high voltage training where you are using all the special safety equipment. We are collaborating with all our distribution partners to give that extended reach as well." Impact Keeping on top of this is vital for businesses looking to move forward with the industry into the 2020s and beyond: "On the technology side, if you think about the impact on the aftermarket, there are some facts that could seem scary for those who aren't ready. You can consider that it is predicted that almost 50% of vehicles produced in 2030 will be electrified in some way. Looking at that, you might exclaim 'death of aftermarket! Death of the combustion engine!' However, D elphi Technologies might sound familiar, but the company as it exists now is actually relatively new. Aftermarket met its Senior Vice President Alex Ashmore recently, and we asked how they are finding being in a new situation: "It is a new/old company isn't it," Alex pointed out. "It comes from over 120 years of automotive technology heritage, from former Delphi, former Lucas and from former AP Lockheed. There is a lot of heritage there. Delphi Technologies was formed two years ago out of the old Delphi Automotive. We span off to run propulsion technology and aftermarket. We are a $5bn business. We transitioned to a fully standalone company, and we will be complete early in 2020. We have built a number of factories around the world to consolidate our own electronics production. It is all going well, running to the timeline and on budget." Delphi Technologies has come into being in its current form at the same time that what might be considered to be still new technologies went relatively mainstream, and as new ways of looking at the motor vehicle came to the fore. Did Alex believe that garages are keeping up with this in the UK? "There are several layers there to consider,” he mused.”First you come from a technology angle, then you come from a technician angle, and then a training angle to link it all together. There is a shortage of technicians anyway, in most places around the world, and certainly a shortage of trained technicians." There is also technician trepidation. Alex gave us a prime example: "We are working with a major repairer and retailer in Europe, and they had staff that wouldn't change a brake pad or ball-joint on a car if it was a hybrid. It 46 AFTERMARKET DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 ON THE ROAD www.aftermarketonline.net DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES LEAD THE ELECTRIC CHARGE Above: Alex Ashmore speaks at Equip Auto 2019 Aftermarket recently sat down with Delphi Technologies SVP Alex Ashmore to find out how the company is helping garages stay connected in a changing world is hard, and difficult to explain, but they wouldn't touch the brakes or suspension parts." Delphi Technologies are looking to make sure this attitude becomes a relic of the past, through training. Alex explained: "We have in place now a hybrid and electric vehicle training programme at our training centre in