Aftermarket March 2023

T he inclusion of secure gateways placed in cars to prevent the untrained or DIY technician from performing vehicle diagnostics, causing them to potentially be unsafe and fail their MOT, means, theoretically, only trained technicians with the proper tools can carry out the work. These systems prevent aftermarket tools having access to simple diagnostic repairs that up until now, were able to be completed. As data becomes more commoditised, it allows dealers to maintain control over what information can be accessed from that software and how it is used. On top of this, there is now more demand for the use of secure gateways to protect against people interfering with the software, and manufacturers are also making secure gateways harder to access. As a result, dealers are becoming more reluctant to release the software that can make the relevant diagnostics available. Thus, limiting the work that repairers can undertake, hampering their ability to diagnose and repair these vehicles, leading to them being off road for longer, and it restricts workshops revenue streams, driving even more work to the main dealers. 34 AFTERMARKET MARCH 2023 TECHNICAL www.aftermarketonline.net SECURE GATEWAYS: YOU SHALL NOT PASS? Vehicle anufacturers are making secure gateways harder to access, as Martin explains However, there is an effective solution for repairers. The relevance and availability of asTech diagnostic tools from Repairify has never been more important. They provide garages and bodyshops, with access to every OEM manufacturer diagnostic tool, alongside a fully trained OEM technician, to assist remotely without having to buy the tools themselves. Even for a true and thorough pre-scan, the range of asTech products has demonstrated their importance in identifying faults that cannot be picked up by aftermarket tools with no access to these modules, protecting repairers’ businesses. BY Martin Pinnell- Brown, Director, Repairify Innovations