Autonomous Driving and Future of Auto Repair Industry

Today, new cars are already equipped with a number of independently operating features, such as self-parking functionality and anti-lock braking systems (ABS). But, according to representatives of major automakers, it won’t be long before we will see autonomous/driverless vehicles (AVs) on our roads that will rationally make important decisions and allow us to pay attention to other matters during trips. Recent studies say that the share of the global autonomous vehicle market will increase by more than 10 times from 2019 to 2026.

While analysts still argue about time limits when AVs will spread worldwide – and how exactly they’ll be used by customers – it’s fair to assume that the shift to autonomous driving is inevitable. When they hit the market, they will likely cause significant changes in the automobile industry. The main advantages of driverless cars for consumers are obvious: fewer road accidents, injuries and deaths, possibly shorter commutes, and more free time for other activities as drivers turn into passengers.

Taking into account the fact that the overwhelming majority (90%) of car crashes are caused by driver errors, some car makers believe this rise of the autonomous vehicle (AV) will also make driving safer and lead to a massive reduction in the number of fatalities. For example, Volvo says that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in Volvo cars.

GM and Tesla Motors express a belief that autonomous cars have an enormous potential and are ready to advance their respective projects to be the 1-st to market in the near future. With numerous autonomous solutions from GM and Tesla Motors being under development, the future of AVs in the US is looking very bright.

GM's self-driving Chevy Bolts during road testing

Major manufacturers of car components also pay close attention to autonomous technologies and invest significant financial resources in development of new components for AVs. For example, the German auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen plans to invest €12bn in the development of technology for electric and autonomous vehicles.

However, there’s one issue of the new technology that deserves special attention: the influence of autonomous cars on auto repair shops and car maintenance services. More specifically, how repair shops of the future will adopt if driverless cars are to become the mainstream. Some analysts assume that the repair process itself will have to change radically to stay up-to-date with the technologies implemented in AVs. One vision of the future sees self-driving cars delivering themselves to repair facilities in advance informing technicians through their computer units what must be repaired, as well as the expected time frame for the job to be done. In this article, we will consider the prospects of repair shops in the era of autonomous technologies.

General Info

The days of traditional approaches to car repair services have not completely passed, but it is obvious that their time is coming to an end. Although, there will always be some demand for repair of old cars with the help of traditional methods and tools, it is clear that to stay competitive in the repair business the repair shops will have to change in numerous aspects. Car repairs become less labor-consuming, but more technology-intensive as computer diagnostics encompasses more and more aspects of repairs. Repair specialists have to become more and more sophisticated, but not in terms of automotive science, but rather in automotive repair using the latest technologies. New technologies will be focused on the process of diagnostics and quick repairs, but it doesn’t mean that repair services in the future will be cheaper for average consumers. Repair shops will have to invest significant financial resources on certification and strengthening of their competitiveness, and these expenses will be added to the cost of repairs.

New cars are equipped with sophisticated electronics, hybrid transmissions, computerized components, upgraded security systems, and a wide range of sensors which control operating parameters of cars. These expensive components undoubtedly affect the process of car repairing.

The largest exhibitions dedicated to auto repair services and automobile technologies, such as Automechanika Frankfurt, from year to year pay close attention to the latest developments in the field of car repair and maintenance.

In the future, car repair specialists will have at their disposal augmented reality glasses with repair tips (such as those provided by the Italian company Texa). The glasses have all the information required for the technician to fix the particular car model. The glasses will send the car info to the built-in lenses with the menu-prompts related to the repaired car.

Augmented Reality Glasses by Texa

Special software for car repairs (such as Esitronic 2.0 provided by Bosch) should also help auto repair specialists in dealing with various types of repair issues more promptly and efficiently. The software includes the “Previous Repair Experience” module, which contains records about different types of failures. The database of Esitronic includes more than 750,000 solutions for different technical problems. Thanks to this feature, the system automatically recommends the most appropriate solutions for specific cases.

Learn more about Esitronic 2.0 software provided by Bosch

It cannot be ruled out that such technology as 3-D printing will be available for auto repair shops in the future. The capacities of this technology will help repair specialists to create parts required for prompt repair services.

Prospects of autonomous vehicles

Some analysts believe that auto repair shops will benefit from development of autonomous technologies. Here is why:

• More Vehicles On The Road

If the most optimistic estimations for autonomous vehicles (AVs) are accurate, the cost of operating an AV will be even lower than the cost of vehicle ownership today. Thus, more and more people will be able to buy a self-driving car and consequently repair shops will have more potential customers.

• More Driving, More Maintenance

According to statistics, today cars spend most of their time parked than being driven. But, if owners of AVs can spend their time reading, sleeping, working, watching a movie, etc., without the need to concentrate on the road, they will certainly spend much more time on the road. Engineers predict that owners of self-driving cars are bound to keep them on the road longer than today. This would normally mean that autonomous cars will require more maintenance if they are being “driven” longer.

• More Systems to Repair

Today, standard cars consist of different components but if your car is a hybrid or a plug-in electric you have additional charging and electrical storage systems. AVs are equipped with different units which you will never find in IC-engine cars. At least, they are controlled by a sophisticated supercomputer that interacts with numerous sensors and cameras.

Testing of the self-driving car Renault Symbioz

There is also a data network that may communicate not only with the sensors but also with other cars, emergency response systems, and the carmaker. Your future AV may even connect the auto repair shop to inform repair specialists about required maintenance or repair services. The mechanical components of AVs will still require repair and maintenance.

What could the maintenance costs look like?

That’s not a secret that today the cost of autonomous cars and its components is quite high. Prices for such complex parts like LiDAR can reach up to several thousand dollars. However, experts are sure that when AVs become mainstream, the price for this type of vehicles and its parts will fall. LiDAR is still so expensive because it’s an innovative solution. In a decade, there will be many competitive companies on the market of driverless cars and the price will be reduced to attract more potential customers.

How repair shops can prepare for era of autonomous cars

Naturally, not all repair shops are happy about the trend of self-driving technologies, but a tidal wave of change is coming. Certainly, not all repair shops will be able to remain competitive in the auto repair industry, because it requires not only specific technical infrastructure, but also a certain level of qualification from repair specialists.

Experts assume that driverless cars will be introduced gradually. Initially, it is expected that AVs will be used by major corporations. Companies like Google, Tesla, and Uber have already put a number of autonomous vehicles into service. Therefore, at early stages owners of repair shops may not feel the impact of a new type of transport on their businesses. This can lead to a false sense of security, and many auto repair shops might be inclined to wait until more serious changes would take effect. That would be a serious mistake.

Repair shops have to take a number of steps to be ready for a full-scale appearance of AVs:

• Become familiar with AV technologies by making them the key focus of training programs for personnel;
• Seriously consider certifications or partnerships offered by AV producers;
• Estimate what services provided by the standard repair shop won’t be in demand when autonomous cars become widely used by ordinary people;
• Work out a plan for adoption of services needed in the industry dominated by AVs;
• Develop a marketing strategy for promotion of the repair shop in the days of self-driving cars.

It’s not a secret that when something new hits the market, the price for the novelty is quite high and analyst assume that AVs won’t be an exception. Thus, at early stages of the AV adoption not everyone will be able to afford a self-driving car, but mainly the better-off segments of the population.

Before AVs become a commonplace, auto repair shops will dedicate some time to improve their knowledge in computers and electronics. Some car repair specialists already introduce certain handy computer devices to be more efficient, and this tendency will become crucial with the emergence of fully computerized AVs.

Learn why self-driving cars are not ready yet to conquer the auto market

Most complex spare parts of AVs like LiDAR and processing units still will have to be repaired manually by professional repair specialists. For this reason, traditional mechanics will have to develop required advanced skills to be able to deal with these innovative vehicles. Mechanical skills will undoubtedly remain a part of auto repairs, but exploration of AV software units – navigation, communication, and diagnostics – should be a paramount objective.

Moreover, it is high time to invest time and financial resources in certification programs with producers of self-driving cars. Why? All the information related to the operating condition of AVs will be compiled in special reporting systems accessible to AV manufacturers. Therefore, certifications look like the best way to establish business ties with manufacturers and to get access to the relevant info about the AV condition.

Some experts claim that AVs will recommend their owners the most appropriate workshop for repair and maintenance services. Thus, repair shops must closely monitor the development of autonomous technologies and gradually adopt the new repair methods to become one of the options for repair of driverless cars.