Four Top Goals for 12 Volt: CTA

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Goals CTA Aftermarket

Attracting new installers and preparing for electric vehicles (EVs) are two of the four key goals that the Consumer Technology Association’s vehicle tech committee will be working on this year.

Mike Anderson of Alpine, who is the new chairman of the group, explained that one of the top goals of the CTA’s Vehicle Technology Div. is to conduct research into electric vehicles, to learn more about the construction and infrastructure of EVs and determine how to apply that to aftermarket products.

Anderson, speaking on a zoom call along with outgoing committee chairman Aron Demers of VOXX, and CTA representatives, said the group also seeks to learn more about EV users and their needs and what potential upgrades they may want.

Demers said the committee also wants to identify how the needs of the installation bay will change with electric vehicles and the additional equipment needed.

[As an aside, it should be noted that Best Buy is expanding into EV car charging.]

“We all see electric vehicles as a huge opportunity going forward,” said Anderson.

The group also identified three other goals for 2023.  One is to increase awareness of the install tech profession. The group worked with the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA), which hosts KnowledgeFest, to offer a job fair on the last day of the 2022 Dallas KnowledgeFest event.   The goal is to invite students from local trade schools to the show, where they may get an introduction to the 12 volt industry. They can view demo cars and leading products.

“We see that as a huge opportunity…one of the biggest ways we’re looking at to help retailers….We hope this will be at more than one KnowledgeFest,” Anderson said.

Another goal is to see how the aftermarket might benefit from subscription services to consumers.

A fourth goal is to develop actions based on the CTA’s Vehicle Tech Trends white paper published last November. The white paper findings suggested the aftermarket might benefit from investing in EV charging infrastructure and EV battery upgrades. It identified telematics upgrades for fleets as an opportunity. It also said 5G will provide new opportunities for the use of V2X (vehicles communicating with each other or with infrastructure such as traffic lights or emergency services).

Board members of the CTA’s Vehicle Technologies Division include Tony Frangiosa, InstallerNet; Aron Demers, VOXX; Avesh Thukral, Best Buy; Bryan Schmitt, Mobile Solutions; Carl Mathews, Crutchfield; Christopher Andrews, Pratt Miller; Claudio Martinez, Xperi; Derek Pace, Certified Sounds; Erin Spring, Goodyear; Jackie Erickson, Magna Intl; James Braun, Dual; Jim Warren, Elite Distributor Alliance; Johnathan Ivey, MiTek; Mark Karnes, Cedar; Marko Mandaric, Bmmpr; Michael Maddux, Verizon; Mike Anderson, Alpine; Paul Pirro, Tint World; Rick Kojan, Sony; Ron Freeman, ISS; Scott Caswell, JVCKENWOOD; Scott Forst, AAMP; and Todd Goodnight, PassTime.

 

 

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1 Comment

  1. “Another goal is to see how the aftermarket might benefit from subscription services to consumers.”

    Not pleased to see this goal. Subscriptions are one of the things that turns many people off to a company.. look at how many people come to us to remote start their Toyota because they don’t want to pay Toyota to use the OEM remote start.

    As an industry we should get away from sub services except where necessary (IE cellular remote start of course will need it). That’s what sets us apart. Most sub services are just a greedy cash grab for the providing company. We’re inching closer to the “you will own nothing and you will be happy about it” world, not good.

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