The good old days are gone: how the auto industry has changed
Today's millennial generation was raised in the digital age, all new cars were computer-controlled by the time they got their driver’s license.
That’s why, when my good friend purchased a 1979 Plymouth Horizon TC3 a couple of months ago, I was lost. I popped the hood and there were no fuel injectors, no individual coil packs, and most disturbing of all, no OBD port under the dash.
The Plymouth made me realize how much the automobile, and the auto repair industry as a whole, has changed. And today, that rate of change is much quicker than ever before. New features and functions are popping up all the time. Yet some parts of the business remain the same…
The automotive industry has changed more in the past twenty-five years or so than any other time in history. Now, progress is moving ahead at full steam and the repair business is seeing transformations, such as the following:
Technology
Get behind the wheel (or under the hood) of a late model car and it’s obvious how much technology has changed. But the cars themselves aren’t the only part of the repair industry that’s gone high-tech.
Remember those textbook-sized repair manuals technicians once used? Chances are, you haven’t seen one of those recently, unless you were perusing vintage collectibles on eBay.
Now everything is handled on a computer; from looking up labor times to finding repair videos on YouTube. Many facilities are also making smartphone videos, both to send to customers and post on social media.
And the management side of the business has been digitalized, too.
Recently, I was at a small shop (in an even smaller town) where hand-written ROs are still kept in filing cabinets. The system was a reminder: almost all repair businesses were like that a couple of decades ago. Now, practically anywhere you go, work orders are generated and stored electronically.
Education
Formal automotive training wasn’t a requirement back in the “good old days”. Aspiring mechanics either learned from a family member or on the job. Many individuals worked their way up from a service station attendant or similar role.
But things are different these days. Most technicians have a formal education either from a tech school or community college. Auto repair is far too complicated for uncle Bob, the shade tree mechanic, to teach anymore.
Tool requirement
A set of wrenches, pliers and some screwdrivers were all mechanics once needed. Now, a toolset and matching box can cost as much, if not more, than a brand new car. Plus there's the cost of diagnostic tools, such as scanners and other specialty equipment, typically supplied by the shop.
What remains the same
We’ve all heard the saying: the more things change, the more they stay the same; certainly a truism in the auto repair industry. While self-driving cars and advanced propulsion systems are charging onto the scene, there are other areas of the trade that remain stagnant, such as the following:
Wages
Sure, wages have gone up for mechanics because of inflation. But, if you put regular cost hikes aside, technicians don’t get paid much better than they used to, despite the fact they’re required to do more and know more.
The national average salary is $44,564 [balancecareers]. Meanwhile, the median salary for a technician is only $37,261 [glassdoor].
Stigma
Another thing that hasn’t changed is the stigma associated with being a mechanic. Even though today’s technicians are required to be tech-savvy, and in most cases, have a formal education, they’re still viewed as “grease monkeys”. It’s this stereotype that prevents many would-be technicians from entering the industry, and prompts many seasoned professionals to leave.
What does the future hold?
Self-driving cars, electric vehicles, and ridesharing, certainly, these concepts are gaining momentum. But there are currently more than one-billion gasoline and diesel-powered cars on the planet [Voelcker]. Fossil fuel-powered vehicles are expected to be the majority of repair work, at least for the next few decades.
At the same time, more and more hybrids and EVs are hitting the road. The role of a technician becomes increasingly difficult with the need to service these high-tech vehicles, as well as traditional cars and trucks.
Techs will be, and already are, required to repair autonomous driving features as well, such as adaptive cruise control and automatic braking.
The impending changes translate to more education, more sophisticated tools and greater responsibility for technicians and service departments.
Perhaps now’s the time to address the dormant wages and negative stereotypes that plague the automotive repair industry.
Greater incentives are needed to motivate workers to learn more and hone their skills. Otherwise, service professionals will be as clueless about new technology as I am about the carburetor on that old Plymouth.
Sources:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/average-salary-information-for-us-workers-2060808
https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/auto-mechanic-salary-SRCH_KO0,13.htm
From Ted Ings' Playbook