The automotive aftermarket is entering a new era of competence

The automotive aftermarket is entering a new era of competence

For years, the automotive aftermarket has operated without the kind of mandatory competence framework seen across many other technical industries, despite modern vehicles becoming increasingly complex, connected and safety critical.

That conversation may now be starting to shift with the Institute of the Motor Industry’s (IMI) latest push to embed competence requirements into the UK’s legislative framework through the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 is one of the clearest signals yet that the industry is moving towards a more formalised approach to technical capability.

At Autotech Training, this is something we have consistently advocated for since launching in 2016 because we have seen first-hand how quickly vehicle technology, and the skills required to support it, has evolved.

The industry has already transformed

A decade ago, electric vehicles were still a rarity on UK roads, ADAS technology was far from mainstream, and most workshops were overwhelmingly focused on traditional petrol and diesel repair. Today, electric vehicles are rapidly entering the independent aftermarket, ADAS is standard across most new vehicles and modern repair increasingly involves software, connectivity, calibration and high-voltage systems alongside traditional mechanical work.

The IMI’s proposed focus areas for future competence standards, EV, ADAS, connected vehicles and alternative fuels, reflect exactly where the greatest operational and safety pressures already exist within workshops today.

Many businesses have already invested heavily in training and capability, including franchised dealer groups which continue to upskill technicians as vehicle technology evolves rapidly. However, adoption remains inconsistent across the wider aftermarket, particularly among smaller independent operators balancing rising operational costs, technician shortages and increasing customer demand.

Historically, many garages delayed EV and ADAS training not because they failed to recognise its importance, but because the operational cost of taking technicians off the tools felt commercially difficult to justify. Every empty ramp affects productivity and revenue, which is why Autotech Training built its delivery model around minimising disruption through onsite, flexible and blended learning approaches.

The independent sector needs support as well as standards

The conversation around competence standards cannot focus solely on regulation. The independent aftermarket also needs practical support to help businesses implement training in commercially realistic ways.

For many garages, the challenge has never been understanding the importance of EV or ADAS training, it has been finding the time, flexibility and operational capacity to deliver it without disrupting the business itself. As vehicle technology evolves faster, training models also need to evolve, with more accessible and continuous learning pathways becoming essential.

The cost of delaying action, however, is rapidly increasing. Workshops are already seeing EVs and ADAS-equipped vehicles arrive through the used vehicle parc regardless of whether they have fully invested in capability. Customers still expect their trusted local garage to service those vehicles safely and competently.

Businesses that cannot confidently carry out that work risk more than losing a repair job, they risk losing long-term customer relationships and placing themselves at a growing competitive disadvantage.

Modern workshops are also operating under increasing pressure from growing administrative demands, tighter compliance expectations and rapidly evolving vehicle systems. Technicians today require broader and more specialist skillsets than ever before, spanning diagnostics, software integration, calibration procedures and high-voltage safety.

That is why the industry needs to move away from viewing training as a one-off event. Modern vehicle technology evolves continuously, meaning competence development must become continuous too.

Whether formal legislation arrives quickly or evolves gradually through guidance, compliance standards and industry frameworks, the direction of travel is now clear.

Vehicle technology has fundamentally changed, and the industry’s approach to accreditation and continuous skills development must evolve with it.