VDO, a German brand of Aumovio that makes automotive electronics and mechatronics for powertrains, engine management, and fuel injection systems, is broadening its product range and adding new services to help workshops handle increasingly complex cars. At the recently concluded Automechanika Frankfurt, the company showcased an augmented reality ‘Remote Expert’ tool and is building a team of trainers to work worldwide.
Mr. Jens Kowald, Head of Sales Service, VDO, said, though VDO had been phased out under Continental, the workshops still remembered it. So, the company brought it back. For a long time, VDO sold only parts the company made itself. Now it wants a broader range. It fills the gaps with products made by others, but built to VDO’s own specifications, as the company still stands for quality.
A Wider Product Range
VDO’s range includes high-pressure pumps, fuel systems, and a full electronics portfolio with sensors. The company is adding more versions for other car parts as well. At the expo, it showcased the MK100, a family of advanced anti-lock braking (ABS) and electronic brake control systems originally built on proven automotive architecture. New products were fewer this time because the company focused on services, he said.
Cars now carry more electronics because software drives what hardware once did. Mr. Kowald sees this as a chance for workshops. “The trade is moving from ‘dirty hands’ to specialists. Workshops that prepare for this change will be the winners,” he mentioned.
Training the Technician
VDO supports workshops with technical training. This is strong in Europe today and the company is now building a team of technicians to train workshops worldwide. It will start with English-speaking countries, which are closer to reach and three trainers are already available to travel, he noted.
Remote Expert: Help on a Video Call
The company also runs a hotline. With “Remote Expert,” an augmented reality system, workshop staff can video chat with the hotline team. The expert can mark up the screen, and the mechanic sees exactly where to look. Built-in AI translation lets the service reach more countries. The hotline staff are technicians who sit alongside the product managers in Frankfurt, he explained.
VDO sees its growth in passenger cars, where electronics are becoming more complex. According to him, it is not much active in trucks and buses in the aftermarket. Workshops do not want a car to come back twice. They want to fix it once and earn money. So VDO aims to offer quality parts and the service that goes with them, and grow together with workshops, he explained.
India: One Step at a Time
VDO has a very small presence in India. It delivers parts there and offers international training on request. It has no full-service operation yet. Mr. Kowald said any move must be step by step, together with local retailers. He does not want to visit a country for four weeks, run a few trainings, and disappear for two years. When VDO enters a country, it wants to stay and build something, he added.
