Equipment and Tool Institute, Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association, and Auto Care Association Announce Unified Position on Automotive Scan Tools

Research Triangle Park, N.C., Bethesda, Md., and Farmington Hills, Mich. – In a position statement to the automotive aftermarket industry, the Equipment and Tool Institute (“ETI”), Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (“AASA”), and Auto Care Association have taken a unified position on multi-brand scan tools in the aftermarket space following significant commentary and debate surrounding use of multi-brand versus original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) scan tools. The memo concludes, “…shops will be best served to have both OEM and multi-brand tool accessibility, enabling shops to choose the most appropriate solution for each repair.” 
 
The position statement solidifies the three organizations’ position on practices and standards in common diagnostic processes and was produced after consultation with subject matter experts in both OE scanning and multi-brand aftermarket tools. Co-signer ETI’s members have been licensing and incorporating OEM diagnostic data, service information, and repair procedures into the development of millions of aftermarket scan tools used by both professional mechanical and collision repair customers for more than two decades. Much of this data is currently held by ETI in a secure, cloud-based repository.  
 
“We are proud to work directly with Auto Care and AASA in the development of this critically important statement”, said Brian Plott, Executive Director of Equipment and Tool Institute. “We have worked with OEM and aftermarket experts to develop our position, and we are confident in our stance.”    
 
“This position statement makes it clear to the industry that consumers and repair facilities are best served when multi-brand scan tools are available,” commented Paul McCarthy, AASA President and COO. "This is a significant statement to the automotive industry, underscored by the signatories of the three leading associations.” 
 
Bill Hanvey, President and CEO of Auto Care Association had this to say about the position statement and unified endorsement of the three associations, “We are thrilled to support the entire repair community to ensure they are able to meet the demands of todays and tomorrow’s diagnostic and vehicle maintenance environment. This position statement is a testament to our associations working in collaboration for the betterment of our industry.” 
 
Multi-brand scan tools make economic sense for collision and mechanical repair and offer a user interface of common navigation and operational flow, providing efficiency for the user. The investment in numerous individual OE tools can be cost prohibitive and can present the potential for reduced efficiency, depending on the learning curve. If repair shops are required to have OE tools for each brand, consumers may experience price increases for even standard repairs. 
 
This position also is supported by state Right to Repair laws and industry agreements, along with the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, as well as current Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) service information regulations.  
 
About ETI 
ETI is one of the most respected trade associations in the automotive aftermarket, giving fair and equitable representation to all segments of the equipment and tool industry.  The institute is an association of automotive tool and equipment manufacturers, technical information providers, and training organizations. 

ETI's Mission is to advance the vehicle service industry by providing technical data and open dialog between the manufacturers of transportation products, government regulators and the providers of tools, equipment and service information. 

About AASA 
AASA (www.aftermarketsuppliers.org) exclusively serves manufacturers of aftermarket components, tools and equipment, and related products, an important part of the automotive parts manufacturing industry which supports 871,000 American jobs. AASA is a recognized industry change agent – promoting a collaborative industry environment, providing a forum to address issues and serving as a valued resource for members. AASA is the light vehicle aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). “AASA, The Voice for the Automotive Aftermarket Supplier Industry” 

About the Auto Care Association 
The Auto Care Association is the voice of the auto care industry, a $380 billion plus industry comprised of more than 4.4 million American workers. Providing advocacy, educational, networking, technology, market intelligence and data resources to serve the collective interests of members, the Auto Care Association serves the entire supply chain of the automotive aftermarket: businesses that manufacture, distribute and sell motor vehicle parts, accessories, tools, equipment, materials and supplies, and perform vehicle service, maintenance and repair. To learn more, visit www.autocare.org.