Nov. 6, 2013—Verizon Telematics was named the winner of the 2013 Aftermarket Telematics Challenge by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) on Tuesday.
The competition aims to recognize the best example of connected-vehicle technology that can be fitted to vehicles in the aftermarket.
Verizon said the Verizon In-Drive system offers consumers a choice of telematics services including safety and security, vehicle operation data, navigation, roadside assistance, diagnostics and service reminders.
“Nearly 160 million vehicles, 1996 and later, are equipped with a diagnostic port that can accept an aftermarket telematics upgrade,” said Scott Luckett, AAIA chief information officer. “Consumers crave connectivity in their lives, including their time behind the wheel. The Verizon In-Drive system delivers a rich suite of convenience, security and vehicle management features without the need to buy a new vehicle with a technology package.”
According to the AAIA, consumers responded favorably to maintenance reminders, remote diagnostics and service reminders when bundled with driver-friendly features such as voice-navigation and roadside assistance.
Eric Berkobin, vice president of engineering at Verizon Telematics, will be at the AAPEX Learning Forum session, “Aftermarket Telematics: Separating Fact from Fiction,” on Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. to explain how the In-Drive system can benefit the aftermarket service industry. The session will also include Luckett and Roger Lanctot, associate director in the global automotive practice at Strategy Analytics.
