Showgoers walking from the West Hall to the Las Vegas Convention Center will be able to see a unique collection truck and off-road builds representing 10 diverse market segments. As part of the Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) Feature Vehicle Trail, the vehicles are among the must-see attractions of the 2022 SEMA Show.
The 10 builds will be lined up along Las Vegas Convention Center Drive, adjacent to the West Hall, and highlight the diversity of the truck market. Showgoers are also invited to cast a vote for their favorite vehicle in the TORA Feature Vehicle Best in Show Award.
“TORA is committed to helping members and businesses identify hot trends and future opportunities,” said SEMA Council Director Denise Waddingham. “Seeing an array of vehicles from various segments will inspire and educate Showgoers to the unlimited possibilities.”
To vote in the TORA Feature Vehicle Best in Show vehicle, scan the QR code displayed next to the vehicle before Wednesday, November 2, at 3:00 p.m. The winner will be announced during the TORA Industry Reception, November 2, at 5:00 p.m. in the West Hall, 3rd Floor Terrace.
The 2022 mid-term election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, and it’s important to know which candidates support racing when going to the polls or voting early. With the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate up for grabs this fall, the racing community has a chance to shape the outcome of this election.
When casting your vote, it’s important that you consider which lawmakers have stood up for the interests of racers and motorsports-parts businesses by supporting the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act), H.R. 3281 and S. 2736, which guarantees the right to modify street cars, trucks and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles and safeguards the industry’s right to offer parts that enable racers to compete.
Visit SEMA’s vote racing page for information on voting in the mid-term election, including absentee and early voting, and identifying your lawmakers and the candidates running in 2022. SEMA’s Vote Racing page also includes a list of the lawmakers who have publicly supported the RPM Act and are up for re-election this fall.
With nearly 3,000 credentialed media at the SEMA Show, the annual trade event is ideal for exhibitors that are making newsworthy announcements. Following is the official SEMA Show press conference schedule. Media are encouraged to attend all press conferences. To apply for media credentials, visit www.semashow.com/register.
Exhibitors that have breaking news announcements that are of interest to a large number of media are utilizing press conferences during the 2022 SEMA Show.
Official 2022 SEMA Show Press Conference Schedule
(As of October 20, 2022)
Monday, October 31
5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. – SEMA: SEMA Vehicle Reveal featuring the SEMA Award Presentation (outside of the Grand Lobby entrance)
Tuesday, November 1
7:30 a.m.–8:50 a.m. – SEMA: Kick-Off Breakfast, featuring announcements of Best New Products (Paradise Event Center)
9:00 a.m. – Volkswagen Group of America Inc.: Vehicle Unveil (Booth #10509)
9:30 a.m. – Toyota Motor North America: Toyota Press Conference (Booth #22200)
1:00 p.m. – Scorpion EV: Power and Performance … Electrified (Booth #11268/SEMA Electrified Area)
1:30 p.m. – SEMA: Battle of the Builders Top 40 Announcement (Booth #10139/SEMA Battle of the Builders Area)
2:00 p.m. – Mothers Polishes-Waxes-Cleaners: Ringbrothers Unveils the Super Truck (Booth #22357)
2:30 p.m. – Eaton: New Performance Products and Partnerships From Eaton (Booth #22743)
3:00 p.m. – KTL Restorations: KTL 2023 ECAT Cougar Powered by Electric GT (Booth #11268/SEMA Electrified Area)
3:30 p.m. – BluePrint Engines and Automotive Consulting Services: Strategic Alliance to Provide Powertrains for the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act (Media Center)
4:00 p.m. – HEXIS: Who We Are (Media Center)
Wednesday, November 2
10:00 a.m. – Hellwig Products Co. Inc.: Hellwig Introduces New Silent Support System Line (Booth #57043)
The 2022 SEMA Show is less than two weeks away. Here’s a rundown of key deadlines, including early-bird and advance rates available for several booth services, as well as checklists to keep you on track and on budget.
Complete Deadlines Checklist –
The deadlines checklist provides a breakdown of all of the deadlines for booth orders, rentals, booth vehicle applications, celebrity appearance notifications and much more.
The budget checklist form allows you to keep track of all your costs and ensures that you are adequately prepared for your experience at the SEMA Show.
SEMA Showgoers who want to stay close to monorail stations are encouraged to make their hotel reservations while rooms are still available.
With a quick look on the www.SEMAShow.com/travel homepage, Showgoers can see a list of hotels available along with the star rating, rate per night and distance from the Las Vegas Convention Center. Here are six hotels in the SEMA Show block with easy monorail access:
SAHARA
Westgate
Harrah’s/LINQ
Flamingo
Bally’s
MGM Grand
Showgoers booking through the SEMA Show housing partner receive guaranteed low rates on a wide range of hotel properties at locations on and off the Las Vegas Strip.
Discounted rates will be available for SEMA Showgoers.
When making your hotel reservations through the SEMA Show Travel & Lodging page, you are receiving the most affordable and convenient hotel options through the SEMA Show’s official hotel provider. All negotiated rates include resort fees and will allow you to change or cancel your reservation without any financial penalties.
More information about the SEMA Show, Tuesday–Friday, November 1–4, is available on www.SEMAShow.com.
Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.
LIQUI MOLY USA currently seeks a candidate to fill an open position serving the sales needs in the Atlanta/Birmingham region. In this position, you will take an active part in the successful growth of the company. Throughout this region, you will be responsible for sales growth, marketing efforts and business expansion. With the opportunity to work independently, you are responsible for your own success. A minimum of five years’ experience in field sales management (preferably in lubricant products or automotive aftermarket) is required.
Quadratec Inc. is hiring a customer service representative to manage a high volume of incoming calls, emails, and online chats from customers who are placing orders, inquiring about an order, requesting product information, and or general order assistance; answer automotive and technical questions regarding specific Jeep models and related products; and identify customer needs, clarify information, research every issue and provide solutions and/or alternatives.
Wheel-1 is hiring a sales manager to plan, organize, direct and manage all company sales channels to meet sales objectives; develop and manage network of independent sales representatives; manage and develop new customer account relationships; and track and record sales activity to ensure that company sales objectives are being achieved. Candidates must have a proven track record of sales success working in automotive parts industry and experience selling to retail wheel and tires stores.
Registration for the 2022 SEMA Show, the premier gathering for the automotive specialty-equipment industry, is now open at www.semashow.com/register.
Taking place November 1–4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the 2022 SEMA Show will build upon the positive momentum following last year’s event, which successfully connected the $47.8 billion industry in person in what was the largest automotive trade show in North America since the pandemic shut everything down in 2020.
“The SEMA Show is where industry professionals go to grow existing relationships, create new ones and push their businesses forward,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “Exhibitors are eager to showcase their products and services to the tens of thousands of qualified professionals in attendance.”
Anticipation for this year's SEMA Show ramped up in recent weeks as exhibitors selected their booth locations during Priority Space Selection, a weeks-long process that took place May 2–18.
“Enthusiasm for the 2022 Show continues to exceed last year’s, with more than 1 million sq. ft. of exhibitor space already committed for the 2022 SEMA Show and confirmed spaces running 25% above last year,” said Warren Kosikov, SEMA vice president of sales.
Attendees at the 2022 SEMA Show will learn about the latest products, trends and technology in the industry from manufacturers exhibiting throughout the entire Las Vegas Convention Center, including the surrounding parking lots. Educational seminars led by industry experts and networking events that bring market niches together will also be available during the four-day trade event.
“Our industry continues to thrive despite current challenges in the marketplace, and last year’s event proved that the value of conducting business and networking face-to-face can never be replaced,” said Gattuso. “Our mission is to help continue that momentum by providing an unparalleled experience that builds meaningful business relationships.”
Registration for the 2022 SEMA Show is offered in three categories—attendee, exhibitor and media—and everyone must qualify to attend. Attendees are encouraged to register early at www.semashow.com/register so they can secure their credentials and receive updates on breaking news from the 2022 SEMA Show.
Attendees are encouraged to check the floorplan to see where the companies they need to interact with will be located at the 2022 SEMA Show.
For more information about qualifying documents and the 2022 SEMA Show, log on to www.semashow.com.
Besides serving as a showcase for all things automotive, the SEMA Show also plays host to celebrities and industry icons who come to join the weeklong festivities at the Las Vegas Convention Center. As in years past, this year’s Show will draw a variety of personalities from the worlds of motorsports, music, TV and the internet to appear at media events and to engage with Show attendees. The following are scheduled appearances for this year’s Show, with listings current as of September 6, 2022. Be sure to check the SEMA Show app for updates and to confirm times.
Tuesday, November 1
9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Levi Green of Hammerfab Ridler, Winning Custom Builder, AM HOT ROD GLASS, Booth #22391
9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Mario Andretti, Legendary race car driver, Magnaflow, Booth #23343
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Tavarish Car Building on YouTube, The Rag Company, Booth #54211
9:00 a.n.–11:00 a.m. John D’Agostino, international car customizer, designer, Quarter Mile Foundation, Booth #10100
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Von Hot Rod Pinstriping, “Master of the Fine Line!” Hedman Performance Group, Booth #22343
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Hal Loo, Mural Lab Airbrush artist, custom painter, SATA Spray Equipment, Booth #31017
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Will Posey, Motor Trend TV show “Ride of Your Life” HushMat and ZyCoat, Booth #23195
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Ray Hill, airbrush artist and painter, SATA Spray Equipment, Booth #31017
Cynthia Gauthier
9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Mike Ryan, “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Ghetto Bob, “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Shannon Aikau, “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Ryan Evans, “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Mike Henry, “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Kevin Mack, “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Danny Koker, star of “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Ben Schramm, “Counting Cars” on the History Channel, Hertz Kompressoren USA, Booth #38221
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Ron Covell, professional in metal shaping and custom-car building, Trick-Tools, Booth #20013
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Dave Kindig, MotorTrend “Bitchin’ Rides” TV show and AkzoNobel Modern Classikk partner, AkzoNobel, Booth #81080
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Steve Darnell, “Vegas Rat Rods” on Discovery, H&S Autoshot, Booth #32173
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Troy Trepanier, Ridler-winning builder of Rad Rides by Troy and Star of “Rad Rides by Troy,” AM HOT ROD GLASS, Booth #22391
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew, Westgate Paradise Event Center
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Chris Jacobs, host and TV personality, Westgate Paradise Event Center
Dave Kindig
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Chip Foose, Foose Design Inc., “Overhaulin’,” Original Parts Group, Booth #23889
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Lauren Fix, TV automotive market analyst and “Car Coach Reports” host, Classic Tube, Booth #24297
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Joe Theismann, Hall of Fame NFL football quarterback, VOXX Electronics Corp., Booth #10809
10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Carmen Belanger-Martin, custom acrylic fabricator as seen on “Street Customs,” and “The Ride of Your Life With Courtney Hansen,” AM HOT ROD GLASS, Booth #22391
10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. JJ Da, Boss TV series “Street Outlaws,” ProCharger Superchargers, Booth #22525
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Scott Birdsall, Pikes Peak record holder, Hoonigan athlete, AMSOIL pro driver, AMSOIL Inc., Booth #23331
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Troy Trepanier, Ridler-winning builder and “Rad Rides by Troy” star, AM HOT ROD GLASS, Booth #22391
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Tavarish, “Car Building” on YouTube, The Rag Co., Booth #54211
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Scott Birdsall, Pikes Peak record holder AMSOIL Pro Driver, Hoonigan athlete, AMSOIL Inc., Booth #23331
10:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Will Posey, MotorTrend TV show “Ride of Your Life,” HushMat and ZyCoat, Booth #23195
10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Carmen Belanger-Martin, as seen on “Street Customs,” custom acrylic fabricator “The Ride of Your Life With Courtney Hansen,” AM HOT ROD GLASS, Booth #22391
10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Vaughn Gittin Jr., professional off-road and drift driver Project X, Booth #61211
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Claude Harris, industry icon, “OG Detailer,” AERO Detail Products, Booth #54067
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Courtney Hansen, star of “The Ride of Your Life With Courtney Hansen,” AM HOT ROD GLASS, Booth #22391
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Will Posey of Big Oak Garage, winning builder and star of “The Ride That Got Away With Courtney Hansen,” AM HOT ROD GLASS, Booth #22391
SEMA News editors recently reviewed a SEMA Education seminar that discussed the challenges and opportunities posed to the specialty-equipment market by the proliferation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on OE vehicles (“ADAS and the Art of Vehicle Customization,” May 2022). In the article, we discussed the proper procedures to follow when lifting or lowering a vehicle. This month, we take a look at a recent follow-up session, “Modding Vehicles With ADAS,” which aimed to provide insight for designers and manufacturers of exterior dress-up and bolt-on components who want to make sure their products are ADAS-compatible.
Front-end exterior modifications such as aftermarket bumpers and valences can degrade the ability of ADAS’s forward-facing sensors to work as intended if the parts are improperly engineered or installed. Even a simple vinyl wrap can impact ADAS’s ability to “see” through it, so sensor location needs to be taken into account before the installation takes place.
Hosted by Nick Dominato, senior vice president of product for Repairify, the session reviewed some basic ADAS features and what companies need to keep in mind when designing their products to work with ADAS, what restylers should know when installing them, and to ensure proper recalibration of those systems once installation is complete.
Why ADAS Matters
For those who are still new to ADAS calibration, Dominato offered a helpful reminder. “We’ve been doing things like this for a long time,” he said, comparing ADAS calibration to speedometer recalibration that takes place after a larger-than-stock tire has been installed; headlight adjustments that are made after a change in vehicle ride height; and wheel alignment and steering-angle sensor (SAS) resets following a modification to a vehicle’s suspension.
“We know that when we modify vehicles, it’s going to change the systems on board,” Dominato continued, “and ADAS is just one more of these things, so this concept is not completely new to us.”
Before diving into the details, Dominato stressed the importance of keeping ADAS systems in compliance with OE specifications since these systems have become such an integral part of the modern-day driving experience, not to mention OE marketing and advertising strategies. “You can’t watch a car commercial now that doesn’t highlight some function of ADAS, whether it’s self driving or autonomous emergency braking,” he noted, “so the customer is hyper-aware of these systems, and they’re going to notice it if these systems aren’t working properly.”
Most important of all, ensuring ADAS systems work as intended are key to driver safety “since they govern the vehicle’s ability to accelerate, brake and steer the vehicle without input from the driver—and often, because there is no input from the driver when there should be.”
Working With Body Kits & Accessories
For this seminar, Dominato chose to focus on ADAS’ park sensors and front and rear (blind spot) radar sensors—“areas where we typically add a front fascia, a grille guard or a front or rear bumper,” he explains. This type of modification “typically doesn’t affect the camera, but it does affect the park sensors and the radar sensors that are located behind the bumper.”
Start with park sensors. According to Dominato, they are very susceptible to blockages. “Park sensors are typically not located behind the bumper, so if you don’t put anything directly in front of them, they’ll generally be fine.” (Later-model Toyotas with Intelligent Parking Assist may need recalibration even if the park sensors are not directly blocked.)
The key components for accessorizers, then, are the radar sensors. These are typically located either behind the bumpers, behind the grille or embedded in the taillight housings. As engineered, the sensors do have the ability to “see through” the factory plastic bumpers, but the bumper covers do affect the operation of the radar systems. Specifically, the sensors are designed to work with the OE bumper’s outer fascia.
“When the automakers design bumper covers, they’re put through a fairly rigorous test process where the radar beam and any interference is actually mapped out in a model,” Dominato said, “so the automakers can make sure that when they install a bumper, grille or trim on a vehicle, the radar is going to work properly.”
How Modifications Affect ADAS
In short, placing something in front of the radar will affect the sensor in three ways:
Power Loss: “Automakers generally accept about a 10% reduction in range when they put a bumper cover in front of that radar sensor,” Dominato said, and sensors are designed with that level of imperfection in mind.
Sensitivity Loss: Installing a body panel in front of the radar is going to create “noise” and interference that will reduce the sensitivity of the sensor on the margin. In terms of its ability to detect road objects, “that giant dump truck in front of you that weighs 15,000 lbs. won’t matter,” Dominato said, “We have to think on the margins—that marginal object with a smaller radar cross-section, that’s going to be what’s affected.”
Wave Distortions: This can be affected by the shape of the bumper cover. A concave or other angular-shaped fascia, for instance, can distort the radar wave. “When the radar passes through plastic or metal, it will actually change the wave of the radar sensor if the bumper cover is angled because it changes the shape of the radar wave,” Dominato explained. This can cause radar to “read” an object in front of it as being slightly to the left or right of its actual location. Again, OE manufacturers take these factors into consideration when engineering and testing their ADAS systems, so the challenge to the aftermarket manufacturer or installer is to make modifications in such a way that they do not degrade the performance of what are already imperfect (though very capable) systems.
Another key element to keep in mind: Radar performance can be degraded without launching an error code or engaging a dash light. “Just because adaptive cruise control works because it can ‘see’ that dump truck a hundred meters ahead, it doesn’t mean it’s going to work on the that marginal object.” This could be a pedestrian exiting the curb or a cyclist in a bike lane, both of which possess a much smaller cross-section for the radar system to identify. Radar “typically won’t throw a light,” Dominato said, adding that “Dash lights are basically there to remind the consumer that they need to take their vehicle to a dealership for service. They’re not designed to say ‘The system is working 15%–20% less effectively than it should.’”
The “Magic Area” and How to Work With It
When integrating aftermarket fascias, bumpers and exterior bolt-ons with ADAS systems, an important thing to take into consideration is the so-called “magic area” known as the radar projection area, i.e., the origin point of the radar signal. Manufacturers typically design their ADAS radar systems with an initial projection area of approximately 12x12 in. with the realization that the projection area increases as the radar signal emanates outward from the vehicle.
“So if we’re talking about a bull bar or brush guard that projects a foot or more away from the front bumper,” Dominato cautioned, “we have a wider projection area we need to accommodate.”
How to integrate aftermarket exterior components with the radar projection area? Starting with plastic components such as front fascias or bumpers, the key for aftermarket manufacturers is to design their products as close to identical to OE spec for material composition, thickness and curvature within the radar projection area. “You want to mimic the OEM bumper cover as best you can within that 12x12 projection area,” Dominato recommended.
Metal components such as grille guards and winch bumpers pose a different challenge, and Dominato suggested the following steps:
“The first thing to do is find out where the radar sensor is,” which sounds easy enough until you realize there’s no industry standardization for this, and that sensor location will vary by manufacturer. “Sometimes it will be behind the emblem, or slightly offset from the emblem, and sometimes it’s on the lower portion of the grille, and sometimes, as is the case with the Ford F-150, it’s offset much lower to one side or the other,” Dominato observed.
Next, apply the same “12x12” principle to the winch bumper as you would with a plastic fascia, with the aim of being as precise as possible in your measurements. “The OE manufacturers do not allow any sanding, filling, primer, welding or repair work at all within that radar projection area,” Dominato emphasized. “So if plastic welding and Bondo aren’t allowed within that radar area, imagine what happens when you place a piece of metal in front of it. It’s going to cause a ton of interference.”
Metal objects that protrude a distance from the vehicle, such as a brush guard or winch bumper, present their own set of challenges, and designers and installers need to take the sensors’ operating angles into consideration when R&D’ing exterior bolt-ons so as to minimize sensor interference.
Calibration Resources
Once the part has been manufactured and installed, the ADAS needs to be retested and, if necessary, recalibrated. For most aftermarket companies and many smaller shops, the first key to adopting in-house calibration protocols is to identify how many vehicles you are working with at any given time. “If you’re not working with that many vehicles, from a business perspective it makes more sense to sublet the work,” Dominato advised. “That way, you don’t need to make the investments in time, money and training to learn these new systems.” And even if you intend to work extensively on a broad variety of ADAS-equipped vehicles, Dominato suggests farming out at least some of the work at the beginning in order to take “baby steps before we start running.”
Equipment considerations are also important. For nearly all domestic makes, Dominato explained, camera and radar recalibration can be achieved simply by the use of a professional-grade scan tool. No other tools or equipment are generally needed, and in many cases, a simple plumb bob or bubble level will suffice as supplemental resources. Asian makes require more specialized equipment, though in most cases it is not prohibitively expensive. Nissan, for example, offers its camera calibration equipment for free and its radar equipment for roughly $5,000; Toyota’s special service tools are slightly less expensive.
“But whatever equipment you have,” Dominato concluded, “the most important piece to have is a subscription to OEM service information, whether that’s the actual OE tech info sites or a third-party source such as Alldata or SUN Collision.”
