By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Since being elected to Congress in November 2020, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has proven himself to be a strong ally and defender of motorsports. Sen. Kelly is an original cosponsor of S. 2736, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act), and he has championed the bill both publicly and behind the scenes. Sen. Kelly recently spoke at a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing about the importance of the RPM Act and amateur racing, noting that his wife, former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords, raced motorcycles on the track.

“Arizona has a rich tradition of motorsports and racing which also plays a role in our state’s economy,” said Senator Kelly. “The Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 will protect Arizona’s amateur racers and auto mechanics from burdensome regulations so these enthusiasts can continue to enjoy the hobby and thrill of motorsports in our state and across the country.”

Prior to running for elected office, Sen. Kelly graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and has a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He worked as a naval aviator for 25, served on the U.S.S. Midway aircraft carrier and flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. Senator Kelly was later selected as an astronaut in 1996 in the same class as his twin brother Scott. He flew his first of four missions into space in 2001 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour and retired from the Navy and NASA after commanding the final flight of Endeavour in 2011.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA members at the Show have exclusive access to three Members Lounges during the event. Each Members Lounge offers the ideal place to reconnect, refuel and recharge. Amenities include:

• Meeting rooms that can accommodate small groups (10 or fewer) and are available at no charge to member exhibitors and buyers. (Non-exhibiting manufacturers and members otherwise eligible to exhibit are not permitted to use the meeting rooms.)
• Complimentary coffee, while supplies last.
• Hot or cold lunch available for purchase. (In Members Lounge – North only, a hot lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. daily. All three Lounges will offer cold “Grab ‘N Go” meals that can be purchased any time during Show hours.)
• Access to computers with a printer and Internet service.
• Charging stations.
• Networking areas.
• Rest stops.

All three Member Lounges will be open during Show hours. Lounges are located:

• North Hall, Room N251
• West Hall, Booth 58065
• Lower South Hall, Booth 49031

To learn more, contact SEMA’s Membership Director, AJ Carney at 909-978-6697 or andreac@SEMA.org.

By Ashley Reyes  

You may have heard of synthetic fuels, or e-fuels, but what exactly are they?  

While there’s still more work to be done before these fuels are practical and available, it’s important for members to understand how they impact the automotive industry.

During a Facebook live chat on October 20, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT), Bjoern Noack and Matt Turner from Bosch will break down what members need to know about the state of this technology, including:  

• What are synthetic fuels (e-fuels) and what is Bosch’s involvement?
• The benefits of synthetic fuels, from production to infrastructure and vehicle adaption.
• Synthetic fuels vs. petroleum fuels, including a discussion on octane rating and costs per liter/gallon.  
• What new technologies and products are on the horizon for Bosch and synthetic fuels.

Noack and Turner will share their expertise on the promise of this technology and demystify this new technology, live during the session.  

Location: ETTN Facebook page.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA Showgoers will see and discover the potential benefits of accessorizing new model cars and trucks, through the SEMA PRO Cup Challenge. Targeting new car dealers and restylers, the competition includes seven restylers creating a package for a popular new-model vehicle that can be executed quickly and affordably. Modifications must be able to be completed in less than 40 hours and cost no more than $12,500.

Packages are judged based on their mass appeal, ease to replicate and potential profitability for both the restyler and the dealer.

Among the vehicles in the competition are two Kia vehicles.

’21 Kia Telluride Nightfall, Customized by Crush Customs, will feature:

• Leather
• Grille Guard
• Roof Basket
• Lift/Wheels/Tires
• Vinyl Graphic
• Custom wrapped steering wheel and trim

’21 Kia Sorrento S, Customized by City Kia/Vaccar Co., will feature:

• Hobbs Roof Rack for Sorento
• Armordillo Front Push Bar
• Brenthon Complete Badge Swap
• WingStep USA Power Running Boards
• Truxxx 2-in. Lift Kit
• Axe Wheels 20-in. EX30
• Toyo Tires 30-in. Open Country A/T III
• Custom Window Tint
• Roadwire Leather Upholstery
• Wheel install Set

Other vehicles competing in the PRO Cup Challenge include: DPS Automotive, ’22 Volkswagen Atlas; On the Rocks 4x4, ’21 Chevrolet Silverado; Integrity Customs, ’20 Jeep Gladiator; Auto Image, ’20 Ford F150 XLT; and Automotive Concepts ’21 Ford Bronco.

All seven competitors will be graded on marketability of the build, ease of reproduction, creativity and profitability by a panel of judges, while all Show attendees will have opportunity to vote for their “Fan Favorite” at the PRO booth #51085 until 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 3. The winner of the Fan Favorite and PRO Cup Challenge will be announced Wednesday during the PRO Booth Happy Hour from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Stay tuned to SEMA eNews this month as we highlight each of the PRO Cup Challenge competing vehicles.

This is the ’23 Chevy Colorado undergoing high-altitude testing in Colorado, giving us our first look at GM’s upcoming midsize truck redesign.

This one has a solid amount of heavy vinyl camo on the front and rear ends, as well as on the sides. Only the cab’s roof features the tighter-fitting checkered camo.

We can tell that the four-door, short-bed configuration is on full display, with overall dimensions appearing to be similar to those of the current model, introduced for the ’15 model year. There’s also what appears to be a set of prominent rear fenders along with a set of steelie wheels.

The next-gen Colorado is expected to launch some time in 2022 or 2023, and will use an evolution of the GMT31XX architecture used by the current trucks called 31XX-2.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

This is the ’23 Chevy Colorado undergoing high-altitude testing in Colorado, giving us our first look at GM’s upcoming midsize truck redesign.

This one has a solid amount of heavy vinyl camo on the front and rear ends, as well as on the sides. Only the cab’s roof features the tighter-fitting checkered camo.

We can tell that the four-door, short-bed configuration is on full display, with overall dimensions appearing to be similar to those of the current model, introduced for the ’15 model year. There’s also what appears to be a set of prominent rear fenders along with a set of steelie wheels.

The next-gen Colorado is expected to launch some time in 2022 or 2023, and will use an evolution of the GMT31XX architecture used by the current trucks called 31XX-2.

Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde

By Della Domingo

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has announced session II of the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit with a focus on vehicle research and trends.

Ryan McMahon, vice president of insurance and government affairs at Cambridge Mobile Telematics, will present at the Summit providing insights into the driver behavior and loss analysis telematics provides. McMahon will review the many use cases different industries have to leverage telematics data collected from connected vehicles, smartphones, and IoT devices.

For example, telematics provides visibility into crash severity by identifying the vehicle’s change in velocity. This information can benefit collision repair facilities in many ways, such as resolving repair disputes and automatically identifying a total loss—even before ever leaving the scene of the accident.

To register to attend the Summit held Thursday, November 4, during the 2021 SEMA Show, visit www.scrs.com/2021RDE.     

The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will take place in the Upper South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, just down the hall from the Collision Repair & Refinish section of the SEMA Show.

McMahon’s session on “Vehicle Research and Trends: Telematics,” will be held from 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

“Our objective with these Summit sessions has always been to give our audience perspective into the innovation and emerging trends in the automotive and collision repair fields,” shared SCRS Chairman, Bruce Halcro. “Sessions like this are critical to understand how access to information is going to change both the collision repair and claims environments.”

Mobile telematics didn’t exist a decade ago. It has seen explosive growth across many industries over the past few years. Analysts forecast it will be a $125 billion industry by 2026.

Cambridge Mobile Telematics is a leading telematics company. The platform combines sensor fusion, artificial intelligence and behavioral science to provide organizations with driving data that measures driving risk, helps drivers become safer and detects car crashes in real-time.

The data is evolving, and industry segments can better study and leverage the predictive power of speed, braking, cornering and other driving behaviors both on their own and in the context of other factors. Consumers, regulators, and government officials also continue to adjust their views on privacy.

In this session, McMahon will outline the moving scope of insight gleaned from telematics—the trends, habits, research and use cases—and give the collision industry a look into what is being utilized today and at what the future might hold.

Summit sessions can be selected individually, or as part of the Full Series Pass at www.scrs.com/rde.

The 2021 OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit is made possible with support from BASF, CCC, Enterprise, Reliable Automotive Equipment, Toyota Wholesale Parts and SEMA.

To learn more about SCRS’ education series at the SEMA Show visit www.scrs.com/2021RDE.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Power Automedia Celebrates 15 Years of Automotive Digital Media

Power Automedia was an innovator in digital automotive media in 2006, when the concept of a digital magazine was still mostly unexplored. Fifteen years later, Power Automedia continues to be a resource for enthusiasts. Power Automedia’s editorial division comprises eight digital publications that each service a unique market of automotive enthusiast, publishing relevant and interesting tech articles, news, event coverage, car features and product reviews on a daily basis. More than 60,000 articles have been published throughout the lifetime of the company, growing from three to eight digital magazines, which have garnered well over 20 million readers.

“The last 15 years have been an amazing run, and we are excited about the future of automotive media,” said James Lawrence, Power Automedia CEO. “We are deeply appreciative of all of the creative people who have helped us over the years since our founding in 2006. We truly have been blessed to have so many people on our team, and so many partners, who believe in the magic of the automobile.”

Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo to Launch in 2022

The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has announced the launch of the 2022 Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo (AAAE). Taking place at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and co-located with the Collison Repair Expo (CRE), the Expo will serve as a comprehensive exhibition for Australia’s $25 billion aftermarket industry from April 7–9, 2022. The three-day event will showcase the latest vehicle repair and servicing equipment, parts, tools and accessories, new technology and trends, and will also feature an awards evening plus a comprehensive training and education program. For more information and to register, visit autoaftermarketexpo.com.au.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA eNews. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

President Joe Biden announced that the Port of Los Angeles will begin operating around the clock as part of an effort to help speed up shipping delays arising from global supply-chain backlogs. Issues up and down the supply chain, from ships waiting days longer than usual to come to port, to goods waiting at the dock to be picked up, and truckers being unable to unload at warehouses, have created massive delays and concerns about inflation and the coming rush of Christmas shopping.

The Port of Long Beach, which along with the Port of Los Angeles handles 40% of shipping containers entering the U.S., began 24/7 operations last month. However, shortages of available truckers and warehouse operators stalled much of the progress expected from the extended hours.

President Biden created a Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force in June to identify transportation bottlenecks across the nation and identify solutions. The Task Force has been meeting with business and union leaders to help coordinate actions by the many private firms that control the country’s transportation and logistics supply chain.

To help address the problem, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union announced its members are willing to work the extra shifts created by the extended hours of operations at the Ports of LA and Long Beach. Large shippers and retailers such as UPS, FedEx, Walmart and Target have made commitments to use the extended hours of operation to unload cargo, which will allow ships to dock quicker. Additional measures across the country will be pursued in the coming weeks to address transportation congestion and delays.

For more information, contact Caroline Fletcher at carolinef@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

Whether you are a veteran SEMA Show attendee or going for the first time, there is always something new to see and a lot to learn at the event.

Wheel and tire members are invited to a webinar, Thursday, October 21, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT) to join Greg Parker, prior SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) chairman and national account sales, marketing and product management director at WEGMANN; Heather Tausch of Mickey Thompson Tires; and Ryan Fuller of Standard Testing Labs as they share information and tips on what companies in the wheel and tire industry can do to prepare for a successful SEMA Show.

Parker has participated in the SEMA Show for 17 consecutive years as either a booth director, buyer or show participant. He will share his experience and knowledge to help members understand how to make the most out of their experience, from pre-Show prep to on-site activities at the Show. Parker, Tausch and Fuller will also share effective strategies for how to follow up and maintain relationships with new contacts weeks and months after the Show concludes on November 5.

Register here for Wheel and Tire Prep for SEMA Show.