Getting youth involved in the automotive industry is a major strategic focus for SEMA. The association invests in the future of the automotive industry through programs such as the SEMA Scholarship Program, the SEMA High School Build Program, SEMA Young Guns, SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show Student Programs, and the SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN)—all of which help develop the industry’s next generation of leaders and innovators. The following are articles that have been recently written about SEMA’s dedicated efforts to encourage youth to be a part of the aftermarket industry.

In the early months of the pandemic, as state after state began to lock down, SEMA News examined the advantages that social-media content creators (aka “influencers”) could bring to enthusiast and consumer engagement. Our article entitled “The New Media Landscape” asked: “Can tapping social-media influencers promote business recovery?”

SEMA’s Washington Rally looked a lot different in 2021 than in years past. It marked the first time SEMA members met with their lawmakers and their staffs in Congress remotely rather than in person. While the goal was to have everyone come to Washington, restrictions on meetings in the U.S. Capitol complex made it impossible. Nevertheless, the virtual meetings were focused, beneficial, and helped to build support for top industry legislative priorities.

A lot was at stake when drag racers from around the country converged at the brand-new Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) for the NHRA’s seventh annual National Championship Drags in 1961. More than 900 competitors from some 40 states turned out to win races, set records, cement championships and build reputations during that humid Labor Day weekend.

Having weathered more than a year of global pandemic and with the 2021 SEMA Show now clearly on the horizon, I want to draw your attention to recent SEMA research that yields some clarity on how the industry has managed during the pandemic and what we can expect moving forward.

U.S. suppliers selling over the internet to European consumers need to comply with new regulations regarding the collection, reporting and payment of value-added taxes (VAT). Starting July 2021, sellers located outside the European Union (EU) and shipping orders to consumers located in any of the 27 EU states are required to collect and pay VAT taxes through a new platform known as the Import-One-Stop-Shop (IOSS). These new requirements cover all individual sales of up to €150 (approximately $178 USD) but do not include sales overseas suppliers make through third-party platforms such as Amazon. The following are frequently asked questions regarding requirements for overseas suppliers.

First-time exhibitors are often of special interest to SEMA Show attendees because they bring never-before-seen products and services to the industry. In fact, first-time exhibitors are great sources of innovation and the latest product-line opportunities for installers, jobbers and retailers. They can even introduce attendees to potential crossover markets.

The proliferation of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) on OE vehicles since the turn of the 21st century has posed numerous challenges to the automotive industry. That has been especially true for the automotive aftermarket, where modification and customization are the coin of the realm. Even the slightest modification to any ADAS-equipped vehicle—a new layer of window film or a freshly painted bumper, for example—can potentially affect an ADAS system’s ability to function as intended by the manufacturer. Further complicating matters is the lack of any standardized industry protocols regarding sourcing, positioning and calibrating these systems. The learning curve can seem steep indeed to an aftermarket manufacturer looking to R&D new products to integrate with ADAS sensors or a repair shop tasked with installing them.

Porsche 992 GT3 RS: Yet another prototype of the 992 GT3 RS has been spotted at the German Nürburgring race circuit. ’23 Ford Bronco Raptor: All the expected workings of a Raptor are present and accounted for, including significantly higher ground clearance, wider wheel arches, and a wider, more aggressive stance. Techart GTStreet R: The GTStreet R performance model of the Porsche tuning company Techart was spotted parked in downtown Stuttgart.