This story first appeared in the May issue of AutoTalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE
Bosch Australia has told automotive workshop business owners pass-through data sharing software is ready and waiting for implementation.
Speaking at the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Expo, Darren Todd, senior technical director at Bosch Australia, says independent repairers, workshops and smash repairers need pass-through access to technical data expected to be legislated in 2019.
Todd says a proper pass-through system will mean workshops in Australia won’t have to pretend to be citizens in the US just to gain technical service and repair data to repair vehicles already out of factory warranty.
“Vehicles are incredibly complicated now, we know that; I was in Germany recently watching one of the newest production Mercedes park itself – that’s where we are now.
“Trying to figure out the telephone sequence for Kansas isn’t right; we shouldn’t need to sneak around on the internet to find backdoor access to reflash a vehicle’s computer,” Todd explains.
He says pass-through access isn’t just about having access to vehicle workshop manuals, but includes having access to basic data, firmware and the ability to use it on a customer’s vehicle.
Todd says there are vehicles stretching back as far as 2013 and beyond which can have simple fault codes and software fixes performed by independent and franchise-chain workshop service technicians using pass-through programming.
“It’s not hard to think of example vehicles, some of the most popular, modern cars on the market, with faults that don’t go away without re-flashing,” he points out.
“The origins of most of these programming tools are from the US, it’s emissions related, as most things are in our automotive world, but the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) basically said they need a standard so they (American mechanics) could fix the vehicles and keep them compliant.”
He says the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) developed the J2534 standard, which meant from 2004 any American vehicle needed to be able to be reflashed by any qualified technician, which they could obtain the software for directly from the manufacturer, using a generic ECU reflashing tool, such as the Bosch device Todd demonstrated with.
“Any workshop could perform this basic task in America,” he says.
“The standard, which was built initially for emissions, was updated later on because it worked so well, and they decided to develop it, to extend the range of tasks it could fix,” Todd continues.
Todd says data access laws, expected to pass through parliament later in the year, need to offer the tens of thousands of independent vehicle repairers tech support on par with OEM-franchised dealers.
“If part of the new [Australian] legislation surrounding this means you need to clear fault codes or do security functions, they [OEMs] should provide that as well – it’s no good doing half the job then you have to take the car around to the dealer,” he says.
“It will be required by law that everything available to dealers will be available to independent workshops, and we expect OEMs will require an accreditation process for qualification to access that data,” Todd highlights.
AAAA director of government relations Lesley Yates says this is a whole-of-industry issue and data pass-through will offer benefits for all parties.
“We have leaflets designed to be given to customers that tell them under Australian Consumer Law they are able to choose the vehicle service and repair workshop of their choice without affecting their warranty,” she begins.
“Maintaining your statutory rights [as a consumer] requires you use a workshop with qualified staff and fit-for-purpose parts – there is no requirements, even with a brand new car, for you to take it back to the dealer.”
She describes a “watershed moment” is coming in Australia’s automotive industry with the legislation expected to be passed later in 2019.
“You’d be forgiven for asking: ‘Are we there yet?’, but this is a very exciting time,” Yates says.
“You’ll soon be able to tell the kids that come in to work in your business that you remember a regime where there wasn’t mandatory data sharing, that you remember having to diagnose a fault and fix a car without having access to data.”
“You’ll be the last generation of people who have to make this s*** up as you go along,” she adds.
Bosch technician Darren Todd also says the Europeans have even come around to the American system, having been in a similar position to Australia.
He says in 2009, Europe followed the American model, although left a number of loopholes.
“It’s a real mess the way certain countries get around the system; there’s some real dodgy stuff going on, so I’m glad we’re taking the American approach and following the consumer law approach,” Todd explains.
He says most vehicles in Australia since about 2013 are capable of being reflashed using pass-through programming, but it’s not always that simple.
“The vehicles are capable of being reflashed, but that doesn’t mean the manufacturer provides you the software and the ability to do it as an independent workshop.
“General Motors do, but they’re the poster brand for that; post-2005 when Australia went Euro 5, cutting and pasting the European emissions legislation, they left out all the important bits about getting the information and actually doing the job,” he continues.
Getting down to demonstrating the pass-through procedure, Todd uses a 2005 Holden VZ Commodore, where it becomes immediately obvious how many computerised hoops a workshop technician must jump through on an Australian-made vehicle that’s turning 14 years old.
He urges business owners to ensure they have even the most basic requirements sorted before trying to attempt a vehicle computer reflashing procedure.
“Before you even think about playing around with this stuff, you need a serious power supply,” he advises.
“If you’re in the middle of reprogramming a vehicle and the battery goes flat, or the computer’s battery goes flat, it’s going to be a really expensive job,” Todd warns.
The power supply requirements for data pass-through tasks as not to be underestimated, Todd explains, with the likes of BMW “now up to about 90amps for their [module] power supply”.
He says technicians who are connecting up to any late model vehicle need to guarantee batteries stay charged, “Otherwise you will brick the vehicle and it’s often unrecoverable”.
Staff who like to do things their own way and take liberties may also find themselves in hot water.
“You must follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and these are expensive instructions to not follow properly,” he implores.
Todd himself admits to a laughing audience how “highly likely” his demonstration was to “turn to poo”.
Preparing the vehicle, he says in addition to checking the power supply, because technicians are working with software and hardware, getting pass-through programs to work needs solid USB connections.
He advises against Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and the bad habits of a messy work space – not leaving cables laying around to be kicked or tripped on, ensuring stable internet connection, pathologically following instructions to the letter, writing down passwords to be readily accessible when needed and storing them in a safe place.
As Todd filters through drop-down menus, clicking on sub-category after sub-category, navigating a software maze reminiscent of selecting a program in The Matrix and using jargon that probably needs its own thesaurus, it’s increasingly apparent that the below-average workshop could be very quickly overwhelmed with the level of complexity without proper training.
Todd explains the need to register with OEMs to use their data could easily become another competitive barrier.
He says proof is in the fact so many are forced to use false registration details as a known tactic in the industry to get around guarded carmakers not willing to make data readily accessible.
“All this software we’re talking about downloading, it’s not Bosch’s or the tool providers, it’s all from the manufacturer, so it’s easy to be out on your own if you have problems,” he empathises.
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