Automobil January 2023

This bumper issue Automobil has been curated with articles that give a thorough view of the automotive aftermarket and what to expect in 2023, equipping readers with the tools to plan and strategise for the year ahead accordingly. We also bring you the latest news from Automechanika, BMW, Toyota, Continental, VW, Mercedes-Benz and Axalta and take a deep dive into the latest monthly vehicle sales statistics.

BELONGING IS BETTER BUSINESS

Here’s why…

Legacy and unity

We’ve been representing the retail motor industry for more than 100 years.

With more than 8 000-member businesses, our unity is our strength.

Your voice

RMI represents the industry at:

Centralised wage negotiations.

Various MIBCO and Industry-related Boards and committee structures.

Various South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)

committees and working groups.

The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), defending our

industry when compulsory specifications and standards are compromised.

The Moto Health Care Fund, Industry Provident Funds

and the Sick, Accident and Maternity Pay Fund.

Meetings hosted by reputable organisations recognised by government, big

business, consumers and relevant stakeholders like Business Unity SA (BUSA).

Supports your business

Professional industrial relations advice ensuring procedural

and substantive fairness when disciplining staff.

Chairing of disciplinary hearings and AUTOMATIC

entry at the CCMA, DRC and Labour Court.

Exceptional CPA support at the National Consumer Commission (NCC)

and the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (MIOSA).

Facilitation of a business-to-business complaint where both parties are

RMI members, with a complaint resolution rate in excess of 95%.

Training needs and representation via merSETA and W&RSETA.

Industry-specific products like RMI4BEE, RMI4LAW, RMI4OHS and RMI4SURE.

Keeps you in the know

Industry labour relations seminars.

Automobil magazine and weekly web letters.

Commenting on industry topics in the media, and participating

in and hosting numerous conventions and shows.

news

news

www.automobil.co.za

January 2023

he 8th edition of Automechanika Johannesburg will take place at the

JHB Expo Centre from 5-7 September 2023.

As the largest business platform for the automotive aftermarket

on the African continent, it is the ideal meeting place for all stakeholders

to gather, connect, and network. It will bring together suppliers and buyers

and will showcase rapidly changing technologies and processes. The event

will be a host to multiple sector-related conferences, that will pave the way

for the sector in the short to medium term, making it a must-attend event

for those involved in the automotive aftermarket sector.

The fundamental impact a trade show can have on the growth and de-

velopment of an industry depends on the wide support from all market

segments.

Through its portfolio of trade shows, Messe Frankfurt has always aimed

at providing platforms where all market participants join to nurture, grow,

and present their industry.

Messe Frankfurt, organisers of Automechanika, are pleased that the

RMI and its various associations will once again endorse the 8th edition

in 2023.

Jakkie Olivier, CEO of RMI, says it is an absolute honour to once again

be part of a worldwide professional show that values the industry as much

as RMI does. “We fully appreciate the importance of networking and the

important role it plays in our business. We thus welcome the opportunity

presented by Automechanika to interact face-to-face with other business

owners and product suppliers.”

When a trade show is well supported by the industry, it shows the

strength of the sector. While individual companies may win or lose, the

mantra of “stronger together” will always hold true, particularly at such a

well-respected and representative show as this.

An attractive display of an entire industry can also have many long-term

effects, including appealing to the younger generation for career opportuni-

ties, which is key to ensuring the sustainability of the sector, and the broader

economy.

“We are delighted to have the RMI as an endorsing partner for Autome-

chanika 2023. This is a positive endorsement of the event and underscores

our shared commitment to the growth and development of the automotive

aftermarket,” says Michael Dehn, Managing Director for Messe Frankfurt

South Africa, organisers of Automechanika Johannesburg. 

RMI and Automechanika

build momentum together

he BMW Group is continuing to drive the

digitalisation of access to its vehicles in

co-development with Apple and Google. It

is now possible to share a BMW Digital Key across

platforms between iPhone and Android devices.

Previously, keys could only be shared via Apple

iMessage. There is now no longer any need for

a specific app or a set method of transmission.

Instead, keys can be easily passed on to friends

or family from the wallet using the native share

function known from many apps.

This means that sharing a BMW Digital Key now

takes the straightforward form of sending a link.

The key can be sent by e-mail, SMS or any other

messaging service such as WhatsApp. The recip-

ient does not require either a specific app or a

BMW ID. To add the Digital Key to their wallet, they

simply click on the link. If the owner and recipient

are standing next to each other, the key can also be

shared via Apple AirDrop or Android Nearby Share.

In certain cases, an activation code may have to be

entered in the vehicle for security reasons, which

the sender would ideally disclose to the recipient

via a different channel. Once a digital key has been

received on an iPhone, the recipient can add it to

an Apple Watch just as easily.

This new function is available for all new ve-

hicles with BMW Digital Key or BMW Digital Key

Plus. Older suitably equipped vehicles will be able

to make full use of this feature once their soft-

ware has been updated to status “22-11” or later

via Remote Software Upgrade.

This latest upgrade is the result of a close col-

laboration between BMW and its partners Apple,

Google and Samsung under the umbrella of the

Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC). It marks an-

other milestone for the BMW Digital Key en route

to complete cross-platform interoperability –

and towards securing the status of smartphones

as digital vehicle keys. 

BMW Digital Key can now be shared

between smart phones

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