The SEMA Board of Directors is composed of industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by SEMA-member companies and reflect the trade association’s key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturers’ representatives and services.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a report to Congress in May that is highly critical of anti-competitive repair restrictions employed by manufacturers that limit consumer choice.
“Save Our Race Cars” is the banner uniting the automotive masses as legislative advocates. The latest phase of the saga to ensure that the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act becomes law has shattered previous efforts with viral strength. Many will recall first learning of the unreasonable interpretation of the Clean Air Act by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2016, which has sent a chill through the automotive community ever since. The race to pass the RPM Act has now taken on a groundbreaking pace.
Since 1967, manufacturers of automotive aftermarket parts have relied on the SEMA Show to debut their products and conduct business, so after having to spend more than a year mostly separated, the industry is eager to reconnect at the 2021 SEMA Show.
The consensus is clear: The transition to electric vehicles is currently underway and will eventually make a hard push into the restomod segment of the industry. Also worth noting, other than some supply-chain issues with getting parts, the COVID-19 pandemic that has plagued the world over the past year and a half has not quenched consumer thirst for wanting to restore classic cars using modern technology.
In the first two decades of the 21st century, the automotive sphere has become increasingly digital and cloud-based in its use of technology, and that change has been likewise reflected in the tools and equipment aftermarket. The very definition of a “tool” has expanded beyond the basic impact wrench and scissor lift to include laptops, software and sensor-recalibration equipment. Regardless of type, though, having the proper tools and equipment at hand is crucial for enthusiast builders and modifiers to bring their dreams to fruition.
If you ask any driver his or her goal in a race, the answer is usually the same—finish first. Encompassing that feeling, the advent of the electric vehicle (EV) is now bringing opportunities that were seemingly decades away.
’22 Ford Raptor R: These shots show that the Raptor R will have a unique grille and appears to have beefier trailing arms.
’22 Ferrari 812 GTO: Power is expected to come from the 6.5L V12 found in the 812 Superfast, which pumps out 789 hp and 530 lb.-ft. of torque, although the GTO is expected to come with more than 800 hp.
’21 Ford F-150: This is a ’21 Ford F-150 with an intricate autonomous vehicle setup on the roof of its cab.
Mexico’s expected economic growth rate in 2021 has just been revised upward as Latin America’s second-largest economy, along with the surrounding region, has begun to recover from the sharp downturn caused by COVID-19. While experts predict that the regional economies won’t fully recover until 2022, the quickening pace of the upturn is good news. As the region begins to reopen, U.S. suppliers looking to connect with Mexican and Latin American trade buyers can do so at two upcoming events: the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas in November, and the INA PAACE Automechanika Show in December.
Although Congress tends to garner the headlines, some of the most important issues that affect the automotive aftermarket are controlled by the states. Issues such as vehicle titling and registration, exhaust noise, optional equipment, inoperable vehicles and many more are regulated on a state-by-state basis. If you want to be able to title and register your vintage Humvee (or HMMWV) but no process currently exists for registering former military vehicles in your state, you can turn to your state legislators to ask for help.