The trucking industry faces a critical shift in its maintenance services . Fleets are incorporating increasingly technological vehicles, but the network of workshops still shows shortcomings in diagnostics, training, and processes—a bottleneck that threatens the sector’s daily operations, according to experts.
The challenge is particularly relevant in an industry that drives the country’s economy, where every hour of downtime directly impacts costs, delivery times, and road safety. Adding to the pressure to reduce downtime are increased technical, regulatory, and efficiency demands , such as the implementation of GPS tracking systems, in an environment where many workshops still operate under traditional models , with poorly standardized processes and a high dependence on the individual mechanic’s experience.
Added to this scenario is the growing coexistence of combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles, both in fleets and in the general vehicle fleet, each with different repair requirements and more complex systems.
Natalia Salcedo Franco, CEO and founder of Pitz , a company specializing in technological solutions for automotive workshops, warned that one of the main challenges is not only access to spare parts or equipment, but the lack of tools that allow for more accurate and faster diagnoses.
Salcedo asserted that in practice, a diagnosis can take up to two hours, and an error at this stage not only increases costs and repair times , but also increases operational and road safety risks.
The situation becomes even more critical with the arrival of electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Incorrect calibration, incomplete diagnosis, or a lack of technical knowledge can lead to malfunctions that manifest on the road, increasing accident rates and eroding consumer confidence in independent service, the specialist noted.
Technology as an enabler, not as a substitute
In this context, digitalization is emerging as a key enabler for the transformation of automotive services. Beyond simply selling isolated tools, the debate centers on how to integrate technology that helps workshops automate administrative tasks, accelerate diagnostics, and streamline workflows , without relying on expensive infrastructure or specialized hardware .
Salcedo explained that one of the biggest myths in the industry is the idea that the scanner solves the entire diagnostic problem. In reality, he indicated, the scanner works like a dictionary : it identifies error codes, but it doesn’t explain the origin of the problem on its own, nor the complete context of the fault. That’s where time is lost and the margin of error increases.
He emphasized that artificial intelligence (AI) serves as a support tool that helps mechanics interpret information, understand causes, and prioritize repairs, without replacing human technical knowledge. This is particularly relevant in an industry where a single vehicle can have between 15,000 and 24,000 parts and thousands of possible combinations of failures, he explained.
Productivity, profitability and trust
Beyond diagnostics, another structural challenge for automotive service is productivity . Workshops that have repaired a limited number of vehicles per week for years often assume that this is their operational ceiling, when in reality the bottleneck lies in internal organization, parts management , and customer communication.
Profitability doesn’t necessarily increase by buying cheaper parts, but by getting vehicles back on the road faster , with accurate diagnostics, clear processes, and defined delivery times. In this sense, technology allows for the reduction of hundreds of hours of administrative work per month, freeing up staff time to focus on higher-value tasks.
There’s also a key component of transparency. In many cases, the relationship between repair shop and customer is strained by mistrust: the customer feels taken advantage of when they receive a long list of repairs. However, it’s not always about abuse, but rather a lack of clear information about what’s urgent, what can wait, and the risks of not addressing certain issues.
Standardizing diagnostics and better communicating the actual condition of the vehicle helps build long-term relationships , foster customer loyalty, and ensure business sustainability, especially in an environment where after-sales service is increasingly important.
A regional challenge with social impact
The debate goes beyond technology. Salcedo asserted that in Latin America, millions of families depend directly or indirectly on automotive services. Small and medium-sized workshops sustain entire local economies , but they operate in a fragmented market with slim margins and high levels of informality.
“This is a global industry valued at over a trillion dollars, where revenue is concentrated in the hands of a few players, while thousands of workshops operate with limited income. The adoption of technology, properly understood, is not about displacing labor, but about optimizing time, improving income, and raising the quality of life for those who depend on this activity,” he emphasized.
Looking ahead
In 2026, the automotive sector faces a dilemma: accelerate the professionalization of after-sales service or face a bottleneck that hinders the adoption of new vehicle technologies . Electrification will advance, but without a network of workshops that is prepared, trained, and supported by digital tools, the end user will bear the cost.
The challenge is not only technical, but cultural: accepting that technology can be a strategic ally for growth, getting out of the comfort zone and responding to an increasingly complex vehicle fleet, according to Salcedo.
After-sales service, historically relegated, is beginning to position itself as one of the key pillars for the competitiveness of the automotive industry in the coming years.
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