Industry Issue

Since the initial creation of the motor vehicle, manufacturers and component providers have come, gone, amalgamated and grown, all contributing to the constant development of vehicles, which have become more complex and sophisticated with ever increasing features. This has naturally increased the volume of components and data involved within the manufacture and after sales sectors, with every one requiring a method of identifying and associating their component, data or service to the vehicles concerned, all contributing and forming part of the overall build quantity or service cycle of vehicles.

Without exception, everyone involved has introduced a methodology and structure to describe and identify their components or data. This, in every case, has been achieved through the use of codes and encumber everything from the complete vehicle to the manufacturing of individual components and associated information. In many cases more than one code can relate to a single item adding further to the data mass and complexity. This methodology when viewed on an individual bases of a given item and manufacturer made good sense. However, since the introduction of information technology, numerous short falls have been highlighted regarding the methodology and the efficiency that should be gained through electronic data integration and transfer has been limited, if not excluded, due to the complexity, accuracy and associated costs of linking the required data i.e. the numerous codes and their individual structures.

Automotive Data Services, with their Auto Oracle Database incorporating the in-depth V-Spec Code have created the Catalyst to overcome these previous shortfalls and restrictions, including cost.