DriveRight offers AAIA standard API services

DriveRight has had vehicle data with OE tyre and wheel application data, based on the AAIA (Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association) US industry standard, available for some time in flat files. However, this is said to have made it hard for small to medium-sized companies to implement the data into their systems. With DriveRight’s AAIA API webservices, this information can now be easily implemented directly into customer websites. This provides a system which is capable of allowing searches to be performed for a vehicle based on the AAIA standard. The search can be by year, manufacturer, model, body type and finally sub-models. This returns the OE tyre and wheel application or the relevant wheel and tyre products.

According to DriveRight, the AAIA webservices have been developed specifically for US based customers, but they are also said to be a useful tool for customers active in the US market, or that want to expand into this region.

The last WTDR

DriveRight reports that it is phasing out its WTDR guide, with the latest edition set to be the last of its kind in print. Instead there is DriveRight’s popular online fitment guide ‘TyreFit’ which is already used around the world by many of our customers.

Meanwhile, earlier this year James Vithanage, DriveRight’s UK sales representative, based in the firm’s Tamworth, UK office, joined the company. Although relatively new to the automotive industry, Vithanage has already visited: The Commercial Vehicle show at the NEC in Birmingham in April; Reifen in Essen, Germany in May (where DriveRight had an exhibition stand); the TyreSafe Conference in Solihull in July; and he is scheduled to attend Brityrex International in Manchester in October. Of course to the idea is to get to know the market and meet key customers and potential contacts.

However, along with news of his appointment Vithanage hints that there are new developments coming to DriveRight; developments that ‘hybrid’ or electric vehicles. “We are now living in an age where transportation is going through a revolutionary process, mainly due to the rising cost of energy and the need to lower or eliminate vehicle emissions. Additionally, the vehicles are to become more ‘automated’ as seen from the Google vehicles being trialed in the US and developments at MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) UK, who DriveRight have just become partners with”, Vithanage wrote in an internal newsletter. “Why?” you may ask. “…watch this space…”, comes the deliberately vague reply. It is definitely something T&A will be asking about at Brityrex if not before.