- Brake specialist ATE celebrates its 120th anniversary: the AUMOVIO brand is one of the world’s oldest and most established automotive suppliers
- ATE analyzes trends shaping the aftermarket of tomorrow
- Workshop business faces major challenges from e-mobility, new vehicle technologies, artificial intelligence, and the shortage of skilled workers
- ATE experts held more than 1,200 discussions with workshop managers about strategies for the future
- Enno Straten, Head of AUMOVIO Aftermarket: “The automotive aftermarket is navigating one of the most significant periods of change in its history. Many workshops are responding with creative approaches, particularly when it comes to attracting and retaining employees.”
Press release
ATE marks 120 years by identifying the trends shaping the future of the automotive aftermarket
Frankfurt am Main, November 12, 2026. As the AUMOVIO brand ATE celebrates 120 years of brake expertise it is turning its attention to the future of the automotive aftermarket. After more than 1,200 discussions with workshop managers, ATE identified five key trends expected to shape the parts, service, and repair business over the next decade, supported by recent studies*:
- Trend 1: The growing number of electric vehicles (EVs) will continue to transform workshop operations. Expertise and infrastructure for working with high-voltage electric drive systems will be essential.
- Trend 2: The shortage of skilled workers is intensifying dramatically, not least because of new automotive technologies, prompting workshops to find creative ways to attract and retain employees.
- Trend 3: Artificial intelligence (AI) will become a decisive factor in workshop operations, from AI-assisted fault diagnosis to intelligent service robots.
- Trend 4: Brand quality will increasingly become a decisive advantage for safety-critical components such as brakes, despite strong competition in the spare-parts business.
- Trend 5: Brakes will remain one of the most important safety components in the vehicle of the future.
The automotive aftermarket is navigating one of the most significant periods of change in its history. Electromobility, the shortage of skilled workers and the growing importance of software for every vehicle function are already transforming workshop operations in many areas. Many workshops are responding with creative approaches, particularly when it comes to attracting and retaining employees. And one development makes me especially pleased in ATE’s anniversary year: Brakes will remain one of the vehicle’s most important safety features, both in the vehicle and in the aftermarket.
Enno Straten, Head of AUMOVIO Aftermarket
ATE's 120-year commitment to the Aftermarket
ATE is one of the world's oldest and most established brands in the automotive industry. The company was founded in 1906 as a distributor of automotive components and other products. As Alfred Teves Maschinen- und Armaturenfabrik, it became a pioneer in hydraulic braking systems. Continental acquired the renowned ATE brand in 1998. Since the spin-off of the former Automotive group sector, ATE has been part of AUMOVIO.
Being close to customers of the automotive aftermarket is central to ATE’s identity. This means understanding the issues, challenges, and opportunities workshops face. ATE offers a partnership model for independent automotive workshops, enabling them to gain a competitive advantage as ATE BrakeCenters through high-quality branded products and premium services. At Automechanika in Frankfurt this year, the company presented the newly established ATE Smart Awards. Through the awards, parent company AUMOVIO recognized innovative and sustainable automotive workshops in six European markets. In parallel, ATE experts held more than 1,200 discussions in 2025 alone with workshop managers about their strategies, individual perspectives and solutions for the aftermarket of tomorrow.
Creativity and a cruise to counter the trend
The discussions showed that the shortage of skilled workers is becoming a risk to growth. The study “Service Market 2040: Perspectives and Strategies for Independent Workshops”** by e-mobil BW supports these findings. It describes the shortage of skilled workers as the “most critical bottleneck to unlocking market potential” and forecasts a one-third decline in employment by 2040. Many workshops report turning away customers due to lack of young talent and qualified experts.
Workshops are responding with creativity and innovation. Measures include company cars for skilled technicians, integrated gyms, career development opportunities, and greater workplace flexibility. One ATE partner workshop even used a company-sponsored cruise to strengthen employee engagement and attract new talent. Many workshops are also redesigning workflows to give employees greater responsibility. In some businesses, one technician is responsible for the entire handling of a repair order, from receiving the vehicle and speaking with the customer to carrying out the repair and finally returning the vehicle, often freshly washed, to the customer.
The challenge of e-mobility: a hurdle, but also an opportunity for independent workshops
In Germany, EVs currently account for around 4.5 percent of the total vehicle fleet on average, according to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority. In October 2026, they represented 37 percent of new passenger-car registrations. The share of EVs is rising, making EV readiness increasingly important for workshops. According to ATE’s discussions, around half of businesses currently have to turn down lucrative jobs because they lack the infrastructure or personnel needed to work with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). A recent study by the German Insurance Association (GDV)*** found that hourly workshop rates for EVs are, on average, 15 percent higher than for vehicles with internal combustion engines, enabling workshops to generate more revenue from jobs.
Workshop partnerships offer another way to avoid turning down jobs. Businesses that are currently reluctant to invest in high-voltage equipment for EVs can enter into cooperation agreements with equipped workshops and refer orders to a partner workshop on a commission basis.
AI, brakes and the aftermarket: one is coming, the other will remain
Recent studies* show that the aftermarket will continue to serve as a “stabilizing force” for the automotive industry. This makes it critical for workshops to respond to emerging trends and technology. One of these is AI. “AI is a factor,” says Enno Straten, Head of AUMOVIO Aftermarket. “Whether through damage assessment, diagnostics or workflow support, soon no workshop will be able to operate without AI in one form or another.”
Despite these changes, some fundamentals will remain. Brakes will remain one of the vehicle’s most important safety-critical components, with consumers increasingly favoring trusted brands. However, the brake will no longer be viewed in isolation. It will become part of an integrated safety system comprising sensors, software, actuators and the braking system itself. Systems such as autonomous emergency braking already act directly on the brakes and are mandatory in many markets. Workshops will need to support a growing range of braking technologies, including brake-by-wire and hybrid systems. For ATE, braking systems will continue to rank among the most profitable and relevant product groups in the automotive supplier industry.****
**** https://www.alixpartners.com/de/newsroom/die-berylls-by-alixpartners-top-100-zuliefererstudie-2026/
Ilona Tzudnowski
Media Spokesperson Automotive Operations & Technology
+49 69 7603-2093