NASTF: Past, Present and Future

NASTF: 
Past, Present and Future CHICAGO - As the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) readies for its annual meeting during Industry Week, the organization is ready to flex the maturity, focus and relevance that it has developed over its seven-year history. From its early years as a voluntary cross-section of the industry that met, discussed and tried to resolve service-related issues informally, NASTF in the last year has become a formal entity - focused on the key issues of today and tomorrow that affect the automotive service industry, equipment and tool industry, and automotive manufacturers. Motor Age recently visited with Ron Pyle, its current vice chair, to discuss some of the key accomplishments of the past year, as well as the challenges and opportunities that the future holds.  "Organizationally, we're sound," Pyle begins. He notes in particular that the formalization has gone well, with only a few hurdles remaining. "Without doubt, the No. 1 NASTF accomplishment of the past year has been the work of the Vehicle Security Committee in developing the Secure Data Release Model (SDRM), which is now in beta testing." Pyle adds. "The key for NASTF is reconciling two compelling consumer concerns: 'I need to be able to access my vehicle, but I don't want just anybody to be able to get in.' " "It's a crucial time for people to commit to NASTF, regardless of how they stand on the prospects of legislation." 
- Ron Pyle, NASTF vice chair By the end of the year, most of the testing will be done, with a view to deploying it in 2008. The next major step, Pyle explains, is getting the technical model complete and ready for the automakers to test and buy-in. While a large number of automakers have been involved in the SDRM's development from the beginning, others got involved during the process, with the remainder taking a "wait and see" approach. "The short-term challenge is to put enough good technical data in front of the automakers so that they can say, 'This works,' or 'We see the value of the model, but need to program this into our systems so it works properly' - no easy feat when one considers the differences between the variety of security systems that are used by automakers, let alone their complex structures."  2007 NASTF 
General MeetingDate:Wed., Oct. 31, 2007Time:1:30 p.m.Place:Flamingo HotelCity:Las Vegas, NVWeb site:www.nastf.org Forming the Collision Committee and the work it has done is another highlight for NASTF over the past year: "It wasn't so much the lack of service information that was problematic; it was the difficulty gathering comprehensive collision repair information - materials, techniques and more - and organizing it in an easy-to-access manner."  Pyle credits ALLDATA with generating a new product for the collision industry that achieved this. "They went out, gathered the info that was there but hard to find, and organized it in a uniform way that is easy to find on Web sites." To keep a focus on and resolve security related and other issues, Pyle says that NASTF needs more input from all industry segments so that what results is a better product for all. "It's a crucial time for people to commit to NASTF, regardless of how they stand on the prospects of legislation," Pyle says. "If you're not involved in NASTF, you've put all your eggs in one basket, something that may not come to be."  "NASTF needs to continue its role and leverage the success of its established dialogue between automakers, other industry stakeholders, the public and government regulators."
- Ron Pyle, NASTF vice chair

Regardless of which way proposed legislation goes, he adds, involvement in the NASTF process provides a broad industry voice that serves not only a watchdog function, but also the roles of being a problem-solver and a steering committee that can advise and guide regulators. 

"It's important that we have the active involvement of all stakeholder groups," he adds. "Their voices are important, are needed and welcome at the table. Those who don't participate, or who are ambivalent, are abdicating their responsibility to keeping the industry on a sound and healthy path."

Going forward, Pyle shares that there are a number of challenges facing the industry that NASTF can be a problem solver for, especially with more involvement. Though nearly done, it is important to get past the fundamental issues and complete the methodologies to handle information. In addition, NASTF members need to affirm the sustainability of the organization. It's also important, according to Pyle, that NASTF continue to inform the public of the realities in the industry, so that assumptions and misconceptions are corrected. 

"There's a number of issues we are aware of looming on the horizon that need our attention, and without doubt, others will surface," Pyle shares. As new manufacturers and technology continue to emerge, the need for NASTF remains. As just one example, Pyle asks the industry to consider the pending entry of Chinese-made automobiles, and the potential difficulty in getting the necessary service information to service and repair them. "NASTF needs to continue its role and leverage the success of its established dialogue between automakers, other industry stakeholders, the public and government regulators."