DIAMOND BAR, CA (07.13.23) – The SEMA Battle of the Builders, Presented by Mothers, returns for 2023. The prestigious competition is judged by industry experts, with awards presented to individuals who have demonstrated extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks, SUVs, sport compacts and luxury and exotic builds.

Entrants of the Battle of the Builders, Presented by Mothers, can:

• Get exposure through media coverage in top publications and online sites.
• Have content generated on your build, your products and your story.
• Grow your notoriety and have your shop stand out on social media.
• Get featured in SEMA publications and social profiles.
• Network with top builders from around the globe.
• Be part of the one-hour “Battle of the Builders, Presented by Mothers” TV special.

For more information and to enter, visit semashow.com/botb.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (07.12.23) – SEMA members have until Friday, July 14, to submit their nominations for the notable SEMA Industry Awards, which are awarded to leading companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to the automotive aftermarket industry.

In recognition of the recipient’s exceptional contributions to the specialty-equipment industry throughout the last year, these awards are among the highest honors given by the trade association. A recipient is an individual or business that embodies the industry’s mission while also demonstrating the principles, professionalism and service that advance the sector.

Nominations are open for:

• Person of the Year: Established to honor a person for their outstanding contributions to the automotive specialty-equipment market.
• Manufacturer of the Year: Honors a manufacturing company for its outstanding contributions and innovations.
• Channel Partner of the Year: Honors a sales channel partner for its outstanding service to the sales, distribution, retail and/or e-commerce channel(s) of the industry. This includes maintaining proper inventories to service its respective channel and exceeding standards in providing suppliers with input and regular communication to help their products and programs succeed.
• Gen-III Innovator of the Year: Honors a young, entrepreneurial individual, 40 years old or younger, who is creating innovative breakthroughs within the area(s) of industry opportunities, advancement, best business practices, technology and/or trends.
• Content Creator of the Year: Honors a content creator for their outstanding contributions to the automotive culture and for creating a positive impact with automotive enthusiasts.

The Industry Awards are presented during SEMA Show week, October 31-November 3, 2023. The Kick-Off Breakfast, held on Tuesday, October 31, will award both The Channel Partner of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year. On Thursday, November 2, the SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet will recognize the Gen-III Innovator of the Year, Person of the Year and Content Creator of the Year.

Nominations for all five awards are now being accepted at sema.org/awards.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (07.05.23) – SEMA members are encouraged to submit their applications for the notable SEMA Industry Awards, which are awarded to leading companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to the automotive aftermarket industry.

In recognition of the recipient’s exceptional contributions to the specialty-equipment industry throughout the last year, the SEMA Industry Awards are one of the highest honors given by the trade association. A recipient is someone who embodies the industry’s mission while also demonstrating the principles, professionalism, and service that advance the sector.

Nominations are now open for:

• Person of the Year: Established to honor a person for their outstanding contributions to the automotive specialty-equipment market.
• Manufacturer of the Year: Honors a manufacturing company for its outstanding contributions and innovations.
• Channel Partner of the Year: Honors a sales channel partner for its outstanding service to the sales, distribution, retail and/or e-commerce channel(s) of the industry. This includes maintaining proper inventories to service its respective channel and exceeding standards in providing suppliers with input and regular communication to help their products and programs succeed.
• Gen-III Innovator of the Year: Honors a young, entrepreneurial individual, 40 years old or younger, who is creating innovative breakthroughs within the area(s) of industry opportunities, advancement, best business practices, technology and/or trends.
• Content Creator of the Year: Honors a content creator for their outstanding contributions to the automotive culture and for creating a positive impact with automotive enthusiasts.

The Industry Awards are presented during SEMA Show week, Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2023. The Kick-Off Breakfast, held on Tuesday, Oct. 31, will award both the Channel Partner of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year. On Thursday, Nov. 2, the SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet will recognize the Gen-III Innovator of the Year, Person of the Year, and Content Creator of the Year. Nominations for all five awards are now being accepted at www.sema.org/awards.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (07.05.23) – Two customized Jeeps and one customized 4Runner, modified as part of the SEMA High School Vehicle Build Program, are now available for purchase via auction on BringaTrailer.com.

Each vehicle features dozens of donated parts from automotive parts manufacturers and was built by students in high school automotive shop classes under the guidance of industry experts.

The public is invited to bid on the vehicles in the auctions currently running on BringaTrailer.com.

Check out each build below and learn more by visiting the auction link for each. Bidding closes Wednesday, July 5.

These builds wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support and generosity of the sponsors who helped make this happen. To see a complete list of the supporters, visit sema.org/student-builds#sponsors. 

For more details about the program and the vehicles, visit sema.org/student-builds.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (06.27.23) – Attendees of the 2023 SEMA Show, October 31-November 3 in Las Vegas, have the exclusive opportunity to become electric-vehicle (EV) certified as part of a new SEMA initiative to create a more robust career- and professional-development program year-round.

Electric Vehicles 101 Presented by Legacy EV is a full-day program set for Monday, October 30, allowing early arrivals and exhibitors to upskill themselves with a new understanding of EV powertrains in an intimate, hands-on session capped at 20 participants.

Subject-matter expert Greg Snowden of Revolt Systems will join curriculum specialists Baily Soto and Tom Santilli of Legacy EV to demonstrate how to observe, describe and predict the relationship between volts, ohms and amperes in a variety of electrical circuits; apply principles of Watt’s Law; identify tools and equipment required to maintain an electrical system safely; perform a manufacturer high-voltage disconnect procedure; and much more. And attendees will work with real EV powertrains and tooling on Legacy EV training benches.

At the end of the course–broken into two sessions named “Understanding EV Anatomy and Electrical Theory” and “Applications with EV Specifications, EV Tooling, HV Safety”–attendees will receive an EV101 certification from Legacy EV, a study guide and an at-home assessment which will grant attendees seven hours of continuing education credits toward achieving and/or maintaining Legacy EV’s certification.

The cost to attend Electric Vehicles 101 presented by Legacy EV is $600 per attendee. Legacy EV will allow participants to apply the session cost ($600) toward a full Legacy EV Certified Technician certification course.

Stay tuned for more details on the world-class SEMA Education program for 2023, including the announcement of partner education tracks and the overall keynote speaker program.

SEMA Show management is dedicated to making the event as cost-effective as possible for all. Register at SEMAShow.com/register by June 30 for just $40. Registration is $60 through September 29 and $120 after that date.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (06.19.23) – In partnership with Ford Motor Company, the SEMA Garage Detroit is excited to announce a Measuring Session for the newly designed ’23 Ford SuperDuty.

SEMA members will be allowed to test-fit prototypes, 3D scan and measure, and have a close-up experience with their builds.

This event will feature two ’23 Ford SuperDuty Truck platforms:

F-250 SRW 4×4 Super Cab

6.8L DEVAT NA PRI V8 Engine
FX4 Package
Upfitter Switches
BOXLINK option
Cloth seats
4.2-in. productivity screen
8-ft. pickup box
F-350 SRW 4×4 Crew Cab

6.7L Hi Output Diesel Power Stroke
Tremor Off Road and Lariat Ultimate Package
Pro Power Onboard-2Kw
Roof clearance lights
Leather seats
12-in. productivity screen
6-ft. pickup box
In addition, SEMA has also recently added new, highly anticipated OEM CAD data into the Tech Transfer program. More details can be found at semagarage/techtransfter.

Event Dates: June 27–29, 2023

This will be an in-person event at the SEMA Garage Detroit in Plymouth, Michigan. The event will require scheduled appointments.

Due to high demand, all appointments will be time limited. Please only register two attendees per member company. A follow-up email will be sent to confirm additional attendees.

Visit the link below for event registration details:
Click here to register.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (06.16.23) – The specialty-equipment market showed positive results in 2022 with an overall market growth of 2% and reaching $51.8 billion in sales, according to the new “2023 SEMA Market Report.” This continues a decade of growth for the industry, even among recent economic turmoil created by the pandemic.

While the growth percentage was slightly down from the industry’s typical annual rate of 4% to 5%, the slowing was expected given current economic challenges. SEMA estimates that sales growth will remain fairly flat in 2023, before ramping back up towards the industry’s historical growth trend in 2024.

“Even as economic uncertainty looms, particularly around inflation, consumers are passionate about customizing and continue to buy from our industry,” said SEMA Director of Market Research Gavin Knapp. “This report provides new and relevant findings that businesses can use to better connect with their customers, find areas of opportunity and drive their business.” 

Available for download at sema.org/research, the “2023 SEMA Market Report” provides a comprehensive review of the automotive specialty-equipment market in 2022 and includes new data on the U.S. market size, consumer profiling and industry trends that can help companies make more informed business decisions.  

Key findings from the report include:  

• Pickup accessorization remains the biggest segment for the industry, topping $15 billion in sales. 
• The CUV accessory market continues to grow, reaching 14% of specialty-equipment sales in 2022. 
• Younger people continue to be the most likely to accessorize and perform more upgrades; 50% of those modifying their vehicles are under the age of 40.
• 50% of accessorizers own a powersports or recreational vehicle, opening up cross-selling opportunities.
• More than 80% of companies expect their sales to stay the same or grow in 2023. 

SEMA members can download the report for free at sema.org/research. Discover key findings in the report during the upcoming “SEMA Market Update” webinar on Wednesday, June 21. Register for the webinar here.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (06.12.23) – Virtually every new OEM vehicle features advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as a standard today, and automakers utilize different types of tests to develop and validate their respective systems. Knowing how these vehicles are evaluated can help automotive professionals plan their new-product development processes and better understand the vehicle’s performance.

During the webinar “Testing of ADAS Technologies” on Wednesday, June 14, at 1:00 p.m. PDT, SEMA members will learn about the types of tests performed and how data is recorded, in a very controlled manner, to assess the performance of ADAS systems accurately.

Taylor Manahan, director of advanced mobility at Transportation Research Center, will share the types of sensors being used for these technologies, as well as the facilities, equipment and methods utilized for testing these technologies. Attendees will also gain an understanding of how track testing is conducted.

Register for the webinar presented by the SEMA Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN) here.

WASHINGTON, DC (06.08.23) – SEMA’s joint lawsuit with EcoLogic Partners—a legal collaboration between the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), American Sand Association, and American Motorcyclist Association District 37—challenges the California Coastal Commission’s plans to prohibit motorized recreational and overnight camping access at Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area (SVRA). The coalition’s lawsuit is scheduled for a June 15, 2023, hearing in the California Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County.

SEMA and EcoLogic Partners seek recognition from the court that the California Coastal Commission does not have the authority to terminate off-highway vehicle (OHV) use and beach camping at the state-authorized and legislatively sanctioned Oceano Dunes SVRA. The lawsuit is combined with a suit filed by Friends of Oceano Dunes making similar allegations.

SEMA, ORBA, ASA, and AMA are leading advocates for motorized recreational activities, and the upcoming hearing marks a crucial moment in the ongoing battle to protect motorized recreation access in California and across the United States.

Oceano Dunes SVRA is a premier destination for motorized recreation enthusiasts and tourists alike as the only off-road park in the state offering direct access to the Pacific Ocean. For decades, recreationists and off-roaders have enjoyed riding all types of motorized vehicles, from trucks and SUVs to dune buggies and quads, on the California beach, which is now threatened by the Commission’s March 2021 amendments to Coastal Development Permit 4-82-300 that demanded the California Department of Parks and Recreation phase out off-highway vehicle (OHV) access to Oceano Dunes SVRA by 2024.

“SEMA advocates for land-use policies that provide motorized recreational access to publicly owned lands while providing reasonable safeguards needed to protect natural resources,” said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “The Coastal Commission’s efforts to stop off-road access at Oceano Dunes are unreasonable and set a dangerous precedent. Oceano Dunes is enjoyed by over two million enthusiasts and tourists each year. SEMA is committed to their rights to responsibly recreate on California’s Coast and public lands throughout the country.”

The Honorable Tana Coates is the presiding judge for the June 15 hearing. The judge is expected to issue a final decision in July or August. Any additional appeals following this ruling could extend the outcome of this litigation for an additional 10-13 months.

The trial court’s decision is critically important to SEMA and EcoLogic Partners’ efforts to protect motorized recreational access at Oceano Dunes.

Visit sema.org for more.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (06.07.23) – SEMA members are invited to a live webinar on Wednesday, June 21, at 11:00 a.m. PDT to connect with the SEMA Market Research team and discuss the “2023 SEMA Market Report.” The latest annual study, available for download Thursday, June 15, will give members an in-depth look at market changes from the past year and help them identify the greatest business opportunities in various aftermarket segments.

During the webinar, attendees will be able to ask questions as they learn about the report’s critical findings, like how much consumers spent on parts in 2022, how they used the vehicles they modified, how economic and industry factors are affecting the market, new data on market sizing, changes in the vehicle population and relevant trends.

Register for the webinar here and download the report when it becomes available Thursday, June 15, at sema.org/research.