ZF Aftermarket Turns Vehicle Data into Faster Repairs

“Our goal is to help our customers resolve issues faster and manage increasing complexity more effectively. Today, ZF Aftermarket connects more than 2,000 fleets and 50,000 workshops across the aftermarket ecosystem, turning individual interactions into a more coordinated, data-driven service network. By bringing together remote vehicle data, diagnostics, workshop operations and parts procurement, we are creating practical solutions that help Maximize Uptime and deliver measurable value every day,” said Philippe Colpron, Head of ZF Aftermarket.

The value of integrated digital workflows becomes evident through a fleet vehicle’s repair journey. By connecting remote vehicle data with diagnostics, workshop operations and parts procurement, ZF helps fleets and workshops move from fault identification to repair completion in one coordinated flow.

Remote Diagnostics for Earlier Fault Detection

When a technical issue occurs, faster access to diagnostic data can make the difference. ZF Bus Connect, ZF Aftermarket’s telematics and fleet management solution for buses, can be linked with ZF [pro]Diagnostics, ZF’s workshop-grade diagnostic software, through a CAN Tunnel connection. This allows technicians to remotely access vehicle diagnostic systems and begin troubleshooting before the vehicle arrives at the workshop, helping fleets maximize uptime and improve operational efficiency.

Vehicle data from the vehicle's CAN network is transmitted via the ZF Bus Connect infrastructure and made available remotely within ZF [pro]Diagnostics, giving technicians access to diagnostic capabilities such as ECU information, diagnostic trouble codes, live sensor values and diagnostic routines. While traditional telematics solutions typically provide alerts and status notifications, the combination of ZF Bus Connect and ZF [pro]Diagnostics enables comprehensive remote diagnostic sessions, helping identify root causes earlier and enabling maintenance decisions before vehicles reach the workshop.

The same CAN Tunnel setup can also be used with third-party diagnostics providers, allowing existing diagnostic environments to be integrated into remote service workflows.

Digital Service Coordination for Fleets and Workshops

Once the root cause has been identified, the next challenge is turning diagnostic information into a repair plan. This is where many processes still rely on phone calls, emails, and manual coordination between fleets and workshops. To address this challenge, ZF Aftermarket is linking ZF [pro]Manager, ZF’s virtual front desk for workshops, with fleet management solutions to turn service demand into structured digital service workflows. One example already implemented is the integration with Vandy, a partner fleet service platform that helps fleet operators manage service demand and coordinate workshop appointments digitally. In this setup, vehicle condition information can be converted into service cases, workshop availability can be matched with service requirements, and repair appointments can be scheduled through a digital process. Going forward, the same principle will also apply to ZF fleet solutions such as ZF Bus Connect and ZF SCALAR, ZF’s fleet orchestration platform for commercial vehicle operations. This will support a broader ecosystem in which fleet data, workshop capacity and service coordination work together seamlessly.

Within this ecosystem, ZF [pro]Manager acts as the workshop's 24/7 digital front desk, bringing workshops, fleets and service partners together through a single digital interface. Fleet operators can identify workshops with the right capabilities for a specific service need, book appointments digitally and track service progress through Vandy, reducing administrative effort and improving transparency across the repair journey. Through its open API architecture, ZF [pro]Manager can work with both ZF and third-party solutions, allowing customers to bring existing processes and platforms into one workflow.

Data-Driven Parts Ordering After Diagnosis

Planning a repair is only effective if the required parts are available when the vehicle reaches the workshop. To eliminate delays between diagnosis and parts purchase, ZF Aftermarket also integrates diagnostic data directly with distributor ordering systems.

With 95 percent coverage of the passenger car segment on European roads, ZF MultiScan gives workshops a broad diagnostic foundation. When combined with electronic distributor parts catalogs, it helps them move seamlessly from vehicle diagnosis to parts identification and ordering. Following a diagnostic scan, vehicle and fault information are transferred directly into the integrated parts catalog.

Workshops receive immediate recommendations for compatible parts together with pricing and availability information, eliminating the need for manual fault-code interpretation and separate catalog searches.

The benefits are tangible: parts recommendations are driven by diagnostic data, helping workshops identify the correct part the first time. The time spent between diagnosis and procurement is significantly reduced, enabling workshops to process more vehicles per day. For more complex repairs involving multiple systems, a single scan can generate a comprehensive parts overview, providing a complete picture of required components in one workflow.

“Digitalization only creates value when it makes every day work easier. For our customers, that means solutions that work with the systems they already use, not another layer of complexity. Openness and partnerships are therefore central to our strategy. By integrating with partner solutions, we enable our customers to build workflows that fit the way they already operate,” said Benoit Dessart, Head of Business Line Digital Solutions at ZF Aftermarket.

From Data to Uptime: Creating Value Across the Aftermarket

As vehicles generate more data and service requirements become more complex, collaboration between stakeholders across the aftermarket will become increasingly important. By bringing together vehicle data, workshop expertise, service demand, diagnostics and parts procurement, ZF is helping its customers reduce complexity, increase transparency and keep vehicles on the road. Together, these connected workflows demonstrate how ZF Aftermarket is moving beyond individual products to creating an open aftermarket ecosystem for vehicles, fleets, workshops and distributors.

ZF is showcasing its latest Mobility Uptime solutions at Automechanika Frankfurt, Forum Level 01.