What to expect at this year’s Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo in May

The 2026 Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo returns to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 14–16 May with a technical training program headlined by international diagnostic specialists, a new on-floor discovery zone and more than 400 exhibiting brands across the aftermarket.

Co-located with the Collision Repair Expo and sponsored by Repco, the biennial event is organised by the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) under the theme “Driving What’s Next”.

More than 13,000 trade visitors are expected across the three days, matching the record set in 2024. Registration is free for all automotive trade professionals.

The Expo offers opportunities to access advanced diagnostic and ADAS training, see new workshop equipment first-hand and connect with peers and suppliers from across the country.

VASA will be exhibiting at booth C05, where board members will be on hand to talk about upcoming association activity – including Wire & Gas 2026 in Brisbane and the Cool Mavericks automotive air-conditioning history book.

Workshop profitability

A high-level panel session will bring together some of the aftermarket’s most influential leaders to examine how workshops can stay competitive and profitable as vehicles become increasingly connected and software-driven.

The session, titled The Aftermarket’s Next Advantage – Making Smart Bets Now, forms part of the Expo’s Workshop Management Program, designed for business owners, industry leaders and automotive professionals looking to strengthen their understanding, prepare for the future and improve profitability.

Featuring Rob Cameron (Group CEO – GPC Asia Pacific), Bradley Gannon (CEO – Capricorn) and Chris Wilesmith (CEO – Bapcor), and facilitated by Stuart Charity (CEO – Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association), the panel will explore how connected, software-driven vehicles are reshaping workshop economics – changing what is profitable, what is repairable and what customers expect.

As vehicle technology evolves, workshops are experiencing what many describe as a “barbell effect”, where routine work becomes less frequent and lower-touch while other jobs become more complex, equipment-intensive and increasingly difficult to quote with confidence.

Taking place at 1 pm on Friday 15 May, the session will see panellists unpack what is changing fastest across the industry, where the aftermarket is investing – from tools and software to training and supply chain support – and how workshops can protect margins while building the capability required for the future.

“This is a critical moment for our industry,” said AAAA chief executive Stuart Charity. “Workshops that understand where the market is heading and make the right investments now will be best placed to succeed. This will be a rare opportunity to hear from this calibre of industry leadership together in one place, so don’t miss out.”

International trainers

The centrepiece of the Expo’s education offering is a training program that draws on both international and Australian expertise.

Steve Smith from UK-based Pico Technology, one of the most recognised oscilloscope trainers in the global aftermarket, will deliver sessions on using maths channels to monitor intermittent faults and on NVH diagnostics.

Scott Hicks, an ASE Master Technician from TOPDON USA, brings decades of hands-on diagnostic experience.

Keith and Liz Perkins, co-owners of US firm L1 Automotive Group and respected ASE Subject Matter Experts, round out the international diagnostic contingent with a focus on advanced module programming and network communications.

On the business side, Robert Snook, chief executive of UK-based Business Success Global, will lead sessions aimed at workshop owners and managers alongside a group of Australian presenters.

Topics in the business stream range from leadership and workforce development to an interactive HR question-and-answer session and a practical walkthrough of the ADAS Code of Conduct.

Ross Walker from the Australian Lubricants Association will present a session on engine oil additives, while other free technical sessions cover thermal imaging applications, modern energy system diagnostics from ICE through to electrification, and a session on old school ignition systems that recognises the breadth of vehicles rolling through Australian workshops.

Masterclasses

Technicians wanting more than the free sessions can book into advanced technical masterclasses on 13 May, the day before the Expo floor opens. These are paid, limited-capacity half-day sessions led by the international trainers.

Keith and Liz Perkins will run a masterclass on programming for popular makes. Steve Smith talks network communication protocols and Scott Hicks covers the diagnostic judgement, critical thinking and systematic fault-finding discipline that separates efficient workshops from those still relying on parts-swapping.

On the show floor

Two dedicated zones on the trade show floor extend the technical learning beyond the seminar rooms.

The Diagnostic Discovery Zone is new for 2026 and will present real-world diagnostic workflows, tools and techniques in a hands-on format. Alongside it, the ADAS Technology Zone returns with calibration equipment demonstrations, emerging driver assistance technologies and practical insights for workshops moving into the ADAS repair space. More than 400 brands will exhibit across parts, accessories, tools, diagnostics equipment and workshop technology.

The Innovation Awards Breakfast, sponsored by Ryco Group, opens proceedings on 14 May, and the Flying Spanners Apprentice Challenge returns for its latest instalment, showcasing the next generation of automotive technicians in a fast-paced, hands-on format.

VASA at booth C05

VASA members heading to Melbourne should make booth C05 an early stop. Board members will be available throughout the Expo to discuss industry matters, answer questions, provide back-issues of SightGlass and answer questions about the upcoming Wire & Gas 2026 convention.

Copies of Cool Mavericks, the 600-plus-page history of automotive air-conditioning produced in partnership with VASA will also be available to purchase or collect at the association’s Expo booth.

Authored by VASA foundation president Mark Mitchell and former VASA chief executive Ken Newton, the book traces how independent workshops and mechanical tinkerers in Australia, America and Japan built the mobile air-conditioning industry from scratch – often from tin sheds rather than corporate boardrooms. Save on shipping by collecting your copy at the Expo!

Getting there

The 2026 Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo runs from 14–16 May at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Registration is free at autoaftermarketexpo.com.au.