AI in the auto parts market: how data and technology are driving the aftermarket

The automotive parts replacement market, known globally as the aftermarket, has always had a reputation for being a primarily "traditional" sector. Built on the foundation of counter-service relationships, physical parts, and the strict trust between the driver and their mechanic, the segment moves billions annually in Brazil. However, behind this traditional mechanism, a silent revolution driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data , and Cloud Computing is reshaping the rules of the game.

To understand how an industry giant manages the complexity of millions of components and connects a fragmented supply chain, Trend Off welcomed Daniel Destro, CTO of Rede Âncora. With nearly 900 physical locations spread across Brazil and an ecosystem that connects industry to the end consumer, the company has become an emblematic case of how cutting-edge technology can (and should) support the scale of traditional businesses.

The challenge of scale: what is the aftermarket and why is it so complex?

For the average consumer, car maintenance only becomes a concern when absolutely necessary or when there's a strange noise in the engine. But from a logistical and technological standpoint, a vehicle's life cycle is a labyrinth of variables.

When a brand-new vehicle is purchased, it typically spends the first two or three years undergoing scheduled maintenance at dealerships, covered by the factory warranty. After this period, the vehicle formally enters the secondary market. This is precisely where Rede Âncora operates.

The biggest barrier in this ecosystem lies in the density of the portfolio. Automotive engineers design vehicles with millimeter-precise specifications that vary not only by model, but also by year, production batch, engine, and even by the presence or absence of systems such as ABS brakes.

Considering that Rede Âncora manages a highly qualified digital catalog with over 2 million products, it becomes clear that the human brain alone is no longer capable of cross-referencing this information without the support of robust data systems.

Artificial intelligence in practice: NLP and highly qualified catalogs

Contrary to popular belief, the use of Artificial Intelligence in the auto parts market did not begin with the boom in generative tools. At Rede Âncora, AI is already a mature operational reality, implemented since 2019.

The company's starting point was natural language processing (NLP), used to organize the informational chaos of textual patterns in documents. In Brazil, regionalization creates scenarios where the very same document receives "Name A" in São Paulo and "Name B" in Rio Grande do Sul. The AI ​​engine was trained to read, interpret, and standardize these descriptions, generating a highly accurate catalog.

From car license plates to predictive diagnostics

Currently, the maturity of this data allows the customer to simply enter the vehicle's license plate so that the system can filter exactly which components are compatible with that specific application. And the next steps are already knocking at the door. Rede Âncora is testing AI-based virtual assistants that bring the terminology of mechanical diagnosis closer to that of layperson.

Data architecture as a business enabler

No Artificial Intelligence algorithm delivers value if the data foundation is compromised. The process of structuring Big Data and Machine Learning at Rede Âncora gained massive traction about three years ago, focusing on cross-referencing internal, external, and market databases to identify the growth potential of each store in its network.

To enable this digital transformation without disrupting daily operations, partnering with infrastructure specialists became indispensable. Destro mentioned Skyone in modernizing the company's data center. By migrating legacy and ERP systems to a robust, governed cloud platform with twice the previous capacity, the IT team gained the most valuable resource in today's market: time.

With a back-end , the technology leadership was able to shift its focus from operational bottlenecks to business innovation. This allowed them to refine planning, map seasonality, predict regional demand based on weather, and optimize distributor inventory.

The human factor and the future of the sector: electrification and hyper-personalization

When we envision the future of the auto parts market and its technology, the biggest challenge lies not in the code, but in cultural and behavioral change. The end user, the mechanic in the workshop, is the main influencer in the consumer's purchasing journey. Today, this professional is deeply dependent on agile and direct channels, such as WhatsApp. Forcing them out of their natural habitat is a strategic mistake; the secret lies in bringing business intelligence to the channels where they already operate.

Furthermore, the automotive industry faces a three-pronged transition by 2040:

• Internal combustion engines: which will continue to grow and require maintenance for another decade.
• Hybrid vehicles: which combine traditional mechanics with sophisticated electronics.
• Pure 100% electric vehicles: which have substantially fewer moving parts, but require electronic components of very high added value.

Technology, therefore, will act as the bridge for the independent market to survive the attempt by large automakers to monopolize repair cycles. Demand prediction and hyper-personalization will ensure that the right part is in the right place at the exact moment the customer needs it.

Conclusion: technology is a means, not an end

The key lesson left by the CTO of Rede Âncora is a vital reminder for any manager or innovation enthusiast: technology should never be implemented simply because it is "pretty" or modern. It needs to solve real problems, generate operational efficiency, and protect business margins.

By combining stable cloud infrastructure, structured data governance, and the predictive intelligence of AI, the traditional auto parts retail sector proves that no sector is immune to innovation, and that the top of the market belongs to those who know how to anticipate the needs of their supply chain.

Want to understand the complete behind-the-scenes story of this rich conversation about technology, the role of WhatsApp in technical sales, and how global logistical changes impact your car? Click here and listen to the full Trend Off episode directly on Spotify!

Written by Skyone