Electro Rent shows future of automotive testing

Electro Rent attended the recent Automotive Testing Expo Europe 2022 to set out the future of this progressive industry segment. With so much current development focused on trends such as radar, infotainment, Ethernet EMC/EMI, 5G and battery testing, Electro Rent engaged in conversation with exhibition visitors about the advantages that derive from renting rather than purchasing test equipment outright.

Accessing the latest testing technology to design and test is critical to automotive development programmes and their time-to-market. Smarter electronic/electrical test and measurement solutions will enable automotive innovation, where key drivers include the shift to all-electric vehicles and autonomous driving systems.

Automotive companies face clear challenges when trying to win market share in a globally competitive industry, not least keeping pace with fast-moving technology and the managing investment risk associated with purchasing test equipment outright. These risks include a large dent in balance sheet liquidity, asset depreciation and slow payback periods.

And this is where Electro Rent can help through a variety of rental options which provide automotive companies with a number of key advantages. These include gaining access to the latest testing technologies without the lead times or upfront capital investment associated with buying, and only renting for the period required without maintenance or calibration concerns. Saving that capital for investment elsewhere and maintaining flexibility for changes in the future is becoming even more important with the challenging economic outlook we see now.

Genuine gains are available to automotive companies prepared to reconsider their procurement strategy, as discovered by visitors to the Electro Rent stand at the Automotive Testing Expo in Stuttgart, where they learned about company’s solutions, brought into sharp focus by its aptly named ‘Look Again’ marketing campaign. By tapping into the advantages that rental solutions provide, companies can avoid delays, downtime, and hidden costs. The message to the automotive audience is simple - Look Again at your procurement strategy for T&M.

The decision to attend the event followed recent increased investment by Electro Rent in expanding its current portfolio of equipment for testing in rapidly evolving automotive applications. Notably, the company exhibited alongside some of its leading technology partners, including Keysight, NI and Rohde & Schwarz. The show was a huge success, giving Electro Rent the opportunity to speak with many test engineers, lab supervisors and project managers and other automotive industry professionals about their current testing needs, as well as specific industry challenges and trends.

As part of the exhibition, George Acris, Electro Rent’s Vice President Marketing EMEA, presented on the event’s Tech Stage, hosting a session on how to increase test capabilities with no upfront investment. He also explored a number of ongoing automotive challenges, such as testing in innovative technology areas, meeting fast-changing automotive standards and boosting flexibility when testing constantly evolving technology. And, of course, how renting test equipment can help overcome all of these challenges.

“Our main goal at the show was to connect with companies who weren’t familiar with our services,” said Acris. “We offer latest generation high-end equipment that many companies may not know is available to rent from as short a period as one week with immediate delivery. Essentially, we’re urging them to rethink how they procure their equipment, hence our new ‘Look Again’ marketing campaign.

"We manage an inventory of over €1bn of equipment and continually invest to ensure our customers always have access to the latest technology. That means predicting and understanding trends in automotive development is an essential element of our business model. We know that renting is the innovative solution to help companies in the automotive testing arena be more agile and successful in the future, and the conversations we had at the show were very encouraging.”