Tabla de contenidos para December 2025 en SEMA Magazine

By the time you receive this issue, the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show will be just days away—December 11–13, in Indianapolis, Indiana. SEMA is proud to back this one-of-a-kind event, which stands as the premier gathering for the racing and performance industry. Featuring more than 1,000 companies in 3,400-plus booths, the Show will hit the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium with the latest new products, services, machinery, simulation tools, testing technologies and trailers. Since its launch in 1988, the PRI Show has embodied racing passion, drawing attendees from all 50 states and around the globe—professional race teams, retailers, ware-house distributors, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers and media. Like the industry it serves, the PRI Show is dynamic and energizing. It covers the full spectrum of motorsports—drag racing,…

Powersports, particularly with utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), also known as side-bysides, is a growing market within the United States, catapulted by off-road and thrill-seeking enthusiasts. New companies and products are emerging in this relatively young sector, seemingly going in every which direction but down. With SEMA’s recent acquisition of the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), a leading organization dedicated to representing businesses and professionals in the off-road and powersports industries, SEMA will assume a more significant role in said industry and off-road advocacy. If you’ve attended any recent SEMA Shows, then you’ve probably already noticed a growing number of UTVs proudly displayed in the booths and lots across the Las Vegas Convention Center—all heavily modified to accent the automotive aftermarket space. With new trends, new partnerships and evolving technology, UTVs now…

RUBBERSHOX UCSBH COIL SPRING BUFFER rubbershox.com The RubberShox UCSBH coil spring buffer is designed for a small-to middle-coil radius, making it compatible with a wide range of vehicles—especially electric vehicles with heavier gross weight. Crafted from premium-grade natural rubber, the buffers provide enhanced driving stability and comfort, making the ride more enjoyable for passengers. TIREVIO INC. TPMS–TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM SENSOR tirevio.com TIREVIO’s universal TPMS sensor offers OE-level durability, dual-frequency support (315/433 MHz) and extended battery life at a competitive price. Compatible with traditional and smart programmers, it also allows quick one-touch setup via mobile app. Covering 99% of vehicles in the United States and Canada, it’s a reliable, efficient and cost-effective solution for tire shops, distributors and automotive professionals. KILLER TOOLS & EQUIPMENT CORP. SPOT WELD PRO killertools.com The…

BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOMINATED AND ELECTED BY THE ASSOCIATION’S MEMBERSHIP AT LARGE TO REPRESENT THE FULL SPECTRUM OF THE SPECIALTY-EQUIPMENT MARKETPLACE. The Specialty Equipment Market Association is governed by a Board of Directors composed of industry volunteers. Board members are nominated and elected by the association’s membership at large to represent the full spectrum of the specialty-equipment marketplace. Directors serve a three-year term, while the Board’s chair serves for two years after completing a two-year term as chair-elect. In addition, the treasurer is an appointed Board officer, while the Board’s general counsel is an appointed legal consultant. The current Board was introduced at the SEMA Leaders & Legends Gala on Friday, July 25, in Universal City, California, with Melanie White installed as the new chair and five recent electees also…

Much of the technology in cars today is there to keep us safe and alive when life pulls at our concentration. Repairing and keeping these systems in check are as essential as routine maintenance on your vehicle. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are nothing new, but aftermarket companies within the collision-repair sector are finding new solutions to more efficiently and accurately repair and calibrate these systems following a collision, saving time, money and frustration for all parties involved in a repair job. Most importantly, proper repair of these systems will keep them doing what they’re designed for: saving lives. To understand what’s new in the world of ADAS repair and other important trends within the collision-repair world, we chatted with industry heavy hitters like Hunter Engineering, Opus IVS and the…

While chatbots outfitted with the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) are better at B2B selling than their predecessors, they still have a long way to go before they can be entrusted to close a deal. Essentially, AI-powered chatbots now can engage in more natural-sounding conversation, given that the most advanced are using generative AI—the same conversational technology that undergirds ChatGPT. Plus, AI-powered chatbots also have some ability to engage in free-form, off-the-cuff, somewhat more personalized conversations as compared to their brainless predecessors. Says Kraig Swensrud, CEO, Qualified (qualified.com), a provider of AI-powered chatbots: “We are in the middle of a truly transformative moment in tech, and the tsunami of AI innovation has completely changed the game for marketers.” Perhaps. But even so, consumers can still run into the same problems…

From its beginning, SEMA has proactively supported the aftermarket industry through legislative advocacy at both the state and federal levels. Through the decades it has enhanced its efforts by building alliances within state legislatures and on Capitol Hill to help amplify its voice on critical issues. In fact, to gain congressional support on the Hill, SEMA formed the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus in 1996. The bipartisan group is comprised of members of both chambers with personal and constituent interests in automotive. At the state level, the SEMA-supported State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus is now celebrating 20 years of legislative advocacy. The bipartisan group consists of 441 lawmakers nationwide who seek to preserve the automotive hobby and advocate for new legislation to safeguard the industry. These legislators work in…

From economic and technological challenges to market shifts and major legislative wins, 2025 marked a momentous year for the specialty-equipment industry. What’s more, SEMA and PRI were often at the center of the year’s events, both driving them and helping the industry identify and navigate the emerging hurdles and opportunities. For perspective on some of 2025’s most impactful developments, we turned to the SEMA and PRI staff experts across a variety of disciplines. The following are their observations on the year’s hot-button topics and how they might reverberate in 2026 and beyond. THE LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE FRONT Karen Bailey-Chapman, SEMA Senior Vice President of Public and Government Affairs One of the most disruptive legal issues in 2025 centered around President Trump’s rapid and unpredictable imposition of tariffs beginning last February.…

In an East Room ceremony at the White House a remarkable milestone took place June 12, 2025. President Trump signed a Congressional Review Act resolution revoking three EPA waivers that would have enabled California to ban internal combustion vehicles. By SEMA’s estimate, that stroke of the pen instantly protected more than 333,000 American jobs, preserved $100 billion in annual economic impact for the U.S. economy, and saved the specialty aftermarket industry from certain catastrophe. And among the officials and observers in attendance were SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola, SEMA Senior Director for Federal Government Affairs Eric Snyder and SEMA Senior Vice President for Public and Government Affairs Karen Bailey-Chapman, representing the association that played a catalyzing role in the legislation. “Just walking up to the White House… The grandeur of it…

“WHEN YOU’RE OUT THERE DRIVING IT, YOU’LL BE SURPRISED WITH THE RESPONSE IT’S GOT.” In the mid-‘60s, Car Craft magazine came up with a novel approach to new car testing: Put the vehicles in the hands of car club members to see what real-world enthusiasts like and dislike about Detroit’s latest performance cars. The car club road test that Associate Editor Steve Scott wrote for the February 1966 issue was a significant one. The magazine asked members of the Los Angeles Roadsters Club to give their opinions about the new, street-tuned version of Chrysler’s 426 Hemi. Today, the LA Roadsters is one of the premier car clubs in Southern California. Probably its best-known activity is hosting the Father’s Day Roadster Show and swap meet at the LA County Fairgrounds. In…