ZF Aftermarket Links Remote Diagnostics, Digital Service Coordination and Parts Ordering to Speed Repairs
ZF Aftermarket is combining remote diagnostics, digital workshop coordination and data-driven parts ordering into open workflows that shorten the repair journey, showcased at Automechanika Frankfurt 2026.
- 2,000+
- 50,000+
- 95%
What Happened
Repair processes are becoming more digital, but many fleets and workshops still work across separate systems from issue detection to parts procurement. That creates delays and inefficiencies. At Automechanika Frankfurt 2026, ZF Aftermarket is demonstrating open digital workflows that connect existing customer systems with ZF and partner solutions, bringing critical steps together. The company says this helps customers move from problem detection to completed repair with greater speed, transparency and efficiency, and is showcasing its Mobility Uptime solutions at Forum Level 01.
“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.”
For remote diagnostics, ZF Bus Connect, ZF Aftermarket's telematics and fleet management solution for buses, can be linked with ZF [pro]Diagnostics, its workshop-grade diagnostic software, through a CAN Tunnel connection. Technicians can remotely access vehicle diagnostic systems and begin troubleshooting before the vehicle arrives at the workshop. Vehicle data from the CAN network is transmitted through ZF Bus Connect and made available remotely within ZF [pro]Diagnostics. That helps identify root causes earlier and enables maintenance decisions before vehicles reach the workshop. The setup supports comprehensive remote diagnostic sessions rather than only alerts and notifications, and the same CAN Tunnel works with third-party diagnostic providers.
- ECU information
- Diagnostic trouble codes
- Live sensor values
- Diagnostic routines
For service coordination, ZF [pro]Manager acts as a workshop's 24/7 digital front desk and is linked with fleet management solutions to turn service demand into structured digital workflows. One implemented example is an integration with Vandy, a partner fleet service platform, where vehicle condition information can be converted into service cases, workshop availability matched with service requirements, and repair appointments scheduled digitally. The same principle will later apply to ZF Bus Connect and ZF SCALAR, ZF's fleet orchestration platform for commercial vehicle operations. With its open API architecture, the platform can work with ZF and third-party solutions, and fleet operators can identify workshops with the right capabilities, book appointments and track service progress through Vandy.
For parts ordering, ZF MultiScan, which gives workshops a broad diagnostic foundation with 95 percent coverage of the passenger car segment on European roads, can be combined with electronic distributor parts catalogs. After a diagnostic scan, vehicle and fault information are transferred directly into the integrated parts catalog, giving workshops immediate recommendations for compatible parts with pricing and availability. That eliminates the need for manual fault-code interpretation and separate catalog searches. ZF says parts recommendations driven by diagnostic data help workshops identify the correct part the first time, reduce time between diagnosis and procurement, and allow more vehicles to be processed per day; for complex repairs, a single scan generates a comprehensive parts overview.
“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.”
Previously from ZF
ZF Aftermarket's fleet management solutions were shortlisted for two Automechanika Innovation Awards in early August, underlining a focus on reducing downtime and improving fleet operations. ZF has separately said software-defined commercial vehicles can improve uptime, efficiency and safety for fleets, ahead of IAA Transportation 2026.
- ZF Aftermarket Nominated for Two Innovation Awards at Automechanika Frankfurt 2026
- ZF Shows How Software-Defined Commercial Vehicles Deliver Value in Daily Operations
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of ZF's official releases.
Why this matters
Repairs are slowed when fleets, workshops and parts distributors work in separate systems. ZF's connected workflows let technicians diagnose faults before a vehicle arrives, match service demand with workshop capacity and order the right parts automatically, so vehicles spend less time off the road. More than 2,000 fleets and 50,000 workshops sit in the network ZF says it wants to make more efficient.
Terms in This Story
- Telematics
- Technology that transmits vehicle data over networks for remote monitoring and management.
- CAN network
- An in-vehicle network standard, Controller Area Network, that lets electronic modules communicate with each other.
- ECU
- Electronic control unit, a computer that manages a specific vehicle function.
- API
- Application programming interface, a set of rules that lets different software systems exchange data and functions.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.