Westlake, Texas — January 4, 2017 — Solera has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Autodata, a provider of technical information and knowledge solutions for the automotive service, maintenance and repair industry.
“Throughout a car’s life, there are over 54 transactions that occur between motorists and automotive businesses,” said Tony Aquila, Solera’s founder, Chairman and CEO, reinforcing statements he made during his keynotes presentation at IBIS 2016. “One of Solera’s missions is to digitize the vehicle ownership ecosystem by developing cognitive applications that not only power connectivity and engagement, but also proliferate awareness and transparency across the entire automotive lifecycle.”
Founded in 1975, UK-based Autodata has evolved from publishing do-it-yourself manuals for car enthusiasts and garages, to delivering fully digital cloud-based diagnostics and repair intelligence for professionals. Powered by data from 136 vehicle manufacturers covering over 40,000 models worldwide,
Autodata’s solutions today are deployed by over 90,000 repair shops in over 40 countries. Autodata has been owned by Bowmark Capital and Rothschild & Co’s Five Arrows Principal Investments since 2014.
“Solera’s proprietary Invent & Acquire strategy drives both the innovation and proliferation of our data and software platforms,” said Aquila. “The acquisition of Autodata will not only complement our expanding/existing suite of digital SMR solutions, such as Identifix and Inpart, but will also accelerate the expansion of Solera’s asset protection and risk management solutions in emerging and maturing markets across the globe.”
As technology continues to rapidly drive complex automotive designs, vehicle repair shops increasingly demand sophisticated digital solutions that can enable and sustain efficient aftermarket operations with the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
“Today’s motorists expect automotive service professionals not only to understand every vehicle make and model, but also to provide a faster and more accurate service at highly competitive prices,” said Rod Williams, CEO of Autodata. “Joining the Solera family will not only amplify Autodata’s ability to meet the growing needs of the industry, but will also provide our customers and partners with access to Solera’s highly innovative mindset and forward-thinking solutions.”
