42-Volt, On Board Diagnostics Challenge Service Technicians at SAE Congress

    WARRENDALE, Pa., Jan. 23 Service technicians from around
the country will learn about 42-volt technology and on board diagnostics (OBD)
systems at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2001 World Congress in
Detroit, Michigan, March 5-8.
    Sponsored by the Service Technicians Society (STS), an affiliate of SAE,
the educational "conference within a conference" will concentrate on critical
issues in the service and repair industry.
    The first session on Monday, March 5 will cover what information the
OBD II system gives and does not give a technician.  Cosponsored by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this session will also include a
workshop for the aftermarket service technician focusing on Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEM) service information issues.
    "Will OBD III be the Future of Emission Testing?" session introduces a
revolutionary light-duty vehicle emissions testing system that would use the
OBD II system and a transponder to produce real-time emissions readings while
the vehicle is on the road.  This session is slated for Monday afternoon.
    On Tuesday, March 6, the afternoon sessions will kick off with "Diagnostic
Knowledge Management," a strategy that improves cost of ownership and customer
satisfaction, while providing shorter time-to-market and faster turnaround at
significant cost savings.
    A second Tuesday afternoon session, "Service Issues for 42-Volt Systems,"
will cover how the service community deals with this transition to a more
powerful battery, what training will be needed and what new tools need to be
developed.  Other questions addressed will deal with safety issues and how
42-volt affects diagnostic systems.
    STS was established in 1996 and currently has more than 6,000 members in
50 states and 25 foreign countries.  The Society provides a forum for
technical information exchange, skill development, and networking with other
technicians, shop owners and industry representatives in all mobility service
industries.  For further information on STS call 1-800-787-9596 or visit the
STS website at http://www.sts.sae.org.
    To register for the SAE 2001 World Congress and the STS conference or to
get further information on the event, visit the SAE website at
http://www.sae.org/congress.