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Conference Whispers: AAPEX & SEMA 2026
Conference Whispers ^SM: AAPEX & SEMA 2026

Las Vegas, NV November 3-6, 2026

Published: November 7, 2026 ID: TBW2289

Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

ABSTRACT

AAPEX & SEMA 2026 brought automotive aftermarket professionals, manufacturers, distributors, repair specialists, and technology providers to Las Vegas. Discussions spanned diagnostics, repair workflows, vehicle data, parts distribution, shop operations, warehouse automation, customization, and technician enablement. From precision alignment and advanced diagnostics to supply chain automation and aftermarket innovation, exhibitors showcased technologies supporting the entire vehicle lifecycle.

Computer Talk Radio Edition.

The Conference
- AAPEX & SEMA 2026 brought automotive aftermarket professionals, manufacturers, distributors, repair specialists, and technology providers to Las Vegas. The event leveraged over a million square feet of exhibition and hosted over 150,000 people.
Cautions
- Friendly reminder: this research provides examples of what was shared with us at the event, not an evaluation, validation, or recommendation of the given technology.
Exhibits

Nothing is worse than one’s car not working properly but you cannot figure out what’s wrong. Pico Technology leverages high-speed automotive oscilloscopes which display voltage signals over time to get detailed analysis of electrical waveforms. Oscilloscopes are similar to a voltmeter you might be more familiar with; however, multimeters are a one-time measurement as opposed to continuous changes with graphical displays. This in turn enables observation of waveform shapes, amplitude, rise and fall times, and transient events – critical to diagnostics. The sophistication of their products enables non-intrusive mechanical diagnostics. That means no engine tear downs, which lead to lower costs, and reduced downtime.

Moving to the under belly of the car, Hunter Engineering Company is a well-known exhibitor at Joe’s Garage at AAPEX. Hunter’s HawkEye Elite alignment system leverages high-definition cameras and reflective targets mounted to tires to measure all 4 wheels. These reflective targets avoid rim contact and enable accurate measurement in under 90 seconds! To ensure the tire is truly balanced even under real-world conditions, they leverage the Road Force Elite balancer which applies a load roller against the spinning tire enabling better pinpointing of any structural tire defects and vibration issues others miss.

Getting the best fuel economy is always on everyone’s mind when gas prices are soaring! Engine management includes ECUs (electronic control unit), MAF/MAP sensors (mass air flow/ manifold absolute pressure), O2 sensors and fuel injectors. Together they maintain the air-fuel ratios to maximize fuel economy and minimize tailpipe emissions. For this critical function, quality matters. Low grade replacements will have slower response times or signal drift causing your vehicle to be wasteful as opposed to optimal. Astemo is a worldwide leader and dedicated to quality. They bring this same passion to quality to everything they manufacture spanning throttle bodies, ignition coils, MAF (mass air flow) sensors, CPS and crankshaft sensors, Showa, Nissin, Keihin carburetors, Tokico shocks.

Sometimes one is not trying to customize their vehicle or anything fancy – one just wants a simple replacement part. They don’t want the part to be cheaper and fail to function but rather desire the quality of a new car part. Intermotor produces OE (original equipment) replacement fit and calibration components. Their parts are extensively engineered and tested to ensure they match original European, and Asian import factory calibrations. These calibrations help ensure phantom trouble codes won’t appear with their aftermarket components.

Schaeffler is a Tier-1 engineering powerhouse that supplies original equipment, engineering and system-level manufacturing to major global automakers. These are distributed through brands such as LuK, INA and FAG. They also offer complete repair solutions including every nut and bolt required for successful execution.

Operating the aftermarket and ride performance business of Tenneco, DRiV is home to brands such as Monroe, Moog, Walker, and FelPro. Their dominant focus is on the evolving vehicle platforms. Their new products announced spanned electronic suspension struts, pre-assembled strut assemblies, steering linkages and EV-specific braking/chassis solutions.

Seeking a massive dataset that includes all automotive and light-duty vehicles in North America for the last three decades? Meet DataOne whose dataset is leveraged to power workflows across automotive portals, dealer management systems (DMS), insurance verification, and even warranty platforms. Including details such as trim, safety, and equipment data, their VIN decoding and vehicle specification data set is one to evaluate.

Boosting pick accuracy to reduce turnaround time and optimizing floor footprints for automotive part distributions in the industrial supply chain, Siggins was on site. Their turnkey warehouse automation, conveyor systems and automated storage retrieval systems (ASRS) for sortation lines is worth exploring.

For some, understanding the difference between a flathead and Phillips (cross-head) screwdriver is an accomplishment. For mechanics, it is not about the right tool but the quality and features of the tool. In fact, Infar tools are meant to be multigenerational lifetime tools that you can hand down generation by generation. Infar has been crafting their tools for 50 years and even have a wrench that can work if the bolt is rounded off by almost 80%. Their quality is immediately obvious by looking at or holding a piece in your hand. You might just be afraid to get them dirty!

If you are driving an older American made car, you may find yourself envious when you get a ride in a newer model because of those fancy head units in the dashboard. The new ones have so much more functionality and make the entire interior seem modern. Have no fear Dasaita is here with replacements for most makes and models.

Conference Vibe

Aftermarket Week is what the automotive industry refers to when AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo) and SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) take over Las Vegas. Leveraging more than a million square feet of exhibition, there is not a single hall or parking lot that is not an exhibit space. For example, the walkway from North to West Hall hosted the Battle of the Builders – talk about custom bikes. Registration is spread-out throughout the event. AAPEX held registration on the lower level of the Venetian. For SEMA one could get their badge at West Hall or at South Hall, lower level in the back just inside of the Vegas Loop Station.

Globally, most seek automotive replacement parts as good as new. In the USA however, culturally, we celebrate individuality which translates to customizing our vehicles. AAPEX rearranged exhibits from 2025; admittedly we really like how they moved things around. The standardized international booths were relocated from the beautiful Caesars Forum to the basement of the Venetian. AAPEX Forum was hosted at Caesars Forum and home to all the big engineering firms with their stunning booths under the chandeliers. These firms are just as likely to engineer things for the major OEMs as they are for aftermarket. The Venetian 2^nd story hosts the rest of AAPEX including the famous Joe’s Garage as well as training for mechanics. Venetian Bistro and all of Venetian eateries were open for those requiring a refill while the truck stop is specially created eatery just for exhibitors.

The excitement continued at the Las Vegas Convention Center where SEMA is hosted. West hall hosted vendors for restyling, trucks, SUVs, off-road, powersports and lifestyle. North Hall also hosted restyling, trucks, business services, mobile electronics, and technology! Seeking racing technology or hot rods? Central Hall was the place for you! SEMA parking lots are loaded with custom vehicles everywhere you look. South Hall Upper features collision repair, refinisher, and all related tools and equipment. Finally, South Hall Lower is the place to be if you are thinking about upgrading your wheels, Rims, need new tires or simply seeking collision repair and the tools required for those in the business of repairing vehicles. Much like AAPEX, SEMA also had all the eateries open for when you got hungry. The largest eateries are at West Hall when you first enter. South Hall largest eatery is just outside South Hall Lower. Perhaps the largest eatery is between Central and North Hall food court.

We always try to bring you fresh vendors in our coverage but you will recognize many brands in the walkabout from our prior coverage such as the AAPEX & SEMA 2025, and AAPEX & SEMA 2024 and our coverage of related events such as Advanced Clean Transportation or ACT Expo 2026 and CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026.

We once again live streamed from on site both at AAPEX and SEMA to share the experience. Be sure to catch coverage on my syndicated segment on the nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.

We conducted research for additional forthcoming Whisper Reports. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel.
Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: AAPEX & SEMA 2026 Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be cited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.

The video edition will conclude with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending AAPEX & SEMA live in Las Vegas?”.

Next Year’s Conference

The AAPEX & SEMA will once again return to Las Vegas. AAPEX 2027 will run from Tuesday, November 2 to Thursday, November 4, 2027, and the SEMA Show 2027 will run from Tuesday, November 2 to Friday, November 5, 2027. It will once again be held at the Sands Convention Center, Caesars Forum, and Las Vegas Convention Center.

^*When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples products in the same category may have also been on display.

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©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, and One Change a Month, Vegas Convention Library; Leading Professionals, Real Questions, Real Time, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.
November 9, 2026
Conference Whispers: NAB Show 2026
Las Vegas, NV April 19-22

Published: April 25, 2026 ID: TBW2177

Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

Computer Talk Radio Edition

ABSTRACT

“NAB Show 2026 in Las Vegas convened over 58,000 media and broadcast professionals across production, distribution, and operations. On the show floor, conversations centered on evolving broadcast stacks, asset management realities, creation workflows, and physical infrastructure. Examples on display reflected shifts toward flexibility, scalability, and integration without consensus on where standardization ultimately settles across the industry today.”

The Conference
- A community of over 58,000 media and broadcast professionals gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
- 70% of the attendees were buyers with 48% were first-time registered attendees.
Cautions
- Friendly reminder: this research provides examples of what was shared with us at the event, not an evaluation, validation, or recommendation of the given technology.
- Just because a technology can do something in general doesn’t mean it will work in your environment. It is critical to validate a technology including its false positive and error rates.
Modern Broadcast Stack

The Lexi Language Layer by AI Media acts as a secure regulated gateway for major broadcasters ensuring captioning and language services meet strict broadcast standards. With an incredible 80% market share, this platform enables AI native tool integration at the final point of broadcast distribution. This in turn enables the capture of valuable viewer and content insights. All of this capability has been moved from a traditional Capex model to an Opex model enabling broadcasters to quickly update their equipment.

Brightcove is all about scale achieved through strategic innovation and investment. In fact, Brightcove was acquired by Bending Spoons resulting in over 20 new major features and capabilities since the closing a year ago. Brightcove brings their end-to-end solution to Broadcasters, Media Networks, Sports Networks, and Publishers.

Moving coverage from the platform to networks, one of the longest desires in broadcasting is the ability to leverage Internet-based flexible workflows. Zixi started with this goal in mind and delivers a dynamic protocol translation including IP. They are excited about the ease with which they enable their customers to create regional variants for thousands of events at once. This enablement spans language, cultural, and local requirements without physical hardware in every market.

WOWZA provides media infrastructure that can run on your laptop, avoiding monthly cloud fees. Their claim to fame is the ability to connect users to live video feeds. Since it can run on a laptop, they are able to operate behind firewalls to provide a video intelligence framework or the plumbing to apply AI. This AI can be applied to live video in real-time. Furthermore, this solution runs on a Java stack enabling portability across Linux, Windows, macOS, and containerized laptops.

Manage What You Create

Many in media have mountains and mountains of data but have no idea what they have or more importantly cannot find what they want on demand. Axle AI enables semantics search over all your videos. Thanks to an acquisition since we last covered them, they now feature extensive capabilities for photographs as well. If your organization insists data must remain localized for security and data control reasons, Axle AI has you covered. Finally, the solution runs in a browser.

One of the more difficult tasks in media workflows is how to ensure everyone has access to what they need without extensive delays. The IT team worries about the network costs of constantly moving massive amounts of data. In the meantime, legal is terribly worried about having the organization’s IP spread everywhere. Lucidlink prides itself on enabling global instant access to media teams from centralized storage without massive, constant file movement.

Planetcast provides an end-to-end broadcast ecosystem powered by 100% Planetcast intellectual property and code. This ownership enables full control over the infrastructure enabling flexible, hybrid, workflow operations. A key focus today is empowering customers with searchability and meta indexing for asset management.

Create Faster, Smarter

Endless sessions run throughout the event. For example, here is a quick peek at, “How fortune brands are betting on Creatives”. In this session, it was emphasized that organizations should develop ecosystems and relationships as opposed to strictly transactional. The best relationships have the most impact over time, not just a one-off advertisement hit piece.

So how can one create these wonderful assets? Coming soon to a Library, Media Room, or Shared office space near you is Studiomatics’ One-button Studio Go recording kiosk. Enjoy the demo to understand how easy this sophisticated system is to operate. From auto user detection to integrated digital lightboard, whiteboard, and easy content sharing, everything is automated right to the delivery of the created video.

A software solution that aggregates asset libraries, collaboration tools, enterprise features, Freepik enables IT and security over all AI models. Furthermore, their complete creative studio enables real-time collaboration and offers support and training.

Human & Physical Layer

Backpacks are an asset in any industry, but in media many carry sensitive, heavy equipment, particularly cameras and related gear. The Wandrd backpack shared their solution that provides 3 different sizes and 7 colors portfolio. Each pack works with a series of modular interior camera cubes. This flexibility alongside their designs with zippers anywhere you might need one, it’s a fun product to evaluate for your needs if you’re in media or simply want a highly useful, flexible, backpack system.

A common required asset in the media, commercial, LED displays, unlike those of consumers’, are specifically designed for long, often continuous operations. GCL was excited to share that they have a warehouse full of inventory in Dallas, Texas. Their inventory is ready to go them with 3-year local support. GCL has been manufacturing LED displays for 27 years.

Conference Vibe

After over 50 videos including two livestreams and over a dozen fact checks, our coverage of NAB Show 2026 closes. Registration was quite efficient and was available at every hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center sans South Hall that hosted another event – Wrestle Mania Fan Fest. West Hall featured the AI Innovation Pavilion, Start-Up Pavilion, and Sports Theater. Central Hall hosted the Creator Center, TV and Radio Headquarters as well as a massive networking lounge. North Hall hosted the Main Stage and vendors related to production workflows. The standard transportation options were available at the Las Vegas Convention Center be it the Vegas Loop or taking the West to North Hall connector bridge. Likewise, the standard eateries across West Hall and Central and North Halls including their shared food court.

We always try to bring you fresh vendors in our coverage, but you will recognize many brands in the walkabout from our coverage of prior NAB Shows in 2025 and 2024, as well as InfoComm.

We once again live streamed from on site. On Sunday from North Hall and Monday from West Hall. Specifically, we request those attending to find me to answer Questions 1-6, to introduce all to TBW Advisors LLC, and request assistance. Specifically, I requested assistance on your favorite videos for my syndicated segment on the April 25th nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.

We conducted research for six additional forthcoming Whisper Reports for our clients. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel.
Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: NAB Show 2026 Las Vegas Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be sited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.

The video edition will conclude with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending the NAB Show live in Las Vegas?”.

Next Year’s Conference

The 2026 Vegas NAB Show will once again return to Las Vegas Convention Center on April 4-7, 2027.

^*When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples of products in the same category may have also been on display.

Corporate Headquarters

2884 Grand Helios Way

Henderson, NV 89052

©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Vegas Convention Library, and One Change a Month, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.
April 25, 2026

Tag: vegas loop

ABSTRACT

Conference Vibe

Next Year’s Conference

ABSTRACT

The Conference

Cautions