Dominican Republic. The academic program of the AutoAmericas Show 2026 will bring together experts on March 20 and 21 at Hotel Dominican Fiesta, with conferences focused on automotive market trends, workshop management, car audio and automotive air conditioning.
With the aim of strengthening knowledge and promoting professional updating in the industry, the AutoAmericas Show 2026 will hold its conference program on March 20 and 21 in the Amber Room of the Dominican Fiesta Hotel, in Santo Domingo.
The academic space seeks to offer tools and analysis for workshops, distributors, technicians and entrepreneurs to understand the changes that the automotive sector is going through, marked by technological transformation, sustainability and new market dynamics.
During the conference, talks will be held with a practical approach led by aftermarket specialists, who will address issues related to innovation, smart mobility, business management and business opportunities in the industry.
The program will begin on March 20 with conferences on business growth in workshops and brand development in the automotive sector. Among them is the talk "How to scale your workshop without losing family essence", presented by Cristian Jaramillo, general manager of Quality Centro Automotriz de Ecuador, who will address strategies to professionalize the operation without losing the values that characterize family businesses.
That same day, Diego Veloz, owner of Veloz Audio in Florida, will share his experience at the conference "From technician to leading brand: How to build a successful business from scratch in the U.S. Car Audio, Marine Audio and Automotive Customization market", where he will analyze the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to expand in the United States.
Car audio will also have a prominent space with the talk "Car Audio: Why is it essential?", by Roberto Ferro, DS18 specialist, together with John Maxxicars, founder of Maxxicars and MAF2, who will analyse how these systems have become a fundamental part of the driving experience and a business opportunity for the sector.
In terms of commercial management, Angélica Daniela Chavarro Moller and Sergio Rubén Hernández García, from Tuulapp, will present the conference "How to sell more in your workshop with the customers you already have", focused on strategies to increase revenue from the current customer base.
The agenda of the first day will also include the seminar "Current Panorama of Automotive A/C", given by Agnes Pérez Morales, automotive technical educator of Auto Air Parts of Puerto Rico, who will analyze the recent evolution of these systems driven by new environmental regulations, changes in refrigerants and the advance of vehicle electrification.
Subsequently, the CALA Awards Panel will be held, where finalists for the Best Repair Workshop recognition will share experiences on the evolution of the sector, technological challenges and the professionalization of service in the Latin American aftermarket. The day will conclude with the award ceremony of the CALA Awards 2026.
The second day of the program will begin with the conference "Automotive Market Trends in Latin America", presented by Guillermo Rosales, executive president of AMDA, who will offer an updated overview of the changes that are redefining the industry in the region.
Likewise, David Ibarra, general manager of loyalty networks at Groupauto, will present the talk "The network that builds loyalty wins the market: From isolated independence to a structure with solid pillars", focused on collaboration and loyalty models within workshop networks.
The agenda will continue with a conference on new automotive refrigerants, again by Agnes Pérez Morales, where the transition to low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and the technical challenges it implies for workshops will be analyzed.
Finally, Luis Eduardo Hernández Orozco, Sales Manager Mexico of SIDEM, will present the talk "Engineering under new loads: suspension in the electric era", in which he will explain how the electrification of vehicles is transforming the design of suspension systems due to the greater structural weight, instantaneous torque and the integration of ADAS systems.
The academic program is aimed at professionals in the automotive sector interested in updating their knowledge, strengthening their businesses and learning about the trends that are setting the course of the aftermarket in Latin America and the Caribbean.
