CARS 2026 Executive Outlook: James Channer

CARS reached out to leaders in the automotive repair and service sector of the automotive aftermarket to ask them about their thoughts about the industry over the next 12 months: How will this year be different, what will drive change and what will be the biggest challenge. We will present their answers in alphabetical order over the coming weeks…

You can view the full feature in the February 2026 issue.

James Channer, Co-founder, CEO | InMotion Brands

The next four years will reshape how shops operate, leaders lead and profit is generated more than in the last 20 years combined.

The automotive service industry is not slowing down. It is undergoing a structural shift. The next four years will reshape how shops operate, leaders lead and profit is generated more than in the last 20 years combined.

For years, preparing a shop meant investing in tools, equipment and technical training. That foundation still matters but is no longer enough. Vehicles are more complex, diagnostics take longer and customer expectations continue to rise. The real constraints in most shops today are not capability but time and operational efficiency.

Skilled technicians and service advisors spend too much of their day on manual, repetitive work such as answering phones, re-entering information and managing interruptions. This isn’t a tooling problem. It’s an operational problem.

To succeed in a technology-driven economy, shops must adopt a hybrid service model. People should focus on diagnosis, judgment and customer relationships, while technology handles intake, scheduling, documentation and follow-up. This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about giving them time back to do high-value work, driving profit and trust.

That same thinking applies to talent. The industry has focused heavily on recruitment, but retention is key. New generations don’t want to work in chaos. They want structure, clarity and respect. Proactive shops build structured workflows and clear training that reduce stress and burnout.

Looking ahead to 2026, time will be the defining constraint, and automation the defining advantage. Shop owners who reduce friction, standardize processes and equip their teams with the right technology will operate more productively. That advantage will separate tomorrow’s industry leaders from the rest.