Repairify and NAPA have joined forces to give repair shops access to original equipment tools.

Auto service/repair technology and data provider Repairify announced a “preferred partnership” with the aftermarket auto parts and repair giant to create asTech Mechanical, a single device the companies said allows shop owners to use most OE tools remotely.

“For almost a decade, we’ve been the global leader in remote OEM solutions for collision repair,” asTech president Craig Edmonds said. “We’ve long understood that our same patented technology could also serve the needs of mechanical shops, and a partnership with NAPA helps us scale our solution to introduce the asTech Mechanical solution suite to the industry.”

In a news release, the companies said the need for OE tools is rising as vehicle technology grows in quantity and complexity, citing a study by Hanover Research and Babcox that suggests more than 20% of repairs require an OE diagnostic tool to do properly. But because OE tools often require a large upfront investment, costly upkeep and specialized knowledge, shop owners can’t always get access to them.

asTech Mechanical is designed to enable shops to remotely connect to OE tools operated by a certified technician to perform programming, calibrations and vehicle health checks on a pay-per-use basis, allowing them to keep more repairs in-house and create a smooth customer experience.

“As a leader in the aftermarket repair industry, we’re dedicated to improving technician and shop efficiency,” said John Molidor, NAPA product category director for tools and equipment. “Our partnership with Repairify to launch asTech Mechanical will bring much needed resources to shop owners as we look to the future of vehicle technology.”

Repairify said its asTech Mechanical is now available on compatible Launch and Autel devices.