ETI Member Company Profile
The year was 1990. The average price for a gallon of gasoline was $1.34. And OBD2 technology hadn’t yet been standardized on vehicles. It was also the year that Innova Electronics, Corp. and the INNOVA® brand of automotive diagnostic equipment launched. INNOVA was established by Equus Products, an automotive aftermarket diagnostic and test and tune equipment manufacturer, to serve as its R&D arm for providing automotive OEMs, technicians and consumers with new innovative tools and services for diagnosing the computerized vehicles of today and tomorrow.
In the mid-1990s the automotive timing light category had become a dying breed as more and more high tech vehicles were made with distributorless (DIS) ignition systems. Enter INNOVA’s engineering and technical teams, which adapted their knowledge and integrated the latest ignition system technology to develop both revolutionary timing lights to work with DIS systems and the DIS Tester. This DIS expertise also enabled Innova to collaborate with SMP and Dana to develop the first in-store tester to help counter staff catch catastrophic failures and reduce returns of expensive Conventional and DIS ignition modules.
Among the most notable milestones in Innova’s history are the development of its on-board diagnostic tools and database. In 1996, when the U.S. government standardized OBD2 on vehicles, INNOVA set out to tap into this technology to help efficiently solve “check engine” problems, and improve communication between consumers and their mechanics. By 2001, the INNOVA® 3100 OBD2 Diagnostic Tool was launched. Each of the INNOVA tools today are designed with the technician's desire for speed and ease of use in mind, while integrating unique and patented features. The 3100 features a patented single-screen display that enables users of all levels to quickly check for OBD2-related problems, get emissions readiness status and quickly confirm and verify repairs. Continuous product improvements and demand from the marketplace have now morphed into a complete OBD diagnostic tool program. The company recently introduced its Innova Pro CarScan® line of professional-grade automotive diagnostic tools launched to include ABS and SRS coverage, state-of-the-art processing chip and additional pro-grade features.
“Today, more information is available than ever before to help technicians and consumers alike pinpoint what’s wrong with the more than 200 million OBD vehicles on the road today and get the repairs made quickly, accurately and cost-effectively,” said Ieon C. Chen, Innova’s CEO. “ETI has been a wealth of knowledge and resources to help INNOVA in our effort to improve the relationship and level of satisfaction between the automotive industry, technicians and customers.”
Earlier this year, Innova Electronics, Corp., moved its headquarters to a new building in Irvine, Calif. The team is always looking for talented team members to help develop and support its INNOVA products directly from its U.S.A.-based headquarters. | NAVIGATE |