Automechanika Dubai Awards 2026 announces finalists as submissions rise 110%

Dubai, UAE: Automechanika Dubai Awards 2026, with Bridgestone as Lead Sponsor, has announced its finalists following a 110% year-on-year increase in submissions, with this year’s shortlist reflecting the growing role of technology and sustainability across the automotive aftermarket. The sixth edition recorded 748 submissions, compared with 357 in 2025.

Submissions came from 22 countries across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, extending the Awards’ international reach. The shortlist comprises 70 finalists across 15 categories within Service Excellence, Product, Transformation and People, recognising businesses, products and individuals contributing to the industry’s development.

The range of entries reflects an increasingly sophisticated aftermarket, encompassing AI-powered automotive solutions, connected vehicle technologies and digital platforms, as well as advanced components and new workshop and service models. Across these areas, the Awards maintain an emphasis on innovation, measurable impact and demonstrated industry excellence.

Government and public-sector participation is a notable feature of this year’s shortlist, reflecting how automotive innovation is extending into transport safety, mobility infrastructure and digital transformation.

Tommy Le, Show Manager, Automechanika Dubai, said: “For aftermarket businesses, the value of innovation lies in how it improves the work they do, whether that means maintaining vehicles, managing services or supporting safer mobility. This year’s entries show how closely those challenges now connect workshop operators, technology developers and public-sector organisations. Through the Awards, we recognise innovations that deliver practical benefits, improve operational efficiency and help aftermarket businesses adapt to evolving vehicle technologies and customer expectations.

“The growing emphasis on sustainability, digital transformation, operational excellence and talent development reflects how the aftermarket is evolving across the Middle East and Africa. The Awards have become an important platform for recognising the companies and individuals setting new benchmarks and helping the industry adapt to changing vehicle technologies and customer expectations,” he continued.

That breadth is also evident in the Product categories, which include Innovative Product of the Year, Sustainable Product of the Year, Safety Product of the Year and Digital Product of the Year.

Digital products and business transformation feature prominently across the shortlist. The Transformation categories include Digitalisation Project of the Year and Start-Up of the Year.

Service Excellence recognises the businesses delivering vehicle maintenance and customer support, spanning bodyshops, workshops, commercial vehicle services, car care, mobile services and distribution.

The People categories recognise the professionals contributing to the aftermarket’s development through Women in Automotive Aftermarket and Rising Star in Automotive Aftermarket.

Winners will be announced at the Automechanika Dubai Awards ceremony on 11 November 2026, the second day of the exhibition. Organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the 23rd edition of Automechanika Dubai will take place from 10–12 November 2026 at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, bringing the automotive aftermarket community together at the venue for the first time.