New digital app to ease vehicle servicing, repair

Dar es Salaam. A group of young Tanzanians has designed a digital app that has simplified the process of servicing and repairing vehicles.

The Spana App connects vehicle owners to verified garages and mechanics for the service and maintenance of their vehicles.

The app also addresses the challenge of counterfeit spare parts.

The Spana App founder, Mr Julius Mbungo, told The Citizen yesterday that the decision to design the application came after realising that the automotive sector was facing a number of challenges, including a lack of expertise and access to modern tools for local mechanics.

“In Tanzania, the automotive landscape is primarily shaped by a used-car market; this market heavily relies on after-market spare parts, a significant portion of which is unfortunately counterfeit. This influx of fake parts results in frequent breakdowns, compelling car owners to incur maintenance costs that are four times higher than necessary,” he said.

He said car owners were also paying exorbitantly for maintenance services, with the cost of spare parts fluctuating by as much as 30 percent from one shop to another.

“Recognising these three pivotal challenges, we developed the Spana App to address these issues head-on and provide a reliable solution for car owners in Tanzania,” he said.

Mr Mbungo said that at present, the Spana App is actively serving the cities of Dar es Salaam and Arusha, while over 50 garages and 100 mechanics have so far been linked.

The app works in such a way that a customer or business can make a request for any automobile service (repairs or regular servicing) or spare parts at affordable prices. It also offers transparency through real-time price comparisons across different garages and mechanics.

It also comes complete with timely service reminders to ensure no detail is overlooked. A digital service card is integrated into the app to eliminate the need for physical reminders and ensure all details are easily accessible.

The development of the app started in January last year with comprehensive market research involving online surveys and engaging discussions with car owners, mechanics, and spare parts suppliers.

“We diligently conducted numerous tests to validate the market in Tanzania, Kenya, and Namibia, and the response has been incredibly positive, underscoring the resonance of our efforts in tackling common challenges and pain points faced by car owners not only in Tanzania but also across most of sub-Saharan Africa. The feed-back has been truly remarkable,” he said.