Nissan Middle East has been a leading driver of the initiative to reduce the presence of counterfeit spare parts in the region. We take a look at the efforts undertaken to tackle the issue in this exclusive interview with Thierry Sabbagh, President, Nissan Saudi Arabia, INFINITI Middle East and Managing Director, Nissan Middle East.

Question 1: When consumers buy counterfeit parts, do they have to be worried about doing something illegal? Like piracy laws, do they have to fear a penalty?

Thierry Sabbagh: Counterfeit parts, which continue to plague the automotive industry across the Middle East and wider region, are deemed unlawful due to their infringement of intellectual property rights and the risk they pose to consumer safety. The legal ramifications pertaining to counterfeit parts, vary from country to country, with the most stringent penalties being placed on the production and distribution of these harmful products. Consequences encompass a spectrum of punitive measures, ranging from monetary fines to imprisonment, to deter individuals and organizations from participating in counterfeiting activities and endangering motorists’ lives.

Question 2: Spreading awareness at various sources could be important to tackling the issue. So do you have a programme for everyone who buys a Nissan?

Thierry Sabbagh: Awareness is always paramount. The primary objective remains to raise awareness and empower customers of Nissan products and spare parts with the knowledge to discern subtle differences between genuine and commonly counterfeited parts, such as spark plugs, brake pads, and oil filters.

At Nissan, we take great pride in developing and delivering comprehensive counterfeit spare part identification training sessions to authorities, partners, wholesale distributors, and customers across the Middle East. Through close collaboration with our extensive network of partners across the region, we educate customers in physical and virtual domains. Our efforts include informative displays at retail and service locations, as well as videos on our owned social media platforms.

Question 3: Is there any modern way of technologically fool-proofing it, by using something like a hologram seal or more advanced? What is being done in this direction?

In the automotive industry, anti-counterfeiting measures encompass a range of techniques, including supply chain monitoring, tamper-evident packaging, and the integration of unique identification numbers within parts.

While hologram seals have traditionally served as a deterrent against counterfeiting, we acknowledge the associated risks and the relative ease with which counterfeit seals can be produced. It is for this reason that we have placed a greater emphasis on leveraging technology as a robust solution. In specific markets that Nissan operates in, we have embraced the adoption of QR codes, enabling customers to effortlessly differentiate between genuine and counterfeit products using their smartphones. This advanced approach enhances our ability to ensure product authenticity and safeguard customer trust.

Question 4: AI is being used everywhere to make jobs easier and seamless. Can Artificial Intelligence through a phone scan recognize a fake part from an original? Will it soon be available if not now?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving a transformative wave across industries and reshaping life as we know it. Within the realm of counterfeit part detection, AI presents the potential for significant assistance, but remains subject to several critical factors that influence its efficacy and precision.

In order to establish AI as an indispensable tool against counterfeit parts, it will need to be complemented by human expertise, physical inspections, and verification methodologies. It is only when a comprehensive approach is adopted that AI will be able to ensure foolproof recognition of counterfeit products in all scenarios.

More facts on counterfeit parts and Nissan’s continuing campaign against it: Towards spreading awareness, Nissan has utilized their broad aftersales ecosystem, developing and delivering training to authorities, partners and customers in counterfeit spare part identification so as to plug the trend at various levels. They have so far included customs authorities, economic departments and police in Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Bahrain and Dubai, with the aim to spread across Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar. The focus has been on detecting the subtle differences between a genuine and counterfeit product in frequently counterfeited items like spark plugs, brake pads and oil filters. The importance of such awareness building is evident in the words of Mubarak Saeed Al Katheri, Inspector at Abu Dhabi Customs: “By raising awareness about how to determine the authenticity of products, such training workshops facilitate our daily operations, and support our inspectors at Abu Dhabi Customs to easily discover non-genuine products.”

In the first half of the year alone, Nissan initiated visits to 320 retailers across the GCC to verify the genuineness of aftersales products. At the Nissan Aftersales Conference too, earlier this year, the need to embrace phygital touchpoints in creating a seamless ownership experience for Nissan customers was reiterated.

Nissan’s aftersales product portfolio in the Middle East has over three million spare parts, including Nissan Genuine Oil, Nissan Genuine Batteries, and Nissan Genuine Accessories. This is supported by over 500 Value Advantage® parts that offer Nissan-validated performance, quality, and easy installation at a more affordable price.

Nissan has a strong aftersales network across eight certified distributors with a total of 101 branches. By servicing vehicles at certified Nissan aftersales centers, customers stand to gain many advantages, including repair warranty, technical expertise, and on-time service.

Customers who encounter counterfeit spare parts or would like to confirm the authenticity of a product can reach out to Nissan’s regional call center at +971 600 54 6655 or via email at customercare@nissan-me.ae