The RV, marine, and powersports industries waste billions annually because nobody speaks the same data language—a problem automotive solved forty years ago.
Estimated revenue lost to bad data quality in the RV industry alone
Aftermarket parts returns caused by fitment errors in outdoor recreation manufacturing
avg. integration cost per system per location for dealers and OEs to move their own data around
Employee time spent searching for information due to data disorganization
Picture a $300,000 motorhome rolling through its lifecycle. The chassis manufacturer records build specs in one system. The RV manufacturer uses another. The dealer manually enters data into three different platforms. The service department can't access configuration details without phone calls and PDFs. When that unit sells used, all that information vanishes, forcing the next owner to start from zero.
Our problem isn't lack of technology. The problem is we work in industries where every company invented their own way to describe the same information. The same floor plan might be "36B5" at the factory, "Appalachia 36ft 5 Series" at the dealer, and "App36B5F" in service records. We're burning billions annually and thousands of hours just trying to understand vehicles we already built.
We need common language. The internet works because everyone agreed on HTTP, or how email flows between any provider using SMTP, the recreation industries need an open protocol defining how to structure and exchange unit information. This means standardized schemas for complete configurations including base vehicles, components, and modifications. It means APIs that let any system query build data without custom integrations. It means consistent vocabulary so "generator" isn't also "genset" or "power unit" across different platforms. When OEMs publish data once in standard format, it flows automatically to dealer inventory systems, service departments, parts catalogs, and marketplaces without manual re-entry. Dealers stop typing the same VIN eight times. Service techs get instant configuration lookups. Parts suppliers eliminate 35% return rates from fitment errors. Customers see accurate, comparable data everywhere.
The automotive aftermarket generates $855 billion using exactly this approach through ACES and PIES standards that the recreation industries ignore despite the infrastructure already supporting RVs, boats, and powersports vehicles. The path forward requires industry coordination through a neutral 501(c)(3) consortium where manufacturers, dealers, and suppliers collaborate on open specifications anyone can implement. Not a platform to license or a database to populate—just the rulebook for how data moves. Early adopters will capture competitive advantage through operational efficiency. Network effects will drive broader adoption as more participants create more value. Eventually, not participating means isolation from an ecosystem where information flows seamlessly. The opportunity cost of inaction is massive: dealers losing 20-30% of revenue to inefficiency, manufacturers fielding endless specification calls, and customers unable to verify what they're buying.
The standards exist. The playbook is proven. The only question is whether this industry learns from automotive's success or continues burning billions on a problem that's already been solved.