October 2023 Midwest Edition

Dodge Muscle Cars Once Again Top HLDI’s List of Most-Stolen Vehicles

Two Dodge muscle cars, the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and Dodge Charger HEMI, once again top the Highway Loss Data Institute’s list of the most-stolen vehicles for model years 2020-22. Meanwhile, a viral trend targeting Hyundai-Kia vehicles propelled four Kia models into the top 20.

has increased at a stunning rate. For 2020-22 Charger SRT Hellcat models, there were 25 whole-vehicle theft claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years, up from about 18 for 2019-21 models. For comparison, the most-stolen 2017-19 model, the Infiniti Q60, had only two thefts per 1,000 insured vehicle years.

Chicago Sues Hyundai, Kia Over Steep Rise in Vehicle Thefts

By Brad Anderson CarScoops

The City of Chicago has sued both Hyundai and Kia in response to the car theft crisis city officials say has been fueled by vehicles from the South Korean car manufacturers.

The lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County and notes that Kia Corporation, Kia America, Hyundai Motor Company and Hyundai Motor America failed to equip most cars sold in the U.S. between 2011 and 2022 with immobilizers. The City of Chicago is asking the court to hit the car manufacturers with fines, issue an injunction to prevent them from advertising their cars as being fitted with key safety features, and also wants

REGIONAL NEWS

Theft claims for the Charger SRT Hellcat were more than 60 times more frequent than the average for all 2020-22 models, relative to their numbers on the road, while theft claims for the Charger HEMI were more than 20 times higher than average, HLDI’s latest whole-vehicle theft report shows.

Charger and Challenger models with large, powerful engines have featured among the top five moststolen vehicles since model year 2011, but the frequency of claims

“If you own a Hellcat, you better check your driveway,” said HLDI Senior Vice President Matt Moore “These numbers are unbelievable.”

Other frequently stolen 202022 models included luxury vehicles made by BMW, Infiniti and Land Rover, and three large pickups with powerful engines.

Relatively inexpensive models from Honda, Kia and Nissan round out the list. Thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles soared in recent years

l CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

them to pay damages to the city.

Last year, 21,425 cars were stolen in the city. A staggering 41% of stolen cars were Hyundai and Kia models, despite those only accounting for 7% of cars on local roads. Things have gotten even worse this year, with thefts already up more than 100% from the same point last year, hitting 19,062. In some months, Hyundai and Kia models account for more than 50% of cars stolen.

“The impact of car theft on Chicago residents can be deeply destabilizing, particularly for low- to middle-income workers who have fewer options for getting to work and taking care of their families,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install basic anti-theft prevention technology in these models is sheer

l CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Iowa School Board Approves IGNITE Auto Repair Classes Through SWCC

By Ethan Hewett KMA Land News

Shenandoah Community School District officials in Iowa have thrown their support behind a career technology education program for IGNITE students.

Meeting in regular session Aug. 14, the Shenandoah School Board approved an educational services contract with Southwestern Community College in Creston, IA, for auto repair technology

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

coursework for the 2023-24 school year. Speaking on KMA’s “Morning Line” program Aug. 15, Shenandoah School Superintendent Dr. Kerri Nelson said the agreement is primarily to serve their online students who don’t have as easy of access to their other community college partners.

“Typically we’ve worked with Iowa Western and Tarkio Tech, but this is limited to IGNITE students who live in that particular region

l CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

Columnist Mike Anderson: Does Your Shop Lump In Unrelated Costs with ‘Paint Materials’?

Columnist Abby Andrews: NHTSA, Massachusetts Find Common Ground on State’s Right to Repair Law

Columnist Stacey Phillips: New 3M™ Skills Development Center Will Provide Comprehensive Collision Repair Training

Columnist John Yoswick: Air Conditioning Evacuation and Recharge

Times Questioned

SATAjet X 5500 universe – Your ticket to the exclusive world of SATA

The SATAjet X 5500 universe is two things: a SATA premium paint spray gun, and your key to the SATA universe – a whole world full of exclusive content, benefits and promotions. Within the SATA universe, you can participate in special raffles. You'll be among the first to know when new SATA products appear on the horizon. Immediately following your registration you will be granted access to exclusive content.

Don't hesitate to get your SATAjet X 5500 universe.

Scan the QR code on your SATA universe gun. Register. And become part of something big.

COLUMNISTS

Mike Anderson Does Your Shop Lump In Unrelated Costs with ‘Paint Materials’?

Abby Andrews NHTSA, Massachusetts Find Common Ground on State’s Right to Repair Law 26 Toby Chess

Index of Advertisers

Electric Grid & Infrastructure Challenges Could Limit EV Adoption

By Stacey Phillips Autobody News

With seven states taking steps to require all new passenger vehicles sold to be zero emissions by 2035, experts are looking closely at the cost and environmental impact of these cars, including their production, operation and disposal. The states include California, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington.

Dr. Robert Freerks, a consultant in fuels and lubricants at RLF Enterprises, shared information during a webinar hosted by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) about whether the current infrastructure can support the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) to meet the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

“These systems store power when electricity costs are low and supplement power during high points of consumption, helping to stabilize costs and help maximize renewable energy use,” explained Barrosa.

“To make a ton battery, which goes into a vehicle like a Tesla, you need to move between 700,000 and 1.3 million tons of earth,” he explained. “That is an incredible impact on the environment to move that much earth to get the raw materials to make a single battery.”

When evaluating the environmental impact of an EV, Freerks recommended taking a life cycle assessment, which includes looking at all energy sources and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the total lifecycle of a product.

In California, for example, Freerks said, EVs have about a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to an ICE vehicle. However, if that same

battery recycling and disposal.

“The number of spent batteries that are going to be generated by these EVs is skyrocketing now and it’s going to get worse in 2040 if mandates for EVs become more prevalent,” said Freerks.

Infrastructure changes will need to be made to accommodate EV growth. This includes the availability of convenient charging stations. Electrify America is taking steps to meet this challenge by investing more than $2 billion in EV charging infrastructure and education.

Barossa said Electrify America and Electrify Canada expect to double the number of chargers on the combined networks by 2026. He estimates

“Everyone thinks of them as zeroemissions vehicles but… they have emissions from all of the energy that went into producing them, as well as the energy required to make the electricity that drives them,” said Freerks, who has a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry.

A main challenge, according to Freerks, is the electric grid is not set up to deliver the huge amounts of power needed to keep an EV fleet moving.

“It’s going to be an incredibly expensive increase in our electrical demand and supply to make an EV market work,” he said. “We’re not going to get there. There’s no way we are going to have zero emissions by 2050 in any realistic sense.”

However, Electrify America points to studies showing grid generation capacity is more than capable of meeting charging needs even with high EV market growth.

“There are innovative ways to support the electricity needs of the fast-growing EV industry—particularly through battery energy storage,” said Robert Barossa, president and CEO of Electrify America.

As of 2022, Electrify America installed on-site, behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems (BESS) at more than 160 DC-fast charging stations around the country, including over 90 installations in California.

Raw Materials Used to Produce EVs

Compared to an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, Freerks said the raw materials needed to produce an EV are massive. While conventional cars use aluminum and iron as the primary source of their metals, EVs and their batteries rely on huge amounts of precious metals, such as copper and lithium.

“Copper is becoming in short supply and an EV has four times as much copper in it than an ICE vehicle,” he noted. “We are going to be short of a lot of raw materials that are going to make these EVs producible.”

Although there is a relatively low volume of lithium in an EV, Freerks said the price has quadrupled over the last several months. The annual average U.S. lithium carbonate price in 2021 was more than double the previous year, according to research from a U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, in January 2022.

“Metal costs are going up quickly and are going to increase the cost of batteries, and therefore, the vehicles that use them,” he said.

This is partly due to the reliance on raw materials from other countries.

“We’re going to end up relying on other countries… for a lot of the raw materials that make our transportation system work,” observed Freerks.

Along with the seven states, Great Britain aims to go all-electric by 2035.

“If they did, they would need 7.2 million battery EVs, or about 1% of the total vehicle fleet,” said Freerks. “I can’t see that happening. It would take almost all the raw materials in the world today to make one country all electric.”

Environmental Impact of EVs and Battery Production

In addition to raw material shortages and rising costs, Freerks said EV lithium-ion batteries have a massive environmental impact.

car is operating in a state like Colorado, where there is a lot of coal used to make electricity, greenhouse gases are higher than a gasoline vehicle.

“There are always greenhouse gas emissions for any energy source that is produced,” explained Freerks.

Even a wind farm or solar field, for example, emits greenhouse gas emissions.

“There are ways that we can get that down to zero or even negative, but it takes a lot of effort and essentially a lot of costs to get there,” he added.

EV Battery Considerations

Although reports show battery costs are declining and expected to dip below $100 per cell, and advances in battery types and chemistries occur almost daily, Freerks contends the opposite.

He forecasts battery costs to continue to rise and be a significant cost of EVs moving forward due to the major shortage and cost for materials.

At the same time, battery risks remain high. Vehicle owners and manufacturers will have to contend with EV batteries catching on fire if they aren’t handled properly. According to Battery University, they must be put out with a foam extinguisher, CO2, ABC dry chemical, powder graphite, copper powder or sodium carbonate. If the fire can’t be extinguished, they need to burn in a controlled way.

There are also questions regarding

approximately 90% of Californians live within 15 miles of an Electrify America fast charger, with 96% located within 25 miles.

“When evaluating alternative energy sources and uses, one has to consider all aspects of the problem, not just the localized issues such as direct emissions from a vehicle,” noted Freerks. “EVs may not directly emit greenhouse gas emissions as they are battery-powered, but all the other aspects of battery electric vehicles have associated emissions that are a part of the global environment even if not directly part of the local environment.”

Although there are challenges transitioning to EVs, many organizations are proponents of moving forward with the widespread adoption to protect air quality and deal with the impacts of climate change.

“Transportation is a major driver of harmful emissions entering the air,” said Barossa. He estimates that before the pandemic, up to 55% of total nitrogen oxide emissions were caused by the transportation sector.

“Research shows that an EV is typically responsible for lower levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) than the average new gasoline car,” he said. “Through more widespread EV adoption, a more sustainable world with cleaner air is possible.”

Read the full article on Autobodynews.com.

Electrify America is investing more than $2 billion in EV charging infrastructure and education. Photo courtesy of Electrify America. Image courtesy of Electrify America.

Dr. Robert Freerks is a consultant in fuels and lubricants at RLF Enterprises.

Robert Barossa, president and CEO of Electrify America. Photo courtesy of Electrify America

NABC Donates 3 Recycled Rides To Missouri Recipients in Honor of Patriot Day

On Patriot Day, Sept. 11, the National Auto Body Council® held a special NABC Recycled Rides® presentation to honor two families of fallen first responders and a military member and provide them reliable transportation. The event was hosted by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and made possible by car donors Allstate, Farmers Insurance® and Nationwide Insurance and repair partners Schaefer Autobody Centers, Crash Champions and Caliber Collision, along with support from Evercoat.

The presentation was held at Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, MO. Following the golf fundraiser, players and guests gathered for the heartwarming presentation for the military and first responder families.

“We are pleased to provide needed vehicles to these St. Louis area families,” said Deborah Robinson, executive director of the NABC. “Working with our members and partners and presenting the gifts of reliable transportation to these three families is core to our mission. We are very thankful for their service and sacrifices and are honored to help them along their path. We wish them continued success.”

Two deserving recipients were selected by The Backstoppers, Inc. Police Officers and Firefighters Fund, and the third by the Soldier and Family Readiness Group.

Sue Reifschneider, nominated by The Backstoppers, received a 2018 Kia Forte LX donated by Allstate and repaired by Schaefer Autobody Centers, a member of the Quality Collision Group. Her current vehicle is unreliable and in the repair shop most of the time. Reifschneider must rely on family and friends for rides to work and doctor’s appointments. She is the widow of St. Louis County Police Officer James Reifschneider, who was killed in the line of duty when he was struck by a motorist while conducting a traffic stop. Sue raised their three wonderful children as a single mother. One of her children serves in law enforcement and one of her grandchildren serves in emergency medical services.

Cheryl Branson, nominated by Backstoppers, received a 2021 Subaru Forester donated by Nationwide and repaired by Caliber Collision. She needs worry-free transportation to work, since her current vehicle has left her stranded

multiple times. Branson is the widow of St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer James W. Branson Jr., who died in the line of duty as the result of injuries sustained several days prior in an auto accident while in pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

family.

“We’re a family business dedicated to giving back to our community, and this is one of the many ways we work to help those in need,” said Scott Schaefer, second-generation owner of Schaefer Autobody. “It’s an honor for our team to work on refurbishing a vehicle to help a first responder family who has sacrificed for our community. We’re proud to be able to support them.”

Jorden Johnson, nominated by the Soldier and Family Readiness Group for Bravo Company, 1-138th Infantry, received a 2016 Fiat 500X Trekking donated by Farmers and repaired by Crash Champions. Johnson is a private first class in the Missouri Army National Guard and he needs a vehicle to maintain his job at General Motors and continue to serve the Guard.

Johnson has a young family and dependable transportation will help him to continue to provide for his

NABC Recycled Rides is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides program in 2007, members of the NABC have donated nearly 3,200 vehicles valued at some $46 million.

Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides presentation include 1-800 Charity Cars, Evercoat, Longhouse Inventory Solutions, Bommarito, Yancey, Dent Wizard, Sick Tint, Onsite Wheels, Lou Fusz and University Subaru.

Source: NABC

Toby Chess Names ‘Must See Kool Tools of SEMA 2023’

By Toby Chess Autobody News

Since 2012, I have been walking the floor of SEMA along with my partner in crime, Kye Yeung, looking for new tools and products. We would purchase the items and test them before considering them for “Kool Tools of SEMA.” You can view past presentations at www.SCRS. com.

Due to health issues and the pandemic, I relinquished everything to the SCRS Education Committee. I will still contribute, but I wanted to do something different. So here is my new project: “Must See Kool Tools of SEMA 2023.” Some are new, some are old and some are additions.

Astro Pneumatic Tool Co

that combines the catalyst with the product in a spray can. The catalyst is activated by moisture in the air. Thusly, the spray can have a threeyear shelf life. There are five colors of DTM primers—two green, white, gray and black. It is epoxy 2K paint, the closet product to factory applied E-coat (electrodeposition primer).

KECO Tabs

The Leister heat gun, set up for plastic welding, does not use ntrogen gas and shop air. The company is more than 70 years old and a leader of plastic repair in Europe. Using the heat gun, I was able to repair a broken side mounting tab just as easy as using a nitrogen welder. It is a very affordable piece of equipment that most shops can afford.

Tekton Tools

The new HINGE tabs bring versatility and strength previously not possible for using GPR to correct pillars, dog legs, door edges, seams and body lines. Flexibility of the tab wings allow for almost infinite possibilities and promote parallel alignment for strong glue pulls on unpredictable damage.

The shape of the jaws allows the pliers to grips rounded-off fasteners, nuts and smooth pipes without slipping. The jaw design fits hex, round and square shapes. It works as a “backer wrench” for damaged fasteners or when a second wrench is handy.

The Clecos pictured are used when holes are needed for fasteners. Use the ¼ Clecos for a 6.5-millimeter hole as recommended by Ford.

GUNIWHEEL

The impact wrench is small and lightweight—only 3 pounds—but it has 500 foot-pounds of torque, great for getting into tight spaces.

The lateral tension tool beam design allows lateral tension to be placed near the dent. By placing tension outward of the dent, the tension reduces the pressure created by the dent to allow for easier movement of the metal. In other words, the LTT beams will create the ultimate setup for metal flow on both sides of damage, allowing technicians to have the damage area completely free and uninhibited to work.

The drill set TS20 (1/16th to ½ drills). You will notice the end of the bit is similar to a step drill. When drilling in to steel, it is recommended to start with a small bit and keep increasing the size bit until you use the desired diameter. Well, with these bits, it is not necessary to use multiple drill bits, just one. Granted they don’t come with a lifetime warranty offered by the tool trucks, but these sell for a third of the price.

Wisespray

Wisespray developed DTM epoxy primers with a new technology

Kent Automotive

These locking pliers are very different than most other locking plier brands. These pliers use a pull-style trigger for a quick and easy one-handed release that won’t pinch your fingers like most other brands. I discovered this company and made them a Kool Tools of SEMA. They have helped me out with tools at a discounted price for all the apprentices I support. Check them out when you are at SEMA.

HC Pacific

The 4Plastic repair system, distributed through Kent Automotive, is one of the best new products for duplicating factor textured finish on plastic parts. A water-based product using a supplied adhesion promoter, primer and finish is all in one system. Comes in black and a color-matching gray (tint and color matching cards).

MRO Tools’ plier-operated KSG series is ideal for bonding, gluing and sealant operations. These clamps work well with all types of material. Jaw depth is 1 inch, material thickness 0-1/2 inch. Clamping force is 12-25 pounds. You will use these clamps instead of pliers. The set of five clamps is about the same price, available on Amazon, as 7-inch locking pliers.

I purchased the Fast Puller from GUNIWHEEL to help train the entry level technicians I am working with in their teardown learning module. The students use this tool to pull out damaged sheet metal for teardown access. The tool has more than 500 pounds of pulling pressure and is extremely safe to use; I added a safety cable to mine. Being lightweight and portable, it can be used anywhere in a shop as long as there is a flat surface and shop-supplied air. I also use it for added training with the KECO Glue-on Tab System to pull rocker and quarter panels—the student first needs to show proficiency with the KECO Glue-on Tab System.

Houshan

This tool is not at SEMA, but available from Amazon. The Houshan Edge Pliers are a great addition to a collision tool box. Lips on doors, fenders, hood and deck lids that have a raised edge or surface can be flattened with very little effort with these uniquely designed pliers. I am able to repair the lips without using a hammer and dolly. The price is under $30.

A number of these tools will also be part of SCRS’s Kool Tools of SEMA 2023. I will scour the floor of SEMA this year looking for tools and equipment that will help speed up and/or improve the quality of repairs in your shop.

Super Assilex

FLEXIBLE SANDING SHEETS & DISCS

K-240 to K-800 PRIMER / PREP SANDING

K-800 to K-1200 BASECOAT / BLENDING

K-1000 to K-1500 TOPCOAT / FINISHING

Award winning flexible abrasives for scuffing, blending, basecoat, topcoat and more!

Super Buflex

FLEXIBLE POLISHING SHEETS & DISCS

K-2000 to K-3000 TOPCOAT / POLISHING

POLISHING CORRECTION

Tolecut

TOUCH-UP SANDING

K-800 to K-1200 REMOVE RUNS & SAGS

K-1200 to K-3000 REMOVE NIBS & TEXTURE

Eliminate imperfections, not your paint job. Paint correction without the mess of water.

SEE US AT SEMA 2023

BOOTH #33131

Utilize the same technologies as Super Assilex to reduce buffing times by 50% or more! Available

ASE Updates Standards

Illinois’ $19 Million in EV Rebates Includes Luxury Models

By Greg Bishop The Center Square

The first round of Illinois’ rebate program for buyers of electric vehicles is over and a new $12 million round is set to begin.

The next round opens up Nov. 1. The first round for fiscal year 2023 that ended June 30 cost taxpayers $19 million. That is nearly 4,900 purchasers of EVs getting $4,000 rebates for the previous fiscal year. Of those, only around 10% were low-income individuals, despite the program prioritizing such applicants. Among those granted rebates, nearly 300 were luxury models costing up to $125,000, as The Center Square previously reported.

The Pritzker administration says the program is “competitive” and part of the “clean energy revolution.”

“This incentive program was created to encourage Illinois residents to purchase electric vehicles and has already received tremendous response from Illinois motorists, with over $19 million in rebates awarded in fiscal year

2023,” Illinois Environmental Protection Director John J. Kim said in a statement.

The program launched by the Clean Energy Jobs Act in 2021 gives rebates to purchasers of EVs that meet certain conditions like length of ownership. It was modified to allow a $1,500 rebate for all-electric motorcycles.

of the state program,” Chesney told The Center Square. “You can’t have it both ways. You can’t say that you’re fighting for the workingpoor and the working class but then again have subsidies that go to the more affluent.”

Since taxpayers are paying the bill, Chesney said the program needs to be scrapped.

The ASE Education Foundation recently conducted a workshop to review the tasks and tools used by ASE-accredited collision repair and refinish programs in high schools and colleges nationwide.

State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said legislators should look at the data.

“We have poor and workingpoor people that are subsidizing what in many cases are very wealthy people to give them the rebates that they are getting out

“If electric vehicles is a good product then they should be able to stand on their own two feet and I don’t know why we’re inserting ourselves into the private sector to change consumer behavior,” Chesney said. “If this is in fact good for the consumer, let the consumers buy it but the idea that it needs to be federally or subsidized on state level, I just simply could not support that.”

Of last year’s total, 2,769 Tesla owners were given rebates, 50 Lucid Air Grand Touring and Porsche owners were given rebates and 101 Audi E-trons were given rebates.

One of the major outcomes was the creation of a new area of accreditation entitled “Collision Repair and Refinish Fundamentals.” This new area includes 121 distinct skills/ tasks and requires a minimum of 300 hours of combined classroom/lab instruction. It draws from the existing areas of accreditation but focuses on five core skill areas highly valued by employers: damaged vehicle disassembly, reassembly, small dent repair, plastic repair and prep for refinish.

The updated collision repair and refinish standards include new hybrid and EV safety tasks required for all students in ASEaccredited collision repair and refinish programs.

Source: ASE Education Foundation

The most versatile prep station available today, the Mobile Work Station® is per fect for adding capacity and exibilit y, while maximizing your workspace and productivity.

This por table prep station provides a clean, enclosed area for prepping & limited high quality nishing any where in your shop — instantly.

Runs on standard 110V Power

No ventilation or air make -up

Reduces energy use

Keeps air in your shop clean and clear of overspray

New 3M™ Skills Development Center Will Provide Comprehensive Collision Repair Training

By Stacey Phillips Autobody News

Collision repair instructors from across the country recently had the opportunity to attend a four-day training program at the new 3M™ Skills Development Center (SDC). Located in Saint Paul, MN, the multimillion-dollar, 15,000-squarefoot training center anchors 3M’s vision to provide comprehensive training to the collision repair industry.

“The automotive aftermarket is a very important segment of our business and people look to us as a leader in this industry,” said Dave Gunderson, president of 3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division. “Being a leader doesn’t mean just selling the best products, but also responding to the needs of the industry and helping it grow.”

With a worldwide shortage of qualified technicians and increasingly complex vehicles being manufactured, 3M opened the SDC to bring awareness to the employment opportunities available in the industry, help instructors and technicians keep up with the latest technologies and ensure they are trained to repair vehicles properly.

The facility, located near the company’s headquarters, includes classrooms, a shop area with a 35-foot paint booth, workshop stations with electrical and air service, 12 welding stations and the latest equipment and tooling. Camera stations are set up through the classroom and shop areas to broadcast training sessions.

Unique Upskilling Opportunity for Instructors

Each summer for the past 13 years, 3M has invited collision repair teachers to apply to its Collision Repair Academy Collision Repair Instructor Training program held at the former training center on the 3M Campus. Since then, nearly 250 instructors, representing 185 schools across North America, have attended. The classes, offered at no charge, are designed to help upskill instructors to be in the best position to teach their students.

To apply for the program, prospective attendees share information about themselves, their collision repair programs and why they’d like to attend. The 3M team then rates the applications based on specific attributes.

“We really want to invite wellrespected leaders who are impassioned about what they’re doing in their organizations and want to support their students,” explained

Gunderson. “We give priority to new teachers and instructors who have never attended before.”

This year, 32 instructors were asked to attend one of two four-day programs in late July and early August at the SDC.

3M instructors—Shawn Collins, Ryan Marrinan and Jason Garfoot— “trained the trainers,” using hands-on methods to reinforce key concepts supported by classroom theory and discussion. The program covered 3M-developed best practices in foundational body repair processes supported by OEM repair documentation in the areas

on OEM guidelines.

“We want them to know what they are doing really matters,” said Gunderson. “It’s not just that the car appearance looks good, but it’s repaired properly and safe to drive.”

“By introducing the Science of Why and explaining the reasoning, it allows them to understand and retain information so their behaviors change,” said Scharton.

Not only did they receive indepth training, attendees had an opportunity to bond with each other, Scharton said.

“It’s fun to see those connections and how they supported each other,” he said.

Part of the week also included a custom painting and masking competition using speedshapes.

As an I-CAR Sustaining Partner and Industry Training Alliance Partner, 3M works closely with the educational organization to develop and deliver courses that meet requirements based on defined knowledge and skill areas for different roles in the shop.

Adam Spah, application engineering manager at 3M. “While the pandemic slowed things down for a couple of years, our leadership team never wavered in their support of the team. They recognize the importance of continued skill development to the industry,” Spah said.

“We wanted this facility to be a destination to train technicians,” said Scharton.

The SDC will cater to a crosssection of students, including those entering the profession, as well as more experienced technicians and instructors.

A variety of classes will be offered, from fundamental skills new employees should know to more advanced training and upskilling.

By educating students and placing them in a collision repair facility, Gunderson said it’s exciting to see them realize they can build a career and make a really good income.

Students will have access to 3M instructors who are formally trained in their professions, articulate and have industry experience.

Scharton said their credibility as former collision technicians helps them connect with the students they teach.

of body repair tools and application techniques, panel removal and replacement, welding, corrosion protection techniques, aluminum substrate repair, dent repair methodology, paint preparation and masking, and paint finishing.

Jason Scharton, senior manager, Global Expertise Delivery for the 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division, said 3M instructors encouraged participants to push their skills, challenge their experience, advance their craft and learn from experts to expand their collision repair knowledge.

An important aspect of the program was teaching instructors how to approach the curriculum in their schools to engage students so they understand the material based on 3M’s unique training approach, “The Science of Why.”

Attendees were taught the “why” behind modern repair methods to absorb and retain practices that may vary from how things have been done over the last 30 years.

Historically, information has been passed down to technicians based on how things have always been done. Rather than teaching students to repair vehicles a certain way because someone said to, 3M explains the reasoning behind the repair process and the relevant importance based

3M also consults with OEMs to not only make sure the most up to date repair procedures are used, but also on how the training sessions integrate with their certified network requirements.

Background on the 3M SDC

Founded in 1902, 3M was officially known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company until 2002. The American corporation manufactures a variety of products for multiple industries, including automotive, health care and consumer products. As part of the company’s mission to apply science to improve lives, 3M recognized the need to make an impactful contribution to the collision repair industry by building a world-class training facility.

Over the past several years, Gunderson has presented at a number of conferences, discussing how to encourage more people to join the industry.

“One of the biggest challenges is they just don’t know what they don’t know,” he noted. “We made this investment in the training facility to create an awareness of the opportunities available in the industry.”

From idea to completion, the path to opening the SDC has been a fiveyear journey led by project manager

“We look for what we call the ‘approachable expert,’ someone who can stand up, represent the science of why, and relate very comfortably with the technicians while speaking their language,” he explained.

3M plans to use the SDC as a test bed and learn from the model before scaling it in other major markets.

“This facility is hopefully a showpiece to allow us to do that,” said Scharton.

In addition to 3M’s other training centers around the globe, the 3M Collision Repair Academy offers online e-learning courses and videos. Plans include expanding the platform by adding virtual events and webinars.

“Our goal is to support the industry however and wherever they need it, whether that’s taking an online course to learn the process of using adhesive on a plastic repair or attending a live class at the SDC with a 3M expert to learn how to do a repair as successfully and safely as possible following OEM repair procedures,” said Scharton.

”Simply stated, we’re here to help,” concluded Gunderson.

Later this year, 3M will hold an industry grand opening of the SDC. For more information, visit 3MCollision.com/Learn or email 3MCollisionRepairAcademy@mmm. com.

Pictured, left to right, are 3M team members Shawn Collins, advanced application engineer; Ryan Marrinan, senior applications engineer; Jason Garfoot, senior applications engineer; Adam Spah, application engineering manager; and Nick Oberle, application engineer.

By Stacey Phillips Autobody News

In Bloomingdale, OH, Russell Achhammer teaches auto collision technology to students at Jefferson County Vocational School; 11 are male and five are female.

“The 3M training was important and provided me with the knowledge to learn the latest technology in repairing a variety of substrates and modern repair techniques and procedures,” said Achhammer, who has been teaching at the vocational school for six years. “The training and hands-on exercises gave me a lot of great ideas to help teach students.”

Achhammer plans to break down the lessons into smaller ones to educate students on modern repair techniques.

Collision Repair Technology

Instructor Chad Crum is in his second year of teaching at Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Knoxville, TN.

“Training is a necessity in our industry,” said Crum. “If repair technicians are not willing to evolve with the collision repair industry, they become obsolete and fall to the wayside.”

He said technicians should know better than anyone the importance of properly repairing damaged vehicles because lives are at stake.

“I attended the 3M training because I believe students need to learn these important procedures as soon as possible before bad habits are developed,” noted Crum.

“These procedures need to begin in our secondary and post-secondary learning institutions.”

Crum said TCAT President Kelli Chaney is fantastic about allowing him to attend training.

“At Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville, we prioritize providing our instructors with relevant professional development opportunities,” said Chaney. “Through innovative training by 3M, we ensure that our college remains at the forefront of the latest technology advancements available to the industry.”

Bree Downs is in her 20th year of teaching automotive collision and refinishing technology at Seward County Community College in Liberal, KS. Despite its remote rural location, the industrial technology division prides itself on seeking out the newest technology and methods for students.

“With the way the collision repair industry is changing, training is very important to me so I can keep up to date with new materials and processes and offer the most knowledge I can to my students,” said Downs. “With the knowledge I gained at the 3M training, I will be able to teach my students the most current repair methods.”

Jeffrey Kastel’s education from 3M was his first opportunity to learn from master-level technicians. Currently in his third year of instructing at Amos Alonzo Stag High School in Palos Hills, IL, Kastel said 120 students will take his semester course this year.

He said the 3M instructor training provided him with ideas to better implement instructional practices.

“I was able to gain new understanding on proper procedures that meet the new industry standards,” said Kastel. “The experience I had during the four-day 3M instructor training was a huge help to enhance my own instructional practice that will ultimately help students on a careerready path in the collision repair industry.”

Anthony-James Hernandez and Mercedes Rodriguez teach at Lockhart High School in Lockhart,

TX. About 100 students are currently enrolled in the school’s four-year collision repair program.

Hernandez, the lead collision repair instructor, said it’s important to learn about new technologies and meeting the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“Since we are no longer in the shop, we do not get to see or learn new vehicle technology,” said Hernandez. “3M training is by far the best training I have been to as an instructor and helps me with new and different ways to reach my students.”

In her third year of teaching at Lockhart, Rodriguez said industry training is vital for students.

“It encompasses more than just a trade,” she noted. “Industry training helps students gain practical skills and real-world experiences.”

The 3M course helped her teach students up-to-date skills, as well as how to use new tools that aid in facilitating and speeding up the repair process.

Rodriguez brought back samples of what she learned during the 3M experience to show students how important it is to learn from mistakes. “Hands-on experience is not only important but vital to student success,” she said.

Does Your Shop Lump In Unrelated Costs with ‘Paint Materials’?

A reader recently sent me a question related to refinish materials. This is the second in a series of articles prompted by that question, all related to refinish issues—the first appeared in the September issue of Autobody News.

screen from our portal where we track the performance of many shops we consult with. It shows the shop spent $16,379 with their jobber in the month of July. Now some shops might just look at that as their cost of materials, and

that should be itemized and billed out on the estimate. Things like seam sealer, undercoating, cavity wax, weld-through primer, clips and fasteners. Not paint materials costs.

This shop spent about $367 on safety items: paint suits, respirators, dust masks, gloves. Not paint materials costs.

as paint materials. Of course it would look like the shop wasn’t making any money on paint materials if all those other costs were included.

One of the most common questions I get from shops is something like, “Mike, can you help me, I’m not making money on my paint materials.” As I mentioned in my previous column, I first want to see what their average paint labor hours per repair order are, and then what their paint materials sales are as a percentage of their total revenue.

But I also want to look at their paint material costs as a percentage of sales. In other words, how much do they pay for materials compared to what they collect? I often see their costs are very high. Now there’s several reasons why this could be. It could be their painters are having to redo a lot of jobs. There could be other waste. There even could be theft.

But often what I see is a shop classifying costs as paint materials that really aren’t paint materials costs.

To illustrate this, I can pull up a

measure their paint materials sales against that number.

But that’s not accurate because most shops buy far more from their jobber or distributor than just paint materials. In our example, just over half—$8,891—of the $16,379 paid to the jobber was for liquids: primers, sealers, colors, clear. All paint materials.

The shop also bought allied products: sandpaper, tape, masking materials, mixing materials, etc. For this shop, those purchases were more than $2,800 of the $16,379 total. I consider things like gravel or chip guard, tack rags and things of the nature part of a miscellaneous category under paint materials. And all of that is legitimately paint materials costs.

But look at what else this particular shop spent with its jobber in July. About $1,120 of the $16,379 was for stock parts, things

The shop bought body supplies, a $1,476 piece of equipment, $507 worth of shop supplies, and small tools costing $720. Not paint materials.

If this shop was posting all those costs against their paint materials sales, that’s just not an accurate measure of what they are making on paint materials. That jobber bill includes about $5,000 spent on items that should not be classified

Some jobbers or distributors will send their customers multiple invoices or statements that help break the total costs down to simplify bookkeeping. But that’s usually four or five sub-invoices at the most, and I think there’s actually a dozen or more different categories. Some shops buy software from their jobber, for example. Others buy aftermarket parts. You can’t just take all these things you buy from your jobber and post them to paint materials because it’s not all paint materials.

More on this topic in my next column.

A Collision Advice reporting tool shows an example of a shop spending $16,379 with their jobber in July. About $5,000 of that total wasn’t for “paint materials,” but rather things like equipment and small tools.

“But often what I see is a shop classifying costs as paint materials that really aren’t paint materials costs.”

MIKE ANDERSON

Mike

The KECO GPR system is not an add-on to a stud welding system... it is a complete replacement for stud welding.

102-Year-Old Celebrates Birthday Amid Roar of Engines At Woodward Dream Cruise

By Elizabeth Pucket Motorious

For more than a quarter-century, the annual Woodward Dream Cruise in Metro Detroit has been a sanctuary for car aficionados. This year’s event, held Aug. 19, was no exception. The rumbling of engines and the gleam of polished chrome attracted enthusiasts from every corner of the country.

Among the sea of muscle cars, vintage trucks, and iconic roadsters was a celebration of a different kind, one that warmed the hearts of all who passed by James Senior Living in Ferndale, MI.

Perched among her fellow seniors, Marcella Krause was the star of the day. A sign beside her jubilantly read, “Honk for Marcella. She is 102 today!” And honk they did. Each blare of the horn brought a radiant smile to Krause’s face, as the automotive parade became the backdrop to her milestone birthday.

What made this day particularly poignant was that it marked

Krause’s first experience of the Woodward Dream Cruise. Though a Detroit native, Krause was residing in Florida when the event began in 1995.

are wearing out. Except my mouth. My mouth is good,” she added with a laugh.

negligence, and as a result, a citywide and nationwide crime spree around automobile theft has been unfolding right before our eyes.”

“It’s really a thrill to see them going down. They must’ve been well-preserved,” she said, her words capturing the essence of both the vintage cars and her own incredible journey through life.

Asked about the secret to her longevity, Krause credited her relationship with God and joked, “Well, it doesn’t feel much different, other than all my parts

The tale of Krause’s 102nd birthday amidst the mechanical symphony of the Dream Cruise illustrates the extraordinary tapestry of life experiences that can converge around a shared passion. As the engines roared in the distance and her loved ones serenaded her, Krause stood as a touching testament to the spirit of the event: the coming together of community, the preservation of history, and the simple joy of living.

For car enthusiasts and casual visitors alike, Krause’s birthday added a layer of heartwarming humanity to an already cherished annual event. And so, as the sun set on another Woodward Dream Cruise, the echo of engines was joined by a chorus of hearts, all a little fuller for having been a part of Krause’s special day.

The city said because Hyundai and Kia vehicles are “entry-level models,” the lack of engine immobilizers is disproportionately impacting lowincome residents in Chicago. It added thieves who steal Hyundai and Kia vehicles can use them to commit other crimes like reckless driving, armed robbery and even murder.

“This is about saving lives and preventing the violent crimes that these stolen vehicles are used in,” Interim Superintendent Fred Waller said. “As law enforcement, we are doing everything we can to prevent these thefts, but these vehicle companies must also be held accountable.”

Kia said the lawsuit is “without merit” in a statement issued to Forbes and said it has introduced a software update to rectify the issue while also distributing 19,000 free steering wheel locks to owners.

“Kia has been and continues to be willing to work cooperatively with law enforcement agencies in Chicago to combat car theft and the role social media has played in encouraging it,” the automaker said.

all types of adhesives bonded to the metal without the collateral damage of open flame with the Inductor Max Kit. The kit is completely portable with the induction inverter mounted in a carry case. It offers audible and visual power indicators.

Oct 31 - Nov 3

Booth #33036

Date and Location For 2023 MSO Symposium Announced

MSO Symposium Advisory Board members have met several times over the past few months to discuss plans for the 12th annual MSO Symposium, a unique program providing executive-level information on current trends in the collision repair industry along with microand macro-economic impacts.

event’s agenda, timing and content is directed by industry leaders who voluntarily participate on the program’s advisory board.

“The MSO Symposium is the perfect place to meet the best and brightest of the collision industry. Whether it’s keeping up with industry trends, taking a forward look at where the business is headed, or simply networking with colleagues, the MSO Symposium is the place to be,” said David Black , corporate collision director at Dealer Group, Body by Cochran.

sessions conclude at 5:30 p.m. and an evening networking reception will directly follow.

For those interested in registering for the 2023 event, be advised attendance is limited and you must qualify to attend. Those able to attend this closed meeting include insurers, OEMs, multi-shop operators and singlelocation repair facilities with revenue exceeding $3 million in annual sales.

Autonomy Acquires EV Mobility

Those interested in participating in the industry’s premier executive event should mark their calendars for this year’s conference, set to take place Oct. 30 in Las Vegas, the Monday of SEMA/AAPEX week at the Mirage Convention Center.

Similar to years past, the

This year’s event will begin at 9 a.m. PDT with coffee, networking and a sponsor showcase. Following is an informative program that highlights important business trends involving the economy, private equity and industry consolidation, in addition to informative panel discussions and future outlooks in the collision repair industry.

The one-day conference

Early bird registration will open in August and will be available for a limited time. Sign up for the MSO Symposium’s e-communications to stay up to date with the latest event announcements and participation opportunities.

Equipment and service providers to the industry are also invited to attend the event via one of the limited sponsorship opportunities. Attendance by media personnel is available, but also limited. For more information, visit our website or contact us.

Source: MSO Symposium

Autonomy, a national EV subscription company, and EV Mobility, LLC., an EV car-sharing platform, have entered into an agreement whereby once certain conditions are met Autonomy will acquire the technology, assets and customer accounts of EV Mobility. The acquisition will accelerate flexible (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly) access to an EV to a broader market by making an EV available to anyone with a valid driver’s license, credit card and smartphone.

Autonomy has been providing a growing fleet of vehicles to EV Mobility over the last 12 months. EV Mobility operates a profitable, B-to-B car-share business that partners with high-end property owners and luxury hotels to provide flexible (hourly/ daily) access to an EV as an amenity to their customers. The hotel/ property owner covers the monthly cost of the vehicle, insurance and charging infrastructure. Hourly usage fees are all processed by the customer directly in the EV Mobility app, with a revenue split between the property owner and EV Mobility.

Source: Autonomy

Most-Stolen Vehicles

after thieves discovered that many of them lacked electronic immobilizers.

Six of the 20 models with the fewest claims for whole vehicle theft are electric vehicles, and six others are manufactured by General Motors. Typically, electric vehicles are stolen less frequently than other models. This may be because they are often parked overnight in well-lit and comparatively secure areas for charging.

Several high-end Volvo models also rank among the least-often stolen 2020-22 models, while two variants of the Infiniti Q50 appear among the most-stolen vehicles. The Q50 has been a perennial feature on the most-stolen vehicle list since model year 2014 for reasons that remain a mystery.

By looking at claims per insured vehicle year, HLDI’s theft reports allow people to compare the relative risk of each vehicle. In contrast, other

parts or for items taken from a vehicle.

To isolate whole-vehicle claims, HLDI compared the amounts paid for total losses under collision coverage, which is generally the residual value of the vehicle, to payments associated with each theft claim. Theft claims were considered to represent whole-vehicle thefts when the amount was around the same as what would be expected for a total loss under collision coverage for the same vehicle of the same age.

As with all HLDI analyses, the results in the whole-vehicle theft report are adjusted to account for the effect of demographic and geographic factors.

Most-Stolen MY 2020-2022

Vehicles Ranked by Relative Claim Frequency (Average=100)

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, 6,128

Dodge Charger HEMI, 2,197

Infiniti Q50, 878

Dodge Challenger, 766

Land Rover Range Rover 4WD, 611

Kia Forte, 357

Ford F-350 SuperCrew 4WD, 349

BMW X7 4WD, 338

Ford F-250 SuperCrew 4WD, 337

Honda Accord, 306

Ram 3500 crew cab long-wheelbase 4WD, 306

Infiniti Q50 4WD, 287

Nissan Maxima, 284

Honda CR-V, 270

Lowest Claim Frequency for WholeVehicle Theft, Ranked by Relative Claim Frequency

Tesla Model 3 4WD, 3

Tesla Model Y 4WD, 3

Volvo XC90 4WD, 6

GMC Acadia 4WD, 7

Tesla Model X 4WD, 8

Volvo XC40 4WD, 8

Tesla Model 3, 9

Chevrolet Trailblazer 4WD, 10

Lexus UX 250 hybrid 4WD, 10

Volvo XC60 4WD, 10

Buick Envision 4WD, 11

Cadillac XT5, 11

Chevrolet Traverse 4WD, 12

Land Rover Defender 4WD, 13

Axalta entered into a partnership with Xaar, a leading manufacturer of drop-on-demand inkjet technologies, to introduce Axalta NextJet™, a next generation, sustainable digital paint technology for the transportation industry.

Digital paint, also referred to as overspray-free application, is an advanced paint application that will allow for precise paint placement. Through Axalta and Xaar’s patented technology, Axalta NextJet™ enables design flexibility for two-tone vehicles and allows customers to create patterns, details and images in a sustainable way.

The award-winning digital paint coating technology also eliminates masking and reduces labor, energy and waste while increasing productivity and efficiency rates. This can contribute to a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions and significant cost savings for two-

North Dakota Body Shop Hosts Summer Community Day

The excitement of summer may be fading, but Abra Bismarck is finding ways to keep its community engaged and entertained. Recently, Abra Bismarck, located at 1901 E. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND, hosted an interactive community day complete with a vendor show, car show, kid-friendly activities and opportunity for charitable engagement.

Iowa School Board

involvement.

“Our annual Abra Community Day is one of my favorite days of the year,” said Jeremy Buller. “Individuals in our community won’t need collision repair every day of the week, but it’s important to show them that they can trust in Abra and to foster connections and make meaningful memories while doing so.”

This year’s highlighted organization was Haven Hills, a foster care community focused on providing and supporting a stable foster care environment to improve the healing and growth of children in the foster care system.

of the state and that’s why we’re contracting with (SWCC),” said Nelson. “We do have that program available on our traditional campus but for our online students who live a distance away, we’re trying to find options that are within a little more reasonable reach for them.”

the importance of offering additional CTE-type coursework for their online students.

“As you think about education, it’s always to enhance the learner and make them life-long learners, but this also gives them a skill as they are leaving high school and an opportunity to immediately connect with the workforce,” Nelson explained. “Perhaps they stay with that career track for a period of time and maybe later on in life they make some different choices, but it certainly makes them quite employable as they’re leaving high school or an online program.”

Nelson added the program is also on top of several other CTE offerings within the Shenandoah School District.

Abra Bismarck is owned by brothers Jeremy and Matt Buller, who also own Abra Mandan and Abra Minot. Growing up, the brothers would fix cars on their family farm and now their industry interest and expertise has led to them becoming notable collision repair experts who place an emphasis on community

In addition to learning about Haven Hills’ selfless mission, event attendees were treated to a food truck, a bouncy castle and face painting for children, and an exciting RC airplane show. One vendor offered free Hot Wheels cars to any kid who came to the one-of-a-kind “Red Baron” vehicle. Even the Bismarck Fire Department came out to support the cause.

Source: Abra

Nelson said several of their IGNITE students, including those from around southwest Iowa, are career technology education-driven and aligning their coursework as such, prompting the interest in offering the additional auto repair courses.

The superintendent emphasized

“Industrial technology, business, we offer quite a bit in the area of family consumer science-related coursework there that’s more based on culinary arts,” she said. “We also have a strong business track and we also have a strong agriculture program.”

Students with the high school’s building trades program have also been at work over the summer on final renovations for a house at 213 W. Sheridan Ave.

“Typically we’ve worked with Iowa Western and Tarkio Tech, but this is limited to IGNITE students who live in that particular region of the state and that’s why we’re contracting with (SWCC)”

DR. KERRI NELSON SHENANDOAH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

Automakers At CIC Meeting Share News, Updates Related To Collision Repair

By John Yoswick Autobody News

The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) offers an opportunity for the industry to hear the latest collisionrelated news from the automakers, and this past summer’s meeting held in Indianapolis was no exception.

the site does not correlate with the number of Nissan vehicles being repaired.

“I don’t think if there’s 100,000 repairs, I have to have 100,000 logins,” Dent said. “But when I’m a lot less than that, that reflects on the operators [of] the majority of the body shops.”

Shops and technicians can’t continue to rely on “doing what we’ve always done,” he said.

But Dent also was asked about the challenge of even a small job requiring hours of research.

“We know that’s a problem. We see that,” he said, noting he and a colleague worked on an estimate that required more than four hours of research. But he also pointed to other sources of information that could help bridge the gap, noting that using OEConnection’s RepairLogic for that same estimate shaved hours off the research time.

“But it is highly possible to start using some of that information in the not-too-distant future for proper triaging of vehicles,” Cid said. “You may not know the parts list on it, but you’ll know how severe that impact was. You can start to get an idea of whether it’s drivable or not.”

there are too many variables related to collisions.

“You have an accident and it shows the headlight is bad. But is the headlight bad? Or did the wiring harness get damaged in the accident and there’s actually nothing wrong with the headlight?” Logan said.

Logan said shops working on Rivian vehicles—or others for which owners have a cell phone app—need good procedures for ensuring those vehicles are placed in service mode during repairs.

Dan Dent, who oversees the certified collision repair network for Nissan, said the automaker has launched a new virtual academy for training, and is enhancing its shop locator to allow Nissan and INFINITI owners to schedule appointments and request photo estimates. That system will use Carwise so appointments and estimate requests will arrive at the shop “in a format you’re used to seeing it in,” Dent said.

But the change in the program he announced that actually drew applause from meeting attendees was some new dealership training launching this fall.

Dent asked shop owners at the meeting to all raise their hand, then said they should lower their hand if they’d ever had a customer say, “I talked to the dealership service advisor, and they said I didn’t need to do that,” referring to something the body shop said needed to be done. Every raised hand in the room dropped. Dent said Nissan is working with Collision Advice on training that will help service advisors “completely understand the situation you’re in on a daily basis.”

“So when they ask about calibrations, what does that really mean, how do we answer that,” Dent said as an example. “Dealers will have about 90 days to complete that training once that class is out.”

Using the OEM Repair Information

Dent described Nissan’s TechInfo website as “the baseline truth for everything when it comes to our repairs,” but noted current usage of

“Is it 100%? No, but it’s better than what you’re doing” if you’re not looking up any of the automaker’s information, Dent said. “I have endorsed RepairLogic to say at the very least why aren’t you using that?”

Kelly Logan, director of the Rivian collision repair program, concurred that an accurate parts list through vehicle telematics won’t be available soon.

“That’s the ultimate goal [but] it’s going to take a long time to get

Vehicles are getting better at selfdiagnosing problems, he said, but

“It’s not about disconnecting the customer from their vehicle,” he said. “But in certain instances you can open doors or open the hood or honk the horn. I’ve known of probably two instances where there was a car in a paint booth and someone decided to [remotely] open a hood that was all masked off. If you’re a technician working on the front end of a car and all of a sudden the horn blares, you’re really not going to be too happy about that.”

The next CIC meeting is taking place Oct. 31 in Las Vegas during SEMA week.

Dan Dent of Nissan told collision repairers the automaker is rolling out training that will help dealership service advisors “completely understand the situation you’re in on a daily basis.”

“That’s a big issue of mine, to support you repairing a car properly, and having the directives to be able to utilize when you’re writing estimates.”

ANITA REXWINKLE MAZDA NORTH AMERICA

GEARED DUAL- ACTION POLISHER

LIGHTWEIGHT, LOW PROFILE precision balanced design delivers superior control

RUBBERIZED DYNAGRIP delivers reduced vibration and increased insulation resulting in greater operator comfort and reduced fatigue

TOOL CAN RUN 5" OR 6" PADS

DUAL RUBBER SUPPORTS provide incredible stability when the machine is not in use

SINGLE-ACTION LOCK TRIGGER

ERGONOMICALLY-DESIGNED EXTENDED HANDLE for increased operator comfort during use

2 TOOLS - IN -1

#RespectTheFinish

Follow us on Instagram: @dynabrade_auto

Cuts like a rotary, finishes like a DA!

20' SWIVEL CORD

Model DB8

SEMA BOOTHS 12517 & 37055

Annual New Car Ownership Costs Boil Over $12K

By Brittany Moye AAA

AAA’s Your Driving Costs (YDC) has been a reliable data source for the expenses associated with owning and operating a brand-new vehicle for more than seven decades.

Based on the latest figures, the average cost of owning and operating a new vehicle in 2023 has increased significantly, with an annual expense of $12,182 or a monthly cost of $1,015. This is a sharp increase from 2022 when the average yearly cost was only $10,728, or $894 monthly.

The overall average manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of the new vehicles in the 2023 YDC study is $34,876. This is $1,575 (4.7%) higher than last year.

“It’s important for car buyers to clearly understand the costs associated with owning a new vehicle,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive research. “Due to global supply chain issues and constrained inventory of new vehicles, car prices rose

dramatically in 2022. And while the situation continues to improve, the spillover effects are keeping prices high.”

owning a new vehicle is also likely driven by:

• Depreciation, which is the difference between the car’s value upon purchase and the value of the car when sold. According to this year’s YDC projections, new vehicles are expected to depreciate by an average of $4,538 per year over five years of ownership, up 24% over 2022.

• The jump in new vehicle prices (up almost $1,600) compared to used vehicle values that have experienced a decline in the past year.

likely accounted for by higherthan-expected inflation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

It is important to note MSRP does not always correspond to a consumer’s actual purchase price and may vary depending on demand. Furthermore, a higher sticker price directly impacts finance costs, with this year’s vehicles boasting an average annual finance charge of $1,253, a staggering 90% increase from the previous year.

The change in the annual cost of

• Automakers across the board have focused on producing more oversized, luxurious, and expensive vehicles, loaded with extra features that bump up prices even more.

Compared to last year, one of the higher annual cost categories was fuel, but this year’s average cost per mile has decreased by roughly 2 cents per mile. It’s worth noting the cost of charging EVs has actually increased, by almost 2 cents per kWh over last year, from 13.9 cents per kWh to 15.8 cents per kWh. The increase is

Given their size, fuel economy and prices, it should come as no surprise that ½-ton pickups have the highest average driving cost among all vehicle categories covered in the YDC study. Interestingly, the pickup truck market has slowed over the last 12 months as gas prices trend high and financial costs climb. Pickup trucks excel at hauling and towing, although many buyers do not use them for these purposes. Potential buyers should remember the unique capabilities of pickups come at a high cost of more than $1 per mile.

“The once popular pickup truck is now seeing a slight decline in demand as these vehicles have become increasingly expensive, rivaling the price of many luxury cars,” said Brannon. “As interest rates continue to climb, this adds a layer of expense per month that consumers should consider when shopping for their next vehicle.”

Source: AAA

“Due to global supply chain issues and constrained inventory of new vehicles, car prices rose dramatically in 2022. And while the situation continues to improve, the spillover effects are keeping prices high.”

— GREG BRANNON

DIRECTOR OF AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH

Air Conditioning Evacuation and Recharge Estimating Times Questioned

By John Yoswick Autobody News

As the summer comes to an end, estimating system labor times associated with evacuation and recharging of vehicle air conditioning systems with R1234yf refrigerant remain a heated issue for some in the industry.

The Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) has received at least 40 inquiries in recent years related to that issue. Although the estimating system providers have long provided a way for anyone in the industry to submit inquiries related to missing or potentially inaccurate information in the systems, the DEG was created by a number of shop trade associations as an easier and centralized way to submit—and monitor what happens to—such inquiries.

Danny Gredinberg, DEG administrator, said the three major estimating system providers have generally said after review of the air conditioning related inquiries, no change was needed. But he pointed out the costs of the R1234yf equipment—and of the refrigerant itself—are higher than those related to earlier systems using other types of refrigerant, and the time to perform

the process has changed.

“But one thing that hasn’t changed is the labor time [in the estimating systems],” Gredinberg said at a recent Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) meeting. “That has stayed the same from the beginning of time.”

Shop owner Barry Dorn of Dorn’s Body & Paint in Mechanicsville, VA, said he and one of his technicians compiled lists of the steps needed to evacuate and recharge a system with R134a refrigerant, and significantly longer lists of the steps required to evacuate and recharge a system with R1234yf refrigerant.

“We are seeing the times spent on these operations more than double the generic times the [estimating systems] are claiming that it should take,” Dorn said.

Working to Improve the

Estimating Databases

The DEG overall fielded 1,020 inquiries related to the three major estimating systems in the first half of this year, putting it on pace to match last year’s total of more than 2,000. One DEG inquiry submitted in mid-April, for example, questioned the roof refinish time for the 2020 Ram 3500 in the Mitchell estimating system given the size and height of the vehicle, “requiring additional effort to go up and down to prep and refinish.” After review, Mitchell increased the refinish labor time from 2.8 hours to 4.3 hours.

Gredinberg said 55% of this year’s inquiries resulted in some change to an estimating system database, including more than 850 paint or body labor hours being added to operations, and more than $9,000 in missing parts added to the systems.

“You can see this is a useful resource to the industry,” Gredinberg said. “All we want is fair and accurate information in the systems that’s visible to both sides.”

SCRS View of Automaker Agreement

Also at the SCRS meeting, the association pushed back against several organizations that have

been critical of an agreement SCRS—along with the Automotive Service Association (ASA)—recently announced with a coalition of automakers. The agreement reaffirms that “independent repair facilities shall have access to the same diagnostic and repair information that auto manufacturers make available to [their] dealer networks.”

Several organizations, which also represent industry segments beyond mechanical and collision repair shops, say that agreement lacks enforcement and does not diminish the need for federal right-to-repair legislation.

But SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg said he doesn’t have collision repairers telling him they can’t get the OEM information they need. He said SCRS believes consumers should be able to choose an independent repair shop to work on their vehicle, and those shops should continue to have access to the OEM repair information—and that’s what the agreement is all about.

“I think any [organization] that challenges or objects to that shared position between two leading repair organizations and an automaker organization should be questioned,” he said.

“All we want is fair and accurate information in the systems that’s visible to both sides.”

DANNY GREDINBERG DEG ADMINISTRATOR

NextLED has an unwavering dedication to providing superior lighting solutions and innovative designs tailored for both seasoned professionals and DIY enthusiasts

SEMA Show Booth #35239

Model: NT-6926M

NHTSA, Massachusetts Find Common Ground on State’s Right To Repair Law

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revised its stance on Massachusetts’ “right to repair” law, saying Aug. 22 it “strongly supports” right to repair and may have found a way to allow independent repairers access to vehicle data without compromising the safety of that data.

The letter came a bit more than two months after NHTSA’s last comment on the subject. On June 13, it sent a letter to 22 automakers telling them not to comply with the state’s Data Access Law, which had finally gone into effect June 1—2.5 years after being approved by voters in November 2020. In that letter,

exploit vulnerabilities at scale to access multiple vehicles, including, importantly, when vehicles are driven on a roadway. Such a short-range wireless compliance approach, implemented appropriately, therefore would not be preempted [by the federal Vehicle Safety Act.]”

NHTSA asked state officials to confirm a solution allowing wireless access when in close physical proximity to the vehicle would be compliant with the state law.

NHTSA also said, based on its discussions with the state, there is a common understanding that implementing a secure open access platform, as required in the law, is not yet available, and that vehicle manufacturers may need time to develop and test that technology, but

data, procedures and prescribed tools to accomplish a proper repair.”

Two organizations—the Auto Care Association and CAR Coalition— that have long supported right to repair laws at the state and federal levels, including Massachusetts’ law, commended NHTSA for revisiting its position, but said more needs to be done.

implement the Data Access Law safely and promptly. We look forward to the auto manufacturers’ compliance with the law.”

Under the state law, such a platform might use cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The association said it does not support a Bluetooth solution to allowing access to that data.

“Short range wireless communication does not create the level playing field expected by the voters of Massachusetts,” it said. “The Auto Care Association looks forward to the opportunity to continue the discussion on a viable solution to implement the law that protects both drivers and their security.”

NHTSA said it had “significant safety concerns” with allowing open remote access to vehicle telematics, as required by the law.

In the Aug. 22 letter, addressed to Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Eric Haskell, NHTSA said it has been working with the state’s Office of the Attorney General, as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation and other federal partners, to identify a solution: giving independent repair facilities wireless access to a vehicle from within close proximity, without providing longrange remote access.

Vehicle manufacturers could use short-range wireless protocols, such as Bluetooth, to allow the vehicle owner or an independent repair facility to access all “mechanical data,” as defined by the law, for that individual vehicle.

“In NHTSA’s view, a solution like this one, if implemented with appropriate care, would significantly reduce the cybersecurity risks—and therefore the safety risks—associated with remote access,” the letter said. “Limiting the geographical range of access would significantly reduce the risk that malicious actors could

“The Auto Care Association is gratified by NHTSA’s acknowledgement the Data Access Law is not preempted by the federal

“After three years, it’s more than past time the will of the voters be recognized and that Massachusetts consumers have access to their vehicle data,” said Justin Rzepka, executive director of the CAR Coalition. “We thank NHTSA for finally agreeing that data can be shared

“A short-range wireless compliance approach, implemented appropriately... would not be preempted [by the federal Vehicle Safety Act.]”

NHTSA

ILLINOIS

Honda of Lisle Lisle

866-874-6632

630-437-5299

Dept Hours: M-F 7-5 WholesaleParts@HondaofLisle com

Ziegler Honda

Kalamazoo

855-513-4477

269-585-5812

Dept Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-2 glenloubsky@ziegler com

Bommarito Honda

Hazelwood

800-731-8270

314-731-8270

Dept Hours: M-Sat 7-6 cmelvin@bommarito net

Apostolakis Honda

Cortland

800-900-4600

330-638-3060

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@apostolakisauto com

INDIANA

Bob Rohrman Honda Lafayette

765-588-9984

765-448-1000

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-3 Brho partsmgr@rohrman com

Suburban Honda

Farmington Hills

248-427-7996

Dept Hours: M, Thu 7-8; Tue, W, F 7-6; Sat 8-3 nowiesny@suburbancollection�com

Victory Honda Plymouth

800-824-4646

734-453-3600

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 8-4 Robert rosenau@victorytoyota com

Brookdale Honda

Brooklyn Center

800-899-8900

763-331-6880

Dept Hours: M-Thu 7-9; F 7-6; Sat 8-6 parts@lutherbrookdalehonda com

Luther Hopkins Honda Hopkins

800-328-6016

952-908-8585

Dept Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 parts@hopkinshonda�com

Richfield-Bloomington Honda

Richfield

800-328-2703

612-866-8197

Dept Hours: M-Thu 6:30-7; F 6:30-6; Sat 6:30-5 parts@rbhonda com

Ed Napleton Honda

St Peters

800-875-4190

636-928-4400

Dept� Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-5 gethondaparts@napleton com

Columbia Honda Columbia

573-818-3650

Dept Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 gropp@columbiahonda com

Honda of Tiffany Springs

Kansas City

816-452-3221

Dept� Hours: M-Fri 7-6; Sat 7-2 parts@hondats com

Superior Honda Omaha

Omaha

402-408-1100

Dept Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 7-5

Jay Honda Bedford

800-509-9057

440-786-3363

Dept� Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 jayhondaparts@gmail com

Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. ACURA

ILLINOIS OHIO

McGrath Acura of Morton Grove

Morton Grove

847-470-2308

Dept Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-4 acparts@mcgrathag com

KANSAS

Jay Wolfe Acura of Overland Park

Overland Park

913-648-2287

Dept Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-4 wozburn@jaywolfe�com

MICHIGAN

Acura of Troy Troy

800-935-0923

248-643-0900

Dept Hours: M-F 8-6

parts286@acuraoftroy com parts287@acuraoftroy com

MINNESOTA

Luther Bloomington Acura

Bloomington

800-451-5078

952-887-0600

Dept� Hours: M 6:30-6; Tue-F 6:30-9; Sat 8-4 parts@bloomingtonacura com

Columbia Acura Cincinnati

844-677-4902

513-530-0698

Dept Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-12 columbiaparts@email com

MICHIGAN

By Joey Klende Teslarati

Tesla received a special order from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding its Autopilot investigation launched in June 2022, which was upgraded from a preliminary evaluation initiated in August 2021.

On July 26, the NHTSA wrote a letter to Tesla’s senior director of legal expressing concerns about Autopilot and its ability to alert drivers of their attentiveness, or lack thereof, when using the driver assistance feature.

“Recently, NHTSA became aware that Tesla has introduced an Autopilot configuration that, when enabled, allows drivers using Autopilot to operate their vehicles for extended periods without Autopilot prompting the driver to apply torque to the steering wheel,” the letter said. “NHTSA is concerned that this feature was introduced to consumer vehicles and, now that the existence of this feature is

known to the public, more drivers may attempt to activate it. The resulting relaxation of controls designed to ensure that the driver remain engaged in the dynamic driving task could lead to greater driver inattention and failure of the driver to properly supervise Autopilot.”

Tesla was instructed to respond to the special order by Aug. 25 or face fines of up to $26,315 daily.

the software update “that reduces or eliminates instances in which Autopilot prompts the driver to apply torque has been enabled.”

3. Detailed steps or conditions necessary to revert a vehicle whose software update was activated to its ordinary state.

4. Differences between the setting in the software update that “reduces or eliminates instances in which Autopilot prompts the driver

authority.

6. Tesla’s basis or purpose in installing the subject software in road consumer vehicles “beyond the Tesla engineering vehicles, including but not limited to the justification for which consumer vehicles or vehicle owners were eligible for the subject software update.”

7. Any lessons learned/findings from driving vehicles with subject software update enabled.

8. Documents explaining subject software’s functionality.

9. Test plans or instructions given to Tesla engineering staff responsible for driving engineering vehicles with the software update.

Bloomberg initially reported on the NHTSA’s special order. The NHTSA shared the documents with Teslarati.

Tesla was required to submit the following to the NHTSA:

1. Details and dates of software updates, when they were introduced to Tesla engineering and then to consumer vehicles.

2. Steps to activate the setting in

to apply torque when enabled and when not enabled to Autopilot’s driver monitoring system, including the amount of time Autopilot is allowed to operate without prompting application of torque, and any warnings or chimes that are presented to the driver.”

5. Other changes in the vehicle’s user inference, Autopilot functionality or vehicle control

10. Crash and incident reports from collisions or near-misses involving vehicles with software update enabled.

NHTSA Administrator Ann Carlson said the Autopilot investigation would “get to a resolution…relatively soon.”

Car ADAS Solutions, a leading provider of advanced driverassistance systems (ADAS) calibration technology and services, announced the addition of a new licensee—Midwest ADAS in Merrillville, IN. The facility, serving body shops in Indiana and Illinois, is co-owned by Andy Tylka and his brother, Geoff Beckett

“We are very excited to be working with another industry leader, sharing our vision of how to tackle the ADAS calibration opportunity,” said Greg Peeters, CEO of Car ADAS Solutions. “We are energized by Andy’s and Geoff’s aggressive growth strategy and intense focus on repairing vehicles correctly, including ADAS calibrations.”

Midwest ADAS held an open house on July 12 with 45 people, which included estimators and technicians from 11 body shops. Many vendors also attended and showed their support.

“Attendees told us that it was the nicest calibration center they had seen,” said Tykla, who owns body shops in three different regions of Indiana and Illinois. “They were impressed that we built our operation around making it as easy as possible for shops to have their calibrations done following OEM standards.”

Tylka met Peeters at an AkzoNobel ACOAT Selected North American Performance Group event and heard him discuss the importance of calibration.

“I feel like I’m fairly educated about the collision repair industry, but it was beyond information that I knew about calibrations and how they’re not

member was there the following day, planning the layout for the lighting and electrical, measuring the concrete and ensuring they were meeting OEM specifications.

“They were there along the way ensuring everything was set up properly, which made it so easy for us,” said Tylka.

Before sending technicians to the hands-on education classes, the brothers attended the week-long training program in Salt Lake City, UT.

“It was wonderful,” he said. “I was blown away by what I don’t know.”

Car ADAS Solutions has provided in-house training to employees, as well as to other shops during the recent open house.

“It was wonderful having the Car ADAS Solutions team there answering questions,” said Tykla.

Teaching surrounding body shop employees on how to calibrate vehicles “the right way” is a priority for the owners of Midwest ADAS.

necessarily being done properly and the reasons why,” said Tylka. “What Greg was saying was almost too good to be true with all their support and training.”

In February, Tylka and Beckett established Midwest ADAS in Northwest Indiana, outside of Chicago, IL. The first step was finding a location to set up the facility.

A Car ADAS Solutions’ team

With the support of Car ADAS Solutions, they opened Midwest ADAS within 50 days of securing a building.

“I was impressed with how organized they were with the turnkey business,” said Tylka. “They basically have all of the tooling that’s required, which is absolutely amazing.”

Tylka and Beckett have also been pleased with the training provided.

“Body shops can bring their staff and learn what is involved in a calibration, how everything is done according to the auto manufacturers’ specifications and the documentation we provide,” said Tylka. “Just a couple of millimeters off in a calibration can affect the safety of the vehicle and put customers at risk.”

Although they were waiting for the “catch,” Tylka and Beckett have found Car ADAS Solutions has provided support during every step of the process, helping them set up Midwest ADAS.

“It’s amazing because if our technicians can’t figure something

out during a calibration, they call our Car ADAS Solutions representative to walk them through the problem and solve any issues that arise,” said Tylka. “Rather than having an internal person that is the smartest in the room answering questions, we have an extreme expert just a phone call away helping us troubleshoot.”

To assist with efficiency, the owners of Midwest ADAS opened an Uber business account for staff to pick up and drop off vehicles.

“It’s such a time waster for body shops having to send two people to drop off a car and use their own vehicle back and forth,” said Tylka. “Staying at the shop adds more production value to the business.”

For shops that are further away, Midwest ADAS arranges towing for customers.

Every calibration is accompanied by documentation that validates it was done properly and includes photos of every step in the process. Tylka said this helps shops get reimbursed from insurers.

“I’ve found that insurers love it because they have the documentation and proof that it’s being done correctly and the pricing is predictable,” he said. If a vehicle can’t be calibrated due to wear and tear or suspension, it is returned at no charge.

As the president of the Indiana

Auto Body Association and a shop owner, Tylka often hears members talk about calibration and realizes how far behind the industry is in terms of its knowledge.

“We’re all in the same boat wanting to do calibrations correctly,” he said. “I look at us as friends, not competitors.”

Tylka stressed the importance of teaching shop owners and their staff on how to identify the safety systems and what is needed to calibrate correctly. He is in the process of creating educational material to share with collision repair facilities.

“As the first standalone facility in Indiana to do this the right way, we’re trying to set the bar in the industry,” he said. “I feel like we have the responsibility of educating Indiana and the industry on the need for calibration.”

Tylka and Beckett are renovating a second facility and a third and fourth facility are under contract.

“We’re going to grow as fast as I can locate the buildings,” said Tylka, who plans to open additional facilities with Car ADAS Solutions by the end of the year.

“I love that we’re doing calibrations the right way,” he said. “When body shops receive the vehicle, they know 100% that it’s being calibrated correctly.”

Source: Car ADAS Solutions

Carvana, an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars online, is the first used auto dealer to provide select customers in Indiana with the speedy and convenient service of online purchasing with same day delivery. Carvana customers already benefit from an accessible, transparent and intuitive online car buying experience, and now local area residents have the opportunity to receive their new ride as soon as the same day they order it.

“Since launching vehicle delivery in Indianapolis in 2016, we’ve remained dedicated to our thousands of customers in the state, as we constantly strive to deliver an even better auto retail experience,” said Matt Dundas, Carvana senior director of finance. “Dozens of customers in the greater Indianapolis area have already gotten to enjoy the ease and convenience of same day delivery. And, with thousands of vehicles in the area, local residents can potentially have a vehicle in their driveway before their next Amazon order arrives.” Initially launched in Arizona, Carvana has now brought same day delivery to Indiana, with plans to roll out its new offering

in additional markets across its nationwide footprint in the coming months. The capabilities making this possible include Carvana’s extensive infrastructure—including a nationwide network of inspection and reconditioning centers and a robust, efficient logistics fleet— combined with its digitally native purchasing and underwriting that has simplified and accelerated important elements of the online car buying process.

In addition to buying, selling or trading in a vehicle, Carvana’s integrated online auto retail experience facilitates financing, insurance, warranty and service. Consumers enthusiastically endorsed its approach and made Carvana the fastest growing used automotive retailer in U.S. history. Carvana’s new same day process means that customers can purchase from a wide selection of pre-owned vehicles, get pre-qualified and approved in as little as three minutes all online, and in a matter of hours, Carvana can drop off the new car and take the old one away if selling or trading it in.

Source: Carvana

Carvana Debuts Same-Day Vehicle Delivery in Indiana

Longtime Minnesota Abra Franchisees High-Five Success

Abra, kadabra, Kedrick and Louann. Although the saying doesn’t go quite like that, it took on a similar form for two industry experts and longstanding franchisees in Minnesota.

Kedrick and Louann Johnson , owners of KLST Inc., which includes Abra Elk River, Abra Princeton, Abra St. Cloud and Abra Duluth, have recently purchased location No. 5, Abra Cloquet, from fellow franchisee Mike DeBoer

The road to operational excellence first began for Kedrick Johnson when working alongside his uncle in the 1960s. Kedrick continued to develop his skills until he was drafted in 1965. After returning from his service, Kedrick used his entrepreneurial spirit and industry expertise to establish his own auto body shop out of his father’s fourcar garage. Kedrick’s stellar customer service and exemplary workmanship supported himself and his community for the decades to come.

By the early 1980s, Kedrick’s sons, Scot and Todd , began to

express their interest in the trade and helped their father continue to grow his business. Thus, Johnson’s Auto Body , which would later evolve into KLST Inc., was born. Family is tightly knit into the fabric of Abra and KLST Inc. is a perfect example of just that: in fact, KLST takes its name from Kedrick, Louann, Scot and Todd.

Crash Champions Names New

opportunities, and based on its substantial support system, Abra was identified as the magic fit. The family officially purchased their first location, Abra Elk River, in June 1994.

In the nearly three decades that would follow, the Johnson family grew their store count, expanded their store sizes and made a positive impact on new communities along the way. In addition to the operational acumen displayed on the collision side of the business, the KLST Inc. Abra facilities have also achieved success with auto glass repair and replacement services.

Crash Champions on Aug. 29 announced Eric Pitt has joined the executive leadership team as chief financial officer.

Pitt joins the Crash Champions executive leadership team after previously serving as CFO at HGreg, a major independent automotive dealer with locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Pitt joins Crash Champions at a time of significant growth, having added more than 400 repair centers to its network since the start of 2022. Crash Champions operates more than 600 locations across 36 states and Washington D.C.

By the early 1990s, the Johnson family was eager to expand through franchising

“Success does not come easy without the hard work, diligence and adaptability demonstrated by the Johnson family,” said Wayne Kelly , vice president, operations, Abra. “It is always inspiring to see owners genuinely connecting with their industry peers and communities to leave a lasting impact and smile.”

S ource: Abra

Throughout his career, Pitt has overseen large-scale accounting and finance teams that have supported the acquisition and integration of more than 150 automotive dealerships accounting for north of $15 billion in revenue. Prior to his role with HGreg, Pitt worked at Lithia Motors, Inc., a publicly traded Fortune 500 company, as vice president of investor relations and treasurer.

Source: Crash Champions

“Success does not come easy without the hard work, diligence and adaptability demonstrated by the Johnson family. It is always inspiring to see owners genuinely connecting with their industry peers and communities to leave a lasting impact and smile.”

WAYNE KELLY ABRA VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS

Tesla, Rivian Endorse Right To Repair Pact

Electric vehicle makers Tesla and Rivian both sent letters of support to the signers of a “right to repair” pact between independent automotive repairers, collision repair experts and automakers.

In July, the Automotive Service Association, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation signed the pact, affirming a 2014 national agreement on automotive rightto-repair stating “independent repair facilities shall have access to the same diagnostic and repair information that auto manufacturers make available to authorized dealer networks.”

In a letter to Congress outlining this major automotive right-torepair development, the signing organizations wrote: “This commitment was created with our mutual and valued customers in mind: vehicle owners. It affirms that consumers deserve access to safe and proper repairs throughout a vehicle’s lifecycle [and] it is built to last because it anticipates changes in automotive technologies and market evolutions.”

Now, Tesla and Rivian have pledged their support of the pact.

In a letter signed by Tesla Vice President of Public Policy and Business Development Rohan Patel, the EV maker said it agrees customers should have access to safe and proper repairs throughout a vehicle’s lifecycle, it agrees with the standards laid out in the pact and is happy to support the effort.

“Tesla’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy includes empowering independent repairers to service electric vehicles as the global fleet grows,” Tesla’s letter said. “Through a comprehensive library of publicly available manuals and guides, Tesla already provides extensive information for independent and doit-yourself repairers. Current Tesla owners have numerous options to repair their vehicles.

“The commitment aligns with Tesla’s mission and our focus on supporting our customer’s rights while protecting their safety and security,” the letter concluded.

Rivian sent a letter signed by Chief Policy Officer Alan Hoffman, saying

it also agrees customers should have access to safe and proper repairs throughout a vehicle’s lifecycle and supports the independent repair community as provided in the pact.

Rivian said it owns and operates service centers and mobile service, and also offers several independent repair options for owners to service and repair their vehicles including a growing network of third-party Riviancertified collision centers, wheel and tire service through a certified national provider and third-party glass repair and ADAS calibration.

“Rivian supports third-party collision centers by providing access to Rivian repair manuals, service parts, tools and training— enabling them to safely repair Rivian vehicles,” the EV maker said. “Rivian intends to leverage similar approaches as we increase thirdparty and do it yourself options.”

Rivian said it also aims to lead in self-repair by developing features which enable third parties and individuals to increasingly perform service on the vehicles.

Source: Tesla, Rivian

Women in Auto Care Scholarship Program Achieves Record Year

Women in Auto Care, a community of the Auto Care Association, set a new record for its scholarship program, distributing 86 awards in both cash scholarships and starter toolkits, totaling $413,500 in value. The awards benefited female students across the U.S. interested in a career in the auto care industry. The incredible success of this year’s program was supported by the generosity of Women in Auto Care community sponsors and member donations.

Over the last year, Women in Auto Care continued its partnership with Garage Gurus to award five $7,000 cash scholarships totaling $35,000, introduced its largest cash scholarship of $10,000 in partnership with Dorman, awarded 20 toolkits valued at $9,000 each through its continued partnership with NAPA and partnered with Acuity to award an additional 10 toolkits valued at $4,250 each. For more information about scholarship opportunities, visit autocare.org/women-in-auto-care.

Source: Auto Care Association

Schaefer Autobody Centers Earns Member Preferred Recognition from

AAA Missouri

Schaefer Autobody Centers is proud to announce the Auto Club of Missouri, commonly known as AAA Missouri, has recognized Schaefer Autobody Centers’ Maplewood, MO, location as part of its prestigious Member Preferred Recognition (MPR) program. An outstanding service plaque and catered lunch were presented to the facility’s team Aug. 31.

In speaking to the shop’s employees, AAA Missouri’s MPR Team Manager Nick Rohde said, “Out of 240 shops, you guys were in the top 2%. So, we just want to say thank you to all you do for us and our customers every day.” Rohde was joined by AAA Missouri’s Unit Manager Jeff McSpadden, MPR Reinspector/APD Field Appraiser Jon Cochran and Claims Operations Group Manager Sherry VanBooven, along with Schaefer Autobody Centers’ Vice President Jaime Matthews and Operations Manager Aaron Burchett

The inaugural program from AAA Missouri identifies Schaefer Autobody Centers’ Maplewood facility as the fifth best-performing

collision repair facility of 240 qualified shops by MSI (Member Service Index) and overall CCC scorecard. The St. Louis-based auto body shop was one of nine facilities selected by the MPR program for outstanding performance in the first half of 2023.

UAF Awards Scholarships For 2023-24

AAA Missouri’s recognition speaks to the team’s commitment.”

Schaefer Autobody Centers in Maplewood opened in July 2015 and employs 18 full-time workers. The repair facility is located at 7920 Jaguar Trails in St. Louis County, and carries OEM certifications for five automakers: BMW, Acura, Honda, Subaru and VW. Certifications ensure vehicle manufacturers trust and certify a facility to perform auto body repairs to factory standards.

The University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF) has awarded 378 scholarships to students throughout the country, totaling $640,250 for the upcoming school year. A complete list of scholarship recipients can be found at AutomotiveScholarships. com/scholarship-alumni.

“I’m incredibly proud of our Maplewood shop,” said Burchett. “They clearly understand ensuring customer satisfaction—alongside the fit, finish and safety of each vehicle—is our ultimate goal, and

The shop’s General Manager Larry Crews added, “Being recognized for acts we consider part of our job says a lot about the dedication of this team. Thank you, AAA Missouri, for recognizing us.” AAA Missouri policies are accepted at all 14 Schaefer Autobody Centers locations in Missouri and Illinois. AAA Missouri serves multiple regions, including Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Southern Illinois, Southern Indiana and Northeast Kansas. Its headquarters are in St. Louis.

Source: Schaefer Autobody Centers

Those awarded with scholarships will be attending a two-year or fouryear college or university or an accredited automotive vocational program. While the majority of the students are studying to become mechanical, collision or heavyduty repair professionals, others are pursuing degrees in such fields as business, engineering and IT/ cybersecurity that will lead to a career in the automotive aftermarket. In addition, many named scholarships were awarded on behalf of a variety of individuals and organizations.

To be considered, scholarship candidates applied online. Once the teams of volunteer scholarship reviewers evaluated completed applications, recipients and their corresponding schools were notified of the awards.

Source: University of the Aftermarket Foundation

“I’m incredibly proud of our Maplewood shop. They clearly understand ensuring customer satisfaction— alongside the fit, finish and safety of each vehicle—is our ultimate goal, and AAA Missouri’s recognition speaks to the team’s commitment.”

Bogi Lateiner Promotes Inclusion in Schools, Workplaces At ASE Instructor’s Conference

As the leading organization working to solve the technician shortage, the ASE Education Foundation engaged noted automotive expert and ASE spokesperson Bogi Lateiner to deliver her presentation, “Revving up the Diversity: Shaping an Inclusive Future in Auto Repair High School and College Shop Programs” at the recent ASE Education Foundation instructor’s conference.

Before a standing-room-only crowd, Lateiner gave a compelling speech that focused on how to develop new initiatives to create a culture of inclusiveness in schools and the workplace.

“We want to thank Bogi for providing such an interesting and inspiring presentation,” said Mike Coley, president of the ASE Education Foundation. “Instructors have incredible influence on students. Helping instructors create an inclusive environment for both male and female students attracts more and better students which translates into more entry-level technicians.”

Lateiner’s presentation started with a role-play featuring two male instructors as an automotive instructor and female student. The female student was trying to talk her way into an automotive course while the instructor was trying to talk her out of it. Although humorous, it hit home on how hard it can be for female students to be accepted into an automotive, collision or truck program.

Some of the key points Lateiner emphasized in working with both male and female students included:

· Treat them the same. Have the same expectations of work to be accomplished and knowledge to be gained. Do not “dumb down” skills for female students because of perceived strength or knowledge differences. A set of brakes doesn’t care what gender is changing them.

· Do not compare. Don’t tell the male students that the female students are showing them up. Comments like that create more of a distance between male and female students and places

unreasonable expectations on the female students.

· Create an inviting environment for everyone. A large part of Lateiner’s presentation was about the “automotive club.” As Lateiner explained it, “We are the club,” and then explained, “that nobody wants to be a part of it. That needs to change if we want to solve the technician shortage.”

“Often viewed as being sensitive, the younger generation is not necessarily sensitive, but asks for what they want and need,” said Lateiner. “In this hiring environment, employees have more power. Asking to be treated with respect, to be trained and provided with a career path while working in a collaborative environment isn’t being sensitive. It’s what every employee should have. Change starts with the instructors. They have the power to create and set the expectation of a good work environment that their students can then take to the workplace.”

Source: ASE

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is thrilled to announce details for the first of three OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit sessions as part of the 2023 SEMA Show. Join the collision industry from 9–10:30 a.m. Nov. 2 for the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit, Session I: Understanding OEM Insurance, as senior executives from OnStar Insurance, Rivian Insurance and Toyota Insurance Management Solutions provide a deep dive into the emerging world of OEM insurance programs. Each panelist will present the unique aspects of their individual offerings, and then join to further discuss the evolution and potential of OEM insurance and its intended impact on the claims and collision repair process. Visit bit.ly/RDE2023 to register for Repairer Driven Education sessions, or use the SEMA Map Your Show to explore all available courses in the SCRS Repairer Driven Education (RDE) track.

Source: SCRS

Michigan: $5M To Survey Mileage Fee To Fix Roads

By Scott McClallen The Center Square

Michigan will spend $5 million to survey replacing the state’s waning gas tax revenue with a miles-traveled tax as more electric vehicles drive on roads but pay less to fix them relative to gas- and diesel-fueled vehicles.

The newly signed $82 billion 2024 budget directs state officials to apply for grant funding “under the national motor vehicle per-mile user fee pilot program” under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Upon awarded grant funding, Michigan must establish a pilot program to determine the feasibility of road usage charges to replace motor fuel taxes for transportation funding.

Gas tax revenue fixes the roads, but electric vehicles that often weigh and damage roads more pay less than owners of gas or diesel-fueled vehicles. An Anderson Economic Group report analyzing revenue loss from EV adoption found drivers of vehicles with internal combustion engines pay, on average, $402 a year in fuel taxes and registration fees. Meanwhile, the owners of fully electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and

hybrids pay $298, $262 and $269, respectively.

According to the Michigan Department of State, Michigan has 34,380 EVs and 143,239 hybrids registered statewide as of August.

If EVs represent between 15% and 25% of new vehicle sales statewide by 2030, the report says Michigan will face a $95 million hole annually in the state’s budget. More fuel-efficient cars also reduce gas tax revenue.

Rep. Andrew Fink, R-Adams Township, said the survey is one of “many frivolous pork projects” in the state’s record $82 billion budget that increased government workers by 899.

“This ridiculously expensive and unnecessary survey is just one of the many frivolous pork projects included in the Democrats’ rapid dwindling of our state’s historic surplus dollars,” Fink told The Center Square in an email.

Analysis from the nonpartisan Michigan’s Citizen’s Research Council found Michigan Democratic lawmakers holding a political trifecta for the first time in 40 years stuffed $881 million—65% of the $1.3 billion of 2024 budget earmarks—into

the final bill that didn’t reach the executive budget or the House- or Senate-passed budget bills.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer campaigned to fix roads but her proposed 45-cent-per-gallon tax idea failed, and Michigan still lacks good funding for road infrastructure.

Michigan’s crumbling roads have plagued residents for years, causing flat tires, road closures for repairs, and frequent traffic backups on Metro Detroit interstates. The American Society of Civil Engineers’s 2023 report card gave Michigan’s roads a D grade.

A report from Public Sector Consultants concluded Michigan has a $3.9 billion annual funding shortfall to fix roads and bridges. Another possible funding option is toll roads.

However, it’s unclear whether Michiganders surveyed will allow the government to place a GPS tracker in private vehicles because of privacy concerns.

The Center Square attempted to get more program details from the Michigan Department of Transportation; none had been received at time of publication.

Detection

Mitchell, an Enlyte company, on Aug. 24 announced the availability of a new feature in Mitchell Cloud Estimating that automatically detects a completed scan or calibration and gives users the ability to quickly add it as a line on the collision-damage appraisal.

This enhanced integration between carrier and shop workflows helps ensure estimates include the appropriate diagnostic procedures performed. It is also designed to assist independent, staff and shop appraisers with maintaining accurate records while giving vehicle owners added visibility into the repair work completed.

When configured, the new feature automatically detects diagnostic procedures performed on the vehicle with a Mitchell Diagnostics device and indexes the related scan and calibration documents associated with a claim. Then, in the estimating system, it surfaces a list of available scan and calibration operations related to the automobile.

Source: Mitchell

Small Businesses Feel The Pain Of Inflation-Driven Interest Rates

By Casey Harper The Center Square

Small business owners are feeling the pain of inflation-driven interest rate hikes, another difficulty for those owners to overcome as they continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic-era shutdowns.

A rash of federal spending and an increase in the money supply in recent years have fueled inflationary pressures. Prices soared during the beginning of the Biden administration, making it hard for Americans to make ends meet.

To push down inflation, the U.S. Federal Reserve hiked interest rates nearly a dozen times to the highest level in 22 years. As The Center Square previously reported, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index, a key marker of inflation, has increased nearly 17% since President Joe Biden took office. Wages, meanwhile, have not kept up.

Now, inflation has largely slowed its rapid increase, but the new interest rates have made

borrowing money much more expensive.

“Congress spent trillions upon trillions in recent years both in its irresponsible response to the pandemic and simply for further bloated increases for federal programs and agencies,” Joel Griffith, an economic expert at the Heritage Foundation, told The Center Square. “The central bank— the Federal Reserve—printed nearly $5 trillion, in part to finance this deficit spending. These newly created dollars flowed into the economy at a rapid pace. More dollars chasing too few goods sparked inflation.”

The average mortgage prices recently hit 7.09%, the highest in two decades. The same time last year, the average rate was about 5.13%. Interest rates on business loans have risen as well.

“In addition, when banks lend out these dollars, the money supply increases even further,” Griffith said. “By raising interest rates, the Fed hopes to curtail demand for these loans— lessening the inflation they the Fed itself helped create.”

Recently released survey data gives a window into the impact of those policies, reporting many small business owners cite interest rates as a major problem.

“Over half (58%) of small business owners who borrowed or tried to borrow reported high interest rates as their largest complaint in accessing financing,” the National Federation of Independent Business said.

NFIB’s monthly survey of business owners shows the percentage who cite interest rates as their biggest concern has ticked up as well.

Those businesses are also generally concerned about the banking sector, which has seen multiple bank collapses and fear of a domino effect.

“The health of the financial system is essential to small business operations,” said Holly Wade, executive director of NFIB’s Research Center. “While most owners are currently satisfied with their ability to borrow, the escalating cost of financing associated with high interest rates is a significant issue for many.”

Polyvance now has a dedicated phone number for making video calls with its customers. Between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central time, Polyvance will be accepting phone calls, text messages or video calls on the company’s new cell phone. This cell phone can accept video calls using the most popular video calling programs like WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom, Skype and Google Duo. The phone number is 256-717-9477.

Jobber or body shop customers with a question about plastic repair, products or plastic welder setup and maintenance can start a video call to easily show the Polyvance representative their situation. The Polyvance representative will work together with the customer to resolve the issue. Polyvance is also offering a new form of courtesy training that uses the video calling feature. If a customer purchases a Polyvance nitrogen plastic welder and needs immediate training, they can request a video call training session with a representative from Polyvance’s factory.

For more information, email training@polyvance.com.

Source: Polyvance

White House Announces $15.5 Billion To Support Transition To EVs

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Aug. 31 announced a $15.5 billion package of funding and loans primarily focused on retooling existing factories for the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), supporting good jobs and a just transition to EVs, as part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

This includes making available $2 billion in grants and up to $10 billion in loans to support automotive manufacturing conversion projects that retain high-quality jobs in communities that currently host these manufacturing facilities.

In the Domestic Conversion Grant Program, higher scores will be given to projects likely to retain collective bargaining agreements and/or those that have an existing highquality, high-wage hourly production workforce, such as applicants that currently pay top quartile wages in their industry.

The DOE also announced it will make available $3.5 billion in funding to expand domestic manufacturing of EV batteries and the nation’s grid, as well for battery materials and components currently imported from other countries.

Together, these federal investments underscore Biden’s deep

commitment to helping retain and expand high-paying manufacturing jobs while empowering workers to have a strong voice in and capture the economic benefits of the clean

Biden understands that building the cars of the future also necessitates helping the communities challenged by the transition away from the internal combustion engine.”

to manufacture electric vehicles and components. Supported by Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for electrified vehicles program will provide cost-shared grants for domestic production of efficient hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, plug-in electric drive and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

This program will expand manufacturing of light-, medium- and heavy-duty EVs and components and support commercial facilities including those for vehicle assembly, component assembly and related vehicle part manufacturing.

energy transition. The Investing in America agenda is also enhancing national security by building up the domestic supply chains necessary to reach the administration’s ambitious climate goals.

“President Biden is investing in the workforce and factories that made our country a global manufacturing powerhouse,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Today’s announcements show that President

Depending on their capital needs, manufacturers can apply to receive assistance via financial grants through DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) or preferable debt financing through DOE’s Loan Program Office.

Converting and Retrofitting America’s Manufacturing Plants

DOE announced a new $2 billion funding opportunity to spur the conversion of long-standing facilities

The program aims to support a just transition for workers and communities in the transition to electrified transportation, with particular attention to communities supporting facilities with longer histories in automotive manufacturing. Preference will also be given to projects that commit to pay high wages for production workers and maintain collective bargaining agreements.

Projects selected for this funding must also contribute to Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in America’s workforce

and ensure every community benefits from the transition to a clean energy future. This funding supports goals and targets detailed in the 100-day reviews under “America’s Supply Chains and the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries’ National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries,” an executive order which provides a path to building a strong domestic battery supply chain and accelerating the development of a robust, secure and equitable domestic industrial base by 2030.

Concept papers are due Oct. 2 and the deadline for full applications is Dec. 7.

Leveraging Loan Authority for Automotive Manufacturing Conversion Projects

DOE is also making up to $10 billion in loan authority available for applications under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program for automotive manufacturing conversion projects that retain high-quality jobs in communities that currently host manufacturing facilities.

Examples include retaining high wages and benefits, including workplace rights, or commitments such as keeping the existing facility open until a new facility is complete, in the case of facility replacement projects.

For projects that seek financing to convert or directly replace an existing factory that has high-quality jobs, DOE will assess the projected economic impacts of the facility conversion relative to the existing facility, including factors such as contribution to the local economy, employment history, anticipated employment and duration of its existence.

Bolstering American Battery Manufacturing, Strengthening

Domestic Supply Chains

DOE also announced its intent to invest approximately $3.5 billion to boost production of advanced batteries and battery materials critical to rapidly growing clean energy industries of the future, including EVs and energy storage.

This notice of intent represents the second round of funding for battery materials processing and battery manufacturing grants to support the creation of new, retrofitted and expanded domestic commercial facilities for battery materials, battery components and cell manufacturing.

Both the conversion grant funding opportunity and battery manufacturing notice of intent will be administered by MESC. Conversion Project loans are made available by ATVM, administered by LPO.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

Judge Rejects Hyundai and Kia’s $200M Car Theft Settlement Offer

By Gerard Horn Carbuzz

Hyundai and Kia’s car theft legal battles are set to continue after a federal court judge declined a proposed settlement agreement worth $200 million.

In May, Hyundai Motor America and Kia America tried to settle rather than go to court in a high-profile class-action lawsuit. As part of the $200 million settlement, Kia and Hyundai agreed to compensate around 9 million owners who suffered losses due to car damage and increased insurance premiums. The South Korean manufacturers also agreed to reimburse customers who purchased antitheft devices. A new software update to stop future thefts was also part of the settlement agreement.

According to the Associated Press, the above was not good enough. U.S. District Judge James Selna said the settlement fails to provide “fair and adequate” relief.

Illinois

Laurel BMW of Westmont Westmont 630-230-2890 Direct Wholesale

M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-3pm www.laurelbmw.com

Iowa BMW of Des Moines Urbandale 515-446-3660

515-278-2917 Fax

M-F 8am-5:30pm Sat 8am-4pm

jcarlson@lithia.com www.bmwdesmoines.com

Selna remained concerned about whether the software update would work and the calculation of payouts to customers. Selna was likely spurred on by a letter from six attorneys general, asking Selna to force the manufacturers to install anti-theft technology and implement a buyback program. These measures would replace the software update and cash payments Hyundai and Kia suggested.

Hyundai and Kia have been swatting flies since those infamous TikTok videos emerged. Hyundai developed an anti-theft software update for the 8.3 million vehicles affected. Still, this move wasn’t good enough for State Farm, which announced it would no longer insure certain Hyundai and Kia models, including popular cars like the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sorento.

Hyundai eventually found an alternative insurance solution for its customers, which likely came with a hefty premium over what they used to pay.

Missouri

Autohaus BMW St. Louis

888-811-6199 314-880-8428 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm

brian.fischer@bmwautohaus.com

©2023 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

MINI USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

BMW, Ford, Honda Partnering To Create New Company To Optimize EV Grid Services

BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. on Sept. 12 announced they have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new equally-owned company that will create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested electric vehicle customers.

Benefiting both EV customers and the electric utility industry in the U.S. and Canada, ChargeScape will unlock entirely new value that EVs can provide to the electric grid, while enabling EV customers to earn financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing services never before possible with traditional gasolinepowered vehicles.

The closing of the transaction and subsequent formation of ChargeScape is pending regulatory approvals, with the company expected to be operational early next year.

Building on years of OVGIP crossindustry collaboration, ChargeScape’s single platform will eliminate the need for individual integrations between each automotive brand and each electric utility. ChargeScape’s platform will give electric utilities access to EV battery energy across a

wide pool of EVs.

Participating EV customers will have the potential to earn financial benefits by charging at “grid-friendly” times through flexible and managed schedules. Electric vehicle customers will also eventually have the opportunity for even more significant impact by sharing the energy stored in their EV batteries with the grid during times of peak demand through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications.

ChargeScape will enable the smart use of plugged-in EV batteries by securely providing energy data to electric utilities and system operators like aggregated demand response, alignment of charging and EV battery use with off-peak, low-cost hours and the availability of high renewable energy. Due to the efficient integration with participating automakers and the anticipation of high levels of EV customer enrollment, these energy services are expected to be a costefficient, operational benefit for electric utilities.

Transformational Opportunity for EV Customers and Electric Utilities

The development of this project comes at a time when EV sales and infrastructure growth are ramping up quickly, bringing new opportunities

to address challenges for the electric grid. More EVs on the road means increased electricity demand on utilities to charge them. ChargeScape aims to provide energy management services to help support grid resiliency while looking ahead to the future of V2G capabilities that will benefit both EV customers and electric utilities.

Additionally, ChargeScape will play a role in helping to decarbonize the grid. The company’s efforts will reduce EV customers’ personal carbon footprints by using electricity that comes from more readily available renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar. While seamless integration between EV customers and utilities will be key to energy management success, participating EV customers will always remain in control of their charging and energy decisions.

“Electric grid reliability and sustainability are the foundation for an EV powered future,” said Thomas Ruemenapp, vice president, engineering, BMW of North America,

maximize renewable energy usage. We’re proud to be a founding member of ChargeScape and are looking forward to the opportunities this collaboration will create.”

“Electric vehicles are unlocking entirely new benefits for customers that can save them money while supporting grid resiliency and increase the use of clean, renewable energy,” said Bill Crider, global head of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Company. “ChargeScape will help accelerate the true potential of the EV revolution by providing significant benefits to both utilities and EV customers through smart vehicle-to-grid services.”

“As Honda seeks to achieve our global goal of carbon neutrality, we are counting on this platform to create new value for our customers by connecting EVs to electric utilities, strengthening grid resources and reducing CO2 emissions,” said Jay Joseph, vice president of sustainability and business development, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “With automakers accelerating toward the electrified future, we must find solutions like ChargeScape that enable all stakeholders to work together for the good of our customers, society and

INSIST ON GM GENUINE PARTS

Illinois Piehl Motors PRINCETON 800-845-8964 815-875-4411

Schepel Buick GMC MERRILLVILLE

Michigan Ed Rinke Chevrolet Buick GMC

Minnesota Mills Parts Center WILLMAR

Ohio #1 Cochran Chevy Buick GMC YOUNGSTOWN

800-476-0760

800-588-7757

219-769-7757

219-755-0339 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 5 pm parts@schepel.com

Shottenkirk Automotive FORT MADISON

877-310-0513

888-945-3729 Fax

586-754-5030

877-552-2580

Fax M-F 7 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am

800-362-5246

810-600-3350

810-600-3354 Fax

M-Th 7 am - 7 pm F 7 am - 6:30 pm Sat 8 am - 2 pm

dlucas@sheasavings.com

330-726-2297

330-726-0709 Fax

Mon-Thu 7am-6pm Fri 7am-5:30pm Sat 7am-3pm matt.fullerton@cochran.com

Jake Sweeney Chevrolet SPRINGDALE

800-582-5253

513-782-2829

513-782-2846 Fax

M-F 7:30 am – 6 pm Sat 8 am – 2 pm cscott@jakesweeney.com www.jakesweeneychevy.com

Joseph Chevrolet CINCINNATI

800-752-1423

513-741-6735

513-741-3814 Fax

M-F 7:30 am – 5:30 pm Sat 7:30 am – Noon josephgmparts@yahoo.com

866-235-6700 Fax M-F 8 am - 5:30 pm Missouri Bob McCosh GM COLUMBIA 800-800-8071 573-449-4103 573-441-5632 Fax M-F 7 am - 6 pm Sat 7 am - 3 pm gmparts@bmcmail.com Ohio Classic Chevrolet MENTOR 800-352-7276 800-352-7275 24-HR Fax M-F 8 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - 3pm Wisconsin Ivan Gandrud Chevrolet GREEN BAY 800-242-2844 920-468-3658 920-468-3673 Fax M-F 7 am - 7 pm Sat 7 am - 2 pm parts@gandrud.com Michigan North Dakota Rydell Chevrolet Buick GMC GRAND FORKS 800-354-7278 701-746-0412 701-335-2556 24 Hr Fax M-F 7am - 6 pm parts@rydellcars.com www.rydellcars.com BettenBaker Chevrolet Buick GMC ALMA 888-229-2336 989-463-0456 Fax M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm dsitts@bettenbaker.com @GMParts.ACDelco GM Genuine Parts & ACDelco @GMParts_ACDelco @gmparts_acdelco

our industry by enabling greater use of renewable energy for and from mobility.”

Benefits of Working Together

ChargeScape, along with the work done to date through OVGIP, will bring managed charging benefits to more EV customers and can eliminate marketing and outreach costs for utilities trying to reach their individual customer bases. BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda have direct, multichannel communication with their EV customers, solving a central problem for utilities that typically do not know or have an easy and cost-effective way to identify the EV customers in their service territory.

Additionally, by leveraging automaker telematics, ChargeScape intends to provide managed charge scheduling through vehicle connectivity without requiring WiFi-enabled charging stations. This will support the many EV customers who do not use “smart” chargers at home, as their EVs would otherwise be unreachable for grid services.

The three founding members welcome other automakers to join in and fully unlock opportunities provided by ChargeScape’s grid service offerings once the company is fully operational.

U.S. Department of Justice Has Seized $1.4B in Pandemic Relief Funds

By Brett Rowland The Center Square

A federal campaign to combat COVID-19 fraud resulted in 718 enforcement actions, including criminal charges against 371 defendants, for crimes related to more than $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the results of the campaign Aug. 23.

“The Justice Department has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that criminals had stolen and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.  Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco made the announcement at a roundtable meeting of senior Justice Department officials, law enforcement partners and Office of Inspector General executives. Monaco also announced the launch of two additional COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Forces: one at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, and one at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District

of New Jersey.

Those two strike forces are in addition to the three strike forces launched in September 2022 in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, the Southern District of Florida, and the District of Maryland.

“The two new Strike Forces launched today will increase our reach as we continue to pursue fraudsters and recover taxpayer funds, no matter how long it takes,” Monaco said in a statement.

The 718 law enforcement actions include criminal charges, civil charges, forfeitures, guilty pleas and sentencings, with a combined total actual loss of more than $836 million, according to the Justice Department.

Criminal charges were filed against 371 defendants, and 119 defendants have pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial during the sweep. More than $57 million in court-ordered restitution was imposed. Prosecutors worked with law enforcement to secure forfeiture of more than $231.4 million.

Michael Horowitz, chairman of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, said

early mistakes cost taxpayers.

“Agency decisions in the early months of the pandemic that prioritized speed over accuracy in delivery of relief funds led to brazen fraud and outright theft of millions of dollars,” he said in a statement.

Horowitz testified in February that federal agencies failed to use some of the tools at their disposal to prevent fraud, including the Do Not Pay list. The U.S. Department of the Treasury had set up the list of suspicious payees whoshould trigger additional screening. He said advance screening with the U.S. Department of the Treasury Do Not Pay list could have saved taxpayer money.

“The two new Strike Forces launched today will increase our reach as we continue to pursue fraudsters and recover taxpayer funds, no matter how long it takes.”

— LISA MONACO DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

We’ve Got Your Parts Covered

ILLINOIS

Hawkinson Kia

Matteson

(708) 720-8972

(708) 720-0657 Fax

M, W, F 6am-5pm Tu, Th 6am-7pm; Sat 8am-2pm

jmihas@hawkinsonnissankia.com www.hawkinsonnissan.com/ez-parts

Raymond Kia Antioch

(847) 395-3600

(847) 838-7997 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-2pm kweber@raymondchevrolet.com

KANSAS

Midwest Kia Wichita

(316) 652-2960

(316) 652-2992 Fax

M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-2pm jjensen@midwestkia.com

MICHIGAN

Kia of Lansing Lansing

(517) 393-5700

(517) 393-6767 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm

mattr@lansingisyoung.com www.kiaoflansing.com

Seelye Kia of Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo

(269) 488-0614

M-F 7am-6pm gmeskil@seelye.com

MINNESOTA

Lupient Kia of Brooklyn Park Brooklyn Park

(800) 569-5735

(763) 424-9437

(763) 424-4631 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm

MISSOURI

Lou Fusz Kia St. Louis

(877) 221-4151

(314) 595-4942 Fax

M, W, F 7am-8pm; Tu, Th 7am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4pm

fuszkiaparts@fusz.com www.kia.fusz.com

Napleton’s Mid Rivers Kia St. Peters

(888) 816-9729

(636) 926-0683 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-3pm

bprinster@napleton.com

pschnare@napleton.com www.midriverskia.com

Suntrup Kia St. Louis

(800) 727-8496

(314) 815-3060 Fax

M-F 7am-5pm

www.suntrupkiasouth.com

NO. DAKOTA

Kia of Fargo Fargo

(800) 728-7601

(701) 282-5924 Fax

M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-5pm

Genuine Kia Parts* are specifically manufactured from original engineering specs to ensure the same exceptional quality, performance and safety as when you first drove your Kia off the lot. Plus, they’re covered by our 12-month Replacement Parts Limited Warranty.

Hawkinson Nissan Matteson

708-720-2185

(708) 720-3709 Fax

M-F 8-5:30, Sat. 8-3 nissanparts@hawkinsonnissankia com

Hubler Nissan Indianapolis

800-960-9811

(317) 888-9227

(317) 884-1750 Fax

M-F 8-6, Sat. 8-4 rhoffmann@drivehubler�com nissanparts@drivehubler com

MINNESOTA

Eden Prairie Nissan Eden Prairie

952-567-2150

(952) 567-2197 Fax

M-F 6:30-7 parts@edenprairienissan�com www�edenprairienissan�com

WISCONSIN

Gandrud Nissan Green Bay

800-242-2844

(920) 785-5868

(920) 884-0882 Fax

M-F 7-7, Sat. 7-2 nissanparts@gandrud com

Carvana-Led Coalition Passes Home Delivery Legislation in Illinois

Carvana Co. on Aug. 28 announced the successful conclusion to its campaign to enact legislation that more formally allows car buyers in the state the convenience of home delivery.

Legislation sponsored by Illinois State Sen. Patrick Joyce and supported by thousands of Illinois consumers, explicitly permitting vehicle home delivery, passed the Illinois Senate unanimously by a 57-0 vote, the Illinois House of Representatives by a 113-0 margin, and was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker.

The legislation modernizes existing vehicle sales laws, which were more than 50 years old and did not formally account for current conveniences, like home delivery, now afforded to vehicle buyers in the state. More than 15,000 Illinois customers took action to show support as Carvana led a coalition championing this legislation and launched DeliverMyCarHome. com to provide an easy mechanism to contact elected officials.

“At Carvana, we are committed to continually innovating to make the car buying and selling experience easier, more transparent and more fun. One of the ways we raise the bar for our customers is offering home delivery, and we are proud to work alongside Illinois customers and lawmakers to ensure consumers in the state are able to take advantage of this convenient service,” said Will Dammann , Carvana government relations manager. “We thank the thousands of Illinois customers who voiced their support for modernizing existing laws and commend Illinois legislators and the governor for taking action on behalf of local consumers.”

Carvana served its first Illinois customer in 2014 and since then, the nation’s largest online auto dealer’s connection to Illinois has grown tremendously, with more than 95,000 Illinois residents served and counting.

Source: Carvana

MICHIGAN

Maple Hill Volkswagen Kalamazoo

800-323-0022

Direct 269-978-0191

Fax: 269-342-0065

M-F 8am-5:30pm www.maplehillauto.com

MISSOURI

Dean Team Volkswagen of Ballwin Ballwin

636-227-6527

Fax: 636-591-0071

M-F 7am-5pm

MISSOURI

Molle Volkswagen Kansas City

816-941-4969

816-941-1969

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 8am-3pm jbarczak@mollevw.com ewolf@molleautogroup.com

OHIO

Byers Volkswagen Columbus

614-552-5490

M-F 7:30am-6pm; Sat 8am-12pm wholesaleparts@byersauto.com

Find

Toll Free 269.978.0191 Direct 269.342.0065 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm www.maplehillauto.com

MISSOURI Kansas City Audi Kansas City 866.949.9500 Toll Free 816.941.4969 Direct 816.942.3156 Fax M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 8am-5pm ewolf@molleautogroup.com jbarczak@mollevwgroup.com

OHIO Audi Columbus Columbus 614.552.5490

M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-12pm

wholesaleparts@byersauto.com

Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers.

Audi Part Professionals are experts on collision parts, replacement components and mechanical items

Sometimes, “slow and steady” just isn’t an option

Genuine NISSAN & INFINITI OEM Wholesale Parts are Superbly Crafted to Strict Quality Standards THE FOLLOWING DEALERS PROUDLY STOCK GENUINE PARTS FOR YOUR NISSAN OR INFINITI REPAIRS THE PROUDLY STOCK GENUINE PARTS FOR YOUR NISSAN OR REPAIRS

NISSAN

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

USAA Unveils Top 10 States With Most & Least Distracted Drivers

USAA released data on distracted driving trends in the U.S. during the first half of 2023. The data, compiled from USAA’s SafePilot® telematics app, offers valuable insights into the states where drivers are most and least prone to distractions behind the wheel. The data comes at a time when more drivers have returned to the roads as more Americans are working from offices.

Through the first half of the year, USAA has seen an 18% increase in miles driven over the same period in 2022, along with a 10% increase in distracted driving behaviors, providing an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of avoiding distractions on the roads as it remains a leading cause of accidents and fatalities for Americans.

According to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,522 lives in 2021, a 13% increase over pre-pandemic figures from 2019.

Distracted driving is particularly

a driver’s attention away from the road, increasing the risk of accidents. Common distractions include texting, talking on the phone, eating or using in-car entertainment systems.

“At USAA, we are committed to helping create safer roads for everyone,” said Randy Termeer , USAA president of Property & Casualty. “By staying focused on the road and avoiding distractions, we can protect lives, reduce accidents and make our communities safer for all.”

USAA has compiled data highlighting the top 10 states with the most and least distracted drivers based on their smartphone distraction rates (percentage of driving time that was distracted).

Top 10 States with the Most Distracted Drivers (January–

June 2023)

These states exhibited the highest levels of distracted driving incidents, including texting, phone calls and other smartphone distractions that divert drivers’

State, Distraction Rate

1. Mississippi, 17.8 %

2. Louisiana, 16.8 %

3. South Carolina, 16.5 %

4. Alabama, 16.2 %

5. North Carolina, 15.8 %

6. Georgia, 15.5 %

*District of Columbia, 14.9 %

7. Arkansas, 14.7 %

8. Tennessee, 14.5 %

9. Texas, 14.0 %

10. Kentucky, 13.8 %

Top 10 States with the Least Distracted Drivers (January–June 2023)

These states demonstrated a commitment to safe driving practices, with fewer incidents of smartphone distractions compared to the national average of 12.1%.

State, Distraction Rate

1. Vermont, 6.8 %

2. Oregon, 8.0 %

3. Minnesota, 9.1 %

4. New Hampshire, 9.5 %

5. Maine, 9.6 %

6. Washington, 10.1 %

7. Montana, 10.2 %

8. Colorado, 10.3 %

9. Nevada, 10.3 %

Maple Hill Subaru

Kalamazoo

(800) 323-0022

Direct (269) 978-0191

(269) 342-0065 Fax

Mon-Fri 8-5:30

www.maplehillauto.com

Luther Bloomington Subaru

Bloomington

(800) 451-5078

Direct (952) 887-0600

(952) 881-1787 Fax

Mon 6:30-6; Tue-Fri 6:30-9; Sat 8-4 parts@bloomingtonsubaru.com www.bloomingtonsubaru.com

Morrie’s Brooklyn Park Subaru

Brooklyn Park

(800) 343-6999

(763) 765-1462

(763) 765-1487 Fax

Mon-Fri 7-7; Sat 8-5 bpsubaruparts@morries.com www.brooklynparksubaru.com

10. Wyoming, 10.3 %

USAA encourages all drivers, regardless of their state’s ranking, to prioritize safety behind the wheel. By taking simple precautions, we can collectively make the roads safer for everyone. USAA remains dedicated to promoting safe driving habits and will continue to raise awareness about the importance of distraction-free driving.

Driving data from SafePilot, USAA’s behavior-based insurance app, leverages telematics technology to provide feedback on driving behaviors. SafePilot rewards safe driving with premium discounts; members who enroll receive up to a 10% discount for signing-up and continued policy discounts up to 30% for exhibiting safe driving behaviors. By incentivizing safe driving practices, SafePilot aims to reduce accidents, improve road safety and reward participants with discounts on their insurance.

SafePilot is currently available in 47 states plus Washington D.C.

Source: USAA

Dean Team Subaru Ballwin

(636) 227-6527

(636) 591-0071 Fax

Mon-Fri 7-5

Byers Airport Subaru Columbus

(614) 552-5490

Mon-Fri 7:30-6; Sat 8-12 wholesaleparts@byersauto.com

Ken Ganley Subaru North Olmsted North Olmsted

Toll Free (888) 850-0633

Direct (440) 788-7060

(440) 788-7085 Fax

Mon-Fri 8-7 Tue-Fri 8-6 Sat 8-5 jtjoyce@ganleywestside.com

MICHIGAN OHIO

MISSOURI

Co-President & Publisher

Nathan Gregory

Co-President & Publisher

Paul Stepanek

Editor

Abby Andrews

Contributing Writers

Mike Anderson,Stacey Phillips, John Yoswick, Cole Strandberg

Advertising Sales

Joe Momber, Norman Morano

Office Manager

Kelly Cashman

Digital Marketing Manager

Bryan Malinski

Art Director

Rodolfo Garcia

Senior Designer

Vicki Sitarz

Accounting & HR Manager

Heather Priddy

Permissions Editor

Randi Scholtes

Serving Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher.

©2023 Autobody News, LLC.

Autobody News

P.O. Box 1516 Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

A New Chapter Begins: California-Based Entrepreneurs Acquire Autobody News

Nathan Gregory and Paul Stepanek Gear Up to Supercharge Regional and National Content & Digital Presence

We’re excited to announce Californiabased entrepreneurs Nathan Gregory and Paul Stepanek have acquired Autobody News, based in Carlsbad, CA, effective August 2023.

Gregory and Stepanek bring a potent mix of content production, advertising, business management and growth experience necessary to lead Autobody News. With a combined professional history spanning over two decades across diverse sectors such as entertainment media, infrastructure construction, real estate investment, online media and consumer products, they bring a wealth of knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit to the business.

Thoughts from the New Owners

With our experience in entertainment media, we set out to acquire a media business that served a durable, stable and essential market. Upon our introduction to Autobody News, it became evident this platform

matched our strategic objectives. Recognizing its robust brand identity and foundational strength, we are excited to integrate our experience in content production, digital media and advertiser relationship management.

Our aim is to enhance the brand’s prevailing reputation while increasing and improving content and advertising opportunities that resonate with the industry’s evolving needs. The collision repair industry represents a critical segment of the market, and we are committed to providing more and better national, regional and local news and content, bolstering the unique position Autobody News holds in the market.

“Autobody News is more than just a publication; it’s a legacy,” said Stepanek. “With this acquisition, our vision is to tap into the core strength of Autobody News by further enhancing its content, especially the unique regional offerings. We understand the trust and expectations associated with this, and we’re committed to delivering.”

“Having a clear digital roadmap is crucial in today’s media landscape,” added Gregory. “We’re thrilled about

infusing our digital media expertise into Autobody News, ushering in an era of improved digital content and advertising opportunities that resonate with the industry’s evolving needs.”

Our Promise to Stakeholders

We value the support and loyalty of readers and advertisers and want to assure our stakeholders that operations will continue as normal. As a top industry publication, we will

continue to provide the top-notch content and excellent client service Autobody News is known for.

We are proud of the multiyear relationships the company has developed with its talented columnists and will continue to rely on their expert coverage of the industry.

coverage.

For advertisers, we plan to leverage cutting-edge digital advertising technology for improved opportunities based on our expertise in this area.

We will uphold and elevate the standards set by Autobody News since its inception.

History of Autobody News

Autobody News was founded in 1982 by a body shop owner in Southern California. After recognizing its great brand equity and growth potential, Barbara Davies and Jeremy Hayhurst purchased the publication 16 years ago.

When they took over in 2007, there were only two regional editions circulated in seven states. Over the next four years, they expanded to all 50 states and printed five regional editions, enabling the company to reach body shops nationwide. Since then, the company has stayed true to its core mission of providing shops with regional and national news.

a dependable news source.

“Barbara and I didn’t know anything about the collision repair market when we purchased Autobody News but found everyone to be welcoming and helpful as we got up to speed,” recalled Hayhurst. “It’s a very tight-knit community and we’re grateful for the many personal and professional relationships we have developed.”

“Over the years, the passion and integrity of the Autobody News team have been the backbone of our success,” said Davies. “In Nathan and Paul, I saw not just entrepreneurs but custodians for the magazine’s future. Their vision, coupled with their digital prowess, made them the ideal choice to helm Autobody News’s next chapter.”

Looking Ahead

Autobody News is committed to providing essential news and information required by shops to stay competitive.

For readers, we understand the importance of providing regional news for shops across the country and will continue to expand our

In addition to the five print issues, Autobody News provides digital news offerings, such as email newsletters, a podcast, social media platforms and robust website content. It has also developed a reputation for being

As the only independently owned collision repair magazine focused on regional news, our goal is to continue reporting on important industry developments.

Planned expansion includes improving content strategy, and focusing on the website, email,

Pictured, left to right, are Vicki Sitarz, Norm Morano, Rodolfo Garcia, Heather Priddy, Joe Momber, Paul Stepanek, Barbara Davies, Nathan Gregory, Randi Scholtes, Abby Andrews, Kelly Cashman and Bryan Malinski

AUTOMOTIVE AVIATION INDUSTRIAL MARINE

OBSESSED WITH QUALITY & PROFORMANCE

The Pro Form brand is a promise of reliability; our obsession is quality and our goal is product performance. We continuously invest in the improvement of our products and services because we care about the success of our customers’ businesses. When our customers have positive results and experiences, it is a win for Pro Form.

Let’s share our successes. Partner with our Pro Form team today.