November 2020 Midwest Edition by Autobody News

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AUTOBODYNEWS.COM Vol. 10 / Issue 2 / November 2020

The 2020 Election and Auto: Cars.com Compares Each Presidential Candidate’s Automotive Policies

SEMA Show and SEMA360: What’s the Same?

A team of experts at Cars.com, a leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider, explored the differences in each presidential can-

Day-to-day business production has changed drastically during the past seven months, and specialty-equipment companies have discovered creative ways to keep operations running and adapted to an inconsistent marketplace. In the interest of serving those companies and supporting the association’s mission to help member businesses succeed and prosper, SEMA360 was created. “Each year SEMA Week creates a community exchange of innovation, education and networking that sets the course of business for the

didate’s platforms and looked into major impacts the upcoming election will have on the automotive market

and American consumers. The full report can be found at Cars.com/news/election2020. “The first point people should understand about the auto industry is that vehicles are manufactured for years in essentially the same form based on an enormous upfront investment—vehicle platforms last 6.7 years on average,” said Joe Wiesenfelder, executive editor for Cars.com. “Contrast this with a four-year presidential term, and it’s hard to accept any claim that a president or nominee has changed, or could change, where See The 2020 Election, Page 28

by Jason Catullo, SEMA

following year,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “During this year’s SEMA Week, Monday through Friday, Nov. 2-6, the amount of content exchange and interaction between manufacturers, buyers and media will again be unmatched.” There are currently more than 600 manufacturers ready to offer an exclusive look at their newest products, highlight trendsetting vehicles and in-progress project builds, and meet with buyers through SEMA360. Gattuso has also been contacted by retailers and resellers whose businesses have not stopped moving See What’s the Same?, Page 26

Registration for the 2020 MSO Symposium Now Open

AI Has Already Changed the Game for Auto Insurers

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) announced earlier this month the ninth installment of the MSO Symposium would take place as a five-day virtual event the week of Nov. 9, and that for the first time ever, the program is open to the entire industry and at no cost. Registration is now open. The 2020 MSO Symposium will run as a series of 90-minute, daily webinar sessions that provide insight and guidance on the most important issues in the automotive collision repair business. Similar to years past, the agenda, timing and content is driven and directed by

by Christoph Plenio, CCC Information Services Inc.

industry leading members who participate on the program’s advisory board. The program features speakers like Susanna Gotsch, industry analyst from CCC Information Services; Rex Green, global co-head automotive aftermarket investment banking with Jefferies LLC; OEM and insurance company representatives; and panel participants from a variety of multi-shop organizations, both large and small from across North America. Additional information on this year’s agenda and speakers can be found at www.msosymposium.com/ See MSO Symposium, Page 27

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AI is changing how insurers do business. Accelerating decisions. Improving outcomes. Constantly adapting to customized rules and permutations. This isn’t a vision, but the reality for more than 50 insurance carriers working with CCC across AI use cases. In conversations and media, AI is often discussed as a concept. That’s yesterday’s news. Today, AI is a proven factor in improving experiences and processes for countless policyholders. For example: AI applied to a single photo can predict repairable versus total loss claims, resulting in real-time decisions that don’t leave policyholders waiting days or weeks to know the fate of their vehicle. AI applied to auto damage estimates flag outliers based on carrier-specific rules and guidelines, identifying line-level items that appear out of the norm, and resulting in greater estimate accuracy. AI-powered estimating automatically predicts which parts are damaged, whether they can be repaired or

need to be replaced, and approximate labor hours, boosting appraiser productivity. AI-powered 3rd-party injury evaluations ensure accurate assessments of impact severity, availability of complete injury causation analytics, and that medical bill review is accomplished in the most efficient and effective manner for the third-party adjuster. These are just a few examples of the near touchless claims experience that exists today with people engaging where necessary to confirm AI-led claims flow from accident detection, to first notice of loss, to predictive method of inspection and beyond. This is a small snapshot of AI today. Tomorrow’s AI will empower even more business decisions earlier in the process and with even greater precision. AI run on edge devices, such as mobile phones, will detect contextual information from the accident scene while augmented reality technologies deployed on these same mobile phones will more fully See Changed the Game, Page 8

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2 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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CONTENTS

FREE 4x Monthly E-Newsletter. Subscribe Today! AUTOBODY

REGIONAL

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Phillips - The Importance of Having a Broad

Beth Rutter Shares Sneak Peek of Pilot Program at I-CAR Virtual Meeting ��10

Understanding of Vehicle Technology ��46 Yoswick - Two Shops Walk Away from Lawsuits Against Insurers ��40

CARSTAR Plover, Erie Insurance Present Refurbished Vehicle to Deserving Local

NATIONAL

Mother of Twins ��20

AI Has Already Changed the Game for

Don’s Auto Body, State Farm Present ®

Refurbished Vehicle to Gold Star Family ��18 Gerber Collision & Glass Acquires Two Repair Centers in Wisconsin ��12 GM Shuts Down Corvette Plant Temporarily Due to Parts Issue ��12 GM Unveils ‘Factory ZERO’ Production Facility, Highlights EV Future ��22 Hayward, WI, Businesses Rebuild and Donate Car to Local Family ��24 Hugo, MN, Auto Body, Mechanical Shop Has Leadership Change ��24 Midwest Auto Care Alliance Announces Expansion for Virtual Membership ��16 NABC Recycled Ride Program, GEICO, ®

Auto Insurers ��1 Allstate to Cut 3,800 Jobs ��50 Average New-Vehicle Prices Rise 2.5% Year-Over-Year in September: Kelley

$12 Million for Closing Lordstown Plant ��18 Ohio’s Three-C Body Shops Sold ��6 To Hail and Back: Why One CARSTAR is Grateful for Community Support ��6 Waconia 1 Collision Puts eEmphasis on State-of-the-Art Tech ��14

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 53

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 56

CCG Adds 100th New Affiliate ��59

Automotive Technology Inc. �� 10

Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 54

Hertz No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction ��24

AutoNation Collision Parts �� 7

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers ��36-37

BASF Corporation �� 33

Morrison’s Auto Parts �� 28

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 57

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 50

Certified Automotive Parts Association �� 22

Patrick BMW MINI �� 49

to Inspect Seat Belts, According to ‘Who

Classic Chevrolet �� 45

Patrick Hyundai �� 42

Pays for What?’ Surveys ��58

Classifieds �� 58

PPG Refinish �� 11

Courtesy Subaru �� 32

Prima Welds Inc. �� 25

Eagle Abrasives, Inc �� 19

SATA Dan-Am Company �� 5

Eckler’s Automotive �� 14

Sears Imported Autos, Inc �� 44

Collision Repairers to Meet Requirements

Equalizer Industries, Inc �� 27

Shaheen Chevrolet Parts Warehouse �� 38

of Insurers, OEMs & Customers ��48

FAST Shelter �� 8

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes �� 2

FI. TIM SRL �� 12

Shop-Pro Equipment �� 23

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 54

Southern Polyurethanes, Inc �� 13

Gandrud Parts Center �� 21

Spanesi Americas �� 17

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 51

Steck Manufacturing Company �� 24

Hawkinson Kia �� 40

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 52

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers ��30-31

Sunmight USA Corporation �� 39

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 59

Symach �� 18

Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc �� 29

The Porsche Exchange �� 6

Kelly BMW �� 34

The Sharpe Collection of Automobiles �� 47

Kia Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 55

VanDevere Chevrolet �� 43

Killer Tools & Equipment Corp. �� 15

VanDevere Kia �� 43

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont �� 41

Wedge Clamp Systems �� 20

Luther Bloomington Acura-Subaru �� 35

Willis Volvo �� 6

Luther Kia of Bloomington �� 6

Zimmer Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram �� 60

Restored Vehicles to Front Line Heroes ��57

Martin Named DCR Dir. of Operations ��22 Middle-Aged Drivers More Likely to Crash Than Those in Their 70s: Study ��59 More Shops Invoicing, Being Paid For Labor

New Push for Autonomous Vehicles Bill ��53 OEC Acquisition of NuGen IT Will Further Assist

OEC Appoints New President and CEO ��12 Registration for the 2020 MSO Symposium Now Open ��1 SEMA Show and SEMA360: What’s the Same? ��1 Tesla Dominated Q2 U.S. Automotive Exports, Data Says ��27 Tesla Driver Caught Sleeping While Going

COLUMNISTS Anderson - Pricing Change Reflects the Absolute Need for Separate Charges for Scanning, Diagnostics ��42 Attanasio - BAR Auto Shop Locator Educates and Empowers California Consumers ��38 Attanasio - Killer Tools Attacks Pandemic with Mr. Fogger ��52 Attanasio - Online and Just in Time: SEMA 2020 Becomes SEMA360 ��44

Serving Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan,

McGrath City Hyundai �� 48

Nationwide Introduces Express App ��56

Ohio Orders GM to Repay $28 Million, Invest

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

American Icon Automotive Finishes �� 16

Caliber Commits to ‘Restoring You’ by Gifting

NADA Show 2021 to be Held Online ��34

2021 and Beyond ��15

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. ©2020 Adamantine Media LLC.

Malco �� 26

Refurbished Vehicle to Veteran ��16

Moves Reimagined Show to September

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bryan Malinski Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Vicki Sitarz Online and Web Content Editor: Abby Andrews Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Permissions Editor: Randi Scholtes Office Assistant: Dianne Pray

3M Automotive Aftermarket Division �� 9

Blue Book ��54

Car Craft Auto Body Chesterfield Donate

North American International Auto Show

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

ASA Ohio Wraps Up First Year of CPL Meetings ��8

93 MPH on Autopilot ��22 Tesla Sues U.S. Government Over Trump’s China Tariffs ��56 Tesla’s Cabin Camera Detecting Facial Features to Increase Vehicle Safety ��4 Using Texts & Selfies for Insurance Claims ��4 Why Dealers Are Now ‘Exercising Caution’ ��54 Your Online Presence Needs to be Refreshed in Pandemic Recovery ��32

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Using Texts & Selfies for Insurance Claims by Dhara Patel, PropertyCasualty360

Sometimes a simple, mature technology can reap big rewards. A case in point is property-casualty claims management, where insurers are using two established platforms in new ways: text messaging and selfies. Ubiquitous on social media and familiar to consumers, these digital tools are just now being adopted in

Insurance carriers are finding that texting conveys a sense of urgency and policyholders are more likely to respond to a text message. Credit: Courtney Keating, ALM Archives

the claims arena. And they are paying off in reduced claims times as well as lower claims costs. Since claims are a cost center and can eat into an insurer’s underwriting profit, claims managers are constantly looking for ways to process claims more efficiently. Insurers have harnessed technology to reduce paperwork, eliminate redundant data entry and expedite claims, but they have been slow to apply solutions that are outside their control and may

pose regulatory concerns. But as insurers become more confident of their data security protocols and feel they can meet regulatory requirements, text messaging and selfies are getting a second look. Text messaging can save time. Our company handles claims for Arrowhead and Brown & Brown national programs. In auto lines alone, we process 20,000 claims a year. So we know a thing or two about repeatable processes. Given that many claims, imagine how many times a claims adjuster picks up the phone in a year, and how many times no one answers. Reaching someone by phone these days can be hit-or-miss, and the back and forth of leaving messages is a real-time killer. Emails are not always answered, either. But texting has an immediacy that consumers like. Texting also conveys a sense of urgency. The rule of thumb is that the shorter the format, the higher the priority a message has in a consumer’s mind. So longer-format channels such as letters and emails may not get a high response, although they are often best for communicating formally. Text messages are opened almost immediately and are great for providing quick updates and asking policyholders to check their online accounts, where they can download important information or sign off

on a claim. We’ve found that policyholders like having the option of text messaging and are more likely to open texts than email. However, texting has its challenges when it comes to regulatory compliance. Many state regulations affect claims communications, which must be carefully structured and well documented. A claims manager can’t just text a customer from his or her cell phone. So we’ve integrated a texting solution into our claims process. It looks like a text message to our customers, but it’s generated through our claims system, and everything is documented in the customer’s file. There are several texting solutions for business available, but ensure they are insurance compliant. For example, California requires claims communications to be by “letter” or “voice,” so we’re still working through those restrictions. Selfies reduce cycle times and payment costs For personal and commercial auto claims, we’ve partnered with a vendor to give policyholders the option of taking photos and uploading them after an accident. It’s been surprisingly successful, resulting in payment cost savings, reduced cycle times— an average of 15 days to less than four—and an improved customer

experience. We used to send an adjuster out all the time for an auto claim. Now 60% of our customers are using the selfie service. It turns out they like being part of the process. We knew there would be a reduction in cycle times, but we didn’t expect the average payment per vehicle would drop too. By empowering the customer, we’ve lowered body shop costs. We send the policyholder an estimate and recommend body shops in their area. If a consumer knows from the get-go how much something should cost and gets several estimates, they generally go with the least expensive one. Texts and selfies allow customers to get more involved in the claims process, and they like that. Policyholders are providing a lot of the information needed to investigate claims and control costs. It’s a winwin for insurers and consumers. Dhara Patel is president of American Claims Management, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arrowhead General Insurance Agency. Arrowhead is one of the largest national insurance program managers for commercial and personal products in the U.S., with $1.3 billion written premium in 2019. We thank PropertyCasualty360 for reprint permission.

Tesla’s Cabin Camera Detecting Facial Features to Increase Vehicle Safety by Joey Klender, Teslarati

When Tesla activated the cabin-facing camera within the Model 3 and Model Y in June with the 2020.24.5 Software Update, the company admitted it would help engineer develop safety features and enhancements for the future. However, new developments have been revealed by a notorious Tesla hacker, who has shown the coding for the cabin camera, and what facial features the function will look for to increase safety. Tesla hacker @greentheonly revealed the specific things the cabin camera is looking for after finding the software for the feature. A series of facial features and head positions are described within the software, and appear to be looking for ways to make drivers more aware and increase the safety of the vehicles.

Among the detected facial expressions are BLINDED, DARK, EYES_CLOSED, EYES_DOWN, EYES_NOMINAL, EYES_UP, HEAD_ DOWN, HEAD_TRUNC, LOOKING_LEFT, LOOKING_RIGHT, PHONE_USE, SUNGLASSES_ EYES_LIKELY_NOMINAL and SUNGLASSES_LIKELY_EYES_ DOWN. The interesting developments from the newly revealed coding show that the cabin camera will now be used by Tesla to increase safety and driver awareness. One of the most obvious indications of this is the PHONE_USE code, which will likely recognize and indicate when the driver’s eyes have left the road and have focused on a smartphone instead. Interestingly, just a few days ago, Tesla received a sixthplace ranking on the Assisted Driving Grading survey from the Euro NCAP

tests. The lower ratings were due to poor scores in the “driver engagement” metric, where the Model 3 scored only a 35 out of 100. The lack of a driver monitoring system on the Euro NCAP tests significantly affected the Model 3’s scoring on the test. It seems that Tesla is already preparing for the cabin camera to capture this data to increase vehicle safety. However, recognizing any movement or facial feature that could be a distraction to driving could be used with Tesla’s in-house insurance suite to determine a driver’s rates. For example, if the cabin camera detects PHONE_USE more often than the average driver, rates could be increased because the driver is not giving their undivided attention to the road. The likely scenario is to increase the driver monitoring system, which Tesla lacked according to the NCAP tests—expanding the driver’s aware-

ness of what is going on while driving is crucial, especially with Tesla’s self-driving and semi-autonomous functionalities. There is plenty of evidence that many people who use the FSD or Autopilot features do not use them correctly because they require the owner to continue to keep their hands on the wheel and remain aware of driving conditions. However, some owners have seen Tesla’s features as an opportunity to be less responsible on the road. The company has repeatedly stated the cars are not yet fully-autonomous. Drivers are required to continue monitoring their vehicle’s performance. The cabin camera’s monitoring system could be a pivotal way to eliminate the possibility of less-than-ideal awareness while driving a Tesla. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

4 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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To Hail and Back: Why One CARSTAR is Grateful for Community Support It was Saturday, July 11, when golf ball-sized hail rained down on Champaign, IL. Early the next morning, Tim Tatman, local collision repair owner, went to work. “After a large hail storm, it is all hands on deck for auto body repairers like myself,” said Tatman, own-

rate of mobility amongst Americans for both recreation and work has decreased 14% to 32%, affecting more industries than anticipated. Collision repairers, being one of those businesses, have had to stay positive throughout this downturn and keep an eye out for opportunity where

er of Tatman’s CARSTAR. “I was on the phone with my colleague from Dentsmart early Sunday morning and walked through a plan with my CARSTAR Area Manager of Operations Ron Zappetillo shortly after.” Since COVID-19 first hit North America at the end of March, the

possible. “Being a small business owner is challenging and the added stress of a pandemic does not help,” said Tatman. “The important thing for us throughout this whole thing was to stay positive, stay ready and use our downtime productively. We were ana-

Ohio’s Three-C Body Shops Sold The owner of a small chain of body shops in Columbus, OH, recently sold them to an emerging brand, it was first reported in FenderBender. Bob Juniper said he sold two Three-C Body Shops and a satellite for about $20 million. Juniper said he shared the sale price so other owners can get a better sense of the value of their own properties. The new owner will reportedly continue to use the Three-C name. Juniper will act as a consultant for the next year. Juniper told FenderBender he did not feel forced to sell, so he picked a sale price and stuck to it.

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lyzing our existing repair procedures, finding new business in unique places, making contactless updates to the store and had our staff participate in training courses.” As the adage goes, you don’t have to get ready if you stay ready. This proved valuable for Tatman’s facility, as his team was ready to go the following Monday morning, in-taking requests for hail damage estimates, triaging severity and starting repairs on the hundreds of damaged vehicles throughout the Champaign community. “There were some people I worked with in the past who I knew were unemployed at the moment and I immediately hired them that week,” said Tatman. “We even rented a building dedicated to handling dent damage so we could get customer vehicles in and repaired faster. My team and I worked hard to ensure each repair was as seamless as possible and customers left happy with both the quality of work and their experience. My father emphasized the importance of a positive customer experience early on and it has always stuck with me.”

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Tatman’s father opened a collision repair center in 1959, and Tatman started working for his dad at a young age, cleaning the facility for 50 cents a week. Eventually, his father sold his repair center to a consolidator and Tatman became just another employee within the location. Although he cites it now as a difficult time to go through, he is grateful for the perspective it has given him, as he is appreciative of where he is today. Tatman’s sons have also entered the business and are working alongside their dad, just as Tatman did with his father, making his sons Chris and Matt third-generation collision repairers. “My family, colleagues and I could not be more grateful for our community and their trust in us,” said Tatman. “I hope other local business owners find their next opportunity amongst all of these obstacles so we can all hopefully end 2020 on a high note.” For more information on Tatman’s CARSTAR, visit CARSTAR.com. Source: CARSTAR

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Continued from Cover

Changed the Game

ASA Ohio Wraps Up First Year of CPL Meetings by Chasidy Rae Sisk

engage consumers. And AI-powered accident reconstruction will create the most detailed view of an accident yet, including the vehicle(s) involved, the scene and related damage. All, delighting the consumer in ways hardly imaginable today. The future of AI has multiple extensions across the insurance enterprise to inform more decisions, experiences, and performance. We are already starting to deliver on this future by processing and learning from more than a trillion dollars of historical data from multiple sources—telematics, driving data, vehicle history and more—connecting it in real time to provide a view of what happened and what is to come. The future is exciting, but it is important when looking ahead to not overlook the impact AI is already delivering today. And, for CCC and its customers, there’s nothing artificial about that. Source: CCC

ASA Ohio held its third Collision Performance Leaders (CPL) Group meeting Sept. 29, wrapping up the group’s first year of sessions. The final CPL meeting of 2020 was facilitated by Mike Anderson of Collision Advice and well-known attorney Erica Eversman. “The meeting went very well, and it was very informative,” said ASA Ohio President Matt Dougher. “These meetings offer a time for shop owners to discuss any burning issues that may be impacting their businesses, which provided shop owners with the opportunity to share similar experiences and solve issues impacting their businesses. “Mike provided a great presentation on the state of the industry and what shop owners need to do to prepare for future changes in the industry. Erica delivered a fantastic presentation on the legal and regulatory issues facing the collision industry, and she also allowed time for a Q&A to assist shop owners who had any legal or regulatory concerns,” Dougher continued.

ASA Ohio’s CPL is a self-governed focus group that meets three times per year to allow collision repair shop owners and their staff to discuss common experiences and seek resolutions for their concerns.

“It also provides a great opportunity to network with other shop owners, which is lacking across the country in our industry,” Dougher noted. The group met for the first time Feb. 6, and held a second meeting June 4. The Sept. 29 meeting was the final one of their start-up year. ASA Ohio has already scheduled three meetings in 2021 with

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Anderson as the facilitator. “The ASA Ohio CPL Group has been such a great success that we are looking to expand to other area to assist more independent collision shop owners in becoming more successful than ever in this constantly changing industry,” Dougher said. For more information about the CPL, or to start a group in your area, contact Dougher at 513-659-5324 or mdougher@asaohio.org. ASA Ohio is also busy preparing to produce and participate in the Professional Automotive Virtual Education (PAVE) trade show, scheduled for Jan. 8-10, 2021. “This nationwide virtual trade show event will be planned in collaboration with many automotive associations and vendor partners across the country, and we’re excited for the inaugural event,” Dougher said. “More details will be available soon.” For more information on ASA Ohio and its events, visit asaohio.org.

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8 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Beth Rutter Shares Sneak Peek of Pilot Program at I-CAR Virtual Meeting by Chasidy Rae Sisk

Four guest speakers attended the St. Louis I-CAR Committee’s September virtual meeting, including collision repair industry professional Beth Rutter, who spoke about the Pilot Program. Rutter agreed to share some additional information with Autobody News. The Pilot Program originated three years ago at Ranken Tech, where Collision Director John Helterbrand designed an apprenticeship program to ensure collision students are prepared to successfully enter their career after graduation. Students work with mentors at local shops, obtaining hands-on repair experience in conjunction with classroom education, as tasks begin with the most mundane and progressively advance along with the student’s knowledge and skills. “Students rotate between eight weeks in the classroom, followed by eight weeks at a shop where they implement the techniques they just learned,” Rutter explained. After safety, process is the second most important thing that schools teach collision repair students. “An educator without a textbook can’t do much, but if you can take it home, you can do a lot of work on that,” Helterbrand said. “We [must] maintain a high level of educator for students. Our program is a little harder in the sense that we make the students focus on themselves, but we make them lifelong learners. So, it’s all about taking care of the student.” A currently-silent industry partner recognized the value of Ranken’s Pilot Program and proposed expanding it nationally. “We need more than just a curriculum to address the issue of our fractured industry,” Rutter emphasized. “Recognizing that entry-level techs need a basic level of knowledge in order to be trainable and hirable, we decided to start with the colleges. “Some graduates can be hired right out of school because they’ve obtained the knowledge they need to start in a shop; others aren’t even close—collision repair curriculum isn’t consistent across all colleges,

and we are working to address that.” also make visits to the shop to check gains speed. The mission of the National Pi- on their students’ progress. “It’s a lot of work,” Rutter said. lot Program is “to be the catalyst in “Working in the shop allows “We have to implement a brand-new the development of national ‘school- young students ease into the work- curriculum, and the rules for doing to-work’ collision educational pro- place, building work ethic which that vary by state. In order to be can be tough to learn. Col- ASE-accredited, the college is regrams at the post-secondary lision repair requires learn- quired to hold advisory committee level by bringing the colliing so much that, even if it’s meetings, and that means getting the sion industry and colleges your passion, it’s still very industry involved. together in a collaborative stressful. This program al- “We’re kind of building a bridge partnership that not only inlows the students to leave as we’re walking across it, but once creases the number of qualthat stressful situation after the colleges build relationships with ified technicians available to the industry but allows Beth Rutter recently eight weeks and return to their local collision repair industry, I students to be mentored in spoke about the Pilot school to discuss their expe- believe it will take on a momentum a supportive environment Program at the St. riences with their peers and of its own.” Depending on how the school that improves the image of Louis I-CAR Com- instructors.” mittee’s September technicians and the colliWorking as an indepenlays out its curriculum, the program virtual meeting. sion industry as a whole.” dent consultant with the can take up to two years, but by With decades’ worth of colli- program, Rutter’s role includes eas- graduation, the student has a degree sion repair industry experience, Rut- ing the students’ transition from the and real-world experience. ter got involved with the program to class to shop rotation, and last year, For participating collision recommunicate with the shops and the she developed and led a one-day pair facilities, “it’s like a two-year schools. workshop for mentors and mentees interview where the student, subject “We have to get the shops’ buy- to learn effective communication. to normal employment parameters, in for mentoring the students, and She is currently building online becomes inculcated into the shop’s then the colleges have to agree to im- training for this year’s virtual world. culture over that time,” Rutter said. As with any aspect of the colli- “Students get the benefit of going to plement the curriculum we’ve developed, which is ASE-accredited,” she sion repair industry, obstacles must a college that provides a robust edusaid. “There’s a lot of benefits for the be overcome as the Pilot Program See Beth Rutter, Page 14 schools, though. They receive a lot of support and an I-CAR curriculum, plus by the time the student finishes the program, they are Pro-Level 3 and able to obtain their welding certification as soon as they test.” Four colleges are currently participating, though three will not have seated classes until January Chief Automotive and Automotive 2021 due to COVID-related conTechnology would like to introduce their cerns. Students at Ranken Tech and Kansas representative, Linn Schroll. at the College of Lake County in Linn will be handling your Chief equipment Illinois are currently learning in the needs for Kansas, the Kansas City metro classroom and interviewing with area as well as the St. Joseph, Missouri area. local shops that meet the program’s Linn is based out of Manhattan, Kansas to criteria. serve this area; he has over 40 years in the Mentoring shops must be I-CAR Collision Repair industry and has a wealth Gold Certified, use updated tools and of knowledge that will help you with equipment and have a mentor who your shop’s equipment needs. can “take students under their wings,” Rutter said. The current mentor shops Give Linn a call or email today! include several large MSOs as well as a handful of independent collision repair facilities. “Once they qualify, the shop Linn@automotivetechnology.com presents to the students and interviews them, so the student is hired before the first eight-week rotation 785-313-2361 Fax 636-343-5597 ends,” Rutter said. “In the next rota544 Mae Court • Fenton, Mo. 63026 tion, students will work in shops on the things they are now learning and report back to their instructors, who

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OEC Appoints New President and CEO OEConnection LLC (OEC), the leading technology provider to automotive original equipment manufacturers, has announced the appointment of Patrick C. Brown as its new president and CEO. Brown succeeds Chuck Rotuno, who was named executive chairman. These changes were effective immediately. Brown brings extensive experience running high-growth companies in the FinTech, InsurTech and automotive industries. Most recently, Brown served as president and CEO at Innovative Aftermarket Systems (IAS), a leading provider of technology and finance & insurance (F&I) solutions to the automotive industry. IAS is one of the largest F&I providers in the U.S., serving more than 6,000 dealerships across the country. Brown holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and bachelor’s degrees in economics and finance from Wingate University. He also serves on the board of All Web Leads, Inc. Source: OEC

GM Shuts Down Corvette Plant Temporarily Due to Parts Issue by Joseph Szczesny, The Detroit Bureau

General Motors is shutting down the company’s assembly plant in Bowling Green, KY, the factory that builds the Chevrolet Corvette, for one week, idling approximately 1,400 employees due to a parts shortage. The temporary shutdown of production of one of GM’s hottest vehicles was first reported by local new media around Bowling Green. However, it was also confirmed in a statement by GM, which was posted online by a local television station. “Due to a temporary parts supply issue, we can confirm that Bowling Green Assembly will not run production the week of Oct. 12. Our supply chain, manufacturing and engineering teams are working closely with our supply base to mitigate any further impact on production, and we expect the plant to resume normal operations on Monday, Oct. 19,” the GM statement said. GM offered no details of the parts shortage. The automaker does not identify suppliers that run into

Gerber Collision & Glass Acquires Two Repair Centers in Wisconsin The Boyd Group Inc. announced the acquisition of two collision repair centers in Hales Corners and Milwaukee, WI.

The locations previously operated as Auto Body Express in Hales Corners and Lou’s Auto Body in Milwaukee. Milwaukee, located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, is the largest city in Wisconsin with a metropolitan area population of more than 2 million. Often referred to as the City of Festivals as a result of the many cultural events hosted throughout the year, Milwaukee is also well known for its annual summer music festival, which can bring more than 800 bands and 900,000 guests. “We are demonstrating our commitment to growing our brand with the acquisitions of these two

repair centers in the southeastern quadrant of Wisconsin,” said Kevin Burnett, COO of Gerber Collision & Glass. “This will assist us in strengthening our ability to provide high-quality service to customers and insurance partners in this region.” The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Stephen Boyd, vice president of corporate development, at (204) 594-1776 or stephen. boyd@boydgroup.com for more information. Source: The Boyd Group

difficulties that have slowed the delivery of critical parts.

However, American Axle, one of GM’s key suppliers, reported a major fire at one of its plants in Ohio, although that fire hasn’t been linked to the shutdown in Kentucky. GM also is heavily dependent on supplier in Mexico where the threat of COVID-19 has persisted, leading to work stoppages and high absenteeism, according to reports from labor rights activists in Mexico. GM reported sales of the 2020 Corvette Stingray, which was named North American Car of the Year for 2020, increased 33% during the third quarter of 2020. However, sales of the new

Corvette were stalled initially by the pandemic, which forced GM to close all of its assembly plants and a large percentage of its dealers for more than two months this past spring. The pandemic also delayed the installation of a second shift at the Bowling Green assembly plant. The second shift at the plant didn’t start working until August after a delay of several months. As it stands, the delays forced GM to extend the 2020 model run into December to fill customer orders already on the books. Normally the model year ends at factories in August or September at the latest. As mentioned, third quarter sales for the sports car were up; however, through the first three quarters of 2020, sales are down 12.9%. The company sold 12,634 units, compared to 14,497 for the same period last year. GM’s overall sales are down 17.4% through the first three quarters of the year. We thank The Detroit Bureau for reprint permission.

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Waconia 1 Collision Puts eEmphasis on State-of-the-Art Tech by Al Lohman, Sun Patriot Newspapers

Chad Bijou has managed repair and maintenance shops for major auto dealers like the Morrie’s and Lupient auto groups for more than 15 years. He has considered running his own business for the past five years, and had a serious eye on a location in Waconia, MN, to start an auto repair business for at least a year. Last month, Waconia 1 Collision & Auto opened at 524 South Elm Street in a building that had been a long-time furniture store, but has been used largely for storage in recent years. Bijou acquired the building a few months ago and in less than a year, the space has been transformed into a state-of-the-art repair center. There’s more to collision repair than pounding out dents, Bijou noted. It involves not only repair or replacement of external components, but also internal mechanical work to make sure the vehicle is repaired to manufacturer standards and returned to pre-accident condition. Vehicles also have become more sophisticated these days with

self-drive and camera assist features, which makes proper diagnosis and repair even more important, Bijou explained. Even auto glass has built-in features that must be considered in replacement. So, while earlier collision repair estimates might have involved a walk around and look into and under the vehicle, today’s estimates are performed with online technology and a wireless diagnostic station that can be brought right out to the car. The estimating technology provides a detailed blueprint of the repairs that need to be made, Bijou said. The newly customized Waconia 1 Collision & Auto facility is designed is to accommodate customers, create an efficient workplace for employees, and has the latest in equipment and technology to provide quality repairs and services to any vehicle, according to Bijou. The Waconia 1 business is a family affair, with wife Michelle Bijou and youngest son Micah, along with trusted friends and technicians from Bijou’s previous business associations providing great customer service, he said. They are Mike

Pomeroy, lead tech from Winsted; Chris Beckwith, manager, from St Bonifacius; and Gerad Jaques, painter and body tech, from Plato. “We know having an auto collision accident can be a stressful and disruptive experience and we are here to help customers through the auto body repair process every step of the way,” Bijou said. That includes assistance with an auto insurance claim, auto towing, replacement vehicle and restoration of the collision-damaged vehicle at competitive prices “backed by the best warranty in the industry.” Waconia 1 Collision & Auto also provides auto detailing, keeping a vehicle’s paint, carpet, rubber, vinyl and upholstery clean and conditioned, and services to keep up a vehicle’s mechanical condition with tune-ups, oil changes, brakes, tires and more. Call Waconia 1 Collision and Auto at 952-855-1192 to set up an estimate appointment or go to the website https://1collisionwaconia. com./ We thank Sun Patriot Newspapers for reprint permission.

Continued from Page 10

Beth Rutter cation, which helps them get hired.” Retention is another goal of the program. Nearly half of the students who graduate collision repair programs leave the industry within two years, according to Rutter. “With an industry that needs qualified techs so badly, we can’t afford to lose the ones we have because it’s too difficult to find a job,” she said. “We need to take care of our people, treat them well, and that starts by training these students, so they have the knowledge and ability to get hired in entry-level positions. “Then, the facilities must treat them well enough that they want to stay. If everyone does their part, it works for the entire industry.” Those interested in obtaining more information about the Pilot Program can email Beth Rutter at bethinca@cox.net. “Beth talked about her role in helping to build a mentorship program that supports entry-level techSee Beth Rutter, Page 16

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North American International Auto Show Moves Reimagined Show to September 2021 and Beyond The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) announced Sept. 21 it will move its reimagined indoor and outdoor show, originally planned for summer 2021, to Sept. 28–Oct. 9, 2021.

NAIAS officials say the show is teed up to be a global powerhouse of current product and next-generation mobility combined with immersive brand activations and product engagement for both the international media and the public. “We have talked with many of our partners, particularly the OEMs, and they are fully on board and excited about the date change,” NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts said. NAIAS will remain a fall show going forward after the inaugural event in September 2021. Show

dates have already been secured with TCF Center in Detroit for the next three years. NAIAS organizers secured dates towards the end of the month, in part, to be mindful of the new IAA in Munich, which is scheduled for the first full week in September. “Our responsibility as an auto show is to host a global stage for current products as well as mobility innovations of tomorrow,” Alberts said. “September is an excellent time of year for new product, and at the same time, alleviates the challenges a now crowded spring auto show calendar presents for auto show stakeholders. “Spreading out major auto shows is a win for everyone, particularly our partners. It gives auto companies an opportunity to give it their best at each and every show, which creates excitement for those who attend, too.” NAIAS officials also plan to expand the show’s marketing reach, drawing additional show visitors from beyond the region and state. The campaign will emphasize

that consumers can preview all of the latest new cars and trucks headed to dealership showrooms while also enjoying Detroit and Michigan in the fall. “With seasonable autumn temperatures and technology and experiential activations positioned throughout the city, show visitors

The NAIAS campus will include product and technology activations both inside TCF Center and throughout the city. NAIAS will continue to host seven unique shows in one: Motor Bella, The Gallery, Press Preview, AutoMobili-D, Industry Preview, Charity Preview and Public Show.

“Spreading out major auto shows is a win for everyone, particularly our partners. It gives auto companies an opportunity to give it their best at each and every show, which creates excitement for those who attend, too.” — Rod Alberts will be able to enjoy fall in a walkable, vibrant Motor City while embracing the future of the industry right before their eyes,” 2021 NAIAS Chairman Doug North said. North said the September 2021 show will include the same memorable product experiences that were originally planned for the June show, including dynamic displays and experiential ride-and-drives.

Additionally, NAIAS is launching a new virtual thought leadership series, Q’d Up Mobility, that kicks off Sept. 22. The monthly series will provide a glimpse into what the 2021 show has queued up for guests—an idea that was born out of tremendous interest and support after the cancellation of the 2020 show. Source: NAIAS

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Continued from Page 14

Beth Rutter

NABC Recycled RideÂŽ Program, GEICO, Car Craft Auto Body Chesterfield Donate Refurbished Vehicle to Veteran

nicians in the workforce, while they earn their degrees at college,â&#x20AC;? said St. Louis I-CAR Committee Chair Shelly Jones. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beth talked of the importance of information sharing between a school, student and collision repair shop, and how she created a workshop to develop strong communications between the mentor and mentee.â&#x20AC;? Three additional guest speakers attended the St. Louis I-CAR Committee meeting. Rob Ferguson, ASE Education Foundation, briefly discussed the benefits of schools being accredited by the ASE Foundation. Robbie Saladino, I-CAR principal, business development southcentral region, spoke about virtual live classes and shared a progress update on the committeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have just three goals left to complete out of nine,â&#x20AC;? Jones said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been a team effort.â&#x20AC;? Brandon Eckenrode of the

On Sept. 18, a deserving St. Louis veteran experienced a life-changing eventâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the presentation of a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu to provide him independence and the ability to work and take care of his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled RidesÂŽ program along with car donor GEICO and Car Craft Auto Body Chesterfield. The recipient, Joey Powell, served on active duty in the U.S. Army for 10 years, deploying to Kuwait, Kosovo and Iraq. He also served in the National Guard, and retired in 2019 at the rank of staff sergeant. Powell is married with two children. He is challenged with PTSD from his service, and his wife struggles with health issues as well. His current car is in poor condition and is unreliable, making it hard to get to work, medical appointments and family activities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a proud husband, father and soldier, it hurts me to have to ask others for assistance,â&#x20AC;? said Powell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A reliable vehicle will not only offer our family safe transportation but also peace of mind. It will also

free us from the financial burden of ongoing, costly maintenance on our old vehicle. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;thank youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; enough to everyone who helped make this happen.â&#x20AC;? The presentation was held at Car Craft Auto Body in Chesterfield, MO. The deserving recipient was selected by H.E.R.O.E.S. Care.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We at Car Craft Auto Body are honored and grateful to be a part of such a wonderful program called NABC Recycled RidesÂŽ,â&#x20AC;? said Jenny Kinner, office manager for Car Craft Auto Body. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each donated and refurbished vehicle is as special as the next one. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t thank Joey enough for his service in the military. We hope he enjoys driving his new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as much

as we enjoyed repairing it for him.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We share our gratitude for Joey Powellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service, and thank him for his many contributions in the military,â&#x20AC;? said Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the National Auto Body Council. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are honored to partner with GEICO and Car Craft Autobody Chesterfield to present this refurbished vehicle to Mr. Powell and his family.â&#x20AC;? NABC Recycled RidesÂŽ 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 RidesÂŽ program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council have donated more than 2,500 vehicles valued at more than $36 million. Additional partners in the NABC Recycled RidesÂŽ presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars, Enterprise, JDL Auto Transport, Cooper Color, Weir Parts Center and PPG. Source: NABC

See Beth Rutter, Page 20

Midwest Auto Care Alliance Announces Expansion for Virtual Membership In response to requests from independent repair facilities from across the country, the Midwest Auto Care Alliance (MWACA), has announced it will begin accepting virtual members beyond its original six-state territory, effective immediately. These virtual members will have access to the same great training and benefits that current MWACA shop members receive. Membership benefits include auto parts rebate programs, health insurance, early VISION registration, free ACT Auto Staffing account and a print subscription to the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quarterly publication, MWACA Magazine. In addition to these and other money-saving benefits, virtual members will have access to the MWACA Training Portal, free online training provided through the MWACA Exchange events and other virtual training and roundtables for members only. MWACAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership voted unanimously for the expansion at a recent MWACA Leadership Summit on Aug. 29. MWACA had initially offered membership within Mis-

souri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Arkansas, which was the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original territory. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This change in membership came as a result of numerous inquiries from shops who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have training and chapter meetings locally. They knew what MWACA had to offer but they were outside our area. The current environment has made virtual training and communication more acceptable to the shops in our industry,â&#x20AC;? said Tim Davison, MWACA president and owner of Chumbleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auto Care in Indianola, IA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As MWACA approaches its second anniversary operating under the MWACA banner, we look forward to expanding our offering of benefits and programs which have made our association so popular and successful,â&#x20AC;? said Sheri Hamilton, MWACA executive director. Repair facilities can join MWACA for only $275 a year. Additional information about MWACA membership can be found at www. mwaca.org/join. Source: MWACA

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Ohio Orders GM to Repay $28 Million, Invest $12 Million for Closing Lordstown Plant by Mark Williams, The Columbus Dispatch

A state agency on Sept. 28 ordered General Motors to repay the state $28 million in tax incentives it received to keep its assembly plant open in Lordstown in northeast Ohio. GM closed the plant in March 2019. As part of a deal that was approved by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority, GM also agreed to invest $12 million in the Mahoning Valley in education, training, infrastructure and other programs. GM received $60.3 million in state tax incentives in 2008 for keeping the plant open. Of the $60.3 million GM received, $14.2 million was for new jobs it created at the plant and $46.1 million was to retain the jobs already there. GM was supposed to retain 3,700 employees through 2028. While the company did exceed its commitment to create 200 jobs by 800 jobs at Lordstown by 2010, the company did not maintain operations at the site as required through 2037. “GM has been a major employ-

er in the state of Ohio for decades, investing in both the economy and our workforce. While the decision to close the Lordstown plant was terrible news for workers and their families in the Mahoning Valley, today’s announcement will bring relief as well as investment by GM who has committed to investing $12 million in the local community for workforce, education and infrastructure needs,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “GM has also committed to returning $28 million to the state for the job creation and retention credits they were awarded. GM remains involved in auto production in Lordstown to produce batteries for electric vehicles which is also good news for the future of the automotive industry.” GM has other state incentives for its operations in Toledo and Defiance, according to the statement. The company is compliant with those agreements. Separately, the authority awarded state tax incentives to a joint battery venture involving GM and South Korea’s LG Chem called Ul-

tium Cells. The incentives are worth an estimated $13.8 million. Utlium plans to build a 2 million-square-foot plant near the closed plant to build batteries for electric vehicles. The investment will total $1.5 billion and the companies will create 1,000 jobs by the end of 2026 with an annual payroll of $45 million, according to the tax authority. The authority also approved incentives for two companies to expand in central Ohio. Zenni Optical, an online retailer that sells prescription and non-prescription eyeglasses, expects to create 189 jobs with a payroll of $8.2 million as part of a plan to build a manufacturing facility in Obetz. The tax credits are worth an estimated $1.25 million. The agency approved state tax incentives for BBI Logistics, a freight broker that specializing in handling full truck load shipment. The company has announced plans to expand its headquarters downtown. The company plans to create 150 jobs. Hiring for sales, informa-

tion technology and administrative staff already has started. The company currently has 60 workers at its offices at 80 E. Rich St. Founded in Columbus in 2017, BBI helps customers find the most cost-effective and reliable carrier, while also maximizing load potential for carriers. The tax credits are worth an estimated $1.6 million. Outside of central Ohio, Worthington Foods received approval for incentives to expand its plant in Zanesville while Dis-Tran Steel, which designs and supplies high-voltage, open-air substations, switchyards and transmission lines, was awarded incentives for a project in Washington Court House. Worthington Foods will create 40 jobs with a $2 million in payroll and Dis-Tran Steel’s project will have 55 jobs with a payroll of $2.5 million. The credits for the Worthington projects are worth an estimated $150,000 while Dis-Tran’s credits are worth up to $185,000. We thank the Columbus Dispatch for reprint permission.

Don’s Auto Body, State Farm® Present Refurbished Vehicle to Gold Star Family On Sept. 11, a deserving St. Charles, MO, recipient experienced a life-changing event—the presentation of a vehicle to provide her independence and the ability to work and take care of her family— thanks to Don’s Auto Body and car donor State Farm® along with the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program.

The presentation of the refurbished 2016 Mazda 6 was held at the Don’s Auto Body in St. Charles. The deserving recipient, Gold Star wife Julia Frampton, was selected by H.E.R.O.E.S. Care. Frampton lost her husband, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Gregory M. Frampton, in

2003. He was one of four crew members who perished when their MH60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed near Bagram, Afghanistan, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Since her husband passed, Frampton has struggled financially to care for her granddaughter and their needs. Her vehicle is old and unreliable, and the gift of transportation will allow her to manage medical appointments, errands and family activities. 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 program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council® have donated more than 2,500 vehicles valued at more than $36 million. Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars. Source: NABC

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Beth Rutter

CARSTAR Plover, Erie Insurance Present Refurbished Vehicle to Deserving Local Mother of Twins

Collision Repair Education Foundation shared information about the upcoming virtual golf fundraiser, which will be open Nov. 20 through Dec. 20. Golfers can begin practicing at WGT.com or by downloading the free “WGT Golf” app. “During registration, people will have the option to play in support of the St. Louis Committee. When they pick our committee, a portion of the $25 registration fee will go to support our local school collision programs,” Jones said. “Overall, the meeting was well-attended, and there were a lot of great discussions.” The St. Louis I-CAR Committee’s last meeting of 2020 will be held virtually at 8 a.m. Nov. 12. Additional information about the St. Louis I-CAR Committee and its upcoming activities can be found at facebook.com/ICARSt LouisCommittee.

On Sept. 23, a deserving Plover, WI, mother of twins experienced a life-changing event—the presentation of a vehicle to provide her independence and the ability to work and take care of her family—thanks to CARSTAR Plover and car donor Erie Insurance along with the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program.

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The presentation of the refurbished 2015 Ford Fusion was held at CARSTAR Plover, located at 3021 MacArthur Way in Plover, WI. The recipient, Deborah Edman, a mother of 15-month-old

twin girls, was selected by CAP Services. She’s also a full-time student and works part time. Having endured domestic abuse and other hardships, Edman is doing everything she can to create positive environment for her family. Not having reliable transportation has made it challenging to get full-time employment, so the gift of a vehicle will allow her to pursue full-time employment and manage her family’s activities. “I just want to thank everyone who made this possible,” said Edman. “This means a lot to me and my family. Now, we can go where we need. We can visit family, we can go to the doctor, we can go to school. There’s not enough words that I can explain what this means to us.” 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 National Auto Body Council® have donated more than 2,500 vehicles valued at more than $36 million. “We are honored to work with Erie Insurance and our supporting partners to make this gift of reliable transportation for Deborah and her twins,” said Tony Kempen, who owns CARSTAR Plover with his wife Sharon. “Every time we have presented a NABC Recycled Ride vehicle, it reminds us of our duty and pride in giving back to our community. We wish Deborah all the best as she takes this next step in her life.” Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars, LKQ/Keystone, Whelihan Glass, LLC, Mark Toyota, Dent Pro, Finishmaster and Axalta. Source: NABC

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Martin Named DCR Dir. of Operations DCR Systems is excited to announce Dave Martin has been named director of operations. In his new role, Martin will lead operational standards across all the company’s markets, including Ohio, New York, North Carolina and Massachusetts. Martin began working in the collision repair industry in 2001, after serving four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. As director of operations, he plans to continue building a culture that focuses on the complete repair experience using the DCR Systems Process while providing a great customer experience. For more information about DCR Systems, visit https:// www.dcrsystems.com/. Source: DCR Systems

AUTOBODY

GM Unveils ‘Factory ZERO’ Production Facility, Highlights EV Future by Steve Loveday, Inside EVs

General Motors’ Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center in Michigan will be reworked to produce only all-electric vehicles going forward. The facility will be officially renamed Factory ZERO. Of course, the “ZERO” refers to zero-emission, but GM says it also means zero crashes and zero traffic congestion in the future. GM announced ZERO is the new official “launchpad” for its multi-brand, future electric vehicle efforts. It will focus on advanced technology and sustainable manufacturing. GM is investing $2.2 billion into the factory for retooling and various upgrades, the largest investment in the company’s storied history. The plan will create 2,200 “good-paying jobs” once it’s fully operational. Factory ZERO will produce GM’s upcoming GMC Hummer EV pickup truck, as well as the Cruise Origin self-driving vehicle. GM says Hummer EV production will begin in late 2021. Both

Tesla Driver Caught Sleeping While Going 93 MPH on Autopilot by Loukia Papadopoulos, Interesting Engineering

Tesla’s Autopilot feature is not meant to be used on its own and instead requires a driver to always be present and alert behind the wheel. You’d think it would have become common knowledge after some notable accidents; however, it seems like some people are still lagging behind. Just last week, a bunch of intoxicated drivers put Tesla on Autopilot and left the driver’s seat empty so they could drink and have fun. Now, it seems a Candian driver has been caught sleeping while Autopilot drove the car at 93 mph (150 km/h). The incident was reported both on Twitter by the Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and on Canadian news. “The officer was able to obtain radar readings on the vehicle, confirming that it had automatically accelerated up to exactly 93 mph (150 kph),” the RCMP said in a statement to Global News.

The RCMP took the matter very seriously and charged the driver with speeding. They also issued a 24-hour license suspension. “Although manufacturers of new vehicles have built-in safeguards to prevent drivers from taking advantage of the new safety systems in vehicles, those systems are just that—supplemental safety systems,” RCMP Supt. Gary Graham said in a statement to Global News. “They are not self-driving systems, they still come with the responsibility of driving.” It’s no secret Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to make his vehicles fully autonomous but with numerous incidents being reported on irresponsible driving while on Autopilot, one has to wonder if that is a safe option. However, it can not be ignored there have been times when Autopilot was a lifesaver too. Time will tell how the feature evolves and how secure it ultimately becomes. We thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.

Habitat Council. “This manufacturing plant will be the epitome of GM’s vision by sustainably manufacturing electric and shared autonomous vehicles that can help reduce crashes, emissions and congestion,” said GM Chief Sustainability Officer Dane Parker.

EVs will be built on GM’s flexible Ultium battery platform. “Factory ZERO is the next battleground in the EV race and will be GM’s flagship assembly plant in our journey to an all-electric future,” said GM Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing Gerald

“Factory ZERO is the next battleground in the EV race and will be GM’s flagship assembly plant in our journey to an all-electric future,” — Gerald Johnson Johnson. “The electric trucks and SUVs that will be built here will help transform GM and the automotive industry.” Throughout the process of transforming the Detroit-Hamtramck to Factory ZERO, GM is focusing on recycling and reducing waste. Concrete has been repurposed for temporary roads and recycled stormwater is being used when possible to conserve water. The area is also home to a 16.5-acre wildlife habitat, recognized by the Wildlife

GM says it will work to source 100% of its U.S. operations with renewable energy by 2030, with a plan of meeting that goal globally by 2030. By 2023, all southeast Michigan GM facilities that get their energy from DTE will be powered by renewable energy. Moreover, Factory ZERO “features a 30-kilowatt solar carport and 516 kilowatts ground mount photovoltaic solar array from DTE.” We thank Inside EVs for reprint permission.

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Hugo, MN, Auto Body, Mechanical Shop Has Leadership Change by Madelyn Swenson, The Citizen

North Country Auto Body and Mechanical in Hugo, MN, is now being run by a new partnership. Owner Galen Carlson and longtime employee Mark Aanenson started a partnership so Carlson can eventually retire. The two say Carlson’s phase-out process from the business at Hwy. 61 and 140th Street will be a slow one. Eventually, they will hire a painter to take Aanenson’s job so he can focus on learning from Carlson. Carlson said even when he is gone, he will continue to make his presence known. “I am still going to stroll through because I like this place, I like the guys, I just like it,” Carlson said. The two partners want to make it clear to their customers that even though leadership is changing, the business and its customer-first mentality will not change. “It’s still what it used to be and we will continue to strive to

be better,” Aanenson said. The two partners have slogans that fit the customer-first value the business has. Aanenson’s slogan is “endless pursuit of lifelong customers.” “Leave your keys and be at ease,” is Carlson’s slogan. The slogan is on the “thank you” note they leave in finished cars for customers.

would not work in another body shop,” Aanenson said. Because the two have worked together for so long, they have similar mindsets. “[Aanenson] has been here so long he knows how I work and how I run it,” Carlson said. “Actually, he almost knows how I think. It’s kind of scary. He outthinks me a lot of times.”

“[Aanenson] has been here so long he knows how I work and how I run it... Actually, he almost knows how I think. It’s kind of scary. He outthinks me a lot of times.” — Galen Carlson North Country also sends postcards thanking potential customers for seeking a quote on repairs. Aanenson followed Carlson from a shop where they both used to work 27 years ago when North Country Auto Body and Mechanical was first founded. “I promised [Carlson] within the first five years or so that I

Carlson said his plan for retirement is to “phase out” over the next five years. He said he is willing to serve as a consultant for the business for as long as he is needed. Once he is fully retired, Carlson plans to spend his time fishing, biking, hiking and seeing his grandchildren. We thank The Citizen for reprint permission.

Hertz No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction Hertz announced Oct. 14 that for the second consecutive year, it has earned the No. 1 overall ranking for Customer Satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2020 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, which surveys leisure and business customers. Hertz also received top honors in the following categories: reservation process, pick-up process and rental car, which includes satisfaction with the overall vehicle and its cleanliness. As traveler needs shifted amid the pandemic, Hertz quickly adapted to meet customer expectations. The car rental brand raised the bar on its already high standards for safety and cleanliness by introducing the Hertz Gold Standard Clean seal. To further help customers travel safely and confidently, Hertz launched new capabilities within its mobile app this year to facilitate a touchless rental experience by enabling them to select and purchase more products and services digitally. Source: Hertz

Hayward, WI, Businesses Rebuild and Donate Car to Local Family by CJ Baumgartner, FOX 21 News

Local businesses in Hayward, WI, all pitched in to fix up and donate a car to someone who needs it. All that hard worked payed off when they rolled it out for the first time Oct. 15. Recycled Rides is a program that allows local businesses a chance to rebuild an unwanted car after an insurance claim. The effort was led by Ernie’s Auto Body in Hayward back in February. Employees from the office to shop gave their time and labor to fix up a Jeep Grand Cherokee. “It’s a pretty heartwarming, very very humbling thing to do,” said Ernie’s Auto Body Owner John Magowan. Other businesses all over town got together to pitch in. Shops around town donated tires, parts, paint, other maintenance work and even towing the car to the shop. Magowan says they wanted to find ways to help those without a reliable vehicle. “Well you know with the times that we have going on today, we felt that it was important for us to be able to give back and this our way of do-

ing that,” said Magowan. Jamie Denn of Grantsburg, WI, a U.S. Navy Reserve veteran and single mom of two, was picked to get the car. This was the first time Denn got to see her newly fixed Jeep. After one look, she says it’s already an upgrade from her current vehicle. “The rotors, wheel bearings, I mean anything that could go wrong is going wrong,” said Denn. Magowan hopes his shop can do this again down the road. As for Denn, she couldn’t be more grateful for all the people who came together to give her and her family a new vehicle. “It’s overwhelming but it feels good,” said Denn. “She likes it,” said Denn’s daughter, Kalli. “When everything turns bad something good comes about,” said Denn. In addition to the new set of wheels, Denn and her family also received a free trip to the Mall of America. That includes free minigolf passes and a one-night stay in the area. We thank FOX 21 News for reprint permission.

24 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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What’s the Same? forward. Neither has the association. While there’s no SEMA Show in 2020, SEMA360 was built to provide buyers with a viable marketplace that offers benefits like an in-person trade event. “Industry buyers and manufacturers have made it clear that a marketplace is needed during this challenging year,” said Gattuso. “Attendees will discover that SEMA360 has many of the same benefits and business opportunities as the SEMA Show, with a focus on new product intros, vehicle debuts, networking and educational sessions.” For buyers and media, planning for SEMA360 is similar to the SEMA Show. For instance, at the SEMA Show, attendees can view a new product display, gather specs and a description, collect pictures and press material, and connect with the manufacturer on the Show floor. The same can be done through SEMA360 in a very efficient manner; including the direct connection to the manufacturer.

Here’s a look at some more similarities between the SEMA Show and SEMA360: The dates for SEMA360 and the week of the SEMA Show are the same, beginning Monday, Nov. 2, and concluding Friday, Nov. 6. The SEMA Show is open to the trade only. SEMA360 is the same: open to trade only. The SEMA Show features qualified buyers and media. SEMA360 will feature qualified buyers and media. The SEMA Show and SEMAS 360’s main buyer benefits and takeaways are the same: finding new products and new ideas. The online platform is anchored with a robust New Products Showcase of more than 1000 products. Industry-leading education sessions will be a main focus of SEMA360 and feature the relevant content participants in the in-person SEMA Show have grown to count on to build their businesses. Vehicles, always a mainstay at the SEMA Show, are featured in a SEMA360 online Builder Showcase and in many of the 600+ Manufacturer Showcases so buyers and

media can still spot trends and see products in application. OEMs use the SEMA Show to announce new products, partnerships and initiatives. There are four OEMs ready to do the same this year. Celebrities and notable industry icons are part of the fabric of the in-person Show. SEMA360 will also feature the insights and talents of many of these popular personalities. Show-special deals will be integrated into many of the online manufacturer presentations, just as they are at the in-person SEMA Show. Networking and connecting with industry colleagues can be facilitated as they are at the SEMA Show with virtual public and private meeting rooms with video and chat capability. While SEMA360 is all online, it has been purpose-built to include the features SEMA Show visitors have grown to expect—all designed to connect the industry and help propel businesses into a successful 2021. Nowhere else will you ﬁnd the level of industry participation: 600-plus Manufacturer Showcases, a New Products Showcase featuring 1,000

products, a Builder Showcase with hundreds of vehicles, industry-leading education with 50 seminars, and unmatched networking with thousands of industry buyers and media. If you want to be part of the momentum and energy that is moving the industry forward into 2021, you need to be part of this year’s SEMA Week and you need to be part of SEMA360. Register to attend: www.sema360. com/buyer.html Register for a Manufacturer Showcase www.sema360.com/manufacturer.html Register here to submit a vehicle build www.secureprod.sema show.com/SEMAESM/ESM/Builder Showcase.aspx We thank SEMA for reprint permission.

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Tesla Dominated Q2 U.S. Automotive Exports, Data Says by Joey Klender, Teslarati

Data is showing Tesla held a considerable share of the U.S. automotive exports during the second quarter of 2020, with 35.4% of the total car exports during the threemonth span coming from the electric automaker. Kevin Rooke of Zap EVs indicated the U.S. automotive market exported 68,900 vehicles. Meanwhile, Tesla built 36,800 of its 90,891 sold cars at the Fremont facility in Northern California. 29,684 vehicles were produced at the Shanghai production plant. This leaves 24,407 cars that were produced in the U.S. to be available for export. Giga Shanghai did not export vehicles in Q2. However, Tesla plans to send some Giga Shanghai-produced Model 3s to Europe in the future. Tesla’s 24,407 exported vehicles make up 35.4% of the 68,900 exports that the U.S. had during the second quarter. Tesla has experienced the same tumultuous 2020 as any oth-

er company in the world, but the way it responded to the adversity is more than admirable. Despite having its American production facility shut down during the ﬁrst month of Q2 2020, Tesla managed to deliver 90,891 vehicles.

Even more impressive is the fact that Tesla is beginning to change the U.S.’s massive automotive trade deﬁcit, which has been primarily consisting of imports for many years. Rooke points out that the inﬂux of Tesla’s exports is starting to shift how U.S. consumers buy and sell cars. Other countries, like German and Japan, who have several largescale automotive manufacturers, are heavy on exports, which contributes to a strong economy. German brands like Volkswagen and Japanese brands like Honda have been popular with U.S. drivers for

an extended period. However, now that EVs are becoming more popular in the automotive market, and Tesla, an American company, is leading the charge, exports are becoming a larger part of the U.S. market. Now that Tesla has one international plant constructed in China, and another under construction in Berlin, Germany, exports may slow down slightly for the electric automaker. However, there are still plenty of regions where Tesla does not have a manufacturing plant, and Fremont will be responsible for shipping cars across the water into other territories. For example, while the Model S and Model X are not Tesla’s top sellers, they are still requested by international buyers. Fremont will continue to be the only plant that will manufacture these cars for the foreseeable future, so exports will continue to be a factor for Tesla even though its international presence continues to ramp up. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

MSO Symposium agenda Registration to the virtual 2020 event is complimentary thanks to the event’s industry supporters and sponsors. To read more information about these companies and the equipment and services they provide, visit www.msosymposium. com/sponsors To attend the 2020 MSO Symposium, registration is required. To begin the registration process, visit http://events.r20.constantcontact. com/register/event?oeidk=a07ehcob3dzaf8081d4&llr=rzo6p8n6&showPage=true Companies and organizations interested in taking part in our limited sponsorship opportunities, visit the MSO Symposium website or contact us. Any additional questions can be directed to Jennie Lenk at JennieL@msosymposium. com. Source: ASA

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The 2020 Election automakers conduct final assembly in short order, even though this is where the current candidates are making most of their campaign claims and pledges.” Cars.com discussed potential outcomes covering three main focus areas for the candidates in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Three Words Our Country Loves: Made in America The candidates do not differ much on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement under President Donald Trump. However, it will take years to see the final impact on where automakers build their vehicles. To date, there are few signs that the USMCA is bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. from abroad. Ford went from importing the Ranger mid-size pickup truck to assembling it in the U.S. However, it also opted to cancel the redesigned Focus sedan/hatchback due to tariffs. “Regardless of campaign pledges, once production begins in a plant, country or hemisphere, relocating that platform is more expensive than most tariffs, penalties or trade restrictions the manufacturer might encounter,” said Wiesenfelder. “American parts manufacturing timeframes aren’t as long as vehicle platforms, however; if either candidate focuses on lower-tier manufacturing, it is possible we’ll see more auto parts plants move to the U.S., as Vice President [Joe] Biden has suggested, referring to domestic auto supply chains.” The Future of Electric Vehicles “The clear difference and potential for swift change between President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden is their environmental stances and EVs,” added Wiesenfelder. Biden’s focus on EVs and environmental policies could also be fueled further as Democratic governors apply more energy behind these efforts on a local level; one example is California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his recent announcement to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered

vehicles by 2035. Consistently low gas prices and tepid government support are two reasons Cars.com predicted last year that EVs would struggle to become mainstream in the U.S. even by 2030. Government support is a necessity for zero-emissions vehicles

for, more environmentally friendly vehicles and programs. The Trump Administration’s rollback of environmental programs and regulations is among the most substantial since President Richard Nixon founded the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970. Trump

“EVs need to be less expensive to compete. As they exist today, they will never make a meaningful dent in the marketplace without subsidies,” — Joe Wiesenfelder to achieve mainstream sales. When federal electric car tax credits were set to expire for GM and were gone for Tesla in March, the Trump Administration reportedly blocked attempts to extend them. It currently offers no other information for EV support in the future. Biden’s campaign plans involve restoring the full EV tax credit, with a target toward middle-class Americans, and increasing the EV infrastructure by building 500,000 new public charging outlets by 2030. Additionally, Biden will offer dedicated grants and funding to help manufacturers retool and build new factories “to help ensure U.S. global leadership in EV manufacturing, including EV components and batteries.” For consumers to adopt EVs, incentives will help, as will the availability of public charging stations. However, it’s worth noting that most EV buyers do the overwhelming majority of their charging at home, and well-intentioned interventions can go wrong, such as when federal tax credits of $7,500 went to buyers of $100,000 EVs, offending allies as much as opponents. “EVs need to be less expensive to compete. As they exist today, they will never make a meaningful dent in the marketplace without subsidies,” said Wiesenfelder. “Government support is necessary, and we predict a clear difference in the marketplace if Vice President Biden takes office. If President Trump is reelected, EVs could once again falter or even retreat as they did under other Republican administrations.” Gas Is Cheap, Which Means More SUVs, Fewer Environmental Programs Fuel prices remain consistently low, decreasing the interest in, and demand

exited international climate treaties and reversed President Barack Obama-era policies and regulations. Biden’s plan demands a worldwide ban on fossil fuel subsidies and targets a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050. In addition, his campaign looks to update the Cash for Clunkers program to provide consumers rebates to swap old, less eﬃcient vehicles for new vehicles built from materials and parts sourced in the U.S. Biden’s camp also states it will commit to purchasing clean vehicles for federal, state, tribal, postal and

local ﬂeets. Under the Trump Administration, Corporate Average Fuel Economy, a standard that regulates how far automakers’ vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel, was decreased. Biden’s campaign points to a new fuel economy standard even higher than that under Obama. Any changes are likely to get held up in the courts for years as automakers and states push back; even without the barriers, CAFE changes take years to show results for consumers. Regardless of who enters the White House in January, impact from COVID-19 on the automotive industry is likely to continue and may require additional attention from policymakers in the future. For more information and to read the full report, visit Cars.com/news/ election2020. Source: Cars.com

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autobodynews.com / NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

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Your Online Presence Needs to be Refreshed in Pandemic Recovery by Gary Ledoux

holiday in 2018.

In last month’s article I discussed how, due to the COVID pandemic and having limited mobility, more people were conducting more business online. As this article is being written, more businesses are being opened and travel restrictions are easing, but many experts think the switch to greater e-commerce predicated by the pandemic will remain long afterwards. The “new” normal is a greater reliance on the internet to find and buy products and services. Based on my last article, I looked at about 50 random body shop websites and Facebook pages. I looked for some shop websites based on a Yelp listing and never found the shop’s own site! Here is what I learned.

Spelling counts: Remember when you were in third grade taking a test and you asked the teacher if spelling counted, and she said yes? Guess what. It still does.

Make sure all information is current: A couple sites showed information that was obviously old. Two noted—in August 2020—their shop was closed for the Christmas/New Year’s

Grammar counts: Correct grammar and proper syntax makes your message easier to read and understand, not to mention more professional-looking. Make it easy to navigate: What is important to your customer? Your shop name, location, phone number, email address, hours of operation, how to find the shop on Google Maps and services available should be prominently displayed and easy to find. Granted, other information is important, but if they can’t find the most basic information, nothing else matters. Make it easy to contact you: Make your phone number, email address or social media contact information

prominent on your site. When you receive an inquiry, be sure to answer promptly. Nothing says “we don’t care about you” quicker than an unreturned contact. If you have OE certifications, or other industry-recognized qualifications, list them: If you are certified by an OE, are I-CAR Gold Class or ASE Blue Seal, chances are you worked hard and spent time and money getting there. Why not promote it? Customers will be looking for it. Use contrasting colors for text: Make your site easy to read. White text on an almost all-white background is difficult to read. Black on white, or other contrasting colors, is preferred. Don’t promote what the average lay person doesn’t understand: You might have just spent a pile of money for the latest whiz-bang welder or other piece of equipment and you and others in the industry might think it’s really impressive. But to the

average customer, meh. It’s enough to say you have the latest equipment to handle any repair needs. Use high-quality photos: Most people are very visual and photos are great. But make sure they are in-focus and not distorted. Promote your own people: While we are on the subject of photos, seeing a before and after photo of a vehicle you fixed is OK. But how about photos of your most valuable assets, and the thing that makes your shop unique—your people? Don’t confuse your customer: As far as potential customers are concerned, your shop exists to provide collision repair services and that’s what they are looking for. If you are involved in racing or some other extracurricular activity, and you want to mention it, great. But don’t let that coverage overwhelm your main message. Keep “social” in social media: So-

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cial media, especially Facebook, is meant to foster two-way communication. For the 2.4 billion people worldwide who use Facebook, nothing irks them more than to not be able to leave a comment, or to have their comments or posting threads removed. This is sure to repel any potential customers. Keep your social media fresh: Be sure to post new items regularly to keep people interested. Facebook pages that look “abandoned” are a major turn-off. Mark Claypool, AAM, founder and CEO of Optima Automotive, a leader in the automotive repair industry for web design, social media management and search engine optimization also offers the following: Many collision shop websites need to be refreshed: Many look old and dated and way behind the times Make sure you have a “mobile-friendly” site: According to BroadBandSearch, an internet consultancy, in 2009, less than 1% of those people

who had internet access used a mobile device, such as a phone or tablet. Today, 51.5% of internet users use a mobile device. Can your site be viewed on a phone? Make sure your message is clear: Let people know that you are an essential business and ready to serve your clients. Make it easy to do business with you: There are a lot of people online but not everyone is internet savvy. Make it easy for your potential customer to contact you, upload a photo or request an estimate. Drop-off and pick-up procedures: If you are still using social-distancing procedures, be sure to spell those out on your site. Make sure you rank high in an internet search: Go to Google and search for a collision shop in your town. If your shop is not coming up at the top—or worse yet, not coming up at all—you may need to do some search engine optimization so people can find you.

Dealership body shops need extra care: If your shop is part of a dealership, you should have your own web presence, not simply a sub-domain of the main dealership site. Being part of a dealership site makes it two to three times as hard for people to find you and makes it near impossible to compete with independent collision shops. If you are still wondering about the impact of the internet and how it is affecting your business, consider the following stats from BroadBandSearch: 61.4% of the world’s population uses the internet 89.4% of Americans have internet access and use it on a daily basis. There are 351.8 million registered domain names in the world. You need your customers to find just one—yours. The average time it takes a web page to load in the U.S. is 5.6 seconds. According to Google, the best performing sites take 3 seconds. Every second a user spends waiting for a site to open is an opportunity for them to click off the site. If your site

takes between six to 10 seconds to open, the customer is probably already gone. Facebook is the fourth most visited website in the world. Does your shop have a Facebook presence? Thinking of making a YouTube video? There are 1.8 billion unique monthly visitors to YouTube. 50% of internet users watch YouTube videos and product demos before buying anything. If you don’t have, at minimum, a website and Facebook page for your shop, you need one of each. And if you have one of each, make it a good one. Your future business depends on it.

AUTOBODY

UPDATED DAILY www.autobodynews.com

NADA Show 2021 to be Held Online by Auto Remarketing Staff

NADA Show 2021 is going virtual. The National Automobile Dealers Association announced Oct. 12 that its annual convention and expo, previously scheduled for January in New Orleans, is moving online and will run Feb. 9-11. “Dealers are both incredibly resilient and incredibly optimistic. Their resiliency has been proven time and again this year. So too has their optimism, because throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we remained optimistic and hopeful that we would be able to gather together in person in New Orleans for the most important NADA Show,” NADA Chairman Rhett Ricart said in a news release. “But the coronavirus has been persistent, a second wave is predicted to coincide with flu season, and, as things stand, public health controls remain too restrictive to allow the Show to go forward in person,” Ricart said. “Recognizing these realities, we are transi-

tioning to a virtual Show.” NADA said in the release that among the features of the digital convention will be more than 60 educational workshops and sessions, an online expo hall and OEM franchise meetings. NADA President and Chief Executive Peter Welch said, “While we are disappointed we cannot be together in New Orleans, we are excited about what a virtual Show will mean for dealers and the entire auto industry. “And without any of the travel costs associated with attending an in-person Show, we’re very hopeful that a far greater number of dealership employees will be able to attend virtually and get all the benefits the Show has to offer. This indeed could be the first NADA Show that many dealership employees are able to attend.” Registration opens in coming weeks; more information can be found at NADAShow.org. We thank Auto Remarketing for reprint permission.

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with Victoria Antonelli

Product Innovation

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

BAR Auto Shop Locator Educates and Empowers California Consumers About 10 years ago, I wrote an artic- savvier about their cars, and that le about the Bureau of Automotive includes knowing about the BAR Repair (BAR), an organization eve- and its role in the automotive repair ry body shop inwith California more industry in California. By working GaryisLedoux than familiar with, but the general hard to educate the public about what they do and how they public doesn’t even know what the acronym means. can protect consumers, the Most people encounter BAR has significantly enthe BAR when their cars are hanced its communications smog checked, or they see a and marketing, including its plaque on a wallwith in a waiting website at www.bar.ca.gov. Stacey Phillips room at a body shop. BAR’s website offers an I used some of my Clay Leek, head of Auto Shop Locator, a confriends and other people back BAR’s smog check, venient and fast way for engineering and then to find out what they consumers to find a licensed information services knew about the BAR. Only division, worked with automotive repair facility six out of the 30 people I tal- a team to develop nearest to them. BAR’s new Auto ked to knew what the BAR Originally it was designed with Mike Anderson Shop Locator to was and what it does. to locate Smog Check statieducate and protect ons, but now it has been ex I also got some peculiar consumers panded to include all licenresponses to my query, including “It’s law-related, right?” and sed auto repair businesses, including body shops, mechanical repair shops, “Is it a bartender union?” Now in 2020, consumers are air conditioning, parts retailers, auto

OE Shop Certification

Product Innovation

dismantlers, glass windshield and mobile mechanics. The Auto Shop Locator also allows users to obtain two other pieces of invaluable information—the shop’s BAR license number and whether or not it’s on probation or the subject of a pending enforcement action by BAR. Rather than using MapQuest or Google, the BAR’s Shop Locator is a “more convenient way to find shops”, according to Clay Leek, who oversees BAR’s smog check, engineering and information services division. “We have enhanced this feature with a new interactive map, a series of filters and a mobile app, so that consumers can access this information anywhere, all the time,” Leek said. “People can search for locations near their address, their city or their ZIP code, and then the Shop Locator tells the user their proximity to the

From the Desk of Mike Anderson

shop. “At the same time, people can make sure that the shop is licensed by BAR. This allays peoples’ fears and gives them an additional layer of comfort knowing that they’re taking their vehicle to a licensed business that is in good standing with the BAR.” For example, I chose the Automotive Repair filter, followed by the Auto Body filter. I then tested the locator and quickly found a sample of the 50 body shops closest to me, one of which was on probation with the BAR. To eliminate any ambiguity, the listing of the shop is surrounded by a big red border with the word “Probation” listed clearly within the listing. To get feedback from the collision repair industry, Leek and his team received input from a wide range of See Educates and Empowers, Page 53

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with Erica Schroeder

Industry Insight

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988. He is the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). Contact him by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

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Two Shops Walk Away from Lawsuits Against Insurers

Shop Showcase

Two shops have ended lawsuits voluntarily dismissed its own lawfiled against insurers that had been suit against GEICO that alleged the transferred to a U.S. District Court insurer conspires with its direct rewith Ed Attanasio in Florida that has been overseeing pair shops to fix prices and boycott dozens of similar lawsuits. Leif’s. Professionals Autobody in Dun- Like Professionals’ lawsuits, cansville, PA, filed two lawsuits in Leif’s lawsuit had been filed in 2017, one naming Kemper Insurance 2017 and had been consolidated to and one naming multiple insurers, Presnell’s court in Florida. GEICO including State with Farm, Ed Allstate and filed a motion to dismiss the case in Attanasio USAA, alleging bad faith, breach of August, arguing the lawsuit failed to contract, unjust enrichment and tor- offer specific facts to support the altious interference for refusing to ful- legations. ly reimburse claimants for vehicle In voluntarily ending the lawrepairs. The lawsuits sought about suit in mid-September, Leif’s told $8 million combined. the court “current circumstances in The insurers made various ar- Portland (COVID-19, riots, unconwith Ed Attanasio guments calling for dismissal of the trolled forest fires) have negatively lawsuits. Kemper, for example, said impacted Leif’s business [and] as a Professionals already litigated its result, at present Leif’s Auto canclaims as a party in a similar law- not responsibly pursue its claims suit, brought by the Alliance of Au- against GEICO on the other side of tomotive Servicewith Providers of Penn- the country.” Ed Attanasio sylvania and other shops, that was Leif’s and GEICO are still indismissed by the same U.S. District volved in two other lawsuits. One is Court in Florida. a class action in which shop owner Professionals’ individual law- Leif Hansen is suing over GEICO’s suit, Kemper argued, was too vague, alleged refusal to pay for vehicle lacking the required “plain statement scanning for Hansen’s personal veof the claim showing the pleadhicle, which GEICO insured. withthat Stacey Phillips er is entitled to relief,” and failed to In the other lawsuit, GEICO conpoint to any action by Kemper that tends it should not have to do busi“unjustifiably interfered with iden- ness with Leif’s, despite Oregon’s tifiable contracts with identifiable law guaranteeing consumers the right vehicle owners [that] caused [Pro- to use their choice of shop, because doing so, GEICO says, subjects the fessionals] damage.” with Stacey Phillips GEICO also argued Profession- insurer’s employees to menacing and als’ lawsuit in which GEICO was other harassment by the shop. named should be dismissed because The lawsuit says Hansen and legal precedents show providing Leif’s “intentionally create an atmoservices unilaterally and then seek- sphere of fear and intimidation that ing compensation doesn’t qualify leads to adjusters’ inability to adewith Stacey Phillips one to claim unjust enrichment. quately perform their work.” It said The Hartford and Farmers ar- Hansen and other Leif’s employees gued the amounts alleged to involve routinely yell at adjusters, threaten them in the lawsuit failed to reach to have them arrested or to sue them the $75,000 threshold for federal ju- personally and carry around knives risdiction. and talk about guns. In both lawsuits, Professionals “In particular, at least one Leif’s with Stacey Phillips failed to meet the court deadline in employee has talked about ‘killing August to respond to the insurers’ mo- people,’ with the intention of frighttions for dismissal, so Judge Grego- ening the GEICO adjuster,” the lawry Presnell dismissed the lawsuits in suit states. mid-September. The company routinely obstructs That same week, Leif’s Auto adjusters’ access to inspect vehicles, Collision Centers in Portland, OR, GEICO claimed, through such means

Social Media for Shops

SEMA Show Goes On

as making adjusters wait for up to multiple hours to do so, or by refusing to tell the adjusters where a vehicle is located, forcing them to “wander around Leif’s premises, which are approximately 5 acres in size,” to find the car located among “hundreds” on the premises. GEICO adjusters “have experienced significant stress and emotional harm,” the lawsuit claims, and “at least one GEICO adjuster has refused to return to Leif’s premises for fear of physical injury or harm.” GEICO is seeking unspecified damages exceeding $75,000 for lost profits, damage to reputation and excessive labor costs “due to assignment of additional claims personnel.” Although Oregon law prohibits an insurer from refusing to do business with a particular shop chosen by an insured, GEICO is asking the

Media and Publicity for Shops Shop Strategies

court to declare the insurer need not continue to do business with Leif’s, given that Oregon law also requires an employer do what is “reasonably necessary to protect the life, safety and health” of its employees. Leif’s argues nothing in Oregon’s anti-steering law “provides for any express exemption at all, let alone a specific exemption” like the one GEICO is seeking. GEICO doesn’t argue the law requiring it provide workplace safety for its employees is “inherently incompatible” with the anti-steering law, Leif’s argues, because GEICO appears to have no concern about sending its staff into shops other than Leif’s. If that’s the case, Leif’s argues, GEICO should instead seek an order halting “the violating behavior” it alleges is happening at Leif’s, rather than seeking “a judicial revision of the anti-steering law.”

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with Stacey Phillips

From the Desk of Mike Anderson with Mike Anderson

Mike Anderson is the president and owner of Collision Advice, a consulting company for the auto body/collision repair industry. For nearly 25 years, he was the owner of Wagonwork Collision Center, an OEM-certified, full-service auto body repair facility in Alexandria, VA.

Pricing Change Reflects the Absolute Need for Separate Charges for Scanning, Diagnostics I wanted to use my column this month to share with you a conversation I had recently with Jake Rodenroth of asTech. As many of you are aware, asTech recently announced some price changes for the remote scanning and diagnostic services they offer, and that’s something a lot of people have been asking me about. So I wanted to use this column to, first, provide some clarity on that, and separate the facts from the myths. Because I’ve been hearing some misinformation out there. But this isn’t really about asTech. I’m just using what they’re doing to make my second and more important point, something I’ve been preaching for years—includ—and that’s the absolute need for shops to separate out their scanning time and their diagnostic time. So let’s start with asTech’s change. I asked Jake to explain the new pricing model they rolled out. “I’m happy to explain it, but I also want to commend our company’s leadership for the research and consensus-building they did prior to making the change, and for the effort they’ve made to communicate and explain it,” Jake told me. “If you go to our website, astech.com, in the ‘resources’ section you can find a frequently asked questions document about the change, and they even established an email team, at pricing@ astech.com that can respond to any questions someone may have about the change.” The pricing change, Jake told me, was designed to make asTech’s services “competitive with other providers out there.” “When we started scanning vehicles for the collision industry, the bulk of the industry wasn’t scanning cars at all,” Jake said. “In the early days when I started with asTech, we were doing seven or eight cars a day. Now we’re well over 5,000. We hadn’t made a pricing change in four years, but decided it was the right thing to do. “Now, for vehicles where there

are no diagnostic issues—nothing the scan shows is out of whack, no steering angle sensor value that isn’t good or a seat weight sensor that is irregular—we made those scans $50. We broke up the service we do into pieces,” he continued. “The scan itself is $50. If it needs a technician or a service manual or a wiring diagram in order to figure out a possible fix, then we charge a $69.95 fee on top of that scanning charge. That brings it back to what our original pricing was, which was $119.95.” OK, I want to go on record as saying I, Mike Anderson, am absolutely, 100% in support of this. My agreement with this, however, is not because it makes asTech services competitive. The dollar figures are not my point or my concern. I support this change because it’s high time our industry separates scanning time from diagnostic time. This pricing model does that. Think about it: Diagnostic time varies. Just as judgement times varies based on the size of the damage, the accessibility to it and the substrate involved, diagnostic time varies. Isn’t the time it takes to research one diagnostic trouble code (DTC) different from researching five? And it’s not just looking up the DTC. You then have to navigate the OEM repair procedures, the flow chart, to determine what the most probable cause is. If there are four possible causes, it might be the first one you try, or the fourth one. All this takes time. I think asTech did the right thing here. But I don’t care if you use asTech, or another provider, or do it yourself in-house. What I care about, and the whole point of this article, is the need to separate out your diagnostic time from your scan time. I also think there’s another lesson for shops from the change asTech made to its pricing model. The scanning and diagnostic charges are somewhat higher for certain makes of vehicles, such as Porsche. I asked Jake why. “It comes down to the fact that

our cost of goods sold is just higher for those vehicles,” Jake told me. “It’s not only the higher expense of the scan tools, but the higher cost to attract a tech who specializes in running the tools for those European models. “The complexity of those vehicles also plays a role. From an R&D perspective, once we developed the software, we have to verify it, test the remote hook-up to the Porsche tool against a direct hook-up to the Porsche tool,” he siad. “That means obtaining both new and wrecked Porches to simulate what our customers will send us. We need to cover that cost. We’re not just throwing a higher number out because it’s an expensive car. There’s real merit to it.” That makes sense to me because it synchs up with what I’ve also preached to shops for years. You need to understand all the training

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with Ed Attanasio

SEMA Show Goes On

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

Online and Just in Time: SEMA 2020 Becomes SEMA360

ve buyer database to connect manuMedia and Publicity for Shops facturers with resellers.

You can put your gambling mo- people at SEMA were still hopeful ney back in your pocket and take a they could pull off the show for its withyou Edwon’t Attanasio have 53rd consecutive year. deep breath because But when major companies opto rush around trying to find hotel ted out and the reality began to set rooms and flights again this year. SEMA 2020 changed to in, Gattuso started looking at Plan B, SEMA360 on Aug. 5, when it was and the result is SEMA360, an unannounced COVID-19 and concerns precedented completely virtual trade over the availability of facilities and show. with Stacey Phillips services would make an in-person Gattuso has been with SEMA for nearly two decades, but these show impossible. Instead of logging countless mi- are uncharted waters for even an inles walking throughout the Las Vegas dustry veteran. He knew if the show couldn’t happen the same Convention Center and putway it has since 1967, there ting in 15- to 20-hour days, with Stacey Phillips 2-6—will was a viable alternative, but SEMA360—Nov. allow you to participate in they would have to move the annual show, but from quickly. the comfort of your office or “We knew that with 90 living room. days left, we had to make Touted as a “100% on- SEMA’s Vice President hard decisions,” he said. of Events Tom line trade-only with event Stacey that “We looked at several apPhillips Gattuso and his focuses on an ecommerce team tried to make proaches and even consimarketplace, new products, SEMA 2020 happen, dered holding it completely vehicle builds and edu- but when it looked outdoors. With health and impossible, they cation for the automotive safety as a top priority, we specialty equipment indus- started developing studied several preventive SEMA360, a 100% try,” SEMA360 is breaking virtual trade show measures to minimize risks with Stacey Phillips ground and changing the for all those at the event, trade show industry through innova- including required use of face cotion. verings, addition of hand sanitizing SEMA360 will feature a sim- stations, increased cleaning, one-way plified platform for manufacturers aisles and more. But in the end, it to showcase their new products and wasn’t going to happen, so we began innovations, as well as efficient inter- pursuing Plan B.” action between manufacturers and re Gattuso knew that without with Victoria Antonelli sellers for quality business exchange. SEMA, it would leave a void in the In addition, SEMA vehicle re- automotive industry that couldn’t veals from world-class builders will be filled easily. take place virtually; industry-lea- “Our role has always been to ding education focused on profes- represent our membership the best sional development and new strate- way we can and help them to succeed gies will be more robust ever. in their businesses,” he said. “The with Edthan Attanasio And as always, SEMA’s media SEMA show benefits the industry at contacts will report news, products large, and holding it every year in and innovations to a world-wide au- the fourth quarter is a major deal for dience, according to a SEMA press body shops. They can stay ahead of trends and acquire new technology release. SEMA has survived through that can help them for the next three the Great Recession of 2008, the to five years and even longer. with Gary Ledoux shooting at the Mandalay in 2013 “So, that’s why we came up and 9/11, but this was all-new ter- with SEMA360 where attendees ritory for SEMA’s Vice President of and exhibitors can do almost all of Events Tom Gattuso and his team. the same things they could at the ac Even while the COVID-19 pan- tual show. SEMA360 addresses that demic stretched into late July, the need by leveraging SEMA’s exclusi-

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“We are comfortable where we are with this new digital component,” Gattuso said. “Much of the work we’re doing now will be in place for many years to come and will continu-

ally bring value to the whole SEMA experience. We’re investing in our future and seeing some positive signs as a result. We will have many of the majors participating at SEMA360 and although our goals are modest, we are very pleased with the industry’s reaction to date.” The SEMA360 Education Program will still feature more than 30

professional development seminars and candid conversations with industry-leading celebrities and personalities. Attendees will be able to sign up for an unlimited number of seminars at no additional cost, when registering to participate in SEMA360. SEMA Senior Manager of Professional Development Gary Vigil said while circumstances will prevent in-person educational sessions, SEMA remains committed to helping our industry members succeed and prosper. “Each educational session in SEMA360 was carefully crafted to help attendees make smarter business decisions, and offers the exciting opportunity to hear stories and advice from a diverse collection of highly successful, entrepreneurial leaders.” Unlike the SEMA Show, where vehicle space is limited and vehicSee SEMA 2020, Page 50

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with Stacey Phillips

Techs of the Future

Stacey Phillips is an award-winning freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

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The Importance of Having a Broad Understanding of Vehicle Technology Up until recently, it was common working cooperatively.” practice for technicians to plug in a It’s not uncommon to have up dongle to the OBDII—onboard diag- to 43 networks in a car. These innostics—port to diagnose a vehicle. clude high priority systems, such as As modern cars have become in- steering, braking and airbag deploycreasingly computerized with sophis- ment, as well as lower priority ones ticated electronics, that is no longer such as adjusting the seat and radio the case, according to Scott McCor- control. mick, president of the Connective “I think we’re seeing an evoluVehicle Trade Association (CVTA.) tion in the relative importance of the “Take a Chevy Volt, for exam- technicians who are working on a car ple, that can change or update its that we really haven’t had before,” electronics over time,” said McCor- he said. “They are ones who are the mick. “That might sound great if agents of change, the ones who unyou want to upgrade the electronics derstand what is going on in a vehicle in two years, but you have to realize so they can lead their teams.” that the car is a system and changing McCormick is an accomplished one piece of software in it can create executive in the automotive and aeroissues.” space fields, focused in advanced If technicians aren’t familiar manufacturing, operations, strategy with the potential problems and restructuring. For the that could affect the vehicle, past 20 years, he has been a McCormick said, they will globally recognized expert most likely not be able to on vehicle communications. repair it properly. As a reHe has degrees in mathesult, it is becoming essential matics, mechanical and aerothey have a fundamental and space engineering; a master’s broad understanding of the Scott McCormick degree in business adminisissues at hand and the nectration; and doctoral research essary skills to address them when a in Artificial Intelligence. After spending the first 25 years customer comes in experiencing dif- of his career working as a program ficulties. “In the past, technicians, for the manager at General Electric, modmost part, had a familiarity with how ernizing aircraft and transportation, cars are built,” he said. “That will be- McCormick was the executive dicome increasingly important as more rector of the Automotive Multimedia electronics are being added to vehi- Interface Collaboration, a nonprofit cles.” research organization of the world’s Auto manufacturers are produc- largest automakers. ing cars with more than 100 million He established the Connected lines of code. In comparison, Mc- Vehicle Trade Association in 2005. Cormick said a Boeing Dreamliner The nonprofit organization facilitates has 4 million lines of code. the interaction and advances the in “Every level of automation we terests of the entities involved in the go up is going to add between one vehicle communication environment. and 200 million lines of code,” he Currently, there are 24 industry segexplained. “It’s not like Microsoft Of- ments involved, representing seven fice; it’s not one package.” countries. Instead, there are disparate pack- In addition to being named the ages running simultaneously. commissioner for the East Lansing, “We’re now dealing with sys- MI, Transportation Commission, tems that were once standalone ob- for the last eight years McCormick jects—a device or computer board— has been appointed by Congress to something that went into the car,” advise the Secretary of Transportasaid McCormick. “It’s coming to the tion on matters relating to the study, point where all of these devices are development and implementation of

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS.) Throughout his career, McCormick has created a variety of instructional courses that help advance knowledge and understanding in the future of transportation.

Blockchain

In 2015, he was asked to develop a two-hour class for technicians coming out of trade schools and twoyear community colleges. The goal was to teach them about the changes taking place in automobiles today. In his current role as president of CVTA, McCormick launched the Connected Vehicle Professional (CVP) credentialing program, in collaboration with The NEXT Education, in 2015. The comprehensive education and certification curriculum helps professionals build a specific skill set in the ITS community. The goal is to ensure individuals have the foundational understanding necessary to perform tasks involving connected vehicles and intelligent transportation. This includes in-vehicle safety, infrastructure, communication protocols and security. A series of three courses—focusing on Vehicle-to-Vehicle, Vehicle-to-Infrastructure and Vehicle-to-X connectivity—were designed for vehicle technicians, insurance professionals and others looking to enhance their knowledge in this growing sector. The blended learning approach combines online education through the NEXT Education’s platform as well as two half-day instructor-led online classroom sessions. Those who complete courses earn the Connected Vehicle Trade Association Certificate of Competency. McCormick has also worked closely with Elaina Farnsworth,

CEO of The NEXT Education, to create courses for technicians and installers to teach them about the equipment that will be included in the cars of the future. Both McCormick and Farnsworth participated in the recent TU-Automotive Detroit 2020 conference, which focused on future automotive trends, including autonomous vehicles, electrification and digital services. McCormick said one of the most critical future advancements is related to blockchain. “Blockchain is basically a mathematical structure for storing data,” explained McCormick. “Everything in blockchain is connected.” For example, a collision repair shop could log all of the repair work and use blockchain to locate a part for the specific model of vehicle in one place, and the information would be accessible to other segments of the industry. He used the example of a shop trying to locate a part for a 5-yearold vehicle. Using blockchain, “You could locate that part almost instantaneously,” he explained. “Anytime you can reduce the amount of time you are doing something, you become more efficient and effective; therefore, more profitable.” Blockchain could also be used to ensure valid parts are being used on a vehicle. McCormick highly recommends educating technicians on the use of this technology to ensure they are trained properly. “It’s a tremendously new skillset and people who have this understanding are going to be in the highest demand,” he said. For more information, email Scott McCormick at sjm@connectedvehicle .org.

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OEC Acquisition of NuGen IT Will Further Assist Collision Repairers to Meet Requirements of Insurers, OEMs & Customers by Autobody News Staff Autobody News recently talked with Pete Tagliapietra, founder and president of NuGen IT, about the company’s acquisition by OEConnection (OEC) in July and what it means for the collision repair industry. OEC, established in 2000, is a leading parts fulfillment software solution provider for OEM distribution networks.

As a result of the OEC acquisition of NuGen IT, Tagliapietra said the companies are working together to deliver a combined technology platform that will not only facilitate a substantive step forward in refining the collision repair industry, but will also drive higher levels of efficiency over what is available in the market today. “As much as DRPs impacted the way collision repairers process damaged vehicles since the early 1990s, it is inevitable that technology and OEM-certified repair networks will impact this long-standing model,” said Tagliapietra. “The industry is moving toward a model in which OEMs will have significantly more influence on where and how to repair vehicles.” The discussion led to further questions.

How did your experience working in three different market segments lead you to establish NuGen IT?

I began working in the collision repair industry at a young age doing all the tasks technicians didn’t want to do at a collision repair facility. After completing my higher education, I spent 10 years in automotive retail, specifically in collision repair management, and then had a decade of auto claims experience working for two different insurance companies. Following that, I worked for a collision repair

database and estimating system information provider for 15 years. Looking back, I realize how fortunate I am to have worked in these three market segments of our industry. My experience has given me a good perspective on how to create balance and minimize friction among those segments. In the late 1980s, I met Dayle Phillips, who became my business partner at NuGen IT. Dayle, who was employed at a leading-edge software development company, often collaborated with me to discuss possible technology solutions to an auto claims or collision repair problem. We found our skills complemented one another. I’ve never met anybody like Dayle who understands a business issue and can come up with a solution that applies technology and enhances the process significantly, eliminating the amount of human task associated with it. After 35 years of experience in the industry, I felt it would be an ideal time to start my own business in 2004. As a result, I established NuGen IT and Dayle joined the company in January of 2006. It has been an incredible run since then.

tinuously reinvested into research other formatted document. Hence, and development. We typically look an insurance appraiser or body shop at where gaps exist in the process service manager knows when the esfor collision repairers and insurers. timate is not in compliance with the Then, we identify accuracy, efficien- database, external or internal policies, cy and productivity issues, as well and procedures or regulatory requireas technology to further refine the ments. process in various end-user The technology is compatworkflows. ible with any estimating sys We rely heavily on our tem and almost any formatted business-rules-driven comtemplate. As a result, collision pliance technology to acrepairers use one compliance tool rather than purchasing complish this through the multiple tools to meet their products we develop. I believe this, along with other Pete Tagliapietra needs and requirements of their insurance company parttechnologies—such as our ability to accurately transform a PDF ners. of an estimate back into the CIECA NuGen IT’s product offerings inLegacy EMS (Estimate Management corporate robotics automation whenSystem) or BMS (Business Message ever possible. Software robots can Suite) data formats—helped set our perform the analysis function on behalf of the user, so the correct outcome is company apart from competitors. Our product offering also heav- delivered the same way every time, ily focuses on Business Process creating accuracy, uniformity and conCompliance. Business Process Com- sistency. pliance utilizes computer software to The nice thing about robotics analyze an estimate or just about any automation and software intelligence,

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What was the primary focus of NuGen IT and how has the company grown?

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From the onset, the goal was to leverage the CIECA (Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association) Standards the collision industry embraced. The strategy was, and has been, to offer open solution platforms to the insurance and collision repair communities. Limiting the proprietary software environment with the exchange of information between insurers and collision repairers was having a positive impact on the industry. We set out to create an open environment that would alleviate estimating system mandates for insurance companies, allowing collision repairers to select and license the estimating system that provides the best outcome for both parties. Over the years, NuGen IT con-

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commonly referred to today as machine learning, is computers can “perform an outcome” the same way every time based on the input of many different variables. Initially, we developed our products primarily for insurance companies and giving them open network capabilities to deliver an assignment directly to a network or non-network repair facility. As long as a collision facility had an internet connection and a computer, they could receive an assignment and then import the administrative data into their system(s). As our company evolved, we believed collision repairers were at a disadvantage. Auto claim process applications for insurance companies were plentiful, and we saw an opportunity to provide software applications to collision repairers that could significantly alleviate the administrative burden they are faced with. Today, our application services are offered equally to both of these market segments.

How have NuGen IT’s product offerings evolved for col-

lision repairers?

On the collision repair side, we understood the great need for products to help repairers meet their internal needs, insurance and regulatory requirements. As a result, we started offering “hybrid solutions” to collision repair organizations. For example, we developed a strategic partnership with ALLDATA about eight years ago and devel-

“The industry is moving toward a model in which OEMs will have significantly more influence on where and how to repair vehicles.” — Pete Tagliapietra oped Estimate Integration. The goal was to proactively deliver OEM repair procedures to collision repairers regardless of the estimating system or manufacturer. Shops could analyze and audit estimates to ensure they were incorporating the required repair procedures before submitting them to insurance companies. We also pioneered the concept of DRP (Direct Repair Program) Self-Management. Around 2010, we

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accurate as possible and meets the insurance company’s policies as well as identifies overlooked labor operations that could end up in a supplement request. It can be a daunting task for a service advisor at a collision repair facility to keep track of various DRP policy procedures for multiple DRP programs, and our goal is to help them streamline the task by fully automating the process, thus eliminat-

ing the time trying to be compliant.

How have NuGen IT’s prodCan you share information about the recent acquisition by OEC?

After our two companies learned more about each other, we realized the possibilities of how combining our technologies could bring a lot more value to the market segments we serve, particularly with collision repairers. That really excited us. We felt this was an excellent opportunity to take repair blueprinting to a new dimension. Today’s collision repairers must refer to multiple information providers to get all the information needed to process an insurance claim. For example, once collision repairers receive the assignment from an insurance company through an information provider, they have to write the estimate, conduct the part search, work with a rental car company, report vehicle status and comply with Customer Service Index (CSI). This all falls into the issue of scorecarding, which the industry highly utilizes.

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By combining our companies and allowing each to do what it does best, it’s ultimately going to address the issues facing collision repairers, now and in the future.

How have NuGen IT’s prodHow is the industry changing and what should shops be aware of?

As one of the people in the industry who has worked in all three segments—collision repair, insurance and information provider—I believe my experience has taught me there can’t be just one dominant force driving the industry. In the past, this has been insurance companies. The insurance industry has been a driver to how the collision repair industry operates, particularly its involvement in processing an auto claim. I see a paradigm shift occurring where we need to recognize how the three market segments need to work together. It will be not easy to accomplish and will take time, but it has to happen. We’re already seeing manufacturers develop strategic relationships with major insurers.

Continued from Page 44

SEMA 2020 le applications must be submitted by a participating manufacturer, the SEMA360 Builder Showcase will enable vehicle builders the opportunity to enter vehicles directly into the program. “We’re excited to open up the SEMA360 Builder Showcase to all the talented builders across our industry,” Gattuso said. “We wanted to put a spotlight on the trends and innovation that go into these vehicle builds every year while highlighting the people who bring the creations to life. This is truly a worldwide platform to show off the passion and creativity SEMA Week has become known for. The support we have had for SEMA360 has been tremendous, and we can’t wait to see what this new Showcase feature will bring.” SEMA360 recently published a list of things to do during SEMA360 to get the most out of this completely virtual online event.

Insurance companies will need to collaborate with OEMs and collision repairers to ensure there is more than a satisfied customer, going beyond what it is today. What we’ve done for the last 20 years is not good enough anymore. It’s my opinion that manufacturers are becoming increasingly concerned about protecting their brand, knowing when a car gets damaged, there is just as much technology and software to deal with along with the body and any mechanical repair. Collision repairers are now required to be collision repair experts, mechanical repair experts and system technology experts. Otherwise, they need to outsource some services to complete the repair. OEC and NuGen IT will further assist collision repairers to meet the requirements of their insurance partners, ensure to OEMs the vehicle is being repaired correctly, meet internal business objectives and better serve mutual customers. Looking ahead, our goal is to also help OEMs better manage their certified repair networks and provide collision repairers, insurance

“Get your workspace ready for five days focused on new products and feature vehicles. Make sure you have a reliable computer. Prepare a spot on your hard drive to download brochures and sell sheets from manufacturers. Check your internet connection. Have a camera, microphone and speakers on your computer so you can participate in optional video chats. Consider getting blue light glasses to ease the strain on your eyes. A comfortable chair will make the experience much more enjoyable. Have a plan. Remember to schedule breaks when you get up and walk around and stretch your hands and fingers. Also, block times on your calendar to participate in the seminars you don’t want to miss, and for browsing the New Products Showcase, Builder Showcase and Manufacturer Showcase pages.” No name badges, no Cirque de Soleil shows, no monster buffets and no industry cocktail parties until next year—hopefully. Say goodbye to SEMA 2020 and hello to SEMA360.

companies and manufacturers the data. This will be critical in the future. In the last 10 years, I have continued to emphasize to our employees that it’s all about the data. I believe software will continue to diminish in value/price and the value of the data will continue to increase. I am convinced data is the “newfound gold” in the collision repair industry and am dumbfounded by collision repairers freely giving it away and allow others to profit from it. I am extremely proud of what the NuGen IT team has accomplished and couldn’t be more excited about this next step in our evolution. OEC has a tremendous and successful track record of delivering solutions for automobile dealers, collision repairers and OEMs, and I look forward to what this will mean for our collective customer base and parent company.

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Allstate to Cut 3,800 Jobs The Allstate Corporation on Oct. 1 provided detail on the impacts of its multi-year Transformative Growth Plan and record low interest rates on third quarter earnings. The goal of the Transformative Growth Plan is to increase personal property-liability market share by expanding customer access, improving customer value and investing in marketing and technology. Customer access has been expanded by merging the Esurance and Allstate brand direct operations. Improving customer value includes improving the competitive price position of auto insurance, which requires cost reductions to maintain margins. To lower costs, a restructuring plan is being implemented which will impact approximately 3,800 employees primarily in claims, sales, service and support functions. The expectation that interest rates will remain low will also impact third quarter earnings. Source: Allstate

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50 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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with Victoria Antonelli

Product Innovation

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

Killer Tools Attacks Pandemic with Mr. Fogger During the pandemic, some com- use against SARS-CoV2, the virus panies have succeeded while others that causes COVID-19. have paused or closed their doors When the pandemic hit in March, completely. Those can Ledoux pivot Trueit gave his crew two weeks off, withwho Gary have been able to not only survive, but but then came up with his idea for Mr. thrive during these uncertain times. Fogger, and all of his nine employees Such is the case with Killer came back to work in order to make Tools in Orangevale, CA, and its ow- and distribute it. ner and inventor, Gerry Trueit, 72. “We wanted to create tools that Trueit’s company has concei- would enable technicians to sanived and designed moreStacey than 50 protize cars thoroughly so that shops with Phillips ducts, and estimates at least one or wouldn’t have to worry about the two are being used in every body health of their employees and custoshop in North America right now. mers,” Trueit said. “Insurance companies are allotting 60 to 90 minutes to sanitize these cars, so this has become the new normal way and will with Mike Anderson likely continue long after this thing passes.” More than two decades ago, Trueit discovered a pneumatic door skin tool, and that’s when the story began. He bought a motor home, and with his wife and Killer Tools was founded by Gerry Trueit, far left, almost his dog, they hit the road to 20 years ago to create tools and equipment that make visit as many body shops as collision repairs easier and more efficient they could. When Trueit saw a definite need “We sold so many that we were for a tool that would help the colli- forced to get off the road so that we sion repair industry as the pandemic could focus on manufacturing them,” continued, he and his team develo- Trueit said. ped a system to accommodate both “We chose the name Killer Tools body shops and their insurance part- because I would show up in a colliners. sion shop and people would tell me With a pivot move that even LeBron James would be proud of, Killer Tools developed a machine that generates ozone to completely disinfect interiors of vehicles before and after repairs. Offered in 110V and 12V, they have become top sellers. Most recently, Killer Tools also unveiled a cordless sanitizing tool named Mr. Fogger, so technicians Shortly after the pandemic hit, Killer Tools unveiled a cordless sanitizing tool, Mr. Fogger, or car detailers can sanitize touchposo that technicians or car detailers can sanitize ints and vehicle interiors more quitouchpoints and vehicle interiors more quickly ckly and efficiently using the least and efficiently amount of disinfectant. Killer Tools sells Bioesque Bo- that I always had the ‘killer’ tools,” tanical Disinfectant Solution, which Trueit said. “So, we adopted the uses thymol, an all-natural antimi- name and incorporated. Since we becrobial agent derived from the thy- gan back in 2002, we have sold more me plant, registered by the EPA for than 50,000 of these tools, and they

OE Shop Certification

keep rolling off the shelves because they work and make technicians› lives easier.” Killer Tools is now a household name in the world of collision repair, with products like The Dent Killer, a

Product Innovation

From the Desk of Mike Anderson self-leveling door lift, the family of Shark welders, Cordless Tool Garage, the Painter’s Helper and the largest variety of tram gauges in the industry. Killer Tools sells its tools through

more than 10,000 distributors worldwide. The main question Trueit asks before developing any tool is if will it be used by the industry enough to make it worthwhile. That’s why he and his team are always soliciting feedback on any tool or piece of equipment they release to the world of collision. He works closely with a skilled management team, consisting of his General Manager Mario Harders—formerly with DentFix—and a fellow tool inventor and former body man, Tim Gerhards. “We sit down and determine if there are a definite need and a viable market for any tool we decide to pursue,” Trueit said. “You can make something that works well, but if it’s not accepted by the industry, it will just sit on shelves.” See Killer Tools, Page 56

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52 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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orld-

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Educates and Empowers automotive industry representatives and body shops during their development stage. The BAR registers and regulates 36,000-plus California automotive repair dealers and mediates automotive repair complaints, saving California consumers millions of dollars each year in the form of direct refunds, rework and bill adjustments, for example. The BAR is one of 37 organizations under the umbrella of the Department of Consumer Affairs. BAR was established within DCA in 1972 following enactment of the Automotive Repair Act. In response to consumer and industry concerns about fraud and incompetence in the auto repair industry, the act established BAR as the licensing and regulating authority over automotive repair dealers. The act also gave BAR authority to license and regulate stations and individuals that perform services in the areas of lamp and brake inspec-

tion and repair. In 1982, California became the 20th state in the nation to adopt a vehicle inspection and maintenance (smog check) program. Pursuant to authority granted by SB 33, BAR became the administrator of the California Smog Check Program in 1984. For more than 40 years, BAR has helped to protect California consumers from its headquarters in Rancho Cordova and 12 field offices stationed throughout the state. The organization serves many functions and administers various programs aimed at protecting Californians. Leek is happy with the finished product and invites shop owners and managers to make sure their shop is properly listed on the Auto Shop Locator. “I think they will like it for its simplicity and functionality,” he said. “We are really excited because by using it, consumers can stay informed and make educated decisions within a competitive automotive repair marketplace.” www.autobodynews.com

New Push for Autonomous Vehicles Bill by Ashley Gold, Axios In a renewed push to get an autonomous vehicles bill through Congress, Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) was to reintroduce the SELF Drive Act on Sept. 23, Latta told Axios. New policy legislation is a long shot in the short Congressional calendar leading up to Election Day. But Latta’s effort shows the importance many lawmakers put on promoting a U.S. lead in the development of self-driving vehicles. “The technology is changing, and we don’t want the Chinese to lead,” Latta, ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce technology and communications subcommittee, told Axios. “We’ve got to keep moving on it for safety’s sake.” The SELF Drive Act is a federal framework for autonomous vehicle regulation in the U.S., requiring cybersecurity provisions for AV manufacturers, exempting certain national safety standards to get cars to market quicker and pre-empting states from passing safety laws regarding AVs. The revised bill contains some changes from a version that passed the

House previously, including language that committee aides say makes it more inclusive for people with disabilities. Latta said the coronavirus crisis has made the need for self-driving cars in the U.S. even more apparent, as people seek contactless ways to get around and have goods delivered. After the SELF Drive Act first passed the House in 2017, objections in the Senate over certain provisions doomed the effort to create a federal regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles. Our thought bubble, from Axios transportation reporter Joann Muller: Congress has been talking about passing AV legislation for more than two years but hasn’t been able to get it done. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Transportation offers only guidance to companies developing self-driving cars. Without federal standards, the industry is relying on a patchwork of state laws, and consumer advocates complain about safety risks of AV testing on public roads. We thank Axios for reprint permission.

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Why Dealers Are Now ‘Exercising Caution’ by Auto Remarketing Staff

Dealerships sold millions of used vehicles during the summertime, including a four-month stretch of yearover-year sales gains. However, Black Book isn’t necessarily seeing buyers and managers rushing to replenish store inventory. According to their newest “COVID-19 Market Insights” released Oct. 13, analysts highlighted a typical autumn wholesale price cooldown, explaining those softer prices aren’t always bringing the hammer down to send vehicles onto transport trucks bound for stores. “Retail demand has softened, but dealers are still in need of inventory after the strong summer sales. However, they are exercising caution in purchasing high-priced inventory,” Black Book said in the latest report. “Instead, they are being very selective with their purchasing decisions. “Lower-mileage used vehicles continue to be good substitutes for the models that still lack in new supply, like full-size trucks that have days’ supply well under 30 days,”

analysts added. Speaking of those full-size trucks, analysts noticed prices for those units finally dipped after 19 weeks of increases. Full-size truck values dipped by 0.18%. Triggered in part by that movement, Black Book’s volume-weighted data showed overall truck segment values—including pickups, SUVs and vans—declined by 0.34% last week, nearly doubling the previous week’s drop of 0.19%. Analysts mentioned that both mainstream and luxury subcompact crossovers continue to experience heavy value declines as they plummeted by 1.13% and 0.98%, respectively. Black Book also pointed out that new-model inventory levels of full-size crossovers and SUVs continue to be low too, “so depreciations are remaining fairly stable.” Those units edged down by just 0.05% this past week. On the car side, value depreci ation accelerated compared to the previous week. According to Black Book’s volume-weighted data, analysts said

overall car segment values decreased 0.92% the last week, up from the previous week’s drop of 0.66%. Black Book noticed that mainstream car segments—subcompact, compact, midsize and full-size—all suffered declines of more than 1% with those sub-compacts leading the way at 1.40%. The report mentioned that premium sporty cars continue to generate interest as values for those units

rates on a few luxury manufacturer lanes with remarketers holding firm to floors,” they added. One other trend Black Book mentioned in the latest report directly correlated with how dealers are behaving in the lanes. “A couple of weeks ago, we noticed the success the independents were finally having in being able to successfully bid against the larger buyers. However, this past week we

“Retail demand has softened, but dealers are still in need of inventory after the strong summer sales. However, they are exercising caution in purchasing high-priced inventory,” — Black Book ticked just 0.02% lower, counter to the overall car segments trends. “Sales results at the auctions improved last week for many remarketers as many floors have now been adjusted to reflect the softening in wholesale values,” analysts said. “This was not the case for all sellers, with many of the dealer lanes seeing a lot of ‘ifs’ and high no sale

did see that change a bit as the larger buyers got a little more aggressive in their bidding,” analysts said. “This was especially true on the lanes where the remarketer was letting go of most any of the inventory that received a bid,” analysts went on to say. We thank Auto Remarketing for reprint permission.

Average New-Vehicle Prices Rise 2.5% Year-OverYear in September: Kelley Blue Book The valuation analysts at Kelley Blue Book on Oct. 1 reported the estimated average transaction price for a light vehicle in the U.S. was $38,723 in September.

New-vehicle prices increased $940 (up 2.5%) from September 2019, while rising $23 (up 0.1%) from last month. “New-car transaction prices have climbed year-over-year, but remained flat for the past few months,” said Sara Richards, an analyst for Kelley Blue Book. “This may indicate supply challenges experienced over spring and summer have been corrected and OEMs are finally able to build up stock. If automakers seek to recover sales lost earlier

in the year, incentives could climb dramatically and transaction prices could remain flat or even dip in the future.” Honda, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Hyundai and Kia, Subaru and Toyota all reported strong, greater than 4% year-over-year gains, despite relatively little change month-overmonth. Specifically, for Toyota the RAV4 was the biggest driver. They had a significant redesign this past year, contributing to an 18% lift in transaction prices year-over-year. Non-luxury and luxury vehicles are relatively flat month-overmonth; however, the year-overyear story is completely different. Non-luxury transaction prices are up 3.9%, while luxury prices are down 3%. Source: Kelley Blue Book

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54 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Tesla Sues U.S. Government Over Trump’s China Tariffs by Martin Bigg, CarBuzz

The ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China led to President Donald Trump imposing tariffs on imported Chinese goods, including auto parts. Unsurprisingly, these increased costs have riled major automakers that rely on importing parts from

China to manufacture cars. Now, several automakers are taking action by suing the U.S. government. CNBC reported Tesla is suing the U.S. government and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer over the Trump administration’s tariffs on parts Tesla imports from

Continued from Page 52

Killer Tools In many cases, Trueit has been able to find great ideas from body technicians that eventually lead to inventions being used today. “We have built a reputation for being a company where if you have a concept and we think it will work, we’re not afraid to pursue it,” Trueit said. “They conceive it, and we test it and then manufacture it and sell it. One technician who came up with a great idea for a tool has made more than $300,000 within the last decade. “Technicians are not afraid to think outside of the box, and most of the tools we sell were designed in order to complete a task,” he said.. “That is why I like being a part of this industry. Knowing that many of our tools are in shops is very satisfying.” Trueit prides himself on making tools that will last and withstand heavy use, he said. “We use attention to detail and stress things like quality and safety. I have had to reject several ideas because I thought that the tools would

China to manufacture its electric cars like the Model 3 and Model Y. According to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, Tesla wants the court to declare two batches of Trump administration tariffs to be void, and refund Tesla the tariffs it paid with interest. The specific tariffs Tesla has issues with are known as List 3 and List 4. Since it was introduced in 2018, List 3 places 25% duties on $200 billion of imported goods from China. List 4, on the other hand, imposes a 7.5% tariff on $120 billion of Chinese imports and went into effect in 2019. Tesla’s lawsuit doesn’t specify which parts Tesla paid tariffs on or how much it paid, but the company’s lawyers argue that the “imposition of List 3 and List 4 duties was arbitrary and capricious because USTR did not provide meaningful opportunity to comment, failed to consider relevant

be too dangerous. As a result, all of our tools last. “We are here to repair anything we make. Our phone does not ring and I’m usually the one to answer it, which is a good thing. I tell my people that if the phone isn’t ringing, that means we are doing a good job.” The King of Killer Tools—or Head Shark—still loves what he’s doing and isn’t thinking about retiring any time soon. “We have created a niche for us by taking people’s ideas and making them happen,” Trueit said. “If we can come up with a new tool and sell it for the right price—we already have a customer base waiting to buy it.” Sounds like a killer situation.

TWITTER:

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factors when making its decision, and failed to draw a rational connection between the facts found and the choices made.” Tesla also applied for waivers in 2019 on artificial graphite, silicon oxide and door ring tailor welded blanks. The waivers for these expired in August 2020. Tesla isn’t the only automaker taking action against the U.S. government, either. Mercedes-Benz has also filed a lawsuit accusing the U.S. government of “prosecution of an unprecedented, unbounded and unlimited trade war impacting over $500bn in imports from the People’s Republic of China.” Volvo, which is now owned by China’s Geely, has also filed a lawsuit as the automaker “believes the way to reach economic growth is to reduce tariffs and harmonize international trade.” We thank CarBuzz for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

Nationwide Introduces Express App To address independent agents’ need for speed and ease of doing business, in 2019 Nationwide introduced Nationwide Express®, a technology platform that enables agents to quote multi-line policies in as little as two minutes. On Sept. 23, Nationwide introduced a new Nationwide Express mobile app, which allows agents to scan a driver’s license to complete an auto quote in as little as 60 seconds. Agents can also add a renters policy with just one click. The launch of the new mobile app now puts the power to generate quotes on the go into the palm of an agent’s hand. Agents can access Nationwide Express today in all states Nationwide offers personal lines insurance, with additional features to be added this year. The Nationwide Express mobile app is available in 31 states on iOS devices. More states and an Android version coming soon. Source: Nationwide

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Caliber Commits to ‘Restoring You’ by Gifting Restored Vehicles to Front Line Heroes Living its purpose of Restoring the Rhythm of Your Life®, Caliber, with its portfolio of automotive services brands—including Caliber Collision, the nation’s largest auto collision repair company—is pleased to extend its “Restoring You” community and teammate program. In collaboration with its insurance partners as part of the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides® program, Caliber will be gifting restored vehicles to front line medical workers, medical support staff and first responders who are helping fight the pandemic. Caliber, which encompasses Caliber Auto Care and Caliber Auto Glass, in addition to Caliber Collision—with its 1,173 centers across 33 states and the broadest network of OEM-certified collision centers in the country—is committed to repairing and maintaining the vehicles of all drivers and fleet operators. During this extraordinary time, the company recognizes a particular need among medical workers, their support staff and first responders, many of whom may worry about

for reliable, safe transportation among those who have been working so hard to fight this pandemic— those in front line roles as medical workers, medical support staff and first responders. “We know that the current environment is putting a severe strain on these workers and their families, and we want to provide them with the gift of transportation through our long-standing partnership with insurance carriers and the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides® program.” As part of its Restoring You initiative, Caliber Collision in Riverside, CA, teamed up with The giftings will occur in Auto Club of Southern California to gift a vehicle to a areas with concentrated local single mother earlier this summer needs, including Dallas/ “The COVID-19 pandemic Fort Worth, Los Angeles and New has made us think differently about York Metro. how we serve our communities as Caliber invites the public to an organization,” said Steve Grim- nominate a worthy health care shaw, CEO of Caliber. “We have worker, medical support staff or seen communities banding together first responder in these markets to during this challenging time, yet we receive a refurbished vehicle from recognize that there are still needs a local Caliber center and teamhow they’ll get to work and elsewhere for daily necessities without reliable transportation. Caliber aims to help ease this hardship by gifting newly refurbished vehicles to deserving recipients.

mates. Nominations can be made at calibercollision.com/restoring-you and will be received through mid-October. Since 2012, Caliber has teamed up with its insurance partners to obtain and restore hundreds of vehicles to pre-accident condition. The company has gifted more than 500 vehicles to veterans, active duty service members and others in need of reliable transportation. Today, Caliber is directing its efforts to aid crucial front line health care workers and first responders, while inviting the public at large to participate by nominating those who have given so much to communities during this time of need. For more information about Caliber’s program for medical workers, medical support staff and first responders, go to www.calibercollision.com/restoring-you. To learn about Caliber’s history of community involvement, including NABC Recycled Rides®, visit www. caliber collision.com/about-us/community -involvement. Source: Caliber Collision

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More Shops Invoicing, Being Paid For Labor to Inspect Seat Belts, According to ‘Who Pays for What?’ Surveys Given that automaker procedures often call for inspections of seat belts in vehicles that have been involved in a collision, industry trainer Mike Anderson is glad to see continual growth the past four years in the percentage of shops being paid for this procedure.

of the time” by the eight largest insurers when they perform and bill for the procedure on behalf of their customers. That’s up from just one in four back in 2016, and up even from just last year when about onethird of shops reported being paid regularly.

“I think the ‘Who Pays’ surveys are helping raise awareness of the need for this procedure,” — Mike Anderson But he also says he’d feel better if the pace of growth was even faster. “This is one of the procedures I’m most concerned about,” said Anderson, of Collision Advice. “The data from our ‘Who Pays For What?’ survey in July, while heading in the right direction, still indicates to me that too few shops are researching OEM repair procedures and so are unaware of the need to inspect seat belts.” About two in five shops now say they are paid “always” or “most

Part of that change is based on a decline in the number of shops that acknowledge they’d never sought to be paid for the procedure. Back in 2016, more than 62% of shops said they had never billed for inspecting seatbelts. That’s fallen to 41% this year. “I think the ‘Who Pays’ surveys are helping raise awareness of the need for this procedure,” Anderson said. “One of the things I’ve learned in researching OEM procedures is that many automakers include two procedures related

to seat belt inspections. One may be a seat belt precaution, generally a list of what you need to look for if a vehicle has been in an accident. The other is a seat belt inspection, procedures required when you reinstall a seat belt removed as part of repairs.” The latest quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey, which Anderson conducts in conjunction with CRASH Network, is now open through the month of October. It focuses on scanning and ADAS calibration procedures, but also surveys shop labor rates and their billing practices relative to shop supplies, like plastic repair materials and seam-sealer. Shops can take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/9LXYVTN Survey participants receive a report with complete survey findings at no charge, broken down by region, insurer and DRP vs. nonDRP. The report also includes analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented. Anderson said the survey,

which will take about 15 to 25 minutes, can be completed by anyone in a shop familiar with the shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of at least some of the largest national insurers. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence; only aggregated data is released. The results of previous surveys are also available online at https:// www.crashnetwork.com/collision advice. Collision Advice (www. CollisionAdvice.com) is an independent training and consulting firm featuring some of the most respected and experienced experts in the collision repair industry. CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com) is a subscription newsletter offering news and information not available from other industry sources. Source: Collision Advice

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CCG Adds 100th New Affiliate Certified Collision Group™ has added its 100th new independent affiliate location for the year 2020, continuing its five-year run of consistent and exponential growth. “This year has challenged all of us, yet we remain confident in our founding principles of leveling the playing field on behalf of the top independent collision repairers,” said Marty Evans, COO. “We are devoted to doing all we can to support our independent owner-operators who are performing best-inclass repairs and providing the industry’s finest customer service. “We continue to grow our internal team and provide exceptional products, and we do so only through the remarkable support of our current affiliates, terrific vendor and insurance partners and our founders.” Source: CCG

Middle-Aged Drivers More Likely to Crash Than Those in Their 70s: Study by Christopher Smith, Motor1.com

Young drivers think old drivers go too slow and get confused too easily. Old drivers think the young whipper-snappers go too fast and take too many chances. In between are the middle-aged drivers, which generally have the best track record of them all. However, that could be changing according to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Data for 21 years was compiled, starting in 1997 and running through 2018. The study looks at the number of fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers, with the data further broken down into four age groups: 35-54, 70-74, 75-79 and over 80. To be fair, the overall trend for the period shows a decline for all age groups, but the over-70 crowd saw a substantial drop. Fatal crash rates dropped 43% for folks in their 70s, while the middle bracket dropped 21%. Interestingly, the bulk of that decline for older drivers occurred

not in recent years, but through the first half of the data set. Crash rates for middle-age and 70-74 segments were nearly identical, with the 75-79 bracket matching the other two groups in 2012. From there,

middle-agers crept upwards overall while both 70-year-old groups held fairly steady or even declined slightly. As for the over-80 crowd, fatal crashes per licensed drivers have decreased by a full 50%, but in 2018, it remains the group most likely to be involved in a deadly accident. This is all rather inter-

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esting considering the number of older drivers on the road has increased significantly over the last 21 years. What’s the reason for this trend? IIHS points to safer cars with more advanced safety systems as well as better overall health for older drivers. Changes in infrastructure with regards to road signs and intersections are also thought to be a factor. As for why the middle-age fatality rate crept higher, IIHS notes a correlation between periods of economic growth and increases in impaired driving, notably due to alcohol. It’s theorized that middle-agers indulge in such activities more than others. It will be interesting to see how 2020 and coronavirus affect these trends; however, that data likely won’t be available for at least a couple of years.

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Hyundai Parts Dealers: autobodynews.com / NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 59

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