March 2024 Northeast Edition

Farmers Leads Insurers’ Rate Hikes with 17.6% Increase

Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. raised its private auto insurance rates by a weighted average of 17.6% across 43 states in 2023, outpacing the rate hikes of its competitors but part of the broader trend in the industry, where double-digit increases have become the new norm.

states like New Jersey, Vermont and Colorado experiencing increases below 10%.

This pattern of substantial rate hikes was not unique to Farmers Insurance. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., another industry giant, reported a 16.0%

According to S&P Global Market Intelligence’s RateWatch, not only did Farmers Insurance lead this surge, but all 10 of the top auto insurers in the U.S. also imposed double-digit increases throughout the year, a shift from the more moderate rate changes observed between 2018 and 2021.

For Farmers Insurance, the 2023 rise was approximately 3 percentage points higher than its 14.5% rate change in 2022. Nebraska witnessed the company’s highest increase at a weighted average of 30.4%. In contrast, North Carolina had the smallest rate hike at 1.8%, with other

weighted average rate increase in 2023. Similarly, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s GEICO Corp., despite having the lowest effective rate change among the top insurers at 10.1% in 2023, had experienced the previous year’s highest at 17.2%.

The industry-wide trend of escalating rates was further evidenced by the nationwide effective rate change. In 2023, 43 states and Washington, D.C., reported an effective rate change greater than 10%, leading to a national average increase of 14.0%—a significant jump l CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Wreck/Rebuild Program Continues to Benefit NY Auto Body Students

Alfred State College auto body students continue to gain hands-on, real-world experience through the wreck/rebuild program funded by the Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc.

Students in the auto body repair major, led by CJ Tremper and Brad Smith, enhance their skillsets by fixing wrecking vehicles and gaining insight into what it is like to work inside a collision shop. Tremper and Smith teach and work alongside students throughout their time in the program.

Vehicles are secured through funding provided by the Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc., a private foundation dedicated to improving the Alfred State community through the support of educational programs.

The foundation possesses a New York State automobile dealer’s license that allows the college to purchase wrecked cars from an auto salvage auction, which are then used for hands-on projects. The foundation covers the cost of purchasing these cars and any parts or materials needed to bring them back to preaccident condition.

“These cars are great learning tools for our students,” said Tremper. “The repairs that the students perform are like what they will see when they get into the workplace. Challenges like this force our students to step up their skills and reinforces what they have learned during their time in this program.”

l

Maine’s New Right to Repair Law Faces Implementation Hurdles

Maine’s enactment of a voterapproved right to repair law, granting vehicle owners and independent repair shops equal access to vehicles’ diagnostic data as authorized dealerships, may not happen as swiftly as expected, the Portland Press Herald reported.

The law, which garnered an overwhelming 84% approval from Mainers, mandates car manufacturers share crucial repair data with independent shops, allowing vehicle

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

REGIONAL

CIF Charity Event Raises Awareness, Funds For Collision Repairers in Crisis

By Stacey Phillips Ronak Autobody News

Over the last two decades, the Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) has relied on contributions from collision repair businesses and individuals to aid hundreds of industry members in times of crisis. On Jan. 16, CIF hosted its 13th annual charity event, “Cocktails for a Cause,” in Palm Springs, CA, the day prior to the Collision Industry Conference (CIC). Nearly 200 attendees were at the function, many of whom were firsttime supporters.

“There were a lot of people who drove this initiative and made the event successful, including co-chairs Kelly Broderick and Cheryl Boswell, as well as Petra Schroeder,” said Dan Risley, president of CIF and vice

colleagues — many of whom have lost their livelihoods and need help from hurricanes, fires, COVID-19, etc.,” she said. “It takes minimal effort for something that means the world to people.”

Boswell, CFO of DCR Systems, served on CIF’s board for nine years and now volunteers for the organization. She and Broderick have co-chaired the annual fundraiser for many years and continue to do so, although they no longer serve on the board.

“It’s our annual fundraiser where we raise funds to assist industry members who have experienced a natural disaster so they can get back to work,” Boswell explained. “Our event includes great networking opportunities, a drawing for prizes and a live auction.”

president of quality repair and market development at CCC Intelligent Solutions.

Broderick, sales director of strategic accounts at The Sherwin-Williams Company, joined CIF’s board in 2013 as a trustee and later served as vice president. Although she retired from the board in 2022, Broderick remains involved in the organization.

“The annual CIF event is simply a great time to connect with others and raise funds for individuals within the industry we all love and belong to,” she noted.

Broderick added the event has grown over the past several years.

“I am happy to have been involved in that progression,” she said. “I appreciate those who come to the event, sponsor it and spread the word. It has been a tremendous way for CIF to give back.”

Broderick said many collision repairers have grown up in the industry, and CIF is a great organization that needs support and praise.

“Over the past 10 years, I’ve been privileged to raise funds for

She said CIF is fortunate to have many sponsor the cause.

“Attending the gala, sponsoring CIF and spreading the word are all ways you can help,” Boswell shared. “We want to make sure everyone knows that CIF exists for them!”

“Interest and support in the event are growing,” said “Collisionista” Petra Schroeder, CIF’s administrator and a member of the organization’s Board of Trustees. “At the same time, it is great to have familiar faces attend.”

Schroeder noted the charity event is an important part of raising money and awareness to further CIF’s mission to provide emergency relief to collision repair professionals who have experienced significant losses due to natural disasters or other catastrophes. At one time, it was planned as the primary fundraiser. In 2021, the CIF Annual Donor program was instituted, allowing individuals and companies to donate throughout the year.

“The awareness that we create by having these events is priceless because more people learn about CIF

and what we do,” said Schroeder. “As a result, we receive commitments for the Annual Donor program.”

In addition to monetary donations, Schroeder said the industry has helped spread awareness about CIF in various ways, such as liking and sharing social media posts. In recent years, birthday fundraisers have been initiated on Facebook, money has been raised through office competitions, and other creative ideas have been developed.

“There are many ways CIF can benefit from these initiatives,” said Schroeder. “It just takes a company to come up and execute ideas.”

CIF Treasurer Jim Ocampo, national strategic accounts sales manager for Axalta Coating Systems, said he always enjoys the evening of the CIF charity event.

“It’s refreshing to see everyone come together and contribute to a worthy cause,” said Ocampo. “While ‘Cocktails for a Cause’ is important to our fundraising efforts, the evening is about bringing awareness to CIF’s mission.”

During the evening, Ocampo handed out auction items and prizes with Paul Hill, vice president of sales and marketing for Headlights.com, which sells through the Original One Parts and Headlights Depot brand. Hill began volunteering for CIF in 2022 and joined the board of trustees the following year.

“The highlight for me is always the opportunity to be the auctioneer,” recalled Hill. “Standing up on the stage and seeing such a great crowd support CIF is an amazing feeling.”

Hill said CIF is the one charity singularly focused on assisting great individuals in the collision industry in their time of need.

“Once I understood the organization’s mission, I knew I needed to help CIF succeed,” he said.

“One of the many things that I love about the collision industry is how we all come together for a cause,” noted Nick Callum, business development

manager and platform manager for Headlights.com. “The CIF gala highlights that perfectly.”

Callum recently joined CIF’s Board of Trustees and he and Hill co-chair a new committee focused on CIF awareness.

“I have always gone out of my way to help people the best I can,” he shared.

“Joining CIF has allowed me to align with other like-minded individuals and contribute in a larger capacity.”

Kurt Lammon, president of Polyvance, is a new CIF Board of Trustees member who has donated to the cause and attended prior events for the past few years. This year, he and Cindy Reeves, vice president of sales at Enterprise Mobility, checked in those who hadn’t pre-registered.

“It feels good to volunteer because you know your efforts are going to aid others,” said Lammon. “It also gives you the feeling of the industry being like a close-knit family.”

Lammon said it’s a pretty small industry and he has noticed several individuals make job changes thanks to the network they built volunteering.

“[CIF] can be good for your career, too!” he added.

Jeff Wildman, BASF’s expert for the automotive aftermarket industry, has been a CIF trustee for seven years and served on several committees.

“With the increasing frequency of weather-related incidents, I’d like to think that people remember our mission and spread the word to collision repair professionals in distress that CIF is available to provide assistance,” he said.

Schroeder encourages people to reach out when they learn about someone in an emergency.

“The organization still does not receive enough applications when there is disastrous flooding, hurricanes and other damage,” she explained. “It’s very rewarding to give back but we need to find victims.”

For more information about CIF, visit www.collisionindustryfoundation.org or email collisionindustryfoundation@ gmail.com.

Pictured, left to right, are Scott Walton, The Sherwin Williams Company; Mandy Wynn, DCR Systems; and “Collisionista” Petra Schroeder.

Pictured, left to right, are Chris White, KECO; Michael Bradshaw, K&M Collision; Barry Dorn, Dorn’s Body & Paint; Amber Alley, Barsotti’s Body & Fender; and Aaron Schulenburg, SCRS.

Pictured, left to right, are Kurt Lammon, Polyvance; Sabrina Thring, Driven Brands, and Jim Ocampo, Axalta.

CES 2024 Unveils Future of Transportation Technology

By Stacey Phillips Ronak Autobody News

Innovations in connected and autonomous mobility were highlighted this year at the CES 2024 Show, Jan. 9-12 in Las Vegas, NV. Owned by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES showcases consumer technologies in various product categories, including artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, robotics, smart cities and vehicle technology. More than 135,000 attendees had the opportunity to see the latest tech trends on display from more than 4,300 exhibitors.

Show organizers said CES is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing auto mobility and transportation events. With more than 600 mobility exhibits, showgoers could view the future of autonomous and electric vehicles (EVs), micromobility, software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and flying cars, as well as assistive mobility and safety systems.

Automotive exhibitors included BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Magna, Mercedes-Benz, Paccar, Recaro, Sony, Supernal, Togg and VinFast.

Announcements were made by automakers throughout the week.

Honda introduced the “Honda 0 Series,” launching in 2026; Kubota showcased the new fully electric, multi-purpose Agri Concept vehicle; and VinFast unveiled VF WILD, a new electric pickup truck concept vehicle.

Radar Architecture for Autonomous Mobility Systems, which received a CES® 2024 Innovation Award.

“We are honored to be recognized with the prestigious award,” said Steven Hong, vice president and general manager of Radar Technology at Ambarella.

The award recognized the company’s investment and innovation in pioneering centralized 4D imaging radar processing, which Hong said enables significantly higherperformance radar systems through the combination of the company’s Oculii™ artificial intelligence (AI) radar technology and CV3-AD AI domain control system-on-chip (SoC) family.

“For the auto body industry, this innovation will provide a significant benefit to customers with 4D imaging radar sensors in their vehicles, as these radar modules are typically installed behind the bumper in several different locations,” Hong said. “Because Ambarella’s centralized radar technology enables radar heads without any processor inside, the cost of replacing those processor-less radar modules after an accident can be greatly reduced.”

ARaymond

ARaymond shared its fastening, electrical connection and cleaning systems solutions for future vehicle needs. The fastening department displayed wire harness and tube routing fasteners, as well as high strength clipping solutions for various EV applications. The cleaning systems group showcased sensor and camera cleaning system components and assemblies to demonstrate innovations made in that growing field.

“We’ve seen huge growth in the automotive and mobility area at CES, not only what you expect with mobility with cars, but we’re seeing it on land, air and sea,” said Gary Shapiro, CTA’s president and CEO.

Autobody News talked to some CES 2024 exhibitors and participants.

Ambarella

Ambarella demonstrated its developments in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, including its Centrally Processed 4D Imaging

Daniel Marin, business development manager for Mobility/EV Solutions, ARaymond North America, said the automotive market is shifting with the push for EVs or electrification and challenges are becoming apparent with new or different assemblies being added to vehicles.

“As electric vehicles are ramping up in volumes on the market, there is a greater need for simplified assembly techniques and serviceability aspects that are challenging the standard way vehicles are constructed,” said Marin.

He said vehicle designs are going toward lightweight, simple designs that are fast to assemble while keeping in mind the need for service down the road.

OWL Autonomous Imaging

OWL Autonomous Imaging demonstrated its Advanced DriverAssistance Systems (ADAS) safety technology for nighttime pedestrian automatic emergency braking (PAEB). It combines the company’s digital high-definition thermal camera with artificial intelligence software trained to find pedestrians and measure their distances from the car.

“This combination provides ADAS computers with the information

SHM also announced its collaboration with Epic Games and unveiled technology that can simulate external environmental conditions such as information from other vehicles, pedestrians, terrain and weather.

Squad Mobility

Squad Mobility, a Dutch company founded by Robert Hoevers and Chris Klok in 2019, showcased the Squad Solar City Car and the special edition solar buggy.

The two-person car is about 6.5 feet long and automatically charges its batteries with solar energy from the integrated solar panel on the roof. The solar panel can charge up to 19.2 miles in Las Vegas. The vehicle is powered by 48-volt electric motors and batteries, which allows it to be used at night, in winter, or indoors, and can be charged at 220 volts or 110 volts.

they need to avoid collisions day or night, even when the road ahead is obscured by rain or snow, fog or smoke,” said Chuck Gershman, OWL AI CEO.

Gershman said the ideal position for a forward-looking thermal camera is behind the rear-view mirror.

“Since the infrared radiation detected by thermal cameras will not pass through glass, new windshields have been developed that include a small infrared transmitting insert in front of the camera,” he explained. “If the windshield must be replaced after a collision, this specific type must be used.”

Sony Honda Mobility

Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) exhibited its prototype vehicle, AFEELA, introduced last year and currently in the development stage for production.

The four-door sedan is expected to be produced at one of Honda’s 12 plants in the U.S. Its overall styling concept is based on movement, color and sharpness.

According to a company representative, “The AFEELA prototype invokes mobility that people can feel as an intelligent entity through new technology.”

During the show, Representative Director, President and COO Izumi Kawanishi discussed the company’s focus on “AI for ADAS” and “Mobility as a Creative Entertainment Space.”

The four swappable and portable batteries provide a range of 62 miles, excluding solar.

Regarding repairability, Hoevers noted the vehicle’s bodywork is injection-molded plastic. “It can be easily replaced and the solar panel is handled the same as a front windshield,” he explained.

Indy Autonomous Challenge

A CES highlight was the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), in which university teams worldwide compete in a series of challenges. The goal is to advance technology that can speed up the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and deploy ADAS to increase safety and performance. TUM Autonomous Motorsport from the Technical University of Munich won this year’s challenge, reaching speeds of more than 150 mph.

IAC also announced the launch of its Next Gen Autonomous Vehicle Platform, the IAC AV-24.

“This cutting-edge platform represents a significant leap forward in autonomous hardware and software technology,” said Paul Mitchell, IAC’s president. “After three years and more than 7,000 miles of high-speed racing, the IAC and its industry partners have evolved the robot inside the IAC AV-24 to become smarter and more capable, providing the world’s fastest autonomous racecar with increased functionality that will enable AI drivers to reach new levels of performance.”

Ambarella’s centrally processed 4D imaging radar architecture for autonomous mobility systems received a CES® 2024 Innovation Award

During CES, ARaymond team members shared fastening, electrical connection and cleaning systems solutions for future vehicle needs

Spanesi Americas Showcases Products At SEMA 2023, Shares Future Plans

By Stacey Phillips Ronak Autobody News

At Spanesi Americas, COO Tim Morgan said the company is passionate about offering collision repair equipment and training to meet customers’ needs.

During the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, Spanesi showcased various products. These included the company’s 106 EXT Bench,

and painting stations set up to provide attendees the opportunity to rate their skill level.

“Spanesi is always looking for new ways to innovate and always has things in the pipeline,” noted Morgan. “This year will be no different with exciting products to be launched throughout 2024.”

This includes additional process and course offerings that will be available at Spanesi’s research and training center in Naperville, IL, and regional centers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

multibench, Touch Measuring System and a line of MIG/MAG and spot welders.

Spanesi also featured its “Pull Up” Glue Pull system, which has many levels of kits.

New this year were virtual welding

The company’s roots date back to 1958 when Orazio Spanesi, a body technician with a passion for “the tools,” began working in a body shop in Italy when he was 14. After learning the required skills and techniques to repair vehicles, he opened a shop in 1969 to pursue high efficiency and OEM quality repairs. A decade later, Spanesi began developing and manufacturing equipment in Padova, Italy, to ensure it met the performance he strived to achieve.

Since then, the Spanesi leadership

Do you know Bob?

Bob’s a Shop Manager. Age 37.

team has stayed in contact with body techs to meet the needs of the collision industry. In 2019, Spanesi celebrated its 50th year in business by revamping its showroom and training center at the Italy factory that hosts educational events associated with the Spanesi Academy program.

Since Spanesi was founded, Morgan said it has stayed true to its mission of not offering tools that collision repair technicians have to adapt to, but instead, making tools tailored to technicians’ needs and meet OEM requirements. The company is part of 38 certified OEM programs in North America and 46 globally.

The company has a worldwide presence, providing sales, support and consulting. In addition to the U.S. headquarters in Illinois, the company operates offices in Bangkok, China, France, Germany and India, and has a global headquarters in Padova, Italy.

Spanesi also owns and operates a collision repair facility in Italy where products are tested daily.

These include Spanesi products and processes to improve repair efficiency.

Morgan said the company takes pride in continuing to innovate, design and manufacture a range of collision repair equipment, such as the Touch measuring system, multibenches, welders, paint booths and vacuums.

As the company grows, Morgan said they will continue to add staff internally and through distribution to meet customers’ needs.

“Spanesi is beyond an equipment supplier,” said Morgan. “With our many years of vast experience, we serve as coaches, trainers and advisors to our customers for longterm proven results.”

He hasn’t looked in the mirror and seen the ambitious young man he used to be in years. He’s stuck at the shop trying to troubleshoot DTC codes, pulling his hair out and missing target delivery dates.

Don’t be like Bob, switch to AirPro for your total ADAS Calibrations and Diagnostics solution!

The Spanesi team at SEMA 2023

During SEMA 2023, Spanesi COO Tim Morgan, left, Fred Randazzo, center, and Constantine Uliano, right, demonstrated virtual reality training at the company’s booth

3M™ PPS™ Series 2.0

Vented Spray Cup System

When high standards are the expectation, you need equipment that delivers consistent results. Introducing the 3M™ PPS™ Series 2.0 Vented Spray Cup System - bringing the advantages you expect from a premium vented cup with the proven technology of the first disposable spray cup system in the world.

Ready to Use Instantly

Consistent Material Flow

Confident Cup Design

MSOs Use Variety of Models For Handling Scanning, Calibration Work

ByJohn Yoswick Autobody News

As collision repair businesses of all sizes navigate how to best handle the growing amount of scanning and calibration work required on a daily basis, there’s indications there is no one best solution for all.

Among five multiple shop operators (MSOs) represented during a recent panel discussion of the topic, for example, each is handling calibration work in different ways, or combination of ways: mobile providers, their own stand-alone calibration centers, in-house at a subset of their locations, etc.

Moderating the panel at the MSO Symposium held in conjunction with the SEMA Show, Dan Risley of CCC Intelligent Solutions asked the panelists to discuss why they’ve chosen the model they have.

Crash Champions, which operates more than 600 shops in three dozen states, started a separate company, Automotive Technology Experts (ATE), doing mobile calibrations onsite for its shops that have the necessary site conditions, like a level floor, as well as doing some calibration work remotely.

Huggins, national collision director, was asked if those shops sublet their ADAS calibration work to the dealerships’ service departments.

“Absolutely not,” Huggins said. “In a dealer model, we’re all about trying to keep our work in-house, right? Even though we are a dealer, service operates in a different world than we do. And if you ever have to, as a dealer, send it to the service department, they have a tendency to take too long to do it. Even a basic alignment. Our mechanics in our own [collision] shops and our own collision centers are so busy, we don’t even really use our own mechanics for scanning and calibration. We have 19 of our 32 centers that have their own Tru-Point [ADAS calibration system] at this point and do all their own calibrations.”

without mechanical departments to do scanning and basic calibration work.

“All the more difficult, demanding calibrations go to our calibration center,” he said.

The company has invested heavily into calibration work because it’s too big a part of the overall repair not to.

“I remember a few years ago reading an article quoting a representative from one of the vehicle manufacturers who said, in the future, 60% of the cost of repairs will revolve around new technologies. And I’m not sure when ‘in the future’ is, or how you exactly measure that, but I found that terribly compelling. I was thinking to myself: How do you explain subletting 60% of your work in the future? To me,

that didn’t seem like a promising way to approach collision repair long term.”

Having the company’s employees conduct most calibration work has helped production even more than expected, he said.

“One of the things we’ve learned is we can cycle cars quicker than we thought,” Amberson said. “We can do more [calibration work] than what we first thought. We can do most jobs certainly within a day, and many of them same day.”

He said lots of other collision repair businesses tour LaMettry’s calibration center and ask what piece of equipment they should buy.

“I’m thinking to myself: We’ve got five calibration stations representing four different brands,” Amberson said. “This is not for the faint of heart, especially if you’re going to service all the major brands. So keep in mind, while we talk about all these advantages [of doing your own calibration work], it’s not for everybody. Maybe you’re a smaller shop. Maybe you can address certain brands. Maybe you can handle certain equipment. But if you’re going to be really serious about it and address all situations and all brands, it’s a large, large task.”

“We wanted to keep as much [business] as we can in-house,” said John Panagopoulos of ATE. “But it’s also customer satisfaction and cycle time. It’s quicker.”

ATE was founded as a separate business because it’s a different type of business, he said.

“A lot of times, folks who are running collision repair centers want to try to operate a [calibration] business kind of similar to collision repair, but it’s completely different, especially when you go mobile,” Panagopoulos said. “The technicians aren’t the same. The technology is different. Pricing systems. Everything we do is just a completely different business model.”

Not Using Dealership Service Departments

New-car dealer Berkshire Hathaway Automotive operates 32 collision centers around the country. Darren

How have they found staff for that work?

“We’ve had really good luck finding gamers that are in their parents’ basement that want to live there forever,” Huggins joked. “And they might Uber to work, but they’ll come because they’re really interested in technology. So we’ve had really good luck finding these type of people and training them to be our calibration scanning technicians. We’re really pretty much staying to our core business, and we’ve kind of created our own department within our department, and it’s working really well for us.”

Does the company using a huband-spoke model for their collision shops without a Tru-Point?

“No, not really,” Huggins said. “We’re partnered with asTech, so they’ll have mobile services for us, or there are some situations where asTech actually has an in-shop technician that will take care of that.”

Smaller Chain Keeping Work InHouse

Darrell Amberson of LaMettry’s Collision said that company has a mechanical department in four of its 10 locations in Minnesota, along with two stand-alone mechanical shops and a calibration center. The company sends employees into its locations

Darren Huggins of Berkshire Hathaway Automotive said the company has specialty departments within its 32 collision centers to handle calibration work.

A panel discussion about calibration work included, from left, John Panagopoulos, Darrell Amberson, panel moderator Dan Risley and Darren Huggins.

John Panagopoulos said Crash Champions started a separate company, Automotive Technology Experts, to do mobile calibrations onsite for its shops.

Mitchell Joins CCC, Audatex in Giving Users Flexibility With Blend Formula

By John Yoswick Autobody News

Mitchell International said the company’s cloud estimating system will now allow users to set up at the profile level their own default settings for clear coat, three-stage, two-tone, blend, finish sand and buff, de-nib and finesse, and refinish adjustments.

“Being at the profile level, you can set up one for walk-ins, and a different one for each insurer, so giving a ton of flexibility to our customers,” Jack Rozint of Mitchell International said in making the announcement at the latest Collision Industry Conference (CIC), held in Palm Springs.

Rozint was asked if any of its formulas for those items will be changed.

a CIC committee presentation about the committee’s study of 26 vehicles—not connected to any particular automaker nor type of shop—for which significant repair problems were found during a postrepair inspection.

“About 50% of them had moderate to severe frame issues that were unaddressed,” said Daniel Rosenberger of BASF, a committee member.

Dent said the committee’s presentation highlighted the cost of bad repairs to everyone— shops, consumers, insurers and automakers—and demonstrates the need for all segments of the industry to work together on the problem.

“I think insurers and the OEMs probably should take this as an opportunity to get engaged to try to solve this,” he said. “I know that I want to have that conversation for sure. If there are insurers who’d like to share in that, I’d love to have it.”

ADAS-Related Refinish Issues

Another reason for the measurement: It can help document what was done to the vehicle since shops cannot rely solely on a successful calibration of the system as an indication that all refinish procedures were followed.

“We’re going to put our money where our mouth is in that sense because it is important.”

DAN DENT NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY

“If I don’t put it back to the condition that’s asked for by the OEM [and paint manufacturer], it can still pass calibration but not actually read correctly,” Brown said. “So we need to make sure we obtain the repair procedures, and we actually get them [applied] to all cars involved.”

The back of the bumper cover needs to be masked or protected during refinish, Wildman said. “You

Make the Industry a Better Place to Work

Also during CIC in Palm Springs, Andrew Batenhorst, manager of Pacific BMW Collision Center in Glendale, CA, said he personally was “extremely embarrassed and disappointed” at what a survey of collision repair technicians found last year. The survey, commissioned by I-CAR and SCRS, found that among more than 800 responding technicians, only about 7 in 10 said they were satisfied with their career, and as a group they have a negative “net promoter score,” meaning the majority would not recommend the career to friends or family. Only about 15% said their benefits included health insurance, paid time off or a retirement plan, and about a similar percentage said compensation plans lead to skipped steps during repairs.

“Our defaults have not changed at this time,” Rozint said.

Mitchell becomes the third of the Big 3 estimating system providers to provide greater flexibility to users on establishing blend times that differ from the default 50% of full refinish. The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has been among those calling on the information providers for a blend formula change since the association conducted a study in 2022 that showed blending takes more time than a complete panel refinish.

OEM to Check on Certified Shops

In another announcement at CIC, a Nissan Motor Company representative said this spring, the OEM will begin doing repair quality audits at its certified body shops.

“In April, we’re going to start doing inspections to make sure that our shops are doing what they’re told to do per our processes,” said Dan Dent, who oversees the certified collision repair network for Nissan. “We’re going to put our money where our mouth is in that sense because it is important.”

Dent’s announcement followed

Another panel discussion at CIC focused on some of the cautions related to refinishing bumper covers or other parts installed over ADAS-related radar sensors. Jeff Wildman of BASF and Ryan Brown of AkzoNobel noted “radar-approved” colors must not be tinted—doing so can impact the ability of the radar to perform as designed through the finish—and therefore more blending around such parts may be required. Film thickness must be consistent over the radar area—so no blending of base or clear coat can occur over these areas—and total film build must be within the range provided by the automaker and paint manufacturer.

“If it says two coats of base coat, it’s two coats of base coat, not a third coat because I have some paint left in the gun,” Wildman said. “It’s two coats because that third coat could make the radar not work.”

Brown and Wildman agreed the total film build should be measured after refinishing.

“Painters have kind of like a fingerprint or a DNA of how they spray,” Brown said. “And so they’re generally fairly consistent. But across a field of different technicians, they’re all going to be vastly different [from one another]. And whether a part is painted lying out flat or standing up can influence the amount of the paint layer that is on there.”

don’t want lot of overspray on the back of that bumper because that’s adding more material between the radar and whatever is out there that it’s bouncing off of,” he said.

Brown said all of this points to the need to make sure the refinish department has easy access in the paint shop to OEM and paint manufacturer refinish procedures related to underlying radar sensors.

“We really haven’t had a time in years past where the responsibility for refinish technicians has been the safety of the people driving the car,” Brown said.

“We have only one group of people, in my opinion, to blame for the technician shortage, and that’s us right here,” said Batenhorst, who serves on the SCRS Board of Directors. “We have not made this an attractive industry to work in. My food for thought would be: As a CIC body, we may want to consider how we develop leaders and the type of skills that are needed for the current influx of people that are getting into managing shops. Because that to me is the lowest-hanging fruit that’s out there. If you want to see people start coming into our industry, we ought to make it a lovely place to work. And that’s not just pay. It’s not just benefits. It’s how we as leaders make ourselves available, to be involved with quality control, with process, with repairs, with all aspects of running a shop. And to me, it was disappointing to see that kind of feedback come through on that survey.”

Batenhorst urged shops—whether at CIC or not—to take the issue seriously.

“The answers are out there. It’s just up to us if we’re going to make a difference or not,” he said, drawing applause from CIC attendees.

Ryan Brown of AkzoNobel, left, and Jeff Wildman of BASF, center, discussed ADAS-related refinish issues during a panel discussion moderated by Aaron Schulenburg, right

Andrew Batenhorst, manager of a Southern California shop, said the findings of a survey of 800 technicians show the industry could do a lot to improve working conditions for employees

Please see us at Northeast Booth # 327

owners more flexibility in choosing their repair options.

“Nothing’s changed, and I don’t see anything changing in the near future,” Ryan Lund, a shop manager at Bernie’s Auto Repair, told the newspaper.

The primary obstacle lies in the state’s pending tasks: establishing a comprehensive database for the advanced diagnostic repair data and forming an independent oversight board to ensure manufacturers’ compliance. These steps are essential for the law’s provisions to be effectively operationalized, a process not expected to conclude until early 2025.

Despite the law’s passage, the immediate impact on mechanics and consumers remains minimal. Access to the required data, although now mandated, comes at a prohibitive cost for many independent repair shops, which must purchase individual subscriptions for each manufacturer’s data.

The initiative has not been without its skeptics and challenges, including concerns from the auto industry regarding potential cybersecurity and

consumer privacy threats. However, the overwhelming public support reflects a strong demand for more equitable access to repair information.

The ongoing dialogue between the Maine Attorney General’s Office and industry stakeholders, including Tommy Hickey

Repair Coalition, suggests a concerted effort towards a secure, accessible and effectively enforced platform.

Hickey, leveraging his experience from a similar initiative in Massachusetts, emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach in ensuring the platform’s success.

As the state navigates these implementation hurdles, the immediate reality for independent repair shops remains largely unchanged. Skepticism persists among shop owners like Lund and Josh Coron

Autoworks, who, despite supporting the referendum, question the law’s potential to bring about substantive change in the near term.

Do it Better – Do it Faster – Do it Safer – Do it Greener

Induction Innovations has brought the original induction heat technology to the automotive aftermarket industry with the Mini-Ductor® series. Tom Gough, President of Induction Innovations, and the original inventor of the handheld induction heater, forever changed how automotive techs free up rusted, bonded, and corroded components.

Since 2004, we have brought four different generations of the Mini-Ductor® to the automotive aftermarket industry. From our original Mini-Ductor® to our latest cutting-edge model of the Mini-Ductor® Venom® HP, we are firmly established as the trendsetters for removing components without having to risk the use of an open flame or chemicals.

The Evolution of Mini-Ductor®

From the beginning, Induction Innovations has revolutionized induction heating tools for the automotive aftermarket industry. We consistently lead the way in induction heating technology, culminating in our prestigious Mini-Ductor® Series.

1. Mini-Ductor® MD-600 (2004-2012) – Our pioneering model set the pace. Introduced in 2004, it provided techs a taste of the revolution to come.

2. Mini-Ductor® II (2009) – A leap forward with the upgraded Mini-Ductor® II boasted a more robust design, readily available parts, and safety certification.

3. Mini-Ductor® Venom® (2016) – Takes ergonomics to the next level. Weighing in under 3 lbs., this model was the lightest handheld induction heater on the market. With a patented twist lock design, our model is streamlined and functional. The first three generations of the Mini-Ductor® run on 1000 watts, allowing it to heat most applications quickly without worrying about collateral damage.

4. Mini-Ductor® Venom® HP (2020) – Power redefined. Packing a hefty 1800-watt punch, this latest release can quickly heat a bolt in 3-5 seconds, making work more efficient and faster.

Why Mini is Better

Induction Innovations’ Mini-Ductor® series was meant to free up components quickly using induction heat. When applied to ferrous metals such as iron and steel, an eddy current heats them within a mere 3-15 seconds. Our products leverage this by exciting the molecules, harnessing the resistance they emit to rapidly heat applications to free them up.

With the Mini-Ductor® series, you can tackle challenges like Loctite, rust, and more. Seized components are quickly freed up, saving time and frustration. Our Mini-Ductor® line is designed to help techs cut down on ticket times and say “Forget the Torch!”

The Bottom Line

At Induction Innovations, we’re not just vendors; we’re trailblazers – and give you precision, safety, and heat all without the flame. As the original innovators, we see the handheld induction heater as both a technological marvel and a practical utility. Try any of the superior Mini-Ductor® series for safe, reliable, and precise heat, when and where you need it. You’ll be amazed! Join the evolution and see where we leap forward next.

For more information visit us at www.theinductor.com or give us a call at 877-688-9633.

Stacey Phillips Ronak — Solving the Tech Shortage

Caliber Collision Technician Apprentice Program Shows Tremendous Growth

Like others who want to make a difference in the collision industry, Caliber Collision recognized the critical need to address the technician shortage.

“We’re all affected by it,” said Eddie Hightower, Caliber’s senior vice president of sustainability/social responsibility. “The industry, drivers and policyholders are all impacted by not having enough technicians.”

Hightower said Caliber realized this problem would not get better unless someone took action.

now leads TAP.

The program consists of 16 competencies based on I-CAR training. It typically takes apprentices about 10 months to one year to complete.

About three to four months into the program, apprentices begin helping their mentors work on production vehicles. They must demonstrate they meet the required competencies before graduating.

However, the training doesn’t end there. Apprentices are watched closely for the next six months to ensure

“Given our position in the industry, we felt a special obligation to do our part,” he said.

After much research and discussion, the company created the Technician Apprentice Program (TAP) in 2022. The program was spearheaded by Yohanna Peet, Caliber’s TAP’s senior program manager.

“Scaling TAP across our organization is one of my proudest career moments,” said Peet. “I had the opportunity to engage with teammates across the country to understand what was important to them through their journey in TAP.”

She said the bottom line for all is purpose.

“Our mentors felt a responsibility to develop the next generation of technicians,” she said. “Many of them shared the same sentiment, ‘Someone taught me; now it’s my turn to teach.’ For many of us, TAP is our opportunity to give back to this industry that has given so many of us, so much.”

TAP was formally launched that year to Caliber’s 30,000 teammates at 1,700 locations in 40 states.

Unlike other industry programs, Hightower said TAP is focused on skills development.

“It is a competency-based program that is somewhat different from some of the other time-based programs available that are two to three years in length,” explained Hightower, who

vehicles are repaired to pre-accident condition and are safe to drive.

“We want to make sure that our apprentices know how to do the job of a technician,” said Hightower.

As the program began rolling out, experienced technicians were asked to help train body helpers to become fullfledged technicians.

Hightower said they pass on knowledge and expertise daily but often don’t realize they are doing it. By formalizing the program, supporting mentor techs and incentivizing them with a bonus, Caliber is finding mentors with much success.

After experiencing what it is like to help an apprentice, Hightower said mentors typically look forward to working with their next mentee.

“Our mentor techs benefit from the program because they have a person working on their team who is actually turning a wrench,” he said.

Another difference compared to other industry programs is apprentices are paid more than the typical entrylevel wage. They also receive health benefits and are eligible for a 401(k) retirement program with a company match. Upon graduating, they are provided with a tool allowance as a gift.

“They receive the benefits of being an actual teammate from day one, and when they graduate, their earning potential is around $70,000,” said Hightower.

Apprentices earn I-CAR and welding certifications, as well as the EPA AC certification.

Caliber has found these benefits have helped reduce the turnover rate among technicians.

Hightower said the program has really taken off; the goal is to continue building it out.

In its inaugural year, Caliber graduated more than 250 techs. In 2023, more than three times that number of technicians completed the program. About two-thirds of Caliber’s locations are now participating in TAP, which equates to 2,000 active apprentices teamed up with 2,000 mentors.

With the technician shortage worsening, Caliber’s goal is to continue producing 2,000 technicians a year for the industry.

“The only limiting factor is having enough mentors and technicians to fill the need,” he noted.

Throughout the country, field recruiters visit high schools and trade schools looking for participants.

Although the average age of apprentices is 18 to 21 years old, there are older participants looking to change careers, such as those in the technology sector. Caliber has also found many women interested in careers as technicians.

For students who are looking for a hands-on career focused on art and technology, Hightower said this is a perfect fit.

“We call them artisans because they can look at a crumpled fender on a car and see what they can produce,” he said.

Hightower said this is a big deal to apprentices.

“These are lifelong skills that are fully transferable,” said Hightower. “We’re changing their lives by setting them up with a skill they own.”

Landon learned about TAP while attending the collision repair program

at Tennessee College of Applied Technology. He has been enrolled in Caliber’s program for about a year.

“I have learned many of the nuances and procedures essential for the best outcomes possible while also managing my workflow and time,” he said. “Better time management leaves more room to produce better work.”

Since joining TAP and being paired with a mentor, Landon said he feels as if he can accomplish twice as much in the same amount of time without stress.

Gabriel, who has been at Caliber for nearly six years and currently works at Caliber Milpitas in California, decided to become a mentor to share his knowledge with the younger generation.

“As an apprentice myself in this industry, I understand how hard it is not having a mentor to help me improve,” said Gabriel. “I wanted to make a change by being there for someone like me.”

Gabriel has worked with a few apprentices, demonstrating basic teardowns and repair methods.

“We start with plastic welding and repairing bumpers, then move on to dents and using the correct tools to pull,” he explained. “I teach apprentices how to remove spot welds without damaging panels and allow them to practice.”

Gabriel shows apprentices how to rack up cars correctly on the frame machine when learning how to do sheet metal pulls. He encourages apprentices to keep an open mind when repairing vehicles and stresses the importance of organization and quality.

“I teach each apprentice the seriousness of safety while repairing vehicles, and that includes disconnecting batteries to make sure that we are safe during repairs,” he said.

Gabriel stressed the importance of mentoring the next generation by building their confidence.

“That way, when they go out on their own, they know they can do their work and not question their ability,” he said.

TAP was formally launched in 2022 to Caliber’s 30,000 teammates at 1,700 locations in 40 states.

About two-thirds of Caliber’s locations are now participating in the Caliber Technician Apprentice Program.

Caliber’s goal is to produce 2,000 technicians a year for the industry.

California Techs Get a Jumpstart on Tools Thanks To Toby Chess

By Stacey Phillips Ronak Autobody News

When Mike Schaffer joined Selman Chevrolet in Orange, CA, as the collision center manager in 2012, he implemented the True2Form Collision Repair

specifically look for good people. We do not hire for aptitude; we hire for attitude and teach aptitude.”

He said taking this approach helps extend the careers of their best, most experienced people.

However, Schaffer said it can be challenging to confirm if they are good people and typically has

apprentice program at the 72-yearold dealership. Since then, he has focused his attention on attracting and retaining technicians.

“There is no shortage of good people,” said Schaffer. “We

employees begin helping in the detail department to ensure they will show up for work and be worth training.

He also finds it challenging to be profitable with an apprentice

within 30 days. As a result, the team teaches basic skills and efficiency.

“Giving each equal focus allows us to keep training and making money,” noted Schaffer.

Schaffer met Toby Chess when the first I-CAR welding certification class was held at Selman.

In support of Schaffer’s apprentice program, Chess provided tools and training to Schaffer’s apprentices.

“Toby is very supportive and inspirational to the new folks and the team leaders alike,” said Schaffer. “He includes everyone equally and goes out of his way to teach young and old alike.”

To encourage shop owners and managers to develop apprentice programs, Chess supplies a set of tools to the helper and asks shop owners to provide toolboxes. He also shares best practices documents he created that can be used in conjunction with OEM repair procedures and proper personal protective equipment.

from the 11.4% national average increase recorded in 2022.

States like Nevada, Minnesota and Washington faced some of the steepest increases, with Nevada topping the list with a 28.3% rate hike. At the other end of the spectrum, Hawaii and North Carolina recorded the lowest weighted average effective increases at 3.8% and 4.3%, respectively.

The continuous climb in rates over the past two years has resulted in substantial cumulative increases. Texas emerged as the state with the highest cumulative rate increase over the two-year period at 45.5%, closely followed by Ohio with a 38.9% rise.

The data was sourced from disposed private passenger auto rate filings collected by S&P Global Market Intelligence and submitted to the Department of Insurance in various states.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR

Mike Schaffer, center, with Alondra Salgado and her mentor Phat Troung, left, and Melissa Perez and her mentor Rod Perez, right.

Proposal To Phase Out Gas-Powered Vehicles in CT Gets New Lane

By Christian Wade The Center Square

Consideration of a proposed ban on sales of new gas-powered vehicles in Connecticut could happen in regular legislative session, but will not happen in a special called one.

House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said the new legislative session gets started Feb. 7. Formal consideration of a proposal to adopt California’s strict vehicle emissions rules could come up.

California is phasing out sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.

Members of the House’s Republican minority caucus welcomed the decision to consider the proposal in the regular session, when legislative committees will be required to review the plans and hold public hearings on the proposed changes.

“Pushing an EV mandate is one thing, but the tone-deafness of the Democratic legislative majority to push through a mandate in a special session soon before the regular session begins was wrong,” said state Sen. Jeff

Gordon, R-Woodstock. “No public hearings. No public input. No committee meetings. The people of Connecticut would have been ignored and bypassed.”

Republican Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly called the decision to shelve the special session a “victory for the families of Connecticut who refused to let their voices be dismissed.”

“Reckless and arrogant majority Democrats were on the verge of banning the sale of gas-powered cars, placing more costs on our families, dividing our communities and leaving people behind,” Kelly said in a statement. “They were more than willing to favor affluent families over poor, working and middle class families who cannot afford a single-family home.”

In November, Gov. Ned Lamont put the brakes on a plan to ban new gas-powered vehicle sales after it became clear there weren’t enough votes in a Democraticmajority legislative committee to advance the plan.

The regulations, which the Legislature’s Regulation Review Committee was considering, would

have required auto manufacturers to ramp up sales of electric vehicles in the state, leading to a ban on the sale of new fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2035. Several Democrats joined Republicans in signaling opposition to the proposal.

The maneuver to pull back the rules ahead of the committee’s vote kept it alive and kicked the issue to the next legislative session for consideration. Democratic legislative leaders said they will try to convince skeptical colleagues and consumers to move ahead with the new emission standards.

“We have to demonstrate to the Connecticut residents that this switch will not only save the environment—save lives and save our planet—but not leave you in a position where you can no longer afford a vehicle,” Ritter told reporters in November.

More than a dozen states— including New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey—have formally adopted California’s stringent vehicle emissions standards.

www.autobodynews.com

Recently the students completed work on a 2014 Dodge Avenger with front end damage and two deployed airbags. Students replaced panels, painted the car, and installed new airbags. The radiator and air conditioning were damaged, so students diagnosed and replaced what was needed. To get the car back on the road, the students performed a complete inspection and found the vehicle also needed new brake pads, rotors and a front-end alignment.

“All of these things brought the big picture together as to why students need to learn all the different systems in a vehicle. Projects like this give the students a real life look at what they might experience in a collision shop after graduation.”

A Board of Directors made up of representatives from alumni, College Council, faculty and staff, and friends of the college govern the activities pursued by the Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc. The foundation supports learning opportunities for students through scholarships and community service projects.

How to Ensure You—and Your Techs—Have Adequate Business Insurance Coverage

One of my team members unfortunately lost her home to a fire a while back, and to this day, several years later, she’s still going back and forth with the insurance company, partially related to the personal property contents of her home. Put yourself in her situation: Would you be able to list every item in your home and know when you bought it? Do you have the receipts? I know I couldn’t do it.

That made me start thinking about this not just personally, but also for anyone who owns a business. Hopefully this will never happen, but if a fire or other catastrophe struck your shop, would you be able to list all of its contents and know when and what you paid for each item?

One good first step you need to take: Once a year you should absolutely ask your CPA for a copy of your asset list. Look it over for items you’ve added since it was last updated, and for items you no longer have that should be deleted.

Next, you need to have documentation related to all those items. Obviously, keeping your receipts for every asset purchase is the best way to document it all. Another set of copies—paper or digital—of those records should probably be kept off-site as well.

I would also encourage you to once a year to walk through your shop using your phone to create a video, narrating it as you go, as another way to document what you have. Again, keep a copy of that video in a safe, in the cloud or otherwise offsite. It could help remind you visually of all the assets in your shop, so that if the unthinkable happens, you’re not remembering assets you forgot about—a grinder, a torque wrench, air hoses, etc—until months after you’re already settled a claim.

The topic of business insurance is so important that I invited my friend David Willet from Spark Underwriters to come speak to some of my Spartan 300 20-groups. Spark Underwriters specializes in business insurance for our industry nationwide. As its website says, they are more than insurance people: they are ASE certified, I-CAR trained and involved with industry groups like AMi, the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), CIECA and many shop associations. David shared the suggestions I wrote about here regarding documentation of your assets, and

he agreed to review each member’s business insurance policy.

That led to a discussion about coverage for your employees’ tools. Your policy probably includes some

the business already has this.”

He said business owners should understand any co-insurance provisions in their policy. Those are provisions that imposes a penalty on

type of coverage for this, but as David has found in reviewing many shops’ policies, it’s often for only a small amount of coverage—sometimes as little as $500. We all know technicians who have tens of thousands of dollars invested in their tools. So any technicians reading this article might want to check with their employer about how much coverage the shop has for your tools.

“Getting their tools covered through their own personal insurance will likely be very expensive, and it adds to the challenge of getting good insurance on the rest of their personal lines,” David said. “So having adequate coverage for their tools through the business can be a nice employee benefit at a time when shops are challenged with finding and retaining technicians. Business owners should read their policy carefully when it comes to employee tool coverage. There are usually restrictions, such as a per-tool or per-employee limit. If there’s a $1,000 per-employee limit, that doesn’t go very far. The tool box itself far exceeds that amount.”

Just like a business or home owner, David recommends technicians, too, maintain good documentation of their tools at the shop.

“We recommend that in your policy handbook, you tell them about the insurance as a benefit, but require them to provide a list and video every year of the tools they have,” David said. “That way at the time of any loss,

an insured’s loss recovery if the limit of insurance purchased is not at least equal to a specified percentage of

the value of the insured building or business personal property.

“You need to understand what those provisions are, and if you can get the co-insurance removed, that’s key, because then all of a sudden, all you’re doing is trying to make sure you get paid for what you have,” David said. “Otherwise, you’re having to prove you had enough insurance, or you might get hit with a penalty.”

“Business owners should read their policy carefully when it comes to employee tool coverage.”

DAVID WILLET SPARK UNDERWRITERS

My Spartan 300 group members really appreciated receiving David’s insights about their business insurance policies. Now is a great time to take some steps to document your company assets, and to talk with your business insurance advisor about the details of your policy.

Mike Anderson — From the Desk of Mike Anderson

CIECA welcomes ADAS Find as a new CIECA corporate member. Founded in 2023 by Owen VanEck and Aiden Foley , the Michigan-based company was established to provide the auto repair industry with a simple and affordable platform for identifying necessary ADAS calibrations and initializations.

VanEck and Foley learned about CIECA through extensive industry research and networking within the automotive repair sector.

VanEck said the company joined CIECA to actively contribute to advancing industry standards and connect with like-minded professionals.

For ADAS Find, adhering to CIECA standards is crucial in delivering high-quality, standardized solutions to theirclients, promoting trust and reliability in the industry.

By becoming a CIECA member, VanEck said they aim to actively participate in shaping and influencing industry standards.

Poll: Connecticut Voters Oppose EV Sales Mandates

By Christian Wade The Center Square

A majority of Connecticut voters oppose a Democrat-led push to phase out the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the state, according to a new poll.

The poll commissioned by SEMA found nearly 60% of the voters surveyed opposed proposed legislation to phase out the sale of gas- and diesel-powered cars and trucks over the next decade.

“Voters are primarily concerned that the state’s infrastructure cannot support an influx of electric vehicles, that electric vehicles are unaffordable, and that a ban would restrict individual choice,” pollsters wrote in a summary of the results. “While Connecticut voters are concerned about climate change, a majority are unwilling to drive only electric vehicles.”

At least 67% of surveyed voters believe EVs pose environmental threats like mining and extracting rare minerals for batteries. About 56% consider the proposed rules government overreach that would limit their vehicle choices.

It also found more than half of those surveyed, or 51%, said they would be less likely to vote for an elected official who supports a ban on new gas-powered cars.

The polling was conducted after Gov. Ned Lamont pulled the plug on a plan that would have required auto manufacturers to ramp up sales of EVs in the state, leading to a ban on the sale of new fossil fuelpowered vehicles by 2035.

Lamont took the step after it became clear there weren’t enough votes in a Democratic-controlled legislative committee to advance the proposal.

But Lamont and other Democratic leaders have said they will consider a new proposal to approve the restrictions in the upcoming legislative session.

More than a dozen states— including New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey—have formally adopted California’s stringent vehicle emissions standards. They’ve been prodded by environmental groups who want to accelerate a nationwide shift to EVs to help blunt the impact of climate change.

Supporters of the mandate point

out the Connecticut restrictions wouldn’t completely ban gaspowered vehicles and argue the changes are needed to help the state meet its climate change goals.

However, the effort has faced pushback from those who argue it will force people to buy expensive EVs and could impact regional power supplies. Critics also point out Connecticut lacks the infrastructure to support a fullfledged shift to EVs.

House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora said the poll’s findings confirm feedback Republicans have gotten from constituents that Connecticut voters don’t want to be forced to buy EVs.

“This proposal is half-baked,” he posted on social media. “Every Connecticut resident should have their eyes wide open to attempts from the Governor and Democrats to fast-pitch tweaks to their proposal, advertised as wholesale change, that produce the same result: the end of your freedom to buy the car you want.”

www.autobodynews.com

ASE Welcomes New Leadership

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) announced Dave Johnson, the newly appointed president and CEO, has taken the reins from Tim Zilke, who retired after a commendable 30plus year tenure with ASE.

In addition to Johnson, the ASE team welcomes Donna Wagner as the new vice president of industry and media relations. Wagner previously served as assistant vice president of the ASE Education Foundation. She replaces Trish Serratore, another long-serving member who retired at the end of last year.

The organization’s Board of Directors also sees fresh faces with Tom Trisdale taking on the role of the new chair. He is joined by Jason Rainey, who will serve as vice chair. The board’s new treasurer and secretary are John Wolf and Tom Palermo Homer Hogg, the previous year’s chair, will now serve as the past chair. ASE’s Board of Governors has been expanded with the addition of eight new members.

FTC, State of Connecticut Target Auto Dealer For Deceptive Sales Practices

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in partnership with the State of Connecticut, filed a lawsuit against Manchester City Nissan (MCN), its owner and key employees, alleging the dealership has been systematically deceiving consumers, particularly regarding the pricing of certified used cars, additional product charges and government fees.

The complaint details several deceptive practices by MCN. Among them, consumers were reportedly charged additional fees for “certified pre-owned” vehicles. According to the complaint, MCN advertised cars, including Nissan models, as “certified pre-owned,” implying they had been inspected and repaired to the manufacturer’s specifications. However, the dealership allegedly added a significant “inspection fee” to the advertised price, which contradicts Nissan’s rules prohibiting additional certification charges.

Further allegations include charging consumers for

unnecessary add-ons like General Asset Protection (GAP), service contracts and Total Loss Protection (TLP). In one case, a consumer negotiated a price for a Nissan Rogue Sport, only to find more than $7,000 in add-ons added to her finance amount.

Additionally, the dealership is accused of misleading consumers about government-imposed taxes and fees. The complaint cites an instance where a consumer was overcharged for Connecticut registration and other state fees, with MCN keeping the difference as profit.

The complaint names Chase Nissan, doing business as MCN; its principals, Patrick Dibre and Refaat “Brian” Soboh; General Manager Michael Hamadi; Finance Manager Aiham Alkhatib; and sales managers Matthew Chmielinksi and Fred “Freddy” Mojica as defendants.

This lawsuit follows recent efforts by the FTC to stop deceit in the auto industry, including the

implementation of the Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule.

“This action follows on the heels of the commission’s announcement of the CARS Rule, and once again makes clear that bait-and-switch tactics and hidden junk fees have no role in honest dealmaking,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

“Today’s action sends a strong warning to any dealership engaging in these types of deceptive practices that misconduct will not be tolerated,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong

The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut after a unanimous 3-0 vote by the commission.

Southington, CT, Approves New Caliber Collision Location

The Southington, CT, Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a new use for a previously contested South Main Street property. The site at 876 S. Main St. in Plantsville will soon become home to a national auto body and repair franchise, Caliber Collision, which operates more than 1,700 centers across 41 states.

According to reporting by Patch, the approval came through two 7-0 votes by the planning commission in its latest meeting, endorsing both the site plan and a special permit for the project.

The property, owned by 1300 South Main LLC, based in Farmington, and applied for by the Calito Development Group LLC from Torrington, is zoned for business and has been considered for various uses in the past, including an outdoor sports center and a truck wash. However, none of these proposals came to fruition.

Steve Giudice from Cole

Civil + Survey LLC, representing the applicant, shared details about the project during the planning commission meeting Jan. 16. He highlighted the site’s advantageous location, bordered by the Quinnipiac River and equipped with public water and sewer services. The new facility is planned to span 12,760 square feet and will include a garage and ample parking space.

Matt Eucalitto, representing Calito Development Group, emphasized the future center’s modern, state-of-the-art capabilities and its potential to create 25 to 30 jobs, from paint sprayers to technicians. The project, which had already received approval from the town’s wetlands board, faced no public opposition during a hearing, leading to a smooth final approval by the planning commission.

AUTOBODY

Hertz Pausing Polestar Purchases in Shift from EVs

By Zachary Viscont Teslarati

Rental car company Hertz has halted its plans to purchase EVs from Polestar, on the heels of slowing down its electrification strategy by selling off some of the EVs it already owned.

After a filing in January revealed Hertz decided to cut its EV fleet by around 20,000 vehicles, CEO Stephen Scherr reportedly asked Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath to pause purchases in 2024, according to a report from the Financial Times. Ingenlath said the automaker agreed to waive requirements to purchase a certain number of Polestar EVs this year, so long as Hertz agrees to avoid selling the vehicles early, or for significantly cheaper than they were purchased.

According to Ingenlath, the companies agreed Hertz would “keep the cars longer than a year, we work with them, and we have the right to first refusal whenever

they want to take them out of the fleet.”

Polestar has sold Hertz about 13,000 of the 65,000 units agreed upon in the 2022 deal. Despite the pause on 2024 sales, Ingenlath said the companies have a “clear intention” to reintroduce large-scale Polestar sales in the future, though they’ll “have to review at the time” whether to reboot the company’s EV sales in 2025.

In January, Hertz started selling off some of its Tesla inventory, ahead of the company’s filing stating it was looking to slash its EV fleet.

The news comes just days after reports suggested Polestar’s parent company, Volvo, could be preparing to off-load Polestar, with Volvo owner Geely set to take over. It also comes after Polestar announced plans to cut around 15% of its global workforce, and just months after the automaker entered production of the Polestar 4 crossover SUV.

New Jersey Leads in EV Battery Recycling Legislation

The New Jersey legislature passed the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Battery Management Act, setting a national precedent for the responsible management of electric and hybrid vehicle batteries.

The legislation is the first of its kind in the U.S., aiming to establish comprehensive guidelines for the collection, transportation, remanufacturing, reuse, recycling and proper disposal of lithium-ion propulsion batteries.

“New Jersey has taken a forward-looking, and holistic view of the true value of these batteries,” said State Sen. Bob Smith, D-17, chairman of the New Jersey Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the bill’s sponsor. Smith added the bill has the potential to drive innovation, job creation and environmental stewardship through the recycling industry by reusing materials and components.

The legislation is designed to foster a circular economy for

EV batteries in the state, aiming to prevent these batteries from ending up in landfills, reducing the cost of new batteries through material reuse, encouraging job growth, and diminishing the reliance on the importation of rare minerals and foreign mining.

As EVs become more prevalent and the first generation of EV batteries approach the end of their useful life, New Jersey mandates battery producers develop and submit a battery management plan to the State Department of Environmental Protection. These plans must detail the procedures for battery acceptance, transportation and the recycling, reuse or repurposing strategies. The act also opens opportunities for recycling companies to use these batteries or their components and supports manufacturers in their recycling endeavors.

In an effort to refine its brand presence and keep pace with luxury market dynamics, Lincoln announced Jan. 25 it closed approximately 100 U.S. dealerships last year, a record number for the company, as it aims to realign its retail footprint with that of other premium brands. Lincoln, the luxury arm of the Ford Motor Co., is undergoing this transformation through individual negotiations with dealers, said Anika SalcedaWycoco, a spokesperson for Lincoln. However, details of these buyouts remain undisclosed. The decision follows a period where Lincoln’s U.S. sales dipped by 2% in 2023, reaching nearly 82,000 vehicles, contrasting with a 9% increase in Cadillac sales and a near 24% surge for Lexus.

“Our priority is to be where the luxury clients are and where the luxury market is,” said SalcedaWycoco. The reduction in dealership count is part of a broader, multi-year consolidation strategy. Lincoln ended 2023 with about 500 dealerships, a significant decrease

from 685 in 2021. The brand’s goal is to bring this number down to approximately 400 by the end of this year. This shift is also seen in the brand’s focus on exclusive, luxury experience-oriented dealerships. Currently, Lincoln boasts 164 brand-exclusive locations, including 58 boutique-style “vitrine” stores, with plans to add 23 more this year.

The trend of dealership closures is not unique to Lincoln. Buick, part of General Motors Co., reported a 47% reduction in its dealer count after initiating a buyout program in 2022. This program brought down Buick’s U.S. dealers from 2,000. Cadillac also saw a significant reduction in its dealer count through a similar initiative. Automotive News initially reported these developments in the luxury automobile sector, highlighting the industry’s ongoing adjustments to meet changing consumer preferences and market conditions. Lincoln’s move mirrors a broader trend in the luxury automotive market, focusing on quality and exclusivity over quantity.

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

The collision repair industry is poised for another year of change in 2024, according to Ryan Mandell, director of claims performance for Mitchell International.

Mandell was the featured guest for CIECA’s first webinar of the year, “Top Collision Industry Trends to Watch in 2024,” held Jan. 25 and available for viewing on at www.cieca. com/MEETINGS-EVENTS/ciecastwebinars.

Mandell said the four biggest factors affecting the industry this year will be the used vehicle market dynamics, increased vehicle complexity driving up repair costs, supply chain volatility and continued growth of electric vehicles’ share of the car parc. Used Vehicle Market Mandell said the used vehicle market is being affected by inflation, which is predicted to hit 2.4% in 2024, and high interest rates, which show little chance of declining this year. That affects customers’ ability to finance all types of loans, but especially ones to buy vehicles.

In 2023, total loss frequency was 19.2%, Mandell said. As vehicle values rose, repairers had more room to fix crash-damaged vehicles instead of writing them off. As vehicle values stabilize, Mandell said, total loss frequency will start to increase again.

“2024 is most likely going to be less volatile than recent years,” Mandell said, adding there are “so many variables at play here, we could see an increase in volatility if other things change.”

Increased Complexity

The increased complexity of vehicles – including more technology and a shift to lightweight materials to absorb crash energy and improve EV range and ICE fuel efficiency – is the biggest item driving changes.

Mandell said while data from 2023 is not yet complete, it has already shown a 6% increase in average severity in the U.S. and 9% in Canada compared to 2022.

As repairs get more complex, they average more labor hours to complete – while the average labor rate also increases, showing a one-year 6% increase in the U.S. in 2023, after remaining static sometimes for years at a time.

The cost of parts is also going up – in 2022, the cost of aftermarket parts rose 17%, while OEM parts

rose 10% — as is the average number of replacement parts per repair, up almost one full part in a single year as more systems require being brought back to pre-accident condition.

“It’s a perfect storm in terms of cost drivers that are contributing,” Mandell said.

In 2024, the average severity is forecast to be around $5,300 in the U.S. and $5,700 in Canada.

the downstream impacts on parts availability halfway through 2024. End user costs will likely rise as well as the average cost to move a shipping container increases.

“This new wave of supply chain disruption’s overall impact remains to be seen,” Mandell said. “Look at an action plan – repairing more parts, finding different sources. We need to have those conversations.”

EV Growth will Continue

As the number of EVs on the roads grows, so too is the number coming into repair shops.

ICE vehicles – but the likelihood of air bag deployment in an EV higher.

Mandell showed the results of a study conducted by Mitchell to compare repair costs for a 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning and a 2022 Ford F-150 XLT that had each suffered a moderate front end impact.

Both trucks needed a new bumper assembly, grille assembly, headlamps and a hood panel, and the left and right fenders blended.

Lightweight materials like aluminum, carbon fiber and magnesium can be repairable, but are more likely to crack than dent, requiring replacement. Mandell said currently 54% of lightweight metal parts are repaired, compared to 58% of mild steel.

Scanning is also on the rise. In 2023, 76% of vehicles repaired in the U.S. and 85% in Canada required a pre- and post-scan. About 35% of repaired vehicles in 2024 will require calibrations.

“How do you bring this into your business?” Mandell said. “You have to decide to make the investment to do it in house or partner with a third party, considering cost, cycle time and throughput.”

The Supply Chain

After seeing some improvement in supply chain woes in 2022, recent events, including the six-week UAW strike in late 2023 and current geopolitical conflicts in the Red Sea, could “really put a wrench in those trends,” Mandell said.

About 12% of global cargo goes through the Red Sea. Attacks on cargo ships has led some companies to use longer routes to avoid it, or bring in naval ships to escort them through.

“This will affect shipping times and cost,” Mandell said. “The rest of the network is going to be stressed. It has a snowball effect, and I think we will be grappling with it for some time.”

Mandell said he expects to see

Mandell said the average cost of repair of an EV is 37% higher compared to ICE vehicles, but there is a caveat –  the average EV is only 3 years old, compared to 6.5 years for ICE vehicles. The average cost is only 14.5% higher when compared to ICE vehicles that are model year 2020 or newer. A lack of moving parts make EVs less likely to be determined non-drivable after a crash – 10.5% of EVs vs. 14.1% of

The Lightning’s replacement parts were more expensive, and it had an additional grille reinforcement and a bumper isolator, not present on the XLT. The Lightning also required the battery to be removed before the bake cycle in the paint booth, which added 3.5 labor hours. In all, the Lightning cost $3,500 more to repair than the XLT.

“EVs have less moving parts but more crash parts,” Mandell said. “The internal combustion engine in the XLT is integral in crash energy absorption, so they need to find other ways to absorb that in EVs. Adding these parts closer to exterior parts of EVs makes them more susceptible to damage.”

As used vehicle values stabilize in 2024, total loss frequency will start to increase again. Image via Shutterstock.

U.S. New-Vehicle Sales Slow in January Despite Price Drops

The U.S. new-vehicle market experienced a slowdown in sales pace in January, despite a drop in average transaction prices (ATP) and an increase in buyer incentives, per Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive company. The report indicates a significant reduction in new-vehicle ATPs at $47,401, marking a 2.6% decrease from December 2023 and a 3.5% decline compared to January of the previous year. “It is common to see lower transaction prices and sales in January, as December typically is a hot month for luxury vehicle sales,” said Erin Keating, an executive analyst for Cox Automotive. “However, the year-over-year new-vehicle ATP decline of 3.5% is notable.” She added that prices have been on a downward trend for about six months, driven by automakers’ efforts to enhance deals to sustain sales. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), an indicator of sales pace, was 15.0 million in January, a decline from 16.1 million in December 2023 and

below the 15.1 million rate from January 2023. This slowdown occurred despite dealers and manufacturers increasing discounts and incentives, which averaged 5.7% of ATP in January, up from 5.5% in December and significantly higher than the 2.8% average in January 2023 when new-vehicle inventory was considerably lower. Luxury vehicles and full-size pickup trucks saw some of the highest discounts, while incentives for small pickups, full-size SUVs and minivans remained below the industry average, at less than 3% of ATP. The luxury vehicle segment, in particular, witnessed a decrease in prices, with the average price for a luxury brand vehicle dropping to $60,978, the lowest since the summer of 2021, and year-overyear price declines in luxury cars and compact SUVs reaching 9.7% and 11.9%, respectively.

The report also highlighted the revised EV transaction price data, reflecting the ongoing downward pressure on electric vehicle prices.

Man Sentenced To 25 Years For Fatal Shooting At Delaware Auto Shop

A Wilmington, DE, court sentenced Timothy Thomas to 25 years for a fatal shooting at a Wilmington auto repair shop in 2020, resolving four other criminal cases.

The incident, which claimed the life of 37-year-old Andre Hickson, unfolded July 6, 2020. According to the Delaware Department of Justice, during the argument near the 800 block of E. 13th St., Thomas discharged a firearm at Hickson, striking him in the chest. Hickson was promptly taken to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Thomas was already in custody when he was indicted in 2022 on charges of first-degree murder and two counts related to firearm offenses. In a subsequent legal proceeding, he entered a plea of guilty to second-degree murder in October and received his

sentence in January.

“When you commit a crime with a gun, you become our first priority,” said Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings. She commended the collaborative effort between the state’s legal team and the Wilmington Police Department in securing this outcome, hoping it would bring solace to the victim’s family.

Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos also reflected on the case’s resolution, highlighting the diligent work of detectives and the effective partnership with prosecutors that led to the conviction. Campos emphasized the significance of the lengthy prison sentence as a testament to the justice system’s commitment to upholding justice for victims and holding violent offenders accountable for their actions.

By Stuart Hedstrom The Piscataquis Observer

For about five decades, Prouty Auto Body in Dover-Foxcraft, ME, has served the region as a full-service, locally-owned collision repair facility.

“We pride ourselves on our training and doing it once and doing it right the first time,” owner Dennis Brawn said in his office at the 26 Summer St. location with the whirring sounds of tools in the background.

Brawn said Amasa “Stubby” and Joyce Prouty Sherman started Prouty Auto Body, doing collision repairs, Tuff Kote Dinol brand undercoating, and in their spare time did some custom vans with Gary Caron from Greenville. The original building was destroyed in a fire and rebuilt in the early 1990s.

“I started for Stubby in ‘88 and we were in the building that (Bud Prouty) was renting to us,” Brawn said. The original location was across Summer Street from the current property. Brawn said he worked for Prouty Auto Body for a year and then moved to southern Maine.

“I returned to work for Stubby and Joyce in October of 1993, and I have been here ever since,” Brawn

said. When the Shermans retired, he bought the business in October 1998.

“Right now we have six of us,” Brawn said about himself and the other Prouty Auto Body employees, who have a combined 104 years of experience.

“We pride ourselves on yearly training to make sure we are up to date on today’s automotive technologies,” Brawn said. “We have all the latest technology and training so we can work on your new cars,” to keep up with manufacturers’ specifications and requirements.

“We are I-CAR Gold, which means each employee has to take classes every year and depending on their role, have to pass a welding class every three years,” he said. Prouty Auto Body is the only I-CAR Gold class facility in Piscataquis County. Painters also must get recertified by the paint manufacturers every three years.

Brawn said everyone’s training overlaps when possible. “If the tech knows very little about painting then they may not do the things to make the painter’s job easier, but if they do know they can make one another’s position easier,” he said.

The business has state-of-the-

art equipment such as that for 3-phase computerized spot welding, ultrasound, a 3D measuring system, a 3-ton, 3-post frame machine, computerized paint mixing system and two semi downdraft paint booths, and equipment for front end alignments.

A KECO Hot Glue Pulling System is used at Prouty Auto Body, as are all the tools and equipment to conduct aluminum repairs on new aluminum automobiles.

“Our goal is to repair your car to pre-accident condition,” Brawn said, mentioning repairs are not just cosmetic but often are needed for proper vehicle safety. “We try to do one thing and do it right once,” he added, as Prouty Auto Body focuses on repairs and not also selling vehicles and accessories.

“We can do 99% of stuff in-house and that’s another thing that we pride ourselves on,” Brawn said, with a few specific parts in need of reprogramming by the manufacturer as the exception. “I don’t want to have to run it here, run it there.”

Mentioning the tire machine, he said, “You come in and your car needs a tire because it popped in the

accident, we can do it here.”

Sikkens refinishing systems are used for the paint work at Prouty Auto Body. Brawn said a camera takes pictures which are then entered into a worldwide database to find the precise match. “After a few years of wear and tear, sometimes your car might call for a certain color but another manufacturer’s color may match better.”

Paint is mixed on site to get the precise amount needed for the job. “It’s a little more expensive than others but it seems to work the best,” Brawn said about Sikkens, adding he wants to use the best products and not cut corners.

“We deal with all the insurance companies,” Brawn said, with most of this work being done electronically. Car rentals from Hertz are provided to collision repair customers.

Prouty Auto Body is located at 26 Summer St. in Dover-Foxcroft and is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with emergency hours available. For more information, contact 207-564-8353 or proutyautobody@proutyautobody. com or go to www.proutyautobody. com or www.facebook.com/proutyab.

Washington, D.C. Auto Show Featured Unforgettable Moments

The 2024 Washington, D.C. Auto Show wrapped up Jan. 28, marking the conclusion of a highly successful event that showcased the automotive industry’s latest innovations and engaged participants in meaningful discussions on public policy and technology.

Kicking off the 10-day consumer show was the Public Policy Day on Jan. 18. The day began with the Champions for Automotive Education Awards, a partnership between DARCARS, Toyota and WANADA’s Automobile Dealer Education Institute (ADEI). The event honored automotive educators from across the D.C. metropolitan area with the presentation of keys to a leased, pure-electric Toyota BZ4X. The day continued with keynote addresses and panel discussions. A fiery roundtable discussion by members of the Congressional Auto Caucus, including U.S Reps. Debbie Dingell , Marcy Kaptur , Mike Kelly , Bob Latta and Roger Williams , was one of the most engaging and talked about portions of the program as they addressed the cost-benefit value of EVs.

Several manufacturers took advantage of the platform to also introduce new models, such as

the Lexus TX 550h+, Rolls Royce Spectre and the Aston-Martin DB12 convertible. U.S. News & World Report also presented its annual “Best Cars for the Money” awards

preview before opening to the public.

Opening its doors to consumers Jan. 19, the auto show drew large crowds over the 10-day event. Almost every exhibitor reported

during Public Policy Day. The event continued with the Sneak Peek Preview, providing lawmakers and industry insiders with an exclusive

meeting or surpassing their lead goals, underlining the event’s influence in shaping the industry’s landscape. Popular attractions

included the Art-of-Motion display, Strictly Ebikes test track, the exotics display, and engaging ride and drives from Hyundai, Nissan and Tesla, as well as on outdoor ride and drive from Pepco EVsmart that featured brands like Ford, Kia and Hyundai.

Following an eight-year hiatus, Tesla made a comeback to the list of featured manufacturers at the show. They know where their buyers are, said John O Donnell , president and CEO of the Washington, D.C. Auto Show. Right here, at the DC Auto Show. The highly anticipated Cybertruck and the recently unveiled Model 3 were undeniable crowd-pleasers. What made this event even more special was that, for the first time ever, attendees had the exclusive opportunity to explore the interiors of all the showcased Tesla models, including the Cybertruck.

The interest we saw surrounding electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles was exactly what we and our exhibitors were anticipating at this year s show, said O Donnell. We were thrilled to see each of our manufacturers showcasing a variety of these models at their display

A Tesla Cybertruck on display attracted a crowd at the 2024 Washington, D.C. Auto Show.

and generating buzz across our attendees. It was overwhelming to hear about the overall turnout and that almost every exhibitor exceeded their lead goal.

First time exhibitors Lucid and Bass Pro Shops added to the excitement of the show and both expressed interest in a more robust involvement for 2025. Bringing a mix of brands not normally present in recent years was Automotive Rhythms and DC Car Scene. Both showcased custom rides that make up the thriving automotive community that lives in and around downtown D.C. Krazy Bounce and WowWheelz elevated the experience for the littlest car enthusiasts, and Subaru brought the love with their Subaru Loves Pets adoption initiative.

As the exhibition unfolded, a multitude of distinguished government figures graced the event with their presence. Notable attendees included the deputy administrator of the General Services

Administration (GSA), U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujuan, D-NM, and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV. These esteemed officials actively engaged in insightful conversations with representatives from each manufacturing entity, delving into discussions about the showcased models and collectively envisioning the trajectory of the industry’s future.

The Washington, D.C. Auto Show continues to be a key platform for industry leaders, lawmakers and the public to engage in discussions on automotive technology, regulation and policy.

Plans for 2025 are already underway. With the participation of new and highly-sought after brands, the show team is hopeful that 2024 marks the beginning of auto shows once again showcasing all automotive manufacturers. So, mark your calendar for Jan. 31-Feb. 9, 2025, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Visit www.washingtonautoshow. com for more highlights from this year.

kcashman@autobodynews.com

800-699-8251

By David A. Wood CarComplaints.com

A Toyota Takata airbag recall announcement warns owners of these older models to stop driving their vehicles until they are repaired:

• 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla

• 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix (Toyota Matrix)

• 2004-2005 Toyota RAV4

About 50,000 vehicles are involved in the Toyota Takata airbag recall do not drive warning. Calling the airbag recall “URGENT,” Toyota said the airbags could explode and shoot metal fragments into vehicle occupants, primarily due to the age of the vehicles.

Toyota Corolla, Matrix and RAV4 owners should stop driving the vehicles and call their dealerships.

A Toyota dealer can visit the location of the vehicle and perform a mobile repair, or an owner can arrange to have the vehicle towed to the dealership for free.

Toyota will cover the cost of vehicle pickup and delivery.

Toyota will repair or replace the airbags, and owners can learn if their vehicles are affected by visiting Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix and Toyota RAV4 owners with questions or concerns may call the automaker at 800-331-4331.

Please contact these dealers

HONDA

Curtiss-Ryan Honda

Shelton

800-523-4190

203-929-0635

Dept Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 7-4 callen@curtissryan com

Lia Honda of Enfield Enfield

800-221-3131

860-741-3401

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 jdoucette@liacars com

MAINE

Berlin City Honda

South Portland

800-640-6685

207-774-6685

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 mmmparts@berlincity com

IRA Honda Saco Saco

207-391-7910

207-282-0900

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Th 7:30-7; Sat 7:30-4 klavalle@driveprime com

MARYLAND

Criswell Honda

Germantown

240-864-0880

Dept Hours: M-Fri 7-7:30; Sat 7-6 hondaparts@criswellauto com

ACURA

MASSACHUSETTS

Acura of Boston Brighton

800-254-1169

617-254-5400

Dept Hours: M-Thur 8-7; F 8-6; Sat 8-4 manny aliagra@bernardiauto com

Acura of Peabody

Peabody

800-878-3600

978-532-9110

Dept Hours: M-Sat 8-5 dbritt@acurapeabody com

dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs.

Boch Honda

Norwood

833-319-6270

781-619-6791

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5 bh-wholesale@boch com

LIA Honda Northampton

Northampton

800-369-7889

413-587-2900

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-3 dstanisewski@liacars�com

Clinton Honda

Annandale

877-657-2787

Dept Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-2 abdulc@clintonhonda�com

Honda of Turnersville

Turnersville

800-883-0002

856-516-6262

Dept� Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4 mbivario@penskeautomotive com

Hudson Honda

West New York

866-483-6917

201-868-9500

Dept� Hours: M-Sat 8-5 mdasilva@hudsonhonda com

Acura Turnersville

Turnersville

888-883-2884

856-516-6060

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4:30 sbaptist@penskeautomotive com

Autosport Acura

Denville

973-361-3117

Dept Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 erin@theautosportgroup com

Bill Vince’s

Bridgewater Acura

Bridgewater 908-704-0307

Dept Hours: M-F 8-7; Sat 8-4 mattn@bridgewateracura com

Madison Honda

Madison

800-648-0293

973-822-1710

Dept Hours: M-Thu 7-7; Fri 7-6; Sat 7-5; Sun 8-4 jay madisonhonda@gmail com

Route 22 Honda Hillside

973-705-9100

Dept Hours: M-Sat 8-5 rt22hondaparts@route22honda�com

Scott Honda of Vineland Vineland

800-893-3030

856-692-4449

Dept� Hours: M-F 6:30-5 parts@scotthondavineland com

Sussex Honda

Newton

800-842-0557

973-579-3500

Dept Hours: M-F 8-5 realhondaparts@sussexhonda com

Ide Honda

Rochester

800-462-0056 (N.Y.)

585-586-4919

Dept Hours: M-Thur 8-8; Fri 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 parts@idehonda com

NEW JERSEY

Elite Acura

Maple Shade 856-722-9600

Dept Hours: M-Sat 7:30-6 bmartinsen@eliteacura com

Open Road Acura of East Brunswick

East Brunswick

732-238-0777

732-238-5466

Dept Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 robert talbot@openroad com

Open Road Acura of Wayne Wayne 973-696-5151

Dept� Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 jonathan tangen@openroad com

Lamacchia Honda

Syracuse

315-471-7278

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 parts@lamacchiahonda com

Lia Honda of Albany Albany

518-438-4555

Dept Hours: M-Th 7-6; F 7-5:30; Sat 8-5 mluciano@liacars com

Lia Honda of Brewster Brewster

845-278-4177

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-4 cpaulson@liacars com

Lia Honda of Williamsville Williamsville/Buffalo 877-659-2672

716-632-3800

Dept Hours: M & W 7:30-7; Tu & Thur 7:30-6 Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-5:30 mmiller@liacars com

Ray Laks Honda

Orchard Park

716-824-7852

Dept Hours: M, Tu, Th 8-8; W, F 8-6; Sat 8-5 jmaybee@raylaks�com

NEW YORK

Acura of Westchester Westchester 914-834-8887

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 8-4; Sun 9-4 acura parts@yahoo com

Curry Acura

Scarsdale 800-725-2877 914-472-7406

Dept Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 parts@curryacura com

Paragon Acura Woodside 718-507-3990

Dept Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5; Sun 9-4 parts@paragonacura com

PENNSYLVANIA

Apple Honda

York

800-960-9041

717-848-2600

Dept Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 10-4 applehondaparts@appleauto1 com

Baierl Honda

Wexford

818-332-7351

Dept Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 markludwig@baierl com

Shenango Honda

Hermitage

800-858-0849

724-981-7106

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

VERMONT

802 Honda

Berlin

802-223-9700

Dept Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-Noon hondaparts@802cars�com

NEW YORK

Smithtown Acura St James 631-366-4114

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

PENNSYLVANIA

Baierl Acura

Wexford 800-246-7457 724-935-0800

Dept Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 cameronegerter@baierl com

Davis Acura

Langhorne 267-296-1000 215-943-7000

Dept Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 frankp@davisacura com

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW

Group 1 Acquires RRR Automotive Group in Maryland

Group 1 Automotive, based in Houston, TX, has acquired five car dealerships from RRR Automotive Group, including the top two volume Honda dealerships in Maryland, according to Kerrigan Advisors, which represented RRR Automotive Group in the sale.

securing the ideal buyer, ensuring a seamless transaction from inception to conclusion.

“Kerrigan Advisors’ expertise selling the most valuable dealership groups and their impeccable track record of success, particularly in the MidAtlantic region, made them the perfect partner for this transaction,” Patterson said.

RRR Automotive Group, founded by Dick Patterson and Robert Hisaoka in the 1990s, is one of the most valuable import groups in the Mid-Atlantic. The group includes Toyota of Bowie, Kia of Bowie, Honda of Owings Mills, Honda of Greenbelt, College Park Hyundai and Toyota Certified at Capital Plaza – one of the nation’s few stand-alone Toyota certified centers.

Patterson praised Kerrigan Advisors for their exceptional guidance and proficiency in

“We could not have asked for a better advisor to ensure we identified the right buyer for our group and that the transaction ran smoothly from start to finish. Gabe Robleto and the entire Kerrigan Advisors team were in lock step with us at each stage of the process, and we couldn’t have been more satisfied with the final result.”

Kerrigan Advisors now has 50 franchise sales in the Mid-Atlantic region since 2020.

The transaction expands Group 1’s presence in the region and in the non-luxury import brand market. The Washington

metropolitan region is an importdominant market with market share at 72% to 24% higher than the U.S. average. RRR Automotive Group dominates the markets in which it operates, capturing 48% of Bowie, College Park, Greenbelt and Owings Mills’ import non-luxury sales since 2019. Additionally, the area is one of the nation’s most economically vibrant and fastest growing, with a population of 10 million.

“This transaction highlights the continued strength of the buy/sell market for top import franchises in economically vibrant markets,” said Erin Kerrigan, founder and managing director of Kerrigan Advisors. “Despite an elevated interest rate environment and cooling industry profits, dealerships remain one of the most lucrative retail investments in the country.”

Legal advisement for the transaction was provided by Steven H. Schram of Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram for RRR Automotive Group and Brian Nolen of Nolen, PLLC for Group 1 Automotive.

Autel announced it has partnered with automotive data provider

MOTOR Information Systems to provide an improved experience for users and more streamlined access to OEM repair information using MOTOR’s TruSpeed Repair. MOTOR TruSpeed Repair will be available for integration into Autel’s diagnostics software on all North American Ultra series tablets including Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) capable tools.

Autel Ultra series tablet users can access the most up-to-date automotive service and repair content within days of being published by the OEM. The TruSpeed Repair information will include component locations, diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), maintenance schedules, repair procedures, specifications, technical service bulletins (TSBs) and wiring diagrams.

The paid subscription service will also provide OEM Position Statements and ADAS-related repair details. The software update and integration is expected to be released in the late first quarter of this year.

Ford, GM Taking Steps To Build More Affordable EVs

Ford and GM both recently announced moves to help improve affordability – and profitability – of their electric vehicle offerings.

Ford is developing its nextgeneration EVs to “surprise customers and be profitable within a year of launch,” CFO John Lawler said during the company’s recent 2023 earnings presentation, while GM announced the appointment of former Tesla executive Kurt Kelty as the new vice president of batteries.

During Ford’s earnings presentation, CEO Jim Farley disclosed plans to concentrate on EVs in sectors where Ford holds a competitive edge, such as trucks and vans.

“Our next Gen 2 products will be profitable in the first 12 months of their launch,” Farley assured.

Farley said two years ago, Ford formed a “super-talented skunkworks team” tasked with creating a low-cost EV platform, which led to the development of a versatile platform that can underpin a range of vehicle types while supporting a vast ecosystem of software and services.

The push for affordability and

efficiency is not just about staying competitive; it’s a response to the evolving market dynamics and consumer expectations.

customers. “We learned that as you scale EVs to 5,000 to 7,000 units a month and you move into the early majority customer, they are not

“All of our EV teams are ruthlessly focused on cost and efficiency in our EV products because the ultimate competition is going to be the affordable Tesla and … Chinese OEMs,” Farley said.

Farley admitted past missteps, particularly in understanding the price sensitivity of mainstream EV

willing to pay a significant premium for EVs,” he noted.

At GM, Kelty, known for his role in Tesla’s battery development, will bring more than three decades of experience, with the mission to enhance battery technology and reduce costs.

Kelty, set to begin his role

Feb. 19, will spearhead GM’s comprehensive battery cell strategy, encompassing the management of raw materials, advancement and commercialization of new battery technologies, and the lifecycle of batteries, aiming to address the industry’s critical challenge of balancing affordability with high performance at scale.

The hiring comes at a time when GM is under pressure to make its EV segment profitable, amidst reliance on revenue from its traditional gaspowered vehicles. CEO Mary Barra has projected profitability in the EV sector later this year.

GM President Mark Reuss said Kelty’s background in battery chemistry development, supply chain establishment and system partnerships will be instrumental in achieving GM’s ambitious electrification goals and establishing the company as a frontrunner in EV technology.

The company plans to invest $35 billion in EVs and related technologies by 2025. Kelty’s addition to the team is expected to significantly bolster GM’s position in the rapidly evolving EV market.

A worker builds a Ford F-150 Lightning at the Rouge EV Center in Michigan.

Blue Star Brothers in NYC Unveils Innovative Website

After 25 years of exceptional automotive services in New York City, Blue Star Brothers unveiled a cutting-edge website, www. bluestarbrothers.com, aimed at enhancing customer experience and accessibility to a broad range of auto services. Since its inception in 1998, Blue Star Brothers has established itself as a leader in collision repair, auto detailing and automotive services, building a reputation for quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction. The new website reflects the company’s dedication to innovation and continuous improvement, offering a seamless online experience for customers. The website’s launch is not just about digital presence but about integrating Blue Star Brothers’ legacy of excellence into a modern, customer-focused platform. It provides an interactive overview of the company’s extensive service offerings, with captivating photo galleries that offer a glimpse into the world of their expertise, showcasing completed projects and their stateof-the-art repair facility. The website

features an online appointment booking system, designed to save time and streamline the service process for customers. This userfriendly interface allows clients to easily schedule auto repair and detailing services at their convenience.

Moreover, the website includes educational resources and informative articles. These features empower customers with knowledge about auto maintenance, repair processes and industry trends, fostering transparency and understanding.

Blue Star Brothers also introduced the “My Garage” feature, a digital dashboard that provides customers with a comprehensive view of their vehicle’s service history and upcoming needs, including current and upcoming appointments, service history and actionable recommendations.

To celebrate the launch on Jan. 14, Blue Star Brothers is offering exclusive promotions to its NYC customers, a gesture of gratitude for the community’s trust and loyalty.

The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced a more than $5 billion investment in semiconductor research, development and workforce initiatives, aimed at reinforcing U.S. leadership in the critical technology sector. This move, part of the broader CHIPS and Science Act, seeks to revitalize America’s role in semiconductor innovation and manufacturing, addressing both national security concerns and the need for a skilled workforce.

Semiconductors, the cornerstone of modern technology, were once a domain where the U.S. led globally. However, current figures show the U.S. producing less than 10% of the world’s supply, including none of the most advanced chips. This investment aims to reverse the trend of declining government R&D investment, which has fallen below 1% of GDP in recent years, by leveraging the CHIPS and Science Act’s historic funding provisions. The National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) is

the focal point of this initiative, representing a collaborative effort between government, industry, academia and other stakeholders to foster innovation and accelerate the commercialization of new technologies. The NSTC, supported by a public-private consortium, aims to ensure U.S. supremacy in next-generation semiconductor technologies through design, prototyping and piloting initiatives.

In addition to the NSTC, the investment plan includes significant funding for workforce development. The creation of a Workforce Center of Excellence and other programs aims to establish equitable training pathways, connecting Americans to high-quality jobs in this vital sector. These efforts are complemented by investments in other key R&D areas, such as the development of a semiconductor manufacturing digital twin institute and advancements in semiconductor packaging technologies.

CONNECTICUT

ARTIOLI CHRYSLER DODGE

525 Enfield Street

Enfield, CT 06082 (888) 436-6727

MARYLAND

CRISWELL CHRYSLER

JEEP DODGE RAM

84 Bureau Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20878 (301) 212-4453

OURISMAN CHRYSLER

DODGE JEEP RAM

12430 Auto Drive

Clarksville, MD 21029 (410) 988-9570

Fax: (410) 988-9591

WALDORF DODGE

2450 Crain Highway

Waldorf, MD 20601 (866) 843-1905 (301) 843-1905

MASSACHUSETTS

KELLY JEEP CHRYSLER

353 Broadway – Route 1 North Lynnfield, MA 01940 (800) 278-8558

Fax: (781) 581-2490

kjcparts@kellyauto.com

NEW JERSEY

FRANKLIN SUSSEX AUTO MALL

315 Route 23 Sussex, NJ 07461

Order Hot Line: (855) 268-1207

Fax: (973) 875-9088

TURNERSVILLE CHRYSLER

JEEP DODGE RAM

3100 Black Horse Pike Turnersville, NJ 08012 (856) 875-2627

NEW YORK

CENTRAL AVENUE

CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE WHOLESALE DIVISION

1839 Central Park Avenue Yonkers, NY 10710 (800) 967-5298

Fax: (914) 961-4313

EASTCHESTER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE

4007 Boston Road Bronx, NY 10466 (914) 597-7018

NEMER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM OF SARATOGA

617 Maple Avenue

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 584-0058

ROCKLAND CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE

60 Route 304

Nanuet, NY 10954 (845) 623-1367

Fax: (845) 623-0903

PENNSYLVANIA

NEW HOLLAND CHRYSLER

DODGE JEEP RAM 508 West Main Street New Holland, PA 17557 (800) 367-3232

JEFF D’AMBROSIO CHRYSLER

DODGE JEEP RAM

1221 East Lancaster Avenue Downingtown, PA 19335 (800) 922-7932 (610) 363-8250

GOP Governors Want To Stop Biden’s EV Mandate

By Chris Woodward The Center Square

A group of Republican governors is calling on President Joe Biden to halt his electric vehicle mandate proposal.

In a letter to the president, the governors said they aren’t opposed to electric vehicles, but rather overreaching federal government mandates that “penalize retailers and do not reflect the will of the consumer” in the U.S.

“Even with deep price cuts, manufacturers’ incentives and generous government funding, federal mandates on electric vehicles are unrealistic,” the governors wrote.

The EPA is pushing for twothirds of vehicles in the U.S. to be battery-powered by 2032 in an effort to help combat manmade climate change and reduce America’s dependency on oil.

The administration has taken steps in recent months to build more charging stations, but lack of infrastructure is an issue for the governors. They add in the letter there’s a concern about “grid

capacity and reliability.”

Thousands of car dealerships have also signed on to a letter asking the Biden administration to “tap the brakes” on the EV mandate proposal, The Center Square previously reported.

are appealing, the reality is that the lack of a strong, domestic marketplace makes electric vehicles prohibitively expensive for the American consumer.”

Republicans who signed on to the letter are Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov.

Jeff Landry, Missouri

Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nevada Gov.

Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota

Gov. Doug Burgum, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, South Dakota Gov.

Kristi Noem, Texas Gov.

“There are a number of reasons why consumers are leaving these cars on dealership lots—the cost, the infrastructure required, and the battery content requirements are untenable for today’s car buyers,” the governors’ letter said. “Even if consumers determine over time that battery electric vehicles

Greg Abbott, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon

“Ultimately, we must continue to maintain consumer choice. Your mandates are unrealistic, costly and prescriptive solutions that harm American consumers,” the governors wrote.

All BASF customers go through a certification process. Until today, this process involved a twoday mandatory training where attendees completed in person classroom learning and handson training.

To reduce travel expenses and time away from the shop floor, BASF has converted one day of in-class instruction to online training hosted in its Learning University. This blended learning approach allows customers to start training whenever and wherever they are and still benefit from the face-to-face portion.

The online learning portion is comprised of eight to 10 modules, with an assessment after each module instead of a final exam. Once the online portion is complete, customers can schedule their in-person class at the location of their choice, where they will receive face-to-face training and assessment. Participants will have 45 days to finish this process and can access their certificate of completion online.

The letter said the governors oppose overreaching federal government mandates. Image via Shutterstock.

46

860.651.3393

860.658.6801 Fax

•

•

•

860.282.0861

Hoffman Toyota toyotaparts@ho manauto.com

46 Albany Turnpike, West Simsbury, CT 06092

860.651.3747

860.658.6210 Fax

860.290.6309 Fax

hondaparts@hof fmanauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Hoffman Audi of East Hartford

700 Connecticut Blvd. East Hartford, CT 06108 860.282.0191

860.290.6355 Fax audiparts@hoffmanauto.com

M-F 7-5:30 Sat 7:30-3:30

BMW of Waterbury

133 Schraffts Drive Waterbury, CT 06795

860 274.547 1

860 274.0671 Fax

jason.herndon@hoffmanauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Hoffman Nissan

46 Albany Turnpike West Simsbury, CT 06092

860.658.3370

860.651.9642 Fax

nissanparts@hoffmanauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Ho man Porsche

630 Connecticut Blvd., West Simsbur y, CT 06108

860.290.5536 860.290.6101 Fax

michael.belvedere@ho manauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-3:30pm

Audi New London

490 Broad Street New London, CT 06320

860.447.5090

860.447.5099

patrick.brady@hoffmanauto.com

M-F 7-5:30, Sat 7:30-3:30

ORIGINAL BMW PARTS

U.S. House Passes Tax Bill That Could Benefit Auto Repair Businesses

On Jan. 31, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, by a vote of 357-70. It will now move on to the U.S. Senate.

The bill, introduced by House Ways and Means Committee

Chairman Jason Smith, R-MO, and Senate Finance Committee

Chairman Ron Wyden, D-OR, aims to alleviate financial strains faced by independent repair shops, grappling with rapid technological advancements and an evolving automotive landscape, as they will need to continue to invest in facility and equipment upgrades, some of which may require taking on debt.

This tax proposal would:

Reclassify interest paid on certain business loans as allowable deductions.

Provide for a 100% bonus depreciation allowance for qualified property—such as equipment and vehicles—acquired and placed in service between Dec. 31, 2022, and Jan. 1, 2026.

Raise the maximum amount a business may expense for qualifying property from $1 million (reduced by the amount by which the cost exceeds $2.5 million) to $1.29 million (reduced by the amount by which the cost exceeds $3.22 million), adjusting for inflation for taxable years after 2024.

“Advancing the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act closer to enactment is a huge win for independent automotive repairers.”

BOB REDDING

ASA’S WASHINGTON, D.C., REPRESENTATIVE

One provision in the framework of significant consequence to many repair business’ employees is the expansion to the Child Tax Credit. The bill would:

Change how the maximum refundable credit is calculated by including consideration for the number of children in a household.

Increase the maximum perchild limit from $1,600 to $1,800 for tax year 2023, along with annual increases to the cap adjusted for inflation each ensuing year through 2025.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) applauded and expressed its gratitude to the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 7024.

“Advancing the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act closer to enactment is a huge win for independent automotive repairers. The U.S. House of Representatives sent a strong message, through yesterday’s vote, that small businesses—like those represented by ASA— deserve a chance to thrive,” said Bob Redding, ASA’s Washington, D.C., representative. “H.R. 7024 helps make that vision possible. Many thanks to U.S. House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith for his leadership in putting this package together. ASA eagerly awaits the Senate’s consideration and passage of this bill so that it may ultimately receive the president’s signature.”

PPG announced the launch of the PPG ADJUSTRITE® Repair Management tool, the latest feature of the PPG AdjustRite commercial estimating system, which provides enhanced productivity for commercial vehicle repairs.

The mobile-friendly platform offers technicians a time clock system and automated tracking of work hours per repair order. Shop managers and estimators benefit from a centralized approach to delegate tasks, gain insights from productivity metrics and efficiency data, and use dynamic charts for a thorough overview of repair orders and technician activities.

The PPG AdjustRite system is the first and only commercial estimating tool that considers the overall repair process, including overhaul, overlap, included operations, additional operations and additional parts or materials associated with the repair.

Learn more at www. adjustrite.com.

Summit Partners Invests in CollisionRight

CollisionRight, a collision repair shop consolidator in the U.S., on Jan. 30 announced a majority investment from Summit Partners, a growth equity investment firm.

The new capital will help support CollisionRight’s growth plan, which is focused on acquiring and operating highquality, customer-friendly collision repair shops across the central and Mid-Atlantic regions.

CollisionRight founder and CEO Rich Harrison will retain significant equity ownership in the business by investing alongside Summit, as will several other members of the company’s senior management team.

Founded in 2020, CollisionRight has acquired 89 shops in the past 3.5 years, establishing the company as one of the leading consolidators and providers of collision repair services in the U.S. The company and its skilled repair technicians aim to provide high-quality, reliable repairs for consumers, using modern technology, paint and parts, and to be an equally

reliable partner to the company’s insurance carrier partners who pay for the overwhelming majority of repairs undertaken by CollisionRight.

leader in the collision repair industry, and we are excited to help Rich and his team extend this leadership position,” said John Carroll, a managing

“Partnering with Summit will help CollisionRight enter a new and expanded era of growth,” said Harrison. “Summit’s growth focus and commitment to operational excellence align with our desire to continue to partner with the country’s best shop operators and provide the driving public with timely and high-quality repairs. Our goal is to create an industry leader that will set the standard for growth, excellence and customer service. We are confident that partnering with Summit will help us to achieve that goal.”

“CollisionRight has quickly established itself as a market

director at Summit Partners who will join Harrison on the CollisionRight Board of Directors.

“The collision repair industry remains highly fragmented, large and, in our view, very attractive,” said Robert Grady, an advisory partner at Summit who will also join the CollisionRight Board of Directors. “We look forward to working closely with the CollisionRight team to capitalize on this opportunity and enhance the company’s position as a growing, high-quality, customerfocused company.”

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

I-CAR announced Opus IVS™ has joined its Sustaining Partner Program.

Opus IVS’s commitment to I-CAR’s Sustaining Partner Program aligns perfectly with the increasing demand for advanced training and support in navigating the complexities of modern vehicle repairs. By investing in education and professional development, Opus IVS and other I-CAR sustaining partners are contributing to a safer and more proficient automotive repair ecosystem. Collaboration across the industry is crucial for relevant educational and technical solutions, particularly in response to the accelerating technological advancements requiring specialized knowledge and skills for proper repairs. Sustaining partners play an important role in advancing I-CAR’s vision by actively contributing to the funding of I-CAR’s work, which in turn supports repair facilities and schools across the industry.

03

08270

01A ⁄ U241E

MADE IN U.S.A.

THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE . ASS.P CAR

GAWR FR 2668LB

THEFT PREVENTION STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON ⁄ TR : 4Q2 ⁄ LA43

T0183F0085

TIREANDLOADINGINFORMATION

SEATINGCAPACITY

4233LB

GVWR

TOTAL 3 FRONT 3 REAR 0

Thecombinedweightofoccupantsandcargoshouldneverexceed 505 Kg or 1114Lbs.

FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY , BUMPER , AND

RR 2668LB

VEHICLEMFD.BYFORDMOTORCO.INU.S.A.

MOTOR MANUFACTURING,

GVWR: 5880LB/2667KG WITHTIRESRIMS

REARGAWR: 3325LB 1508KG P235/70R16SL 16X7.0J

VEHICLE MFD BY:. TOYOTA

TIRE SIZE COLDTIREPRESSURE

P265/70R17

FRONT REAR SPARE

P265/70R17

SPARE

P265/70R17

P265/70R17 FRONT REAR

303kpa 44psi 303kpa 44psi 303kpa 44psi

240 35/akP

SEEOWNERS MANUALFOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

70R16SL/5P23 16X7.0J

1508KG

GAWR:REAR

PSI COLD WITHRIMSIREST PSI COLD

3325LB

WITHRIMSIREST

GVWR: 2667KG/5880LB

1240KG

DATE:

U.S.A.INCO.MOTORFORDBYMFD.VEHICLE

P265/70R17 P265/70R17

2735LB AT 205 kPa/30

PSI COLD

OWNERSSEE FORMANUAL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRESSURETIRECOLD 303kpa 44psi 303kpa 44psi 303kpa 44psi exceednevershouldcargoandoccupantsofweightcombinedThe

240 kPa/35 70R16SL

WITHTIRESRIMS

SIZE

TIRE

IN EFFECT

VEHICLE MFD .BY: TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING, GVWR 4233LB GAWR FR 2668LB RR 2668LB

505 Kg or 1114Lbs.

VEHICLECONFORMSTOALLAPPLICABLEFEDERALMOTOR

VEHICLESAFETY STANDARDSIN EFFECTON THEDATEOF MANUFACTURE SHOWNABOVE.

MPV

TYPE: 00000000000000000

UA

EXTPNT:

WB BRK INTTR

PSI COLD F0085T0183

TOTAL 3

CAPACITYSEATING

INFORMATIONLOADINGANDTIRE

DS0:

TP/PS R AXLE TR SPR 114 4 GP K 45 V DB

RC:

13 3U51B

F05 UTC

STANDARDS

VEHICLEEMISSIONCONTROLINFORMATION

U.S. EPA:T2B4 LDV

FEDOBDII

Graciously accepting all new customers. Please come join the celebration!

1155KG (2546LBS)P235/55R18 99V 18X7 1⁄2J

SRSSIDEAIRBAG COUSSINGONFLABLELATÉRAL (SRS)

R 1080KG (2381LBS)P235/55R18 99V 18X7 1⁄2J

--NH737M

04 .D YB AMERICAOFAHOND .,MFG .INC 06⁄’10 VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL FEDE-APPLICABLE MOTOR VEHICLE ANDSAFETY THEFT PREVENTION STANDARDS IN ONEFFECT THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE SHOWN V.I.N.:ABOVE. 00000000000000000 MPVTYPE: STK A AA5 NH737M-A-A-)4894LBS(2200KG SIZETIRE SIZERIM G1155K P235/55R18)2546LBS( 99V 18X7 1⁄2J R G1080K P235/55R18)2381LBS( 99V 18X7 1⁄2J INFORMATIONCONTROLEMISSIONVEHICLEregulations:toConforms2016 MY California: Not for sale in states with California emissions standards. TWC/HO2S/WR-HO2S/CAC/TC/DFIU.S. :EPAT2B4 LDV GFMXV02.3VJW2.3L-Group: GFMXR0125NBVEvap:

needed.adjustmentsNo

Conformstoregulations:2016 MY California: Not for sale in states with California emissions standards.

WARNING AVERTISSEMENT

TOAVOIDSERIOUSINJURYORDEATH: •Donotleanagainstthedoor. •Donotuseseatcoversthat Seeblocksideairbagdeployment. owner’smanualformoreinformation.POURÉVITERDESBLESSURES GRAVESOUMORTELLES: •Nevousappuyezpascontrelaporte. •N’utilizezpasuncouvre-siège quipeutbloquerledéploiementdu Voircoussingonflablelatéral.lemanuelduconducteurpour deplusamplesrenseignements.

TWC/HO2S/WR-HO2S/CAC/TC/DFI

CONTROLVEHICLEEMISSIONINFORMATION

00000000

Noadjustmentsneeded.

2.3L-Group:GFMXV02.3VJW

Evap:GFMXR0125NBV

Conformstoregulations: 2015 Fuel: Gasoline

U.S.EPAclass/stds: LDV/TIER2

Fuel: Gasoline ABZ

Californiaclass/stds: PC/ULEVqualified

Group: FGMXV01.80111.2L

Evap:SFI/HO2S/TWCFGMXR0095805 , OBD:II

TIREANDLOADINGINFORMATION

TOTAL

4 FRONT 2 REAR 2

Conformstoregulations:2016 MY

VEHICLEEMISSIONCONTROLINFORMATION

U.S. EPA:T2B4 LDV

FEDOBDII

California: Not for sale in states with California emissions standards.

VEHICLEMFD.BYFORDMOTORCO.INU.S.A.

FRONTGAWR:

SEATINGCAPACITY

3325LB

TIRE SIZE

THISVEHICLECONFORMSTOALLAPPLICABLEFEDERALMOTOR

TIRESRIMS

215/55R1697H215/55R1697HT125/85R1699

COLDTIREPRESSURE

240kPa,35PSI

240kPa,35PSI

420kPa,60PSI

SEEOWNER’S MANUALFOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

TWC/HO2S/WR-HO2S/CAC/TC/DFI

2.3L-Group:GFMXV02.3VJW

Evap:GFMXR0125NBV

Fuel: Gasoline ABZ

Noadjustmentsneeded.

SPR F05

Industry Headwinds Did Not Slow Consolidation in 2023

Focus Advisors released its 2023 review of consolidation in the collision repair industry, prepared by Raul Salinas, senior associate, which showed headwinds like rising interest rates and repair costs and the technician shortage did not curtail growth.

In 2023, the Big Five consolidators – Caliber, Gerber, Crash Champions, Classic Collision and Joe Hudson’s Collision Centers—added a combined total of 278 new locations, including a large number of brown- and greenfield shops.

Private equity-backed platforms added 101 new locations—50% growth in a single year.

Independent MSOs and dealerships acquired or opened 173 locations.

In all, 550 collision repair shops were acquired or built in 2023.

Capital has been abundantly available for most of these acquirers. Many of the private equity-backed firms that entered the collision space in 2022 continued to pay up for platform and add-ons as they accelerated their acquisitions throughout the year. Independent MSOs and dealers seem to find other

confirms private equity investors continue to gain confidence that consolidation will continue for years into the future.

collision repair sector remained remarkably steady. This steadfast performance despite broader market fluctuations highlights the collision

According to Dealogic, 2023 saw global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) volume drop 18% year-overyear to a 10-year low, with private

repair industry’s unique appeal and enduring ability to attract investment even in challenging conditions. The year got off to a strong start,

developments. As the Federal Funds Rate rose through the latter half of 2023, transactions continued at a more moderate pace. The year concluded with a notable 25% reduction in the number of shops added versus the first half of the year, closing out the second half of 2023 with 236 add-ons.

While uncertainty in the economy likely played a role in decreasing deal volume, perhaps the main driver of the declining volume was the slowdown in the pace of acquisitions by two energetic acquirers, Crash Champions and CollisionRight.

M&A Deal Trends in 2023

Despite rising interest rates across financial markets in 2023, valuations in the collision repair M&A space have remained stable for most sellers. But valuations have remained especially strong for top, well-run independent MSOs.

The sector’s most active acquirers continued to value the most attractive acquisitions at multiples comparable to 2021, defying expectations of value compression. However, deal structures have been shifting in this

The table seems set for 2024 to take industry consolidation to yet another level. Image via Shutterstock.

More transaction proposals now incorporate contingent earnout provisions and/or seller financing. Earnouts allow buyers to protect downstream performance risk when agreeing to higher upfront valuations. Meanwhile, seller notes offer cheaper financing to fuel deals. Across the board, buyers are proposing more earnouts and notes in this climate compared to recent years.

But while valuations hold strong for prime MSO assets, other factors are hindering deal completion rates. Buyers today display less tolerance for potential business vulnerabilities during due diligence like questionable quality of earnings, staff turnover, DRP loss risk or real estate problems. As capital costs increase, buyers are vetting opportunities with extra caution before closing deals.

In years past, many of these concerns could be overlooked or waived to push transactions through. Today’s more discerning due diligence is causing more deals to be re-traded at lower prices or abandoned outright after signing letters of intent.

Regional Trends in 2023

Distinct regional consolidation patterns emerged in 2023 as consolidators targeted key markets to expand their geographic footprints.

An analysis of acquisition activity at the Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) level spotlights the metro regions that attracted the most buyer attention last year.

Top 10 CBSAs by Transaction Count

1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NYNJ-PA, eight transactions

2. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA, seven transactions

3. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, seven transactions

4. Washington-ArlingtonAlexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, seven transactions

5. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, six transactions

6. Sacramento-Roseville-ArdenArcade, CA, six transactions

7. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO, five transactions

8. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, five transactions

9. Memphis, TN-MS-AR, five transactions

10. Minneapolis-St. PaulBloomington, MN-WI, five transactions

The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro’s 2023 acquisitions by consolidators topped all regions nationally, adding 14 shops across eight transactions.

Intense activity was led by Northeast MSO VIVE Collision, which

increased its strong regional foothold via key deals like the purchases of two-shop Collex Collision Experts of NJ and two-location M3 Collision Group, plus other single shop additions.

Meanwhile, major consolidators Crash Champions and Caliber Collision also added two area shops each as buyers remained focused on gaining share in the highly competitive market, which shows no signs of slowing consolidation momentum going into 2024.

The Washington-Baltimore corridor in the Mid Atlantic saw a surprising flurry of deals. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson CBSAs ranked among the top 5 nationally for number of shops acquired and top 15 for number of transactions.

CollisionRight led activity in the region, purchasing several MSOs including Severn Auto Body, SDR Certified Collision, Canby Motors and Top Gun Collision to add multiple locations across Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Asbury Automotive Group also expanded its regional footprint, acquiring nine shops through its purchase of the Jim Koons Automotive Companies dealer group. Other notable buyers in the region included Caliber Collision (four new shops) and Joe Hudson’s

Collision Center (one additional shop in Rockville). The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood CBSA has developed into a highly competitive market, attractive for growth-focused consolidators but difficult to penetrate. Given land use restrictions that complicate constructing new collision repair facilities, acquiring existing shops provides the most reliable expansion pathway.

Classic Collision followed this consolidation route in 2023, adding nine Denver-area shops to bolt from the market’s No. 5 player to No. 2, behind Caliber Collision. Notable deals included the purchases of five Colorado Auto Body shops and three shops of the Signature Collision Group.

With only a few independent MSOs left to be acquired in the Denver market, the battle for market share remains tight. Consolidators seeking to increase scale will have to focus on acquiring single shops and smaller MSOs remaining in the region.

The Big Five Signal Enduring Appetite for Growth

The most active buyers–Caliber Collision, Gerber Collision/Boyd Group, Crash Champions, Classic Collision and Joe Hudson’s— continued aggressive consolidation

efforts in 2023. Together, these leading consolidators—the “Big Five— added about 278 shops nationally last year, accounting for 50% of collision industry M&A deal volume.

By zeroing in on attractive markets and securing leading positions regionally, the Big Five aim to capture insurer volume through scale, density and performance. Their unrelenting acquisition pace spotlights an enduring consolidation trend as major consolidators jockey for position in the still-fragmented collision repair landscape.

Caliber Collision regained its title as the collision repair industry’s most active acquirer in 2023, adding about 150 shops nationally, of which about half were green/brownfield locations. This expansion grew Caliber’s footprint from 1,552 repair centers in 2022 to more than 1,700 in 2023.

Major activity regions included the Midwest (Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio) as Caliber targeted key interstate corridors. Out west, Caliber built density through deals across Montana, Idaho and Utah. And in Caliber’s home state of Texas, numerous additions beefed up its presence, including in the Dallas metro.

Gerber Collision & Glass, part of the publicly traded auto services company Boyd Group, nearly

doubled its prior year’s acquisition count by securing an estimated 34 shops during 2023. Boosting an already formidable presence, Gerber’s Florida expansion spanned five acquisitions from Tallahassee south to Fort Myers. Gerber also made moves out west, acquiring four shops to build density throughout regions of California’s Central Valley between Sacramento and Merced.

With Boyd Group’s stock price growing by 40% between Jan. 1, 2023, and Jan. 1, 2024, on the back of strong performance, Gerber ended 2023 with an estimated 744 collision repair centers in the U.S.

After merging with Service King in mid-2022, Crash Champions slowed dramatically, adding just 27 locations. While focused on integrating 336 Service King repairs centers, Crash remained active in key regions like Chicagoland, where it acquired Adams Collision (four shops) and in Jonesboro, GA, where it acquired European Collision Repair (four shops).

Notably, four out of the 27 locations added by Crash last year were greenfield developments, signaling Crash’s willingness to build new repair centers from the ground up in attractive markets where acquisition targets may be limited. Crash ended the year with 617 shops.

Classic Collision maintained its

momentum, adding about 50 shops in 2023—the second-highest total industrywide behind Caliber Collision. Classic made two of the top five MSO acquisitions this year, including six-shop MSO Elite Auto Body in the Hampton, VA, market and five-location Colorado Auto Body in the increasingly competitive Denver market.

Beyond these larger acquisitions, Classic bolstered its foothold in Minneapolis/St. Paul with five addons consisting of single shops and small MSOs, and in North Carolina through two three-shop MSO acquisitions in Charlotte and Chapel Hill. Classic continued its momentum through the end of the year, ending with 257 total repair centers across 16 states.

Joe Hudson’s Collision Centers achieved its most active consolidation year since 2019, focusing growth on its Southern U.S. stronghold. Total acquisitions reached an estimated 38 shops, highlighted by Steve’s Auto Body, a four-shop Arkansas-based MSO. Texas proved a major target as well with eight add-ons, most of which were in the Dallas region. Expansion extended into Alabama with four shops, and Tennessee with three shops. Joe Hudson’s consistent pace resulted in 199 total shops by the end of 2023.

Accelerating Consolidators

Increase Deal Momentum

In the two largest single deals of 2023, Quality Collision Group acquired 14shop Schaefer Autobody Centers in St. Louis and nine-shop Cascade Collision Repair in the Salt Lake City area. This instantly vaulted Quality to a No. 2 spot regionally, behind only Caliber Collision in both St. Louis and Salt Lake City. Another notable pickup was Relentless Collision, a three-shop Raleigh MSO formerly owned by industry veteran Todd McGowan

With 32 total acquisitions last year, Quality ended the year in nine states with 62 repair centers.

Further building its Midwest and Northeast density, CollisionRight added an estimated 22 locations during 2023, including five-shop Michigan operator Auto Pride Collision. Also acquired were four separate three-location regional MSOs: Woods Collision (Ohio), D’s Paint & Body (Illinois), Severn Auto Body (Maryland) and Centerline Collision (Pennsylvania). This activity brings CollisionRight’s 2023 year-end total to 89 shops.

After rapid growth in recent years, Kaizen Collision took a strategic pause on acquisitions during 2023— maintaining its network of 48 repair centers nationally.

Northeast super-regional VIVE

NEW JERSEY

Ciocca Parts Warehouse

Porsche Flemington, NJ 800-221-1256 908-782-9397 Fax rmuir@flemington.com

Porsche Monmouth West Long Branch, NJ 732-483-8560

M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4:30 avacchiano@penskeautomotive.com

NEW

Porsche

Fax gspano@porscheofsouthampton.com

Porsche South Shore Freeport, NY 516-277-0542 516-277-0543

M-Sat 8-5:30 mtotaram@mcgovernauto.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Porsche Main Line Newtown Square, PA 610-886-1010

610-886-1020 Fax

M-Sat 8-5 jprice@potml.com

©2023 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seatbelt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.

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

CONNECTICUT

Lia Volkswagen Enfield

860-698-6890

Fax: 860-265-7840

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-12pm aguimaraes@liacars.com

MARYLAND

Ourisman VW of Rockville Rockville

855-417-4511

Fax: 240-499-2488

M-F 8am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-5pm rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com www.rockvillevolkswagen.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Volkswagen of North Attleboro

North Attleboro

508-695-7131

Fax: 508-695-0321

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-2pm kenr@driveavw.com www.driveavw.com

NEW JERSEY

Ciocca Parts Warehouse Volkswagen Flemington

800-221-1256

Fax: 908-782-1795

M-F 7:30am-5pm www.cioccaparts.com

Open Road Volkswagen of Bridgewater Bridgewater

908-685-1068

Fax: 908-685-1547

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-3pm vwb.parts@openroad.com www.openroadvwparts.com

Paul Miller Volkswagen Bernardsville

908-360-1162

Fax: 908-766-6171

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm aaitchison@paulmiller.com www.paulmillervw.com

NEW YORK

Hudson Valley Volkswagen Wappingers Falls

845-298-2365

Fax: 845-224-3686

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-5pm billsantoro@thepremiercollection.com

Platinum Volkswagen Hicksville

516-822-4800

Fax: 516-822-4831

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

White Plains Volkswagen White Plains

914-909-1630

Fax: 914-372-7056

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 8:30am-4:30pm echavez@whiteplainsvw.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Ciocca Volkswagen Allentown

610-791-4177

Fax: 610-289-7016

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm cioccavwparts@cioccadealerships.com

Jeff D’Ambrosio Volkswagen Downingtown

610-363-8250

Fax: 610-363-8227

M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-12pm partsteam@dambrosio.us

Piazza Volkswagen of Langhorne Langhorne

215-741-4100

Fax: 215-752-6621

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-5pm www.piazzavw.com

langwholesale@piazzavw.com

“Volkswagen”

Collision saw a breakout year, nearly doubling its total with the addition of 18 shops. Founders Vartan Jerian, Scott Leffler and Phil Taub defined the playbook for expanding in this challenging region. Beyond adding five metro New York/New Jersey shops, VIVE entered Pennsylvania via an innovative partnership with dealership group Vinart.

VIVE ended the year with a successful exit by early PE investor Garnett Station. VIVE’s new PE sponsor, Greenbriar Equity Group, aims to support VIVE’s ongoing growth initiatives.

Puget Collision, backed by investment firm Eagle Merchant Partners, further solidified its growing Pacific Northwest presence with 13 additions during 2023, headlined by Camille Eber’s three-shop Fix Auto operation out of Portland. In just over two years since its founding, Puget has quickly scaled through strategic regional acquisitions to finish 2023 with 32 total shops.

Former Indy racer Jim Guthrie’s OpenRoad Collision continued building scale in 2023 after rapidly launching in 2022. OpenRoad remains focused on regional expansion, with 14 new locations added in 2023. Backed by LP First and Trivest, Guthrie and team are leveraging years of operational

experience founding top Southwest MSO Car Crafters to establish a leading Mountain West and Southwest platform. They ended the year with 26 shops across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arizona.

Family office backed BrightPoint Auto Body made three acquisitions in 2023. Potentially more impactful was welcoming industry executive Paul Williams as BrightPoint’s new president. Williams joined after four years as vice president of operations at Gerber Collision, bringing invaluable experience to guide BrightPoint’s growth efforts.

Private Equity Interest Continues, Now Looking Downstream

Private equity interest in collision repair continued rising in 2023, with more firms actively searching for deals in the sector compared to 2022. However, with less than a handful of large-scale platform MSO opportunities emerging annually, competition remains high for deals meeting larger PE investment criteria.

Typically targeting platforms with $30+ million in revenue and $5+ million in EBITDA, investors are still finding the limited options attractive. Recognizing accessible scale opportunities will stay relatively scarce, private equity firms expanded their focus downstream in 2023,

pursuing smaller regional MSO platforms led by experienced and ambitious entrepreneurs.

Key factors driving positive PE sentiment include steady revenue growth driven by consistent parts/ labor inflation, resilient through economic cycles with third party insurance payors delivering sustainable cash flows, potential for an umbrella valuation event if/when sector leader Caliber Collision goes public, highly fragmented industry with no shortage of independent acquisition target shops at reasonable valuations.

In 2023, Greenbriar Equity Group was the lone new private capital entrant via its recapitalization of Northeastern consolidator VIVE Collision. But with more than 25 PE firms actively searching within the sector, more proprietary regional platforms seem likely to emerge over the next five years.

2024 Speculations

With proven acquisition playbooks and consistent capital access, 2024 is shaping up as a potentially massive year for the Big Five. As interest rates normalize, deal velocity could accelerate industrywide.

Additionally, several major private equity-backed platforms are approaching anticipated five-year hold

targets, priming them for possible recapitalizations or sale processes. Combinations among the Big Five and the accelerators may be realized.

2024 is likely to see even more private equity investors in the industry. Focus Advisors expects many of the new entrants will shift their initial acquisitions to smaller independents, targeting strong regional MSOs for new roll-up plays.

The table seems set for 2024 to take industry consolidation to yet another level through strategic expansions, financial sponsor reconfigurations and new capital sources hungry for a piece of the action.

Independent MSOs will continue to grow as they find more opportunities to acquire single shops and smaller MSOs, and build their own brownfield and greenfield shops. Access to capital for the most aggressive independents may constrain their growth to some extent. But Focus Advisors expects additional financing sources to become available as the risk associated with well-managed positive cash flowing entities declines in the eyes of investors.

With attractive exits almost always an alternative to protect the downside risk of these investors, Focus Advisors expects to see more and more independent MSOs grow beyond $50 million in revenues.

CONNECTICUT

Napoli Indoor Kia

Milford

203-876-3331

(203) 876-3325 Fax 8am-6pm Mon-Fri paulc@napolimotors.com

Gary Rome Kia

Enfield

860-253-5095

(860) 265-2674 Fax 8am-7pm Mon-Thu 8am-5pm Fri; 8am-4pm Sat parts@garyromekia.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Kia of Attleboro

South Attleboro

508-761-9300

(508) 761-0768 Fax

8am-8pm Mon, Wed; 8am-5pm Tue, Thu, Fri 8am-4pm Sat frank@courtesyma.com www.courtesyma.com

Lev Kia of Framingham

Framingham

800-462-1014

(508) 626-1585 Fax 7:30am-6pm Mon-Fri parts@levkia.com

MARYLAND

Bob Bell Kia

Baltimore

800-638-4967

(410) 285-1376 Fax

7am-7pm Mon-Fri 7am-5pm Sat smelson@bobbell.com

NEW JERSEY

Liberty Kia

Ramsey

201-818-8995

(201) 783-8848 Fax

8am-5pm Mon-Sat joel@libertykiaofnj.com www.libertykiaofnj.com

NEW YORK

Kia of Middletown

New Hampton

845-374-6575

(845) 374-4718 Fax

8am-5pm Mon-Fri

8am-3pm Sat nissankiaofmiddletownparts@yahoo.com www.kiaofmiddletown.com

Northstar Kia

Long Island City (718) 683-5300

(718) 489-9889 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-2pm www.northstarkiany.com

Yonkers Kia

Yonkers

914-268-0279

(914) 652-7665 Fax

7:30am-8pm Mon-Thu

7:30am-7pm Fri; 8am-5pm Sat

PENNSYLVANIA

Brown Daub Kia

Easton

610-829-3020

(484) 546-0292 Fax 7am-5pm Mon-Fri 7am-3pm Sat

parts@browndaubkia.com www.browndaubkia.com

Outten Kia

Hamburg 610-562-4166

(610) 562-9436 Fax 7:30am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat rwagner@outtencars.com

www.outtenkia.com

VERMONT

Berlin City Kia

Williston

800-684-5779

(303) 928-6905 Fax

6am-6pm Mon, Wed, Fri 6am-7pm Tue, Thu 7am-3pm Sat

ableau@berlincity.com

*Kia Genuine replacement parts sold but not installed by an Authorized Kia Dealer are covered for 12 months from purchase date, regardless of mileage, for the part only, and any labor charge is the consumer’s responsibility.

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

Average Length of Rental Continues To Decline in Last Quarter of 2023

Enterprise released Length of Rental (LOR) data for Q4 2023, showing the overall average LOR in the U.S. was 17.7 days, a one-day decline from the same period in 2022.

In the last quarter of 2022, the LOR of 18.7 days was up a half day from Q4 2021. The trend of declining year-over-year LOR started in Q2 2023, and continues.

In Q4 2023, Colorado had the highest LOR at 20.9 days, a 0.3day increase from Q4 2022. West Virginia, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, New Mexico and Kentucky were the next highest, respectively, all with an LOR of 20 days or higher.

Hawaii had the lowest LOR at 13.1 days, followed closely by North Dakota at 13.3 days. Iowa, Nebraska and Washington, D.C., had LOR under 15 days, with five other states—Vermont, Wisconsin, Maine, Illinois and California—all coming in with an LOR under 16 days.

Only three states saw year-overyear LOR increases from Q4 2022: Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Of these, Wyoming had the highest increase, up 0.6 days.

For the last few years, Louisiana s overall LOR was often the highest in the nation. While Louisiana s

state recorded a drop of 2.7 days, the largest decline in LOR in the country. Nebraska had the nextlargest drop, two full days lower than Q4 2022. Nineteen states saw a drop of greater than one day, while 20 more had declines of greater than half a day.

John Yoswick, editor of the weekly CRASH Network newsletter, offered some insights on the fourth quarter.

Some decline in LOR in Q4 2023 lines up with some easing we saw in shops backlog of work during that period,” Yoswick said. “The national average backlog in October dropped slightly to 4.1 weeks, down from 4.3 weeks in July. After drops the prior two quarters as well, shop backlog by last fall had fallen by a total of 1.7 weeks over nine months and was about 1.1 weeks lower in Q4 than the same period in 2022.

While October delivery times were negatively impacted for the Big 3 because of the UAW strike, the fourth quarter saw median delivery days lower than the same quarter last year,” said PartsTrader Chief Innovation Officer Greg Horn. “This is congruent with the overall LOR reduction that Enterprise is seeing.

Yoswick added: In other good

NISSAN

MARYLAND

Bob Bell Nissan

Baltimore

800-638-4967

news for the industry, shops continue to have fewer jobs inprocess within their shops, reducing production challenges. We measure work-in-process as the number of jobs, or car count, a shop has inprogress compared to that shop s typical monthly job count. More than 300 shops shared that in Q4 2023 they had work-in-process that, on average, was equal to 68% of their typical monthly volume. That was up 4 points from the prior quarter, but still 10 percentage points lower than a year earlier.

“It will be interesting in the coming weeks to see what happens with backlog in Q1 2024,” Yoswick continued. “Historically, backlog has always risen between October and January. But if the overall trend of declining backlog continues—or if any increase is smaller than typical in past years—that may suggest that the multi-year logjam at shops is really starting to clear, and LOR will likely fall further. We ll know more in February.

Drivable

For rentals associated with drivable claims, LOR was 16.0 in the fourth quarter, down 0.2 days from Q4 2022.

Colorado had the highest drivable

LOR at 19.2 days, followed by Rhode Island at 19.0 days and Oklahoma at 18.9 days.

North Dakota had the lowest LOR at 10.8 days, just above Hawaii at 11.6 days—the only two states under 12.0 days. Iowa, Vermont and Nebraska all had LOR lower than 13 days.

Colorado also had the highest increase, up 1.5 days, followed by Wyoming (+1.3) and New Mexico (+1.2). Only 13 other states, plus D.C., had LOR increases.

On the other end of the spectrum, Nebraska saw a decrease of 1.5 days, followed by Louisiana (-1.3) and Montana (-1.2). Eight additional states had decreases greater than one half day, with Wisconsin, California and Florida down 0.9 days each.

Non-Drivable

Non-drivable LOR in Q4 2023 was 24.7 days, a 2.4-day drop from Q4 2022. This is a significant reduction, as Q4 2022 s LOR of 27.1 days was an equally significant rise (+2.8) from Q4 2021, when non-drivable LOR was 24.3 days.

West Virginia had the highest nondrivable LOR at 32.1 days, a 0.6-day increase over Q4 2022. New Mexico followed at 29.9 days, with Colorado (29.7) and Washington (29.4) just

(410) 282-2432

(410) 285-1376 Fax

M-F 7-7, Sat. 8-5 smelson@bobbell com

MASSACHUSETTS

Boch Nissan

Norwood

781-619-7270

(781) 619-7280 Fax

M-F 7-5, Sat. 7-4 rlindner@boch com

Dartmouth Nissan

Dartmouth

508-996-3200

(508) 994-1997 Fax

M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@dartmouthnissan com

MASSACHUSETTS

Nissan 24 Brockton 508-513-1816

(508) 513-1858 Fax

M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@nissan24auto�com

Route 9 Nissan

West Westboro 508-389-4300 parts@route9nissanauto com

NEW JERSEY

Lynnes Nissan

Bloomfield

973-680-1234 (973) 429-3193 Fax

M-F 7:30-5, Sat. 7:30-2 csolis@lynnes com www lynnesnissan com

NEW YORK

Rockland Nissan

Blauvelt

845-358-3670

(845) 358-6049 Fax

M-F 7:30-5:30, Sat. 8-4 ldesir@rocklandnissan com www rocklandnissan com

RHODE ISLAND

Stateline Nissan

East Providence

401-572-3445

(401) 572-3665 Fax

M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@statelinenissanauto com

Iowa had the lowest non-drivable LOR at 21.2 days, just under Nebraska at 21.3 days. New York (21.8) and Virginia (21.9) were the other states under 22 days.

Vermont also saw LOR go up 0.6 days, with Hawaii seeing an increase of 0.1 days.

Every other state, plus D.C., had a year-over-year decrease, with the largest being Louisiana—down a massive 5.5 days from Q4 2022, which follows what was observed in Q3 2023, when Louisiana s nondrivable LOR declined 5.1 days. South Dakota (-4.3) and Arizona (-4.0) had the next-largest decreases.

In Q4 2022, 10 states had a nondrivable LOR greater than 30 days. There were another eight states with LOR greater than 29 days. These results were significant for those first-party customers with rental reimbursement policies, as the majority of those policies only allow 30 days coverage.

In Q4 2023, only West Virginia averaged more than 30 days, with New Mexico, Colorado and Washington above 29 days.

Shops also may be processing more work more quickly as they gain the ability to do more ADAS

new-car dealers, who also are often swamped with work,” Yoswick said. “The quarterly ‘Who Pays for What?’ surveys we conduct with Mike Anderson of Collision Advice offer evidence of this change over time.

“In 2019, the surveys found that about 1 in 3 shops were sending virtually all of their calibration work to dealers; this past fall, just 12% of shops said they were still doing that,” he continued. “Third-party ADAS vendors have doubled their market share in that time, performing an estimated 40% of calibration work compared to 19% five years ago. The percentage of calibration work conducted in-house at shops also has increased from an estimated 24% in 2019 to 32% today.

Total Loss

LOR associated with total loss claims was 16.3 days in Q4 2023, a 1.9-day drop from Q4 2022. Total loss LOR in Q4 2021 was 17.6 days, so the current results are the lowest seen since before the pandemic.

Vermont had the highest total loss LOR at 20.2 days, with Wyoming, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine and Washington all 19 days or higher.

Florida, Missouri and North

Only six states—Vermont, Wyoming, Alaska, Maine, Oklahoma and Wisconsin—had total loss LOR increases in Q4 2023. All other states, plus D.C., saw decreases, with Hawaii s (-7.1 days) decrease almost double that of the nexthighest decreases in Tennessee and Oregon (both -3.8 days).

Summary

As the numbers show, the trend of “predictable” seasonal LOR continues; the LOR decrease is positive, and many repairers are finding ways to anticipate and operate in the new normal. However, challenging market conditions remain, and overall LOR remains significantly higher than it was prepandemic.

We see a slight decrease in the average number of parts ordered per repair as a result of a mild fourth quarter winter compared to last year s early and heavier winter,” Horn said. “Parts are still a major factor in length of rental, but the decreases appear to be a result of a milder winter. Now that we are seeing significant weather in Q1 2024, we can expect a corresponding increase in nondrives with increased number of parts per repair.

Other improvements may have been offset to some degree by

MASSACHUSETTS

Cityside Subaru

Belmont

(617) 826-5013 (617) 489-0733 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30

Long Automotive Group

Framingham (800) 982-2298 (508) 879-1212 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 tschube@longauto.com

Metrowest Subaru LLC

Natick

(888) 456-2200 (508) 745-2004 (508) 647-1539 Fax

Mon.-Sat. 7-9 parts@metrowestsubaru.com

continued parts challenges in Q4 2023,” Yoswick said. “In late 2022, a CRASH Network survey found that only about 1 in 4 shops said they were seeing more parts challenges than they had a year earlier---and 40% said they were seeing at least some improvement in parts availability. But [in December 2023], it was just the opposite. About 42% of the more than 300 responding shops were seeing increased parts issues— including almost 1 in 5 who said they were experiencing significantly more parts challenges compared to late 2022.

As always, Enterprise is committed to partnering with insurers, repairers and suppliers on all the issues impacting repair times and LOR. Through foundational support provided by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation, Enterprise is spearheading the Collision Engineering Program, designed to attract and develop entry-level talent to fill essential roles within the collision repair industry. Enterprise is thrilled to expand its longtime partnership with Ford Motor Company, through its philanthropic arm, the Ford Fund, to expand the program and help address this ongoing industry challenge.

For more information, visit www. beacollisionengineer.com.

’re

NEW JERSEY NEW

Belknap Subaru

Tilton (800) 358-4029 (603) 729-1300 (603) 729-1301 Fax

Mon., Wed., Fri. 7:30-5 Tue., Thu. 7:30-7; Sat. 9-3 awright@belknapsubaru.com

Liberty Subaru

Emerson

(888) 782-9493 (201) 261-3261 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6 parts@libertysubaru.com www.libertysubaru.com

Ciocca Subaru of Allentown Allentown

(844) 210-1314 (610) 395-6530 (610) 398-2066 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 subaruparts@cioccadealerships.com

Tesla Fan Drawing Imagines Reported Upcoming $25K EV

By Joey Klende Teslarati

Tesla’s rumored Redwood EV is now hitting the news cycle as a new report was released Jan. 24, indicating the car could make its way to market next year.

Naturally, the EV, which could potentially cost roughly $25,000 in hopes of reaching a lower price point to encourage more drivers to switch to a Tesla, has already been imagined in fan renders.

These renders were sent to Teslarati by Tine Rusc, who imagined the Redwood EV as a “Cyberhatch.” As the EV is being looked at as a compact crossover, this hatch-equipped EV seems to fit the bill as what Tesla could bring to market, and it would undoubtedly bring more space and cargo for owners.

Rusc drew inspiration from the Cybertruck, potentially somewhat of a template for this vehicle, according to CEO Elon Musk’s recent biography. Tesla could potentially design more than one vehicle based on the Cybertruck, including the $25,000 EV.

A fan of Musk, Rusc said it was easy to think of a car design that would fit what Tesla wants to bring to market.

The look he desired for this vehicle was an ode to the most brilliant minds in both automotive and science in the past 100 years.

Edison , Enzo Ferrari , Elon and similar, passionately push the limits of what’s deemed possible.”

“The company has always been a tremendous source of inspiration for me. I’ve closely followed Elon Musk’s interviews, learning a great deal and developing immense respect and admiration for him,” Rusc told Teslarati.

“These designs have to be not just special but slightly different, pushing the boundaries of excellence, possibly aiming to be the best in their class, if not the world. It’s a nod of appreciation to those who, like Nikola Tesla ,

A report from Reuters on Jan. 24 said Tesla has already started reaching out to suppliers to prepare for its affordable EV that would be built upon its nextgeneration platform.

Tesla plans to build about 10,000 units per week, according to the report, and production would begin around June 2025.

Tesla reportedly studied some affordable vehicles over the past few years to figure out where manufacturing could be simplified to reach low pricing.

The company is rumored to have torn apart a Honda Civic, a vehicle produced in a conventional way while being highly affordable and extremely popular.

It also could end up being the vehicle that leans into Tesla’s plans for a robotaxi fleet, which the automaker has hoped to develop for years.

Tesla fan Tine Rusc drew what he thinks the Tesla Redwood might look like based on what he read in a recent biography on Elon Musk.

MARYLAND

Audi Silver Spring Silver Spring

301.890.3015

800.288.6982

301.890.3748 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm wholesaless@mileone.com www.audisilverspring.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Audi Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury

888.751.7214

508.581.5880

508.845.1642 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm audiwholesaleparts@mcgovernauto.com

NEW JERSEY

Audi Meadowlands

North Bergen

201.408.2085

201.223.7842 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-2pm jpooler@bbmcc.com

Bell Audi Edison

732.396.9630

732.396.9090 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm

Sat 8am-4pm dmcsorley@bellaudi.com

Paul Miller Audi Parsippany

862.277.0009

973.575.5911 Fax M-F 8am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm www.paulmilleraudi.com Audiparts@paulmiller.com

NEW YORK

Audi Southampton Southampton

631.204.2565

Tue-Sat 8am-5pm parts@audisouthampton.com www.audisouthampton.com

Biener Audi

Great Neck

516.487.0127

516.829.4821 Fax

M-F 8am-4:30pm Sat 8am-4pm www.bieneraudi.com alutchman@biener.com rfeyjoo@biener.com parts@biener.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Audi Devon Devon

610.263.7026

610.263.7027

610.688.1742 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 9am-4pm www.audidevon.com bnawn@audidevon.com wmohler@audidevon.com

Regardless of the age of your customer’s Audi, Audi dealers have access to over 200,000 part numbers and are supported by a nationwide network of distribution centers to help ensure non-stocked parts are delivered the next day.

Vehicle Dependability Declines in 3-Year Ownership

Owners are finding their vehicles less reliable over three years of ownership, a recent study by J.D. Power revealed. The 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) showed an increase in problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), marking a concerning trend in long-term vehicle dependability.

The study, which spans 184 specific problem areas in nine major vehicle categories, found the industry average for problems has risen to 190 PP100, up from 186 PP100 in the previous year. This deterioration in dependability is surprising, given that J.D. Power’s VDS model results typically mirror those of the Initial Quality Study for the same model year.

“This can likely be attributed to the tumultuous time during which these vehicles were built, and owners are keeping their vehicles for much longer,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.

Infotainment systems have emerged as a significant source

of frustration for vehicle owners, with issues in this category nearly doubling those in the next-highest category, exterior. Connectivity problems with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with built-in voice recognition difficulties, are the most prevalent issues.

Additionally, the study highlights growing annoyance with driver assistance system alerts, which increase over time rather than becoming more familiar to the driver. This includes

alerts from features such as lane departure warning and forward collision warning.

Electrified vehicles, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), are reported to have more problems than their gas-powered and hybrid counterparts. BEVs, in particular, pose the most issues, with a significant number of owners having to replace tires within the first three years of ownership.

Despite the overall downturn in dependability, Toyota Motor Corporation stood out for its high number of segment awards, the most received by any automaker since 2017. Lexus, a Toyota brand, ranked highest overall in vehicle dependability for the second consecutive year.

The most improved brands in terms of reduced problems per 100 vehicles include Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota.

The 2024 study was based on responses from more than 30,000 original owners of 2021

RM, a leading brand of BASF, has introduced the RMC1000, a groundbreaking one-coat clear solution in the refinish paint market, offering time savings and potential revenue growth.

Unlike traditional 1.5-coat clears that require a flashoff time and a second coat, RMC1000’s advanced formula enables application in just one wet coat, followed by 30 minutes of drying at 140 F°. This method eliminates the need for a second coat and flash-off time.

The impact of this time efficiency is substantial. With RMC1000, body shop owners can save at least 10 minutes per job, translating to more than $500,000 in additional annual revenue.

Beyond revenue, RMC1000 also offers notable environmental benefits. Swapping a 1.5-coat clear with RMC1000 can result in significant energy saving — about $2,000 annually — and a reduction of 7,000 pounds in

Survey respondents reported nearly twice as many issues with their cars’ infotainment systems as in the nexthighest category, exterior. Image via Shutterstock.

CERTIFIED PARTS WHOLESALING DEALERS

The only parts that perform as great as they look. Give your customers the power to drive a vehicle you’re both proud of. These trusted Ford dealers below have the OEM parts you need. Place your order today.

CONNECTICUT

Hoffman Ford Lincoln EAST HARTFORD

860-282-0861

860-290-6336 Fax

Hours: M-F 7-5:30 Sat 7:30am-3:30pm fordparts@hoffmanauto.com

MARYLAND

Packer Norris Parts BALTIMORE

855-767-7278

410-574-8305

410-574-8389 Fax

Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 8-3 www.packernorrisparts.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Colonial Ford of Plymouth PLYMOUTH

888-754-3380

508-830-1650

508-830-1658 Fax

Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4 www.buycolonialford.com

NEW JERSEY

Malouf Ford Lincoln Mercury NORTH BRUNSWICK

800-959-6256

732-951-1429 Fax

Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 fordparts@malouf.com www.maloufparts.com

Nielsen Ford SUSSEX

973-702-4296

973-875-7016 Fax

Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-3:30 gbraden@nielsenford.com

NEW YORK

Biener Ford GREAT NECK

516-466-6406

516-407-3537 Fax

Hours: M-F 8-5 kshakur@bienerford.com www.bienerford.com

Schultz Ford Lincoln NANUET

845-623-5111

845-624-0075 Fax

Hours: M-F 7-12, 12:45-5:30; Sat 8-12 parts@schultzflm.com

PENNSYLVANIA

New Holland Ford NEW HOLLAND

800-367-3232

717-354-9633 Fax

Hours: M-F 7-5:30

410-841-2593

Parts

888-30-PARTS

Parts

551-777-5939 24 Hr Fax

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) unveiled a new grant program aimed at upgrading and standardizing state crash data systems across the U.S. Backed by up to $350 million in grants, the initiative is designed to facilitate full electronic data transfer to NHTSA, fostering more efficient intrastate data sharing and enhancing the precision, timeliness and accessibility of critical fatality data.

“These grants will mean more state data coming to NHTSA faster, which means we can put this information to good use in pursuing our shared safety goal – saving lives,” said Sophie Shulman, NHTSA’s deputy administrator. “State data tells us what’s happening on our roads and allows us to develop effective and responsive strategies, countermeasures, research, rulemakings and consumer education campaigns.”

The State Electronic Data Collection (SEDC) program,

fulfilling a mandate from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, invites applications from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Secretary of the Interior on behalf of Indian tribes. This widespread eligibility aims to ensure a comprehensive upgrade of crash data systems across the nation.

NHTSA’s approach involves awarding SEDC grants to states and territories that present a clear plan for modernizing and standardizing their data collection systems. Selected participants will be granted a five-year window to implement full electronic data transfers to NHTSA.

The application deadline is May 1, and NHTSA plans to distribute the grants by December. This new program aligns with President Joe Biden’s broader goals under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

415

West Virginia, South Dakota Introduce Bills Supporting ICE Vehicles

Lawmakers in both West Virginia and South Dakota have introduced legislation that would prevent any county or city in the state from limiting access to internal combustion engines (ICE) and related technology.

In West Virginia, the bill was introduced by Del. Gary Howell, R-87, who is also chairman emeritus of SEMA’s State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus. His bill

would prevent limiting access to engines powered by any particular source, not only fossil fuels.

In South Dakota, the bill awaits consideration by the House Local Government Committee.

West Virginia and South Dakota are the first two states to introduce this legislation in the 2024 state legislative sessions, but follows seven other states—Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina—that have previously passed similar legislation and resolutions.

SEMA supports both states’ bills, and believes those states’ residents, not the government, should be allowed to choose the type of vehicle technology that best serves them and their families.

SEMA enourages residents in West Virginia to send tell their representatives to support the bill by visiting p2a.co/fxqwxpn, and those in South Dakota to do so by visiting p2a.co/z3siWQ9.

When

customers need

repair parts, offer them the original equipment designed for their Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep , Ram or FIAT ® Brand vehicle – Mopar . Using aftermarket or salvage parts on their vehicles puts them at a higher collision risk and can influence the integrity and overall quality of their vehicle.

Order Hot Line: (855) 268-1207

Fax: (973) 875-9088

Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 8:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M.

23 Sussex, NJ 07461

Thur. 8:00 A.M.–8:00 P.M.

Sat. 8:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M.

The bills would prevent limiting access to internal combustion engines. Image via Shutterstock.

Original BMW Parts & Accessories.

Connecticut

BMW of Darien Darien

203-328-1325

203-978-0043 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm wholesale@bmwdarien.com

BMW of Waterbury Waterbury

844-895-6839

860-274-5471

860-274-0617 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-4pm John.musco@hoffmanauto.com

Maryland

BMW of Catonsville Catonsville

855-996-2906

410-818-2600 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm www.bmwofcatonsville.com

BMW of Silver Spring Silver Spring

301-890-3015

800-288-6982

301-890-3748 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm wholesaless@mileone.com www.bmwofsilverspring.com

New Hampshire

BMW of Stratham Stratham 800-989-5200

vfollansbee@group1auto.com www.bmwofstratham.com

New Jersey

BMW of Bloomfield Bloomfield 888-261-6471

973-748-8373

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4:30pm psantos@dchusa.com

BMW of Morristown Morristown

973-796-3145

973-796-3146 Fax M-F 8am-6pm wholesaleparts.bmw@openroad.com www.bmwofmorristown.com

BMW of Newton Newton

973-579-6020

973-579-6702 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm www.bmwnewton.com

Circle BMW Eatontown

732-440-1238

732-440-1239 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-3pm Wholesale@circlebmw.com www.circlebmw.com

Park Ave. BMW

South Hackensack 888-349-5168

201-291-2376 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm al@parkavebmw.com www.parkavebmw.com

New York

BMW of Bayside Bayside

516-304-3733

516-570-4268 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm bmwparts@bmwbayside.com www.bmwbayside.com

Competition BMW

St. James 631-724-3322

631-265-0501 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4:30pm asolla@competitionbmw.com www.competitionbmw.com

Habberstad BMW

Huntington Station

631-271-7488

631-271-7931 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm parts@habberstadbmw.com

Keeler BMW

Latham

877-553-3909

518-785-4197

518-785-4710 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-4pm

bmwparts@keeler.com www.keelerbmw.com

Pennsylvania

BMW of York York

717-849-6597

717-843-2948 Fax

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

applebmwparts@appleauto1.com www.applebmwofyork.com

Rhode Island

BMW of Newport Middletown

401-847-9600

401-841-0680 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm gromani@metromotorgroup.com wwwbmwofnewport.com

IONNA, a joint venture among global automotive giants, has officially commenced its journey to create one of North America’s most extensive and powerful EV charging networks. Spearheaded by industry veteran Seth Cutler as CEO, IONNA is set to deploy at least 30,000 high-powered charging stations across the continent.

With the backing of seven of the world’s most influential automakers – BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis – IONNA’s initiative marks a pivotal moment in the push for widespread EV adoption.

“Our shared commitment to creating an extensive, highpowered charging network reflects our dedication to revolutionizing the entire EV charging experience,” said Cutler.

Under Cutler’s leadership, who boasts a distinguished career in electric mobility and infrastructure development, IONNA aims to elevate the customer charging

experience. The network promises accessibility to all EVs equipped with NACS or CCS connectors, offering an integrated, top-tier charging service. This includes providing amenities such as restrooms, food services and retail outlets at charging locations, ensuring customer comfort and convenience.

The charging stations will not only support long-distance EV travel, but also align with the sustainability goals of the participating automakers by

877-66-VOLVO

609-882-1515

I-CAR’s Collision Careers Launches Innovative Talent Drive

I-CAR’s Collision Careers unveiled a digital advertising campaign aimed at attracting new talent to fill an estimated 100,000 skilled technician vacancies. The initiative, “Bolt Ahead with Collision Careers,” features a series of dynamic videos intended to draw interest to the field.

“The launch of this first-ofits-kind campaign is a natural next step on the critical work I-CAR has undertaken through its Collision Careers program to attract talent to the industry and to illustrate the benefits of this stable, growing, innovative career journey,” said Dara Goroff, vice president of planning and industry talent programming.

Developed in partnership with ad agency Push 22, the campaign is set to run primarily on YouTube, targeting both students and their parents in key markets such as Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia. These areas were specifically chosen for their high demand for skilled technicians and their proximity

to leading collision repair educational programs.

The initiative not only aims to fill the current talent gap but also to establish a new way of marketing the collision repair industry to a younger audience.

social media.

Collision Careers plans to extend its reach later in the year by partnering with organizations and marketing leaders within the industry to co-create content and develop co-op advertising campaigns. This broader strategy is designed to further promote career opportunities within collision repair.

“We are taking a very current consumer marketing approach and applying it to an industry that has never approached positioning itself in this way to attract talent,” said Arianna Sherlock, senior director of marketing at I-CAR. The campaign seeks to engage Gen Z where they spend a significant amount of time—online and on

Launched in 2023 in collaboration with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) and the recipient of the 2023 SEMA Global Media Award, Collision Careers provides comprehensive resources for individuals considering a career in collision repair. This includes students, career changers, parents and school counselors. Through these efforts, I-CAR aims to unify the industry, align its initiatives, and effectively bridge the technician gap, ensuring a sustainable future for the field.

The Driven Brands collision group, which includes Abra, CARSTAR US, CARSTAR Canada and Fix Auto USA, announced it has raised more than $5 million for cystic fibrosis (CF) research, care and advocacy across North America.

The journey began more than 25 years ago when CARSTAR started fundraising in Canada, following a CF diagnosis within a franchise partner’s family. This personal connection galvanized the entire network, inspiring a widespread and sustained effort. The fundraising activities, ranging from car washes and golf tournaments to charity walks and garage sales, have collectively contributed to this achievement.

In recognition of this $5 million milestone, the U.S. collision network sponsored 10 families, providing holiday gifts to alleviate the seasonal stress on parents. The initiative resulted in more than $3,000 in donations, encompassing toys, clothing and essential household items. Meanwhile, in Canada, CARSTAR commemorated this achievement with a $5,000 donation to Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Credit: Shutterstock.

Maryland

Ourisman Chevrolet MARLOW HEIGHTS

800-358-7788

301-899-6990 Direct

301-899-9375 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - 4 pm wholesale@ourisman.com www.ourismanchevrolet.com

Ourisman Chevrolet of Rockville ROCKVILLE

800-345-4640

301-424-5332 Local

301-294-6381 Fax

M-F 7 - 5:30

Massachusetts

Balise Chevrolet Buick GMC Business Elite

SPRINGFIELD

413-233-2185

413-733-8617 Fax

M-F 8 - 5 lvazquez@baliseauto.com

Boch Chevrolet NORWOOD

800-559-9210

781-762-9210

800-991-1009 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5 bchwholesale@boch.com

Long Cadillac SOUTHBOROUGH

508-820-9322

800-982-2258

508-879-1212 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5 tschube@longauto.com

Marty’s Buick GMC KINGSTON

800-870-7573

781-585-7570

781-585-2966 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5:30; Sat 8 - 4 brucem@martysbuickgmc.com

INSIST ON GM GENUINE PARTS

Massachusetts

Mastria Buick Cadillac GMC RAYNHAM

888-572-1045

508-822-4074 Fax

M-Th 7:30 - 7:30; F 7:30 - 6 Sat 7:30 - 5

wholesale@mastria.com

New Jersey

Barlow Chevrolet

DELRAN

800-220-1452

856-461-8417

856-764-1498 Fax

M-F 7 - 6; Sat 8 - 4 pseay@barlowautogroup.com

Cadillac of Mahwah MAHWAH

201-579-6497

201-579-6506 Fax

M-F 7 - 5

Malouf Buick GMC NORTH BRUNSWICK

800-669-6256

732-821-5410

732-821-7549 Fax

M-F 8 - 4:30; Sat 8 - 12 kreimann@malouf.com

Malouf Chevrolet Cadillac

NORTH BRUNSWICK

800-769-6256

732-821-1517 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5 kdiperi@malouf.com

Nielsen Chevrolet DOVER

973-366-1730

973-366-5867 Fax

M-F 7 - 4:30; Sat 8 - 4:30 parts@nielsenchevy.com

New Jersey

Open Road Cadillac FLORHAM PARK

973-845-3014

973-538-6978 Fax

M-F 7 - 5

Christopher.salgado@openroad.com

Open Road Chevrolet UNION

800-981-9451

908-686-2727

908-687-4267 Fax

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8 - 4

Christopher.salgado@openroad.com

New York

DePaula Chevrolet ALBANY

800-727-8357

518-489-0184 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 6; Sat 8 - 5 parts@depaula.com

East Syracuse Chevy EAST SYRACUSE

315-437-5464

315-437-0878 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5; Sat 8 - 3 partsdept@esyrchevy.com

Healey Brothers Chevrolet POUGHKEEPSIE

845-220-9200

845-220-9201 Fax

M-F 8 - 5 www.healeychevrolet.com

New York

West Herr Chevrolet ORCHARD PARK

716-662-7707

716-688-5519 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5; Sat 8 - 4 sgraham@westherr.com

Pennsylvania

Blaise Alexander Chevrolet GREENCASTLE

717-597-2131

717-597-6932 Fax

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8-2 jsnyder@blaisealexander.com

Tom Hesser Chevrolet SCRANTON

800-435-9586

570-558-3677

570-342-8645 Fax

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8 - 2 mhanson@tomhesser.com

Self-Driving Cars’ High Accident Rate Sparks Concern

Statistics showing self-driving cars are involved in significantly more accidents per mile driven than their human-operated counterparts is contributing to deep-seated concerns and skepticism among Americans towards the burgeoning technology, Forbes Advisor reported.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), selfdriving vehicles are involved in 9.1 crashes per million vehicle miles driven, more than double the 4.2 crashes involving conventional vehicles.

This high accident rate is a key factor behind the 93% of Americans who harbor concerns about self-driving cars, with safety and technology malfunctions being the primary worries, according to a study conducted by Forbes Advisor and OnePoll, which surveyed 2,000 Americans.

The survey also revealed a significant lack of trust in autonomous vehicles, with 81% of respondents admitting

they have never been in a selfdriving car. Moreover, 61% of Americans stated they wouldn’t trust a self-driving car with the safety of their loved ones or

62% of consumers have lost confidence in Tesla.

Despite the challenges, 30% of Americans surveys expressed excitement about the future of self-driving vehicles. Potential benefits cited include enhanced mobility for the elderly and people with disabilities, increased efficiency in transportation logistics, and the possibility of multitasking while driving.

Safety and technology malfunctions were the primary worries among survey respondents. Image via Shutterstock.

children, and more than half (51%) are somewhat or very unlikely to own or use a selfdriving vehicle within the next five years.

Tesla, a company often associated with leading the charge in autonomous driving, has not been immune to these concerns. Following a series of safety and technology recalls,

However, the road to widespread adoption of self-driving technology appears long and winding. McKinsey & Co predicts that by 2030, only 12% of new passenger vehicles will be sold with advanced autodrive technologies, a figure expected to rise to 37% by 2035. High costs and consumer reluctance to pay a premium for self-driving capabilities are likely to slow adoption, with only 29% of consumers willing to pay extra for these vehicles.

Empire, TechForce Foundation Offer Scholarship

Empire Auto Parts, a distributor of aftermarket collision parts for auto repair shops, announced the creation of the Empire Auto Parts Scholarship Fund.

Initially, each year the fund will award two $2,000 scholarships to two students enrolled in a post-secondary school collision repair program in an underserved community within Empire’s geographic market. The scholarship fund has been created as part of Empire’s celebration of Black History Month and will be administered by the TechForce Foundation.

In total, TechForce Foundation will be awarding $4 million in scholarships in 2024. To learn more about TechForce Foundation and apply for scholarship opportunities, visit https://techforce.org/ourwork/#scholarships.

The scholarships are part of a larger, multi-year financial commitment Empire has made in support of TechForce Foundation’s mission to champion students to and through their education into technical careers, including developing the next wave of collision industry professionals.

Co-President & Publisher

Nathan Gregory

Co-President & Publisher

Paul Stepanek

Editor

Abby Andrews

Contributing Writers

Mike Anderson, Stacey Phillips, Cole Strandberg, John Yoswick

Advertising Sales

Joe Momber, Norman Morano, Steve Sklenar

Office Manager

Kelly Cashman

Digital Marketing Manager

Bryan Malinski

Art Director

Rodolfo Garcia

Senior Designer

Vicki Sitarz

Accounting & HR Manager

Heather Priddy

Permissions Editor

Randi Scholtes

Serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont 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.

©2024 Autobody News, LLC.

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

www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

Mitchell 1 Offers Scholarship

Mitchell 1 has opened applications for its annual Automotive Technology Scholarship, which includes a $2,500 award, an additional $500 check and roundtrip airfare and accommodations for the recipient and a guest to attend the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) conference, July 22-25 in Indianapolis, IN.

Eligibility is limited to U.S. and Canadian citizens who are either high school seniors enrolled in auto shop repair courses or current college students majoring in automotive

technology. Applicants must have a nomination from their NACAT instructor, maintain a minimum overall 3.0 grade point average, and plan to attend or be already enrolled in an accredited college or university. By applying through the Automotive Aftermarket Scholarship Central website at www. AutomotiveScholarships.com, students not only apply for the Mitchell 1 scholarship but are also considered for multiple other scholarships for which they may be eligible. The deadline is March 31.

DELAWARE

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington Wilmington

302-995-5030

302-995-5033 Fax

M-F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 2pm parts@mbofwilmington.com www.mbofwilmington.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Mercedes-Benz of Burlington Burlington

833-768-5924

617-275-2182 Direct 781-229-1600 Main

M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm parts@mbob.com www.mbob.com

Mercedes-Benz of Hanover Hanover

781-924-4210

M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm mbhanoverparts@gp1auto.com

Smith Motor Sales of Haverhill, Inc Haverhill

877-764-8462 Direct

877-SMITH MB

978-702-5020 Fax M-F 8am-5pm

PA RT S

NEW YORK

Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge Goldens Bridge

914-232-8146

914-232-4770 Fax

M-F 8am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 2pm achristiano@mercedesbenzgb.com www.mercedesbenzgb.com

Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown St. James 631-265-5339

631-265-8146 Fax

M-F 8am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4:30pm mlevantino@mbofsmithtown.com www.mbofsmithtown.com

NEW JERSEY

Mercedes-Benz Atlantic City Pleasantville

609-645-9310

609-272-1535 Fax

M-F 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 4pm bmorey@mbofatlanticcity.com

Mercedes-Benz of Newton Newton

800-842-0557

888-302-2369

973-383-1284 Fax

M-F 8am - 5pm realmercedesparts@mbofnewton.com

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus Paramus

888-30-PARTS

201-265-7808

201-483-2782 Fax

M-Th 7:30am - 7:30pm F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 5pm parts@prestigemb.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington Fort Washington

267-419-1414

201-765-9760 Fax

M-F 7:30am - 6pm Sat 7:30am - 5pm mbpartswholesale@yourmercedes.com

Mercedes-Benz of West Chester West Chester

484-313-1110

484-313-1002 Fax

M-F 7:30am - 6pm Sat 7:30am - 5pm parts@mbofwestchester.com

Viti Mercedes-Benz Tiverton

800-544-5580

401-624-6181

401-624-4817 Fax

M-F 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 5pm eric@viti.com www.viti.com

RHODE ISLAND

»

»

CRN shops.

Here is an example of a $2,250 estimate/order:

OEM Parts Share: 89% Total Earnings: $51

Once a shop gets above 90% share, rebates increase quickly. In this example, by purchasing only $150 more OEM parts, the rebate jumps up $50.

OEM Parts Share: 100% Total Earnings: $101

» New enrollments made between February 1 and April 30, 2024 are eligible*.

» After your enrollment date, purchase a minimum of $1,500 of OEM parts from an authorized Nissan and/or INFINITI dealer in 2 of the following 3 months after you enroll.

» Achieve 65-100% OEM market share per order.

» Fulfill all other requirements of Genuine Parts Direct Rebate Program*.