November 2023 Northeast Edition by Autobody News

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U.S. House Passes Bill To Prevent Internal Combustion Engine Bans The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, prohibiting the EPA from issuing a waiver to California for regulations that would ban the sale of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) in the state by 2035.

Environment and Public Works Committee. SEMA thanked Joyce for leading the fight to ensure Americans can choose the type of motor vehicle that best meets their needs. “The last thing my constituents want is another oppressive Biden

42 YEARS

Vol. 14 / Issue 8 / November 2023

REGIONAL NEWS

Auto Service Groups Object To New CT Rule Requiring Repairers To Notify Customers of Recalls Five automotive service industry groups sent a letter to Connecticut DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera, asking for clarity on his intended implementation of a new rule that would require independent repair shops to provide customers with written notice of open recalls on their vehicles before doing any work. The groups said the new rule, which went into effect Oct. 1, “could impose burdensome and potentially anti-competitive requirements upon automotive aftermarket service and repair facility operators in the state of Connecticut,” considering it does not apply to dealership service centers. The new section, added to Public Act. No. 23-40, requires repair shops

that change a vehicle’s oil or tires and tubes to determine if it is subject to an open recall, and if so, provide the owner of the vehicle with written notice of each open recall at the time of the repair. The implementation does not appear to impose the same obligation on dealerships. Also, it imposes unnecessary burdens on shops, the environment and vehicle owners. “We are concerned that this regulation poses a burden on aftermarket service and repair facility operators in Connecticut without helping consumers in a meaningful way,” said Lisa Foshee, senior vice president, government affairs and general counsel, Auto Care l CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

REGIONAL NEWS

Maine Car Repair Shops Back State Right to Repair Question The SEMA-supported legislation was introduced by U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-PA, and passed with bipartisan support—222 to 190, with eight Democrats joining their Republican colleagues. U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-OK, co-chair of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, introduced a Senate companion bill. The House and Senate versions of the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act now await consideration in the Senate

Administration mandate that puts a radical environmental agenda and far-left special interests above their individual freedoms,” said Joyce. “There is nothing more quintessentially American than the freedom of the open road, and I’m grateful to my colleagues for supporting this important legislation protecting the freedom of all Americans to drive the vehicles of their choice.” House Energy and Commerce

By Emma Davis Maine Morning Star

Adam Stanley opened his auto repair shop, Stanley’s Auto Repair in Stacyville, ME, nine years ago. About four years in, he began noticing a change. Increasingly, he was losing access to the software he needed to repair vehicles. In recent years, he’s often had to direct his customers in Stacyville, a town in the foothills of Mount

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A Yes on Question 4 sign outside a Napa Auto Parts in Kennebunk, ME. Credit: Lauren McCauley/Maine Morning Star

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 20

Columnist Mike Anderson: Doing More Calibrations ‘In-House’ Often

Doesn’t Mean in Your Shop

Columnist Abby Andrews: ‘Going Green’ Can Be a Profitability Opportunity for Collision Repairers

Columnist Stacey Phillips: The Rivian Evolution Revolution

Columnist John Yoswick: CCC Breaks Down Rise in Total Cost of Repairs, Other Trends

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Contents

COLUMNISTS Mike Anderson Doing More Calibrations ‘In-House’ Often

REGIONAL NEWS Auto Service Groups Object to New CT Rule Requiring Repairers to Notify Customers of Recalls �� 1 Huge Sinkhole Devours Trio of Cadillacs at Massachusetts Dealer After Flooding �� 8 Maine Car Repair Shops Back State Right to Repair Question �� 1

Maine Legislator Opposes State’s Right to Repair Referendum �� 12 Rivian Opens Store in Brooklyn for Demo Drives, More ��9 Vermont Has Given 3,534 EV Rebates Since 2019 ��6 Western New York Entrepreneurs Named CARSTAR Franchisee of the Year ��4

ASE Education Foundation Board Chair Releases Message �� 34 ASE Fall Testing Registration Open �� 16

Awards �� 38 Is the Peak Price for Gas in the Rearview Mirror? �� 61 John Bean Updates Calibration Info �� 70

ASE Offers ADAS Specialist Certification ��8

Minivans Don’t Make the Grade When it Comes to Rear-Seat Safety �� 22

asTech Creates Instant Repair Recommendations �� 28

Mitchell Wins Award for Appraisal Review Solution �� 68

Auggie Calibrations Meet NHTSA Standards �� 29

New-Vehicle Prices Fell Further in September, Led by Price Cuts at Tesla � 44

Autel Releases ADAS Calibration Updates �� 46 Auto Parts Suppliers Brace for Effects of UAW Strike �� 40 Automakers Join Other Businesses to Ask for Federal Investment in Clean Aluminum �� 16 Average EV Prices Plummet as Oversupply Concerns Grow �� 52 BrightDrop Delivers First Electric Vans to Ryder for Rental Fleet �� 62 CAPA Integrates Tracker Into Mobile App �� 48 Car Ownership Now Costs Average U.S. Household Nearly $700 a Month �� 58 CCC Offers AI Solutions to Collision Repair Labor Shortages ��6 CCC, Google Enable Online Appointments �� 52 CIF Announces Repeat Annual Donors �� 64 Driven Brands Holds Inaugural Joint Collision Conference �� 50 Drivers Learn to Use Vehicle Safety Tech, But on Their Terms �� 60 Federal Rebates on ‘Clean’ Vehicles to Be Given at Purchase in 2024 �� 43 First Production Lucid Air Sapphires Roll Off Assembly Line �� 43 Fisker Expects to Ramp Deliveries to 300 Vehicles Per Day ��9 Honda’s First All-Electric SUV Set to Debut Early 2024 �� 42 Hunter Wins PTEN People’s Choice

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Abby Andrews ‘Going Green’ Can Be a Profitability Opportunity for Collision Repairers �� 26 Stacey Phillips The Rivian Evolution Revolution �� 10

John Yoswick ‘Most Influential Women’ Honorees Discuss Roads to Success Within Collision Repair Industry �� 24 CCC Breaks Down Rise in Total Cost of Repairs, Other Trends �� 14

Index of Advertisers

NATIONAL NEWS 2023 Hood Master, PiN Master Winners Announced �� 55

Doesn’t Mean in Your Shop �� 20

Cole Strandberg The Collision Vision(aries): 6 Months into Autobody News’ Podcast �� 30

NHTSA Investigating Failures in Engines in 710K Ford, Lincoln Trucks and SUVs 29 Owners of 3.3M Kia, Hyundai Vehicles Told to Park Outside Due to Fire Risk �� 46 Political Rivals Biden, Trump Enter into UAW Strike Discussion �� 49 PPG to Invest $2 Million to Train Workers �� 66 Rivian Offers Faster Delivery Option with Purchase from Inventory �� 67 SCRS Announces Focus of OEM Summit Session II �� 32 SEMA Show Exhibit to Highlight Future Vehicle Propulsion Technology ��4 Toyota Airbag Control Unit Settlement Reached �� 54 Traffic Fatalities Continued to Decline in First Half of Year �� 48 Trainer Says ‘Who Pays?’ Survey Data Shows Industry Needs to ‘Wake Up’ on Weld Testing �� 28 U.S. Auto Insurer Claim Payouts Soar Due to Increasing Inflation �� 39 U.S. House Passes Bill to Prevent Internal Combustion Engine Bans ��1 Widespread Autonomous Vehicle Adoption at Least a Decade Away �� 56 WIN Kicks Off Sponsorship Campaign 42 With More Choices, Brand Loyalty Slips among New-Vehicle Owners �� 38

UPDATED DAILY

Acme Nissan �� 31 Acura of Westchester �� 50 AirPro Diagnostics �� 13 Audi Devon �� 40 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers ��65 Auto Data Labels �� 23 Axalta Coating Systems �� 12 Biener Audi �� 43 Biener Ford �� 43 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers ��57 BodyShopJobs.com �� 19 BRAM Auto Group �� 25 Brown-Daub Kia �� 66 Cadillac of Mahwah �� 55 Car-O-Liner �� 2 Central Avenue CJDR �� 27 Certified Automotive Parts Association ��66 Cherry Hill Nissan �� 64 Circle BMW �� 26 Classifieds �� 70 Colonial Automotive Group ��35 Cool Boss A Division of BendPak Inc ��21 Courtesy Mitsubishi �� 62 CPS Products Inc �� 4 DePaula Chevrolet-Ford ��28 Dynabrade, Inc �� 72 Eastchester Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge ��30 Empire Auto Parts �� 30 Equalizer Auto Glass Tools ��34 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers ��59 Franklin Sussex Auto Mall ��61 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers ��53 Grieco Toyota �� 64 Guniwheel �� 9 Hoffman Auto Group �� 45 Honda-Acura Parts Dealers �� 36-37 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers ��68 Industrial Finishes and Systems �� 5 Infiniti of Norwood �� 62 Jaguar Land Rover Cherry Hill ��58 Kelly Jeep-Chrysler �� 32 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers ��63 Kia of Attleboro �� 62 Kundert Volvo �� 29 Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers ��54

Liberty Kia �� 44 Long Automotive Group �� 38 Lynnes Nissan �� 52 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers ��66 Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City ��17 Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington ��33 Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge ��40 Mercedes-Benz of Hanover ��18 Mercedes-Benz of Paramus ��49 Mercedes-Benz of West Chester ��17 Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington ��17 Mercedes-Benz Parts Dealers ��71 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers ��56 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers ��41 New Holland Ford �� 22 New Holland Toyota �� 66 Nielsen Ford �� 52 Nissan/Infiniti Parts Dealers ��61 NorthAmerican Bancard �� 8 Northstar Kia �� 46 Open Road Acura of East Brunswick ��64 Open Road Chevrolet �� 48 Ourisman Chevrolet �� 50 Ourisman Chevrolet-VW-Mazda of Rockville �� 47 Packer Norris Parts �� 51 Park Ave Acura �� 68 Piazza Volkswagen of Langhorne ��20 Polestar Princeton �� 14 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers ��67 PPG Industries �� 11 Prestige Lexus �� 42 Rafferty Subaru �� 66 Rockland Nissan �� 46 SATA Dan-Am Company �� 7 Schultz Ford �� 39 Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis ��68 Sorbothane, Inc. �� 24 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers ��67 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers ��60 Transtar Autobody Technologies, Inc ��15 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers ��69 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers ��60 Yatu Paints, USA �� 16 Yonkers Kia �� 54

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 3

Western New York Entrepreneurs Named CARSTAR Franchisee of the Year Jon Rowcroft and David Snell of the Rowcroft Group, two Western New York-area entrepreneurs, were honored as the CARSTAR Franchisee of the

such as using all vendors possible, attending the annual conference, commitment to the EDGE program, being image compliant, submitting reports on time online and delivering consistently high CSI for the month and quarterly periods. The award for 2023 went to a duo of owners tirelessly committed to finding engaging ways to keep the business moving forward. Rowcroft and Snell, who own CARSTAR Collision of Amherst, POW Collision CARSTAR and CARSTAR Eastern Hills, bring visionary leadership and nearly 2.5 decades of experience supporting the Pictured, left to right, are Scott Paul, Jon CARSTAR franchise network. Rowcroft, Sabrina Thring and Damien Reyna This ownership group does its part to connect with Year for 2023. the community, like supporting Franchisee of the Year is veterans with refurbished vehicles the highest award given in the as part of Progressive’s Keys CARSTAR system, representing the to Progress event. This level of best of the best that is CARSTAR. service also rings true for the This winner was chosen on criteria service provided to customers,

holding an average 4.65-star rating across their three locations based on nearly 800 satisfied customer reviews. From quality work to dedicated efforts both in and out of the store, this owner group truly is award worthy. “I had no idea that I actually deserved this award until after I received it and people came up to me and told me that they had attended meetings that I was at and said ‘I want to be like that store,’” said Rowcroft. “We just go to work every day and want to do the best work we can and do what’s right for our customers, the insurance company and for our family. Our employees are the lifeblood of our organization—you take care of your employees, and they take care of your customers, and everything falls into place. They are the reason all this happens.” The awards were presented at a gala held as part of the inaugural Driven Brands U.S. collision repair joint conference, Evolution 2023, Sept. 28-30 in Kissimmee, FL.

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U.S. House Passes Bill (E&C) Committee Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA, shepherded the bill through the committee in July. As chair of the E&C Committee, which has jurisdiction over automotive issues and the Clean Air Act, McMorris Rodgers has been a lead advocate for technology-neutral vehicle policies. “Seventeen other states have similar bans on internal combustion engines that would be triggered if EPA approves California’s request,” said McMorris Rodgers. “This affects 40% of the United States’ new vehicle market—and companies don’t customize cars for every state.” To date, 14 out of 17 CARB states have begun adopting regulations to follow the California zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) mandate. The existing ZEV regulations are so onerous that Stellantis has stopped shipping gas-powered Jeeps to dealers in those states and customers wanting gas-powered vehicles must place a special order. For more information on these efforts, visit sema.org/advocacy/icebans or contact tiffanyc@sema.org.

SEMA Show Exhibit To Highlight Future Vehicle Propulsion Technology The SEMA FutureTech Studio, a new exhibit at the 2023 SEMA Show, will give attendees at the world’s leading automotive trade show an opportunity to learn about what the future of vehicle propulsion may look like, SEMA announced Sept. 27. Located in Central Hall, the SEMA FutureTech Studio will be part of the new EV & Future Propulsion section that evolved from the popular SEMA Electrified exhibit at recent shows. “The automotive aftermarket has always been at the forefront of vehicle innovation and technology, and this new section will help showcase how our industry is leading the wayin the creation of new engine and fuel options,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “The FutureTech Studio is a visionary space designed to inspire and support innovation across all segments and vehicles.” Through various spotlights and showcases, the new immersive environment will feature parts and equipment that cater to the new technology, as well as vehicles that will highlight how

these are employed. The exhibit will also include a SEMA Education stage, named FutureTech LIVE, where industry leaders will discuss different propulsion technology, including EV, hybrid, hydrogen, alternative fuels and other advancements in technology. Additionally, the new EV & Future Propulsion area will include more than 15 exhibitor booths showcasing parts and tools that cater to this emerging technology and more than 75 vehicles will help highlight the future of automotive innovation. “The FutureTech Studio will help attendees understand what’s happening in the industry and how the industry is already pushing the creative envelope with new innovations, parts and services,” said Luis Morales, SEMA director of vehicle technology. “The EV & Future Propulsion section embodies our commitment to featuring the latest and future trends at the SEMA Show, and it is a testament to SEMA’s dedication to helping the community remain at the forefront of technological advancements.”

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Vermont Has Given 3,534 EV Rebates Since 2019 By Scott McClallen The Center Square

Vermont has given 3,534 electric vehicle rebates since 2019 across four programs. In 2012, the state had 180 registered electric vehicles. Through July, residents have registered 10,022, 55% of which are all-electric vehicles powered by a battery and 45% of which are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that can run on electricity and gasoline. The Vermont Legislature has authorized four vehicle incentive programs for income-qualified Vermonters. The plug-in electric vehicle incentive program, enacted in 2019, provides up to $5,000 to eligible Vermonters with higher incentive amounts for lower-income households toward buying a new electric vehicle. State incentives are available for new vehicle purchases or leases of eligible EVs with a base manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $50,000 or less. The program has provided 2,294 incentives, 1,526 all-electric vehicles, and 768 plug-in hybrid

electric vehicles. It has $17.1 million authorized in total to date with $8.4 million remaining from fiscal year 2023. A 2019 program called MileageSmart provides up to $5,000 or 25% toward buying a used vehicle that gets 40 miles per gallon or more. The program provides point-of-sale financial assistance through Vermont’s Community Action Agencies to income-eligible Vermonters. The program has issued 677 incentives, 367 hybrid electric vehicles, 172 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and 138 allelectric vehicles. It has $5.2 million authorized in total to date and $1.7 million remaining from fiscal year 2023. A Replace Your Ride program aims to retire vehicles 10-plus years old with an internal combustion engine. Launched in September of 2022, it provides up to $5,000 for income-eligible Vermonters who retire a high-polluting vehicle for an electric vehicle, bike, e-bike, electric motorcycle or shared mobility services. The program issued 47

incentives, 25 for new plug-in electric vehicles, 20 for used plug-in electric vehicles, and five for clean mobility cards. The program has $3.8 million authorized in total to date with $3 million remaining from fiscal years 2022 and 2023. The fourth program, launched in July 2022, provides a prepaid voucher of up to $800 to purchase an electric bicycle, e-cargo bike or adaptive e-bike, with incentives available only for households with lower incomes. In round one, Vermont issued 279 incentives, with 68% benefitting Vermonters at the lowest income levels. In round two, 237 vouchers were issued to households with lower incomes. Only $700 remains after two rounds of funding totaling $255,000. The average voucher issued totaled $533. Federal data as of 2022 says Vermont has 501,500 gasoline vehicles, 40,000 E85 vehicles, 17,800 hybrids, 6,400 biodiesel and 4,200 plug-in electric vehicles. The number of electric vehicles in the state increased by 2,520 vehicles or 34% over the past year,

according to Drive Electric Vermont. There are more than 95 unique models of plug-in cars registered in the state. The Nissan LEAF was the most popular all-electric model with 1,025 total registrations. Top sellers in the second quarter included the Toyota RAV4 Prime (103 added registrations), the Tesla Model Y (77), the Jeep Wrangler 4xe (48), the VW ID.4 (39), and the Nissan LEAF (38). There are now 360 locations with public charging for electric vehicles across the state.

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CCC Offers AI Solutions To Collision Repair Labor Shortages CCC Intelligent Solutions Inc. on Oct. 11 announced the introduction of Repair Cost Predictor and Mobile Jumpstart, two applications of its AI offering relief to a community hit particularly hard by national labor shortages. The new AI-powered solutions integrate into the repair process of CCC ONE® users, automating initial damage assessments and jumpstarting the estimating process. This helps experienced estimators—a shop’s valuable, yet scarce resource—remain focused on the most important tasks. Repair Cost Predictor uses AI to automate an initial damage assessment, instantly generating a repair cost prediction of damage for consumers, while Mobile Jumpstart uses AI to pre-populate an initial estimate from a user’s mobile phone. Both solutions save an estimator’s precious time by streamlining labor-intensive tasks, as well as delivering intelligent solutions that help create the best possible outcome for everyone involved in the repair process. “Our estimators are putting in long hours, struggling to keep up

with the daily demands placed on our shop,” said Michael Whittemore, owner of Flagstaff Collision Center in Flagstaff, AZ. “CCC’s new AI solutions have already made a real difference. Our estimators now have breathing room to focus on what truly matters—delivering exceptional service to our customers. Our customers that have used Repair Cost Predictor love how quickly they can get an idea of how much repairs may cost, empowering them to make informed decisions about what to do next.” Repair Cost Predictor, a feature of CCC Engage, applies AI to digital photos of vehicle damage submitted by consumers, generating a predicted range for the cost of repair in seconds. The tool helps inform consumers about the potential extent of damage to their vehicles so they can determine next steps, including if they want to file a claim. It also allows them to schedule an appointment for a detailed estimate with their selected repair facility. “Our estimators have wanted the ability to start writing estimates

6 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

from their phone while at the car and Mobile Jumpstart lets them do just that,” Whittemore continued. “AI gets the estimate started and then we can document additional damage right at the car with the customer using CCC ONE Mobile.” Mobile Jumpstart, a feature of CCC ONE Estimating IQ, enables technicians to initiate the estimating process right at the vehicle using their smartphones. Advanced AI analyzes vehicle damage photos and pre-populates estimate lines using AI developed with millions of historical data points contained within CCC’s system. It also provides recommendations to repair, replace, or remove and install parts. Mobile Jumpstart empowers repairers to initiate estimates on the spot, sync work seamlessly and harness AI technology for more accurate estimates. “We’re bringing Repair Cost Predictor and Mobile Jumpstart forward at a time when repairers are being challenged by labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and growing vehicle complexity,” said Mark Fincher, vice president, product management, automotive

services at CCC Intelligent Solutions. “These tools will help repairers to meet the evolving demands of the industry, all while delivering exceptional service to consumers.” Both Repair Cost Predictor and Mobile Jumpstart are available to shops via CCC ONE, CCC’s cloudbased platform that improves every stage and level of the collision repair cycle, including the consumer experience. Added Fincher: “Repair Cost Predictor streamlines the consumer experience and creates opportunities for new business, all while allowing repair shop staff to focus on core tasks. Mobile Jumpstart enables technicians to initiate estimates on the spot, leveraging AI for more precise estimates and enhancing overall efficiency, benefiting both consumers and repairers.” CCC introduced its first AI solution for vehicle damage assessment in 2013 and has since developed more than 300 AI models, many of which are applied and widely adopted across a range of solutions. Learn more at cccis.com/ai.

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ASE Offers ADAS Specialist Certification

Huge Sinkhole Devours Trio of Cadillacs At Massachusetts Dealer After Flooding By Stephen Rivers CarScoops

Floods can be especially damaging for automobiles but something few ever expect is the ground to swallow up their car as a result. That’s exactly what happened with three Cadillac SUVs at a Massachusetts dealer after a flash flood. The incident is only one of many stories of damage from the natural disaster. On Sept. 11, a torrential downpour in Leominster, MA, caused damage to the extent that crews are still determining the total cost. That damage includes some to Durand Cadillac on Main Street. Water made its way into the dealership itself but it also removed a great deal of sediment underneath one corner of the property. When the ground gave way it did so with three Cadillac SUVs sitting on top of it. The cars fell partly into the 15-foot hole below. Retrieving the SUVs required specialized cranes that could

ASE’s ADAS Specialist Certification test (L4) recognizes proficient service professionals and helps shops optimize repair opportunities on ADAS-equipped vehicles by employing L4 certified technicians. ASE created the test to identify technicians who possess knowledge of the skills required to diagnose, service and calibrate ADAS. The L4 test covers content focused on the diagnosis, service and calibration of radar, camera, ultrasonic and other advanced driver assistance systems. Before taking the ASE ADAS Specialist test (L4), automotive service professionals must have passed either the Automobile Electrical/Electronic Systems (A6) or Collision Mechanical and Electrical Components (B5) test. An L4 study guide is available for individuals to help with test preparation. For more information and to register, visit www.ASE.com/ test-series.

lift each vehicle up and out of the earth. Combined, the three vehicles are likely worth nearly $200,000. According to CBSNews, the owners don’t have flood insurance and aren’t certain about the extent of the damage to the three vehicles. The sunken Cadillacs are far from the most damaged property in the wake of the flash flood. Many homes were pushed off of their foundations. Roads throughout the area were completely destroyed. Mayor Dean Mazzarella said, “It’s a miracle that we haven’t had any fatalities… we rescued so many people last night we don’t even have a total count.” In another incident, a couple moved their vehicle not long before another 15-foot sinkhole opened up where it had been. The area itself isn’t in a flood zone so the ultimate cost of the damage to the local residents could be lifealtering.

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Rivian Opens Store in Brooklyn For Demo Drives, More By Maria Merano Teslarati

On Sept. 22, Rivian officially opened the doors to its new retail store in Brooklyn, a few blocks from Domino Park and the Williamsburg Bridge. Rivian invited customers to visit its Brooklyn store to explore R1T and R1S options. “Think playground, not showroom. You’re welcome to jump in and on our vehicles,” Rivian said. Rivian’s new store does look like a playground for adults, especially if you’re into outdoor adventure. Besides the Rivian R1T all-electric pickup truck and the R1S electric SUV, customers can also purchase outdoor gear for their upcoming adventures. The company’s Brooklyn space is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Customers interested in purchasing an R1T or R1S may schedule a demo drive before they drop by the

shop. “Experience Specialists are on hand to answer any questions about Rivian vehicles and living with an EV, from how and where to plug into how to plan an EV road trip. Families and children are encouraged to come by and jump in (and on) our vehicles, which are built to explore,” Rivian told Teslarati. In April, Rivian announced R1T and R1S vehicles qualify for up to $3,750 in federal tax incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), as the R1 EVs’ batteries comply with the critical mineral sourcing requirement. It also reminded customers the EV tax incentives under the IRA have income and price restrictions.

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Fisker Expects To Ramp Deliveries To 300 Vehicles Per Day Fisker Inc. announced Sept. 26 it has built 5,000 Fisker Ocean SUVs and expects to ramp deliveries of the Ocean to 300 vehicle per day later this year.

“We want to thank our customers for their patience as we have refined our delivery processes,” Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker said. “As we complete the third quarter and move into the fourth, we are preparing to significantly increase our pace of deliveries in the U.S. and Europe. We are expanding both our teams and our physical

locations, and we are targeting deliveries of 300 vehicle per day to meet strong demand for the Fisker Ocean. I’m tremendously pleased that our company has geared up to achieve these milestones.” To date, Fisker has delivered more than 900 customer vehicles in its European and U.S. launch markets. Several hundred more are expected to be delivered the same week of the announcement. The $68,999 Fisker Ocean Extreme has a 113 kWh battery pack (106 kWh usable) and an EPA range of 360 miles on standard 20” wheels and tires, the longest range of any new electric SUV in its class. The all-electric SUV starts at $37,4992 for the Fisker Ocean Sport trim level in the U.S.

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The Rivian Evolution Revolution By Stacey Phillips Autobody News

Whether they are out on an adventure or part of an electrified fleet, Rivian vehicles are all designed with a common goal—to help preserve the world for future generations. Frank Phillips, Rivian’s former senior manager of the Certified Collision Network North America, shared information about the manufacturer’s adventure vehicles at the September CIECA CONNEX Conference in Bloomington, IL. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour the Rivian plant nearby in Normal, IL.

the things we have.” Prior to Rivian’s ownership, the plant was operated by Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA). Phillips said it was an industry-leading facility in the U.S. with more than 400 advanced robots. The plant closed in late 2015. “They were going to repurpose the property and it was an opportunity for us to refurbish the facility,” said Phillips. “That’s part of our culture and what we stand for. Our intent is to make sure that we keep the world adventurous forever and we become sustainable for our kids to enjoy that adventure as well.” Since purchasing the property for $16 million in 2017, Rivian has invested about $4.5 billion into refurbishing the plant. “It’s probably one of the brightest, cleanest looking facilities you will walk into,” said Phillips. “A tremendous amount of white paint has gone into getting where we are today.”

The Rivian plant is home to some of the largest robots in the manufacturing business to accommodate EV construction.

During his presentation, “The Rivian Evolution Revolution,” Phillips discussed what the OEM is doing differently to impact the collision industry, both as an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer and a certified collision program. Rivian was founded in 2009 by Robert “RJ” Scaringe, the company’s CEO. Scaringe named the company Rivian after the Indian River in Florida, where he grew up. Phillips said Scaringe, a graduate of MIT, was known by many as an ambitious young man who always wanted to own a car company and revolutionize the world with the vehicles he sold. Phillips recalls walking into the Rivian factory for the first time and seeing Scaringe on the catwalk. After introducing himself to Phillips and the other 10 people he was with, Scaringe recalled who they were based on information from their resumes. “At that time, we were about 4,000 employees and he was able to recall who we were,” said Phillips. “That’s the brain power he has.” Since then, Rivian has grown to include 14,000 employees, which include approximately 7,000 who work at the assembly plant. “When you think of when the company started and where it is today, it really is an evolution,” he said. “I think Rivian has taken on a revolution at the speed in which we’ve done some of

Following the CIECA CONNEX Conference, attendees had an opportunity to tour Rivian’s plant in Normal, IL.

The approximately 4 millionsquare-foot plant builds all Rivian models. Three vehicles, constructed of steel and aluminum, were launched in 2021: the R1T electric pickup truck, the R1S, a sevenpassenger SUV, and the Amazon electric delivery vehicle (EDV). Earlier this year, a smaller version of the EDV was launched. The company is producing a fifth product, a service van, an iteration of the EDV designed to travel to Rivian owners’ locations to take care of their service needs. Phillips said the plant is home to some of the largest robots in the manufacturing business to accommodate EV construction. The massive robots build pieces for Rivian’s EDV, which is 9.5 feet tall. The refinishing section was designed to be a cutting-edge facility. “There isn’t another one like it in automobile manufacturing,” said Phillips. With a focus on sustainability, Phillips explained each vehicle is painted off an individual packet so there isn’t a wash out of lines, compared to a traditional manufacturing facility that pumps

10 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

in paint. As a result, colors can be changed quickly as vehicles come through the paint shop. Rivian’s assembly line is similar. There are two lines, one for passenger vehicles and another for the EDV, so Rivian can interchange the R1S and the R1T. In addition, Rivian has created a recycling program to recondition its batteries.

The approximately 4 million-square-foot plant builds all Rivian models.

“Recycling is a great opportunity,” he said. “When an EV battery reaches its end of life, there’s still a tremendous amount of life and capability in that battery. It doesn’t just need to be thrown away.” EV Charging Infrastructure As the industry moves away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), Phillips foresees charging networks will help drive adoption rates across all EV product lines. “I absolutely love Rivians,” said Phillips, who owns an R1T and an R1S. “They’re fantastic vehicles, but I will confirm… I have charged at Electrify America chargers and others and have been very frustrated.” Phillips said the recent adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) chargers designed by Tesla will help address infrastructure challenges and lead to more rapidly available and reliable charging. “Manufacturers are working on solutions to deliver robust, highpowered charging locations nationally and each OEM has a branded strategy to address the gaps,” he added. Phillips talked about Rivian’s role in contributing to the charging infrastructure. As a new vehicle company, Phillips said the charging network is something leadership understood needed to be addressed to succeed. “The scope of our company ethos is to keep the world adventurous,” he noted. “When you take your Rivian out on the trail, we want to have a charging network there for you to access.” In addition to a wall charger and portable charger, Rivian is building the Rivian Adventure Network, a

comprehensive network of fastcharging sites, initially capable of adding up to 140 miles of range in 20 minutes to the R1T and R1S. Open to Rivian owners, the network is planned to grow to more than 3,500 fast chargers at over 600 sites across the U.S. and Canada. Rivian is also collaborating with Tesla to charge its vehicles at more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. and Canada with an NACS adapter. Although Phillips said the transition to EVs is an adventure, he encourages repairers and customers to stay positive while the charging infrastructure is implemented. Rivian Certified Collision Network When Phillips joined Rivian three years ago, he was tasked with creating a certified collision network across North America with Kelly Logan, Rivian’s director of collision. The first body shop was certified in August 2021; there are now 220 certified locations. They are comprised of four programs under the Rivian Certified Collision Network umbrella: Rivian Certified Collision Centers (RCCC) locations working on R1 products, Rivian Certified Fleet Center (RCFC) locations working on the commercial vans, RCDC locations offering calibration and diagnostics, and RCV locations, B2B partners working with Rivian on predelivery repair needs. The Rivian collision team is in the field recruiting shops and working with repairers to help them perform better. Each program is designed to address specific customer needs, which Phillips said allows the network to focus on vehicle specialization. “Flexible program offerings ensure a better customer experience by placing clients in the right locations to start,” he said. “Offering choice also adds appeal to the program by addressing program entry costs.” Phillips said one of Rivian’s unique features is the manufacturer’s certified diagnostic and calibration program, created to ensure a successful calibration and safe and proper repairs. “When you look at a Rivian, there are cameras and sensors everywhere so it is going to need calibration if it’s in an accident,” he said. Since Rivian opened its doors, Phillips said the company is happy with its progress. “The quality of the Rivian continues to ramp up and improve and they are a treasure to drive,” he said. “Our customers are saying the same.”

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Object To New CT Rule Association. “Auto manufacturers are responsible for the recalls and should be primarily responsible for providing notice to consumers about those recalls.” In addition to the Auto Care Association, the letter was signed by the Preventative Automotive Maintenance Association, the Tire Industry Association, the Service Station Dealers of America and Allied Trades and the Automotive Service Association.

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Maine Legislator Opposes State’s Right to Repair Referendum Maine State Rep. Tiffany Roberts wrote a commentary for the Portland Press Herald asking voters to oppose Question 4 on this November’s ballot, which will ask them whether or not the state should require automakers to provide remote access to vehicle data to independent repairers. “The right to repair should be protected,” Roberts wrote. “We shouldn’t have to open ourselves to security risks while doing so.” Roberts is a Democrat representing the state’s 149th district, and the House chair of the Legislature’s Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee. In February, the Maine Right to Repair coalition submitted more than 70,000 signatures supporting the referendum question, which will ask: Do you want to require vehicle manufacturers to standardize onboard diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair facilities? The signatures were certified

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and the question added to the ballot. In her commentary, Roberts said the question introduces “worrisome elements,” like an independent state government entity and a standardized platform that would allow remote access by third parties---which has never been seen before in the collision repair industry. “This raises significant cybersecurity concerns, as it creates an attractive target for criminals or hostile actors,” Roberts said. Roberts said in the case of a cybersecurity attack, Question 4 shifts liability from the automakers to the government entity and, ultimately, Maine citizens. “If vulnerabilities are exploited, leading to physical harm or financial loss, the state would bear the responsibility,” Robert said. “This contradicts the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s cybersecurity best practices, which emphasize that manufacturers should control access to vehicle systems.” Roberts said there has already

been “significant progress in the right-to-repair arena,” referencing the pact signed in July by a trade group representing automakers and two auto service organizations ensuring independent shops would have access to the same data as dealership service centers. “This agreement addresses many concerns raised by supporters of right to repair without the need for a referendum,” Roberts said. Further, a similar referendum question passed by Massachusetts voters in 2020 has been in litigation ever since, as the same automaker trade group immediately challenged it. “That is not what we need in Maine,” Roberts said. “In conclusion, Question 4 is a poorly written policy and the language alone may put the state right into litigation,” Roberts said.

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AirPro Diagnostics Offers the Most Cost-Effective, Tested and Proven Tools, Guaranteed to Reduce Cycle Time! Brand Specialists Make it Possible to Calibrate Most Makes and Models In-House As the popularity of ADAS-equipped vehicles continues to rise in the U.S., the proper repair and calibration of these vehicles presents cycle time challenges for independent collision repair facilities as well as all automotive repair sectors. Contrary to popular belief, calibrations can be performed in your shop even where space constraints are present with AirPro’s ADAS tools including the revolutionary Auggie device which meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards to ensure a complete and safe repair.

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In the second quarter of 2023, Enterprise reported the average length of rental (LOR), or repair cycle time, in the U.S. was 17.4 days. For reference, pre-pandemic LOR in Q1 2020 was 13.2 days. This represents over four (4.2) days difference. While supply constraints during the pandemic contributed to the increase in cycle time, they have lessened for the most part and availability is no longer the single contributor. The rapid acceleration of vehicle technology and unique vehicle network design by manufacturer is a major contributing factor in the other 4.2 days of cycle time. This results in increased rental car costs and declines in customer satisfaction. Further compounding this issue is the lack of qualified staffing across all sectors including body shops, dealerships and mechanical shops. The thought that any one technician in a shop with a simple scan tool can service 35 or so brands is unreasonable. AirPro’s on-demand Brand Specialists can efficiently service 97% of shop’s needs across all brands (except Tesla). Having ondemand Brand Specialists means when you submit for GM vehicle services at AirPro, for example, a GM Brand Specialist will service the vehicle, not a Toyota technician or vice versa. This is not to say that Toyotas are not complicated, but to point out there is complexity by manufacturer and only those experienced in servicing those vehicles should diagnose, program and calibrate them. After all, you wouldn’t send a GM vehicle to a Toyota dealer for service, right? AirPro Diagnostics’ services can reduce cycle time / LOR by at least two full days, guaranteed. In many cases even more!

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A collision repair facility always assumes all the liability for a repair, whether it was sublet to a dealer or a mobile vendor or if the services were performed in-house. AirPro Diagnostics is the only ADAS recalibration system on the market today that has an indemnification clause in its service contract with its customers. AirPro Diagnostics is the trusted global leader in remote scanning, diagnostics, ADAS calibration and programming services. AirPro’s Brand Specialist-driven solutions are guaranteed to reduce cycle time. AirPro offers repair facilities affordable, streamlined alternatives to tackling the logistical, financial and training demands of providing their own in-house ADAS technicians to tackle the unique requirements of multiple vehicle makes and models. The other option is subletting those services to dealerships or other vendors, where quality, cycle time, cost and profit is out of their hands. Remember, only AirPro Diagnostics can provide you with the Auggie device which meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Standards to ensure a complete and safe repair. To reduce cycle time contact AirPro Diagnostics today 904-717-1711 or visit: www.airprodiagnostics.com .

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CCC Breaks Down Rise in Total Cost of Repairs, Other Trends By John Yoswick Autobody News

CCC Intelligent Solutions offered a look at industry stats and trends as of mid-year during a recent webinar hosted by the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA). Bart Mazurek, vice president of consulting services for CCC, said vehicle miles traveled through the first five months of this year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, was running a bit ahead of 2022. “When we compare it to [prepandemic] 2019, it’s actually fairly similar except for the April timeframe,” Mazurek said, which means there’s been “a noticeable bump compared to last year.” More miles driven generally means some increase in vehicle accidents. And claims this year are, perhaps not surprisingly, involving a continued increase in the total cost of repairs. DRP claims in the first quarter of this year averaged $4,444, up $223 from the average for all of 2022. But that 5.3% increase is more in line with the increases seen in 2019 and 2020, and significantly smaller than the jumps in total cost of repairs in 2021 (10.6%) and 2022 (14.3%). While the increase should be good news for shops, the breakdown of those total costs may mean fewer dollars on the bottom line for collision repairers. In 2019 and 2020, according to CCC data, labor accounted for as much as 40.4% of total repair costs. That’s dropped by about two percentage points in 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, as parts and other costs—which generally have lower profit margins for shops— have increased as a percentage of the total costs of repairs.

Types of Parts Used Has Shifted The breakdown of those parts costs by parts type—new OEM, non-aftermarket, salvage—also has shifted, according to data reported by CCC. In 2020, non-OEM parts accounted for 18.4% of the total dollars, but that fell to as low as 15.6% in the first quarter of 2022. “That was because most aftermarket parts come from Asia, and supply chain issues certainly took effect,” Mazurek said. “So there was limited availability of aftermarket parts.” But that began rebounding in the second quarter of last year, reaching 19.2% in the first quarter of this year, “really right back to its historical

norms,” Mazurek said. He said he expects total cost of repairs to push closer to $5,000 in this half of 2023. That’s because repairs of newer vehicles are requiring more parts—about 16 per claim compared to about 12 for vehicles seven years or older.

current model year vehicles, the recent change is even more dramatic. “It’s really gone from 20% [of those claims] to 35% effectively in just in the last five or six quarters,” CCC’s Mazurek said. “I anticipate that as even more vehicles have ADAS capabilities built in,

The percentage of direct repair claims that include one or more scans has jumped 14% since the start of 2022, according to CCC Intelligent Solutions, with every age of vehicle seeing a steady increase

“It’s much more part intensive because today’s vehicles have so much more technology that either works [after an accident] or it doesn’t, so it’s not necessarily repairable and needs to be replaced,” Mazurek said. Claims on vehicles up to 3 years old are already averaging more than $5,000 compared to about $3,600 for the oldest vehicles repaired. About 37% of DRP claims last year were $4,000 or higher, up from just 26% in 2019. And the percentage of claims over $10,000 doubled from 4% to 8% between 2019 and 2022.

there’s going to be the need for additional calibrations, and multiple calibrations will just become that

much more common across the industry.” Labor rates have continued to increase, particularly for mechanical labor. CCC data show mechanical rates rising 11% in 2022, and 8.6% through the first half of 2023. Those are larger percentage increases than the year-over-year change in that period in rates for body and frame labor, which were generally in the 6% to 9% range. Turning to electric vehicle trends, Mazurek said about 295,000 new electric vehicles were purchased in the second quarter of this year, signaling the annual pace of EV sales will top the forecast for not just this year but next year as well. “It’s really outpaced everyone’s expectations,” he said. “So my expectation is that by the time we actually get to 2024, we will be significantly north of the [forecast] 1.2 million vehicle [annual sales] mark.” CCC data shows the average total cost of repairs for EVs in 2023 is running 38% higher when compared to non-EVs, with an average of 34.7 labor hours per appraisal, compared to 27.7 for non-EVs, and an average of 24.7 parts replaced, 10 more than non-EV claims.

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More Scans, Calibrations In other trends CCC is seeing, the percentage of direct repair claims that include one or more scans has jumped 14% since the start of 2022. About 73% of those claims this year have included a scan, up from 63% in the first quarter of 2022. Scanning fees on those claims in the first quarter of this year averaged $137 per claim—the national average including DRP and non-DRP claims was $141—with an average of 2.3 scanning line items per claim. Fees for calibrations averaged $401 and 1.4 line items for DRP claims in the first quarter of this year, with calibrations being listed on 16% of claims, up from 10% in the first quarter of 2022. Looking at DRP claims involving

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ASE Fall Testing Registration Open ASE’s fall registration period for testing and recertification is now open. Those registering by the Dec. 31 deadline will have 90 days to schedule an appointment to take their selected ASE tests. ASE offers three test-taking options. In-person testing is available for all tests and is held throughout the year on days, nights and weekends at more than 450 secured, proctored Prometric test centers. The ASE renewal app for recertification is available to those with unexpired automobile certifications (A1A9). ASE also offers ProProctor remote testing as an online recertification solution for all ASE recertifications tests, excluding L1 and L2 tests. To register, visit ASE.com by Dec. 31, click on register and sign in. Once logged in, users can click on “orders” and then “store.” For assistance from ASE customer service, call 800-3906789.

Automakers Join Other Businesses To Ask For Federal Investment in Clean Aluminum Ford, GM and Rivian, along with 11 more companies in a wide range of other industries, sent a letter Oct. 5 to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to encourage the investment of Inflation Reduction Act funds in modernizing the American aluminum industry. The letter was published on www. buycleanaluminum.com and in full page ads in five newspapers in New York, Missouri, Kentucky, South Carolina and Indiana, where the remaining six primary U.S. aluminum smelters are located. DOE officials are currently evaluating applications from those smelters to invest IRA dollars that will reduce emissions from manufacturing processes and power supplies. In a news release, Ford said aluminum is used in everyday food and beverage products, as well as “clean energy” products like solar panels, wind turbines, heat pumps, transmission lines, electric vehicles and more. Global demand for aluminum is set to increase nearly 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. Yet, in the past 18 months, the U.S. primary aluminum industry has been pushed “to the brink,” plagued by layoffs, curtailed production and

closures due in part to the volatile price of fossil fuels. Power supply accounts for 40% of U.S. smelters’ total production costs, and smelters in Kentucky and Indiana said high energy costs due to volatile fossil fuel prices necessitated curtailing operations last year. At the same time, the price of electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar has plummeted over the last decade. Rather than allow these smelters to become priced out, the federal government can secure low-cost electricity supplies in the short term while investing in long-term supplies of cheap, renewable energy. “As significant buyers of primary aluminum, we strongly support federal investments via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to ensure that the United States will be a leader in producing this critical material, which is essential to America’s economic growth,” the letter to the DOE said. “The IRA is poised to make the largest-ever investment in U.S. manufacturing, supercharging aluminum-dependent clean energy technologies” like wind and solar, which is forecasted to alone exceed all current aluminum consumption,

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the letter said. “In order to meet increased aluminum demand that will affect all our industries, the U.S. must invest heavily in supply,” the letter said. Investing in the U.S. aluminum industry will retain and create manufacturing jobs, help reduce emissions and grow and sustain the industry in the interest of national security, the letter said, urging the DOE to prioritize decarbonization of aluminum and the deployment of low-cost carbon-free energy the industry critically needs. “Ford is committed to achieving carbon neutrality across our vehicles, operations and supply chain no later than 2050, and sourcing domestically produced, lower-carbon primary aluminum is part of a host of actions we are taking that will help us meet our ambitious sustainability goals,” said Cynthia Williams, global director of sustainability, homologation and compliance at Ford, in a statement. “The Inflation Reduction Act presents a powerful opportunity for the Department of Energy to prioritize American-made, clean sources of aluminum, which will in turn make more sustainable options available to companies like Ford.”

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Right To Repair Question Katahdin, over an hour’s drive to Bangor or nearly three hours away to Portland to get their vehicles repaired. Stanley spends thousands of dollars on automotive software to be able to diagnose problems, but it’s not possible for him to replace the software in many vehicles. Often auto manufacturers claim their parts include proprietary technology, and if a third party repairs those parts they are violating their rights. “They’ve got a plan,” Stanley said of automakers, “and we’re not involved in it.” There has been a growing trend of legislation across the country aimed at providing consumers and independent repair companies with the ability to fix goods. Thirty-three states and Puerto Rico considered right-torepair legislation this year, which included the ability to fix electronics, appliances, wheelchairs and other gadgets. Bills passed in California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York and Massachusetts, though only the latter has a right-to-repair law specifically for automobiles.

Maine might be next, depending on how votes land on a ballot initiative in November’s election. Question 4 on the ballot asks, “Do you want to require vehicle manufacturers to standardize onboard diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair facilities?” If passed, it would require manufacturers of certain motor vehicles to standardize their diagnostic systems and make them accessible to both owners and independent repair facilities. Supporters say advancements in wireless diagnostic systems that directly relay information to manufacturers are cutting out independent car shops from work. Opponents say the information needed for repairs is already accessible and that standardizing access would open up vulnerability for hacking.

Challenges Faced by Repair Shops About a year ago, Stanley forged a partnership with the national chain Sullivan Tire and Auto Service in an attempt to fill the repair gap. Through the partnership, representatives from Sullivan Tire

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will come to Stanley’s shop to replace software which eliminates some trips to dealerships, although not all. “It works,” Stanley said, “but it’s inconvenient.” Customers often have to wait days to get appointments scheduled with Sullivan Tire, whose representatives have to drive more than an hour to Stanley’s. The partnership is also an added cost for the shop and ultimately the customer, Stanley said. Larger auto repair shop leaders throughout Maine have echoed Stanley’s challenges, including Tim Winkeler, president and CEO of VIP Tires & Service in Auburn, who helped head the initiative in Maine after the Auto Care Association reached out to a board he serves on looking to get right-to-repair legislation on another state ballot. Older car models have an OBDII port, an onboard computer that monitors data about the car to diagnose problems, Winkeler explained, and repair shops have long had issues getting complete information for repairs this way. “We just all kind of live with it because it doesn’t happen very often, but today, the reason we’re really fighting it much harder now, is because a lot of the newest cars and a lot of these EVs are now being

diagnosed remotely,” Winkeler said. According to the Maine Automotive Right to Repair Committee, which is behind the initiative, more than 90% of new cars transmit real-time diagnostic and repair information wirelessly only to vehicle manufacturers. Question 4 would require automakers to set up a secure access portal online, where the owner of a vehicle can grant access to data in order to diagnose and repair their car, Winkeler said. As of Oct. 11, the committee has spent $1,938,942.03 to support the ballot question. The only other supporting funds have been $17.49 from The James Phinney Baxter Campaign Fund. On the other hand, Automakers and Repairers for Vehicle Repair Choice, whose top donor is a lobby group representing automotive manufacturers, the Washington, D.C.-based Alliance for Automotive Innovation, has spent $100,504.00 in opposition.

Questions about Necessity, Security Concerns A nationwide agreement a decade ago guaranteed owners and mechanics access to the same information provided to auto dealers, Wayne Weikel, vice president of state

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affairs for the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents the auto industry in the U.S., testified during the last legislative session in opposition to a right-to-repair bill. Weikel pointed to a website automakers created to pool repair information and called the bill behind Question 4 “misleadingly framed as necessary to ensure independent repairers have the information needed to service modern vehicles.” In 2014, two associations that represent automakers and two groups that represent independent shops entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, under which automakers agreed to standardize diagnostic tools to work on all vehicles, starting with 2018 models. The MOU essentially required the entire country to follow a law Massachusetts voters passed in 2012 making diagnostic information available to independent shops and dealers. The MOU did not resolve all issues at the time, Winkeler said. It was not a law, so there was no clear basis for filing complaints, he explained. Many of today’s car companies, particularly in the electric vehicle space, were not included in the agreement. The MOU also did not include access to a vehicle’s telematics

data, meaning information generated on a vehicle and transmitted elsewhere through an automaker’s network. This technology has become a sticking point in recent court battles over Massachusetts’ right to repair law. After 75% of Massachusetts voters approved an expansion of the law in 2020 to include telematics, an organization of carmakers called the Alliance for Automotive Innovation filed a lawsuit to block it. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initially said the telematics expansion would violate cybersecurity protections in the Federal Vehicle Safety Act. However, the agency concluded in August that the law could be implemented so long as manufacturers grant car owners and independent repair shops telematic data via wireless access “from within close physical distance to the vehicle,” reducing the risk of malicious actors, reported WBUR, the local National Public Radio affiliate. In opposition to the initiative in Maine, State Rep. Tiffany Roberts, D- North and South Berwick, who is in her second term as House chair of the Legislature’s Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, similarly focused on

digital security. In a recent opinion piece for the Portland Press Herald, Roberts said the standardized access platform would allow for remote access by third parties. “This raises significant cybersecurity concerns,” Roberts wrote, “as it creates an attractive target for criminals or hostile actors.” If Maine’s ballot initiative passes, Stanley questioned whether the state would be able to force the hand of manufacturers, particularly given that similar legislation in Massachusetts has been rolled back. There is nothing unique to Maine repair shops that drove the initiative, Winkeler said, adding that ultimately, as an industry, the goal is to pass federal legislation. A repair act is currently being considered by Congress.

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Mike Anderson — From the Desk of Mike Anderson

Doing More Calibrations ‘In-House’ Often Doesn’t Mean in Your Shop I’ve been a proponent—here in this column and elsewhere—in collision repair businesses working to conduct more ADAS calibration, resets and reprogramming in-house. One of the members of my Spartans groups recently told me he had some concerns about that view, and he had some valid points I thought were worth addressing here. Let me start by saying I still believe shops should do more of their ADAS work themselves, for several reasons. Clearly, it’s a potential—and growing—profit center. But more importantly, it gives you more control over the process. It can reduce cycle time issues caused when work is sublet. And most importantly, it better ensures the work is being done properly—for the safety of your customers and to reduce your shop’s liability. That said, Andy Tylka pointed out there are some real challenges to bringing more ADAS “in-house” I didn’t fully spell out. Andy owns multiple body shops in the Midwest, is the current treasurer on the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ board of directors, and is co-owner of Midwest ADAS, stand-alone calibration centers serving body shops in Indiana and Illinois. Andy’s concern with my position about bringing ADAS in-house is it’s just not something many—if not most—shops have the facility to do under the same roof in which they are performing collision repair and refinishing. And he’s right about that. So let me clarify what I’m saying. First, bringing ADAS work in-house involves so much more than just buying some equipment. You need to get the training required, for example. Some automakers, like Toyota/Lexus, offer hands-on technician training in ADAS work. I-CAR is offering training as well. But the key is you can’t just think you can just take somebody off the street and start doing this work without the right training. Second, you need to have the right equipment. To the best of my knowledge, no automakers, other than Lucid and Rivian, have approved any aftermarket solutions for calibrations. So until that happens, until the OEM engineers have signed off on an aftermarket solution, I stand by my position that you need to be using factory scan tools, targets and

equipment for all ADAS work. The precision this work requires makes that an absolute must. Third—and this was one of the key points Andy pointed out I failed to mention—is you have to have the right space and environmental conditions within your facility to do this work accurately. Most existing body shops just don’t, which limits their ability to bring this work “in-house.”

An ADAS Midwest calibration center has the space, level floor, consistent lighting and other requirements to perform ADAS calibration work properly

All of the automakers, for example, spell out their space requirements for ADAS calibrations. While it varies, you generally will need a minimum between 2,000 and 4,000 square feet of space. That’s space with no obstacles—columns or poles, or even toolboxes. Some shops think they can re-engineer the calibrations to offset or compensate for their space. “I only need this much space on the left rear of the car because I’m only doing a blind spot monitor calibration in the left rear.” That’s not accurate. You have to have the specified space on all sides of the vehicle to do consistent, accurate ADAS work. The floor has to been precisely level; if there’s a drain in the floor, that’s generally an indication that floor will not be level enough for accurate ADAS calibration work. Again, what qualifies as a “level enough” floor varies by automaker, but they all provide those specifications. A slope of even just a couple millimeters beyond the specification can have a tenfold impact on that calibration. Very few existing body shops have a level enough floor for calibration work. Controlled, consistent and dimmable lighting is equally important. If your shop has skylights or windows or overhead doors open during calibrations, all those variances in lighting can impact the accuracy of

20 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

ADAS work. The presence of metal, the glare of the floor or anything hanging on the walls also can impact calibrations. Given all this, I want to clarify that when I say shops should be working toward bringing more of this work “in-house,” that generally doesn’t mean trying to do it in their existing shop. The clients of ours I see doing this most successfully are developing other facilities specifically for this work, sometimes as separate businesses from their shop—dedicated buildings, employees, equipment and training for this work. As I said, the key upside for doing this is ensuring the work is being done correctly. With no offense to dealerships, many of them are not doing correctly the calibration work body shops are subletting to them— often because they don’t have the space and environmental conditions needed. Andy shared with me one such story. “We had an educational session

at one of our facilities right after we opened it, and we had more than a dozen adjusters there from three insurance companies, along with representatives from other shops, dealerships and even an automaker there,” Andy told me. “That morning we had received a vehicle that had been calibrated elsewhere. We checked it, and the automatic emergency braking was off by twoor three-and-a-half degrees. This was a car that had been returned to the customer as calibrated. The car wasn’t telling the customer there were any issues with it. But the radar was off by several degrees and pointed up in the air. So we had a perfect example of why this work needs to be done right, in the right facility.” I want to thank Andy for pointing out that when I say shops should be doing more of this work themselves, I need to clarify that doesn’t necessarily mean “in-house.” They have to be able to do it with the precision needed to do it correctly.

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Minivans Don’t Make the Grade When It Comes To Rear-Seat Safety Popular with parents, minivans ought to boast the safest secondrow seating on the market. Instead, they’re lagging behind. None of the four minivans tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earned an acceptable or good rating in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, which now emphasizes back seat safety. The Chrysler Pacifica, Kia Carnival and Toyota Sienna are rated marginal, while the Honda Odyssey is rated poor. All but the Sienna also lack seat belt reminders for the secondrow seats, as IIHS highlighted in February. “Back seat safety is important for all vehicles, but it’s especially vital for those, like minivans, that customers are choosing specifically to transport their families,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “It’s disappointing that automakers haven’t acted faster to apply the best available technology to the second row in this vehicle class.” IIHS launched the updated moderate overlap front test last year after research showed that

in newer vehicles the risk of a fatal injury is now higher for belted occupants in the second row than for those in front. This is not because the second row has become less safe. Rather, the front seat has become safer because of improved airbags and advanced seat belts that are rarely available in back. Even with these developments, the back seat remains the safest place for children, who can be injured by an inflating front airbag, and the rating does not apply to children secured properly in child safety seats. In the updated test, a second dummy is positioned in the second row behind the driver. The driver dummy is the size of an average adult man. The rear dummy is the size of a small woman or 12-yearold child. IIHS researchers also developed new metrics that focus on the injuries most frequently seen in back seat passengers. For a vehicle to earn a good rating, there can’t be an excessive risk of injury to the head, neck, chest or thigh, as recorded by the secondrow dummy. The dummy should

remain correctly positioned during the crash without “submarining,” or sliding forward beneath the lap belt, which increases the risk of abdominal injuries. The head should also remain a safe distance from the front seatback and the rest of the vehicle interior, and the shoulder belt should remain on the shoulder, where it is most effective. A pressure sensor on the rear dummy’s torso is used to check the shoulder belt position during the crash. As in the original test, the structure of the occupant compartment must maintain adequate survival space for the driver, and measurements taken from the driver dummy shouldn’t show an excessive risk of injuries. All four minivans provide good protection in the front seat. But each is plagued by multiple issues when it comes to the second row. “The restraint systems in all four vehicles leave the secondrow occupant vulnerable to chest injuries, either because of excessive belt forces or poor belt positioning,” said Jessica Jermakian, IIHS vice president

of vehicle research. “That’s concerning, because those injuries can be life-threatening.” Of the four vehicles, only the marginal-rated Sienna is equipped with belt pretensioners and force limiters, technologies designed to reduce belt forces. However, the rear dummy submarined beneath the lap belt and the shoulder belt migrated off the shoulder toward the dummy’s neck during the test. In the two other marginal vehicles, the Carnival and Pacifica, the seat belt exerted too much force on the dummy’s chest. The side curtain airbag of the Pacifica also did not deploy during the test. The forces on the rear dummy’s neck were within reasonable limits in the Pacifica and Sienna but substantially higher in the Carnival, increasing the chances of a head or neck injury. In the poor-rated Odyssey, the forces on the head and neck were higher still, and the crash video demonstrated the rear seat belt allowed the dummy’s head to come too close to the front seatback, which also increases the risk of head injuries.

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‘Most Influential Women’ Honorees Discuss Roads To Success Within Collision Repair Industry By John Yoswick Autobody News

The six women speaking during a Women’s Industry Network (WIN) webinar this fall have very different roles within the industry: a sales manager for a paint company, a dealership body shop manager, a senior vice president for a large multishop organization, etc.

But what they all had in common was being named WIN 2023 Most Influential Women award honorees, and during the webinar, they talked about how they approach their dayto-day work, how they manager their careers, and how all that interacts with their daily lives. Jaime Shewbridge, an I-CAR welding instructor, discussed how she handles the stressful aspects of working in the industry. She said that’s something she’s focused on this past year because of the impact she’s seen it have on her physical health. She said you first have to admit to having “a whole lot on your plate,” and “learn how to say no” at times. “Saying ‘no’ really lowers your stress level,” she said. “You would think it would be the other way around, but it’s not.” She said she uses “time blocking,” designating certain time for her family, for example, during which “they have 100% of my attention,” and “it doesn’t matter if somebody needs help at work, or if there’s a class, whatever it is, that block is theirs and nothing changes that.” She also said the book “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin will “change your perspective on life and help you prioritize your tasks and then execute.” The biggest change she said she made, however, was giving up multitasking.

“It’s an illusion, right? We all think that we’re good at multitasking. We all think we can do lots of things at one time,” she said. “But I read a study, and I might get the numbers wrong, but if you stop one task, it takes between 17 and 23 minutes to then refocus yourself back on that task. So you lose quite a bit of time by trying to do that. And when I gave up multitasking and just

focused on exactly what I was doing at that moment, I became way more productive. I got way more done in a certain timeframe than if I was literally trying to do three things at one time.” Finding a Mentor Yohanna Peet, who leads the Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP) for Caliber Collision, said whatever your role in a collision repair business—from owner to apprentice technician—finding a mentor can help you reach your goals. Look for those, she suggested, who “maybe have gone through a circumstance like you’re going through” or who may also be mentoring someone else. “Sometimes it’s just asking, and what’s the worst they can say, ‘I’m flattered, but I don’t really have time right now,’” she said. “Or, the other side of it is, ‘Wow, I had no idea that you saw me from that perspective.’ And what does that do for that person’s self-efficacy, that now [they realize] you see them as a promoter, a mentor. So a lot of what I’m saying is speak up. And when you’re offered a seat at the table, take a seat at the table, take the opportunity to say, ‘That’s great. I want to learn more about this. Can you help me? How did you get there?’ Ask the questions because that’s where you’re really going to see all the reciprocity come with it.”

Being a Mentor April Lausch also discussed how her experience with mentoring shapes her current role as manager of Faulkner Collison Center of Lancaster in Pennsylvania. Her first job in the industry at age 18 was as an office manager at a collision center. “The manager at that time was, I would say, my mentor to a point,” she said. “They wanted me to be an estimator. So they sent me to estimating school for two weeks. I got my estimating license. And when I came back to the shop, I still only knew the basics. So the manager kind of took me under his wing. We wrote tow-ins together, and for a couple years, he taught me how to be a really good writer. So as a mentor in that aspect, he was really good.” She also viewed the shop’s technicians as mentors. “They helped me more, and still do, even to this day,” she said. “I will be in the shop, and they would just teach me a lot.” After five years, she said, she got an offer to work at a Chevrolet dealership as an estimator, a job that offered about $60,000 more than she was making. The manager

at her existing employer, however, suddenly became very discouraging, “telling me that I couldn’t do it, there was no way that would ever happen, that that job opportunity wasn’t out there,” Lausch said. “After two weeks of that, I almost stayed, but I decided to go, and I ended up becoming assistant manager” at the Chevrolet dealership. She later joined the Faulkner dealership, where she became manager within a year.

“You know, I’ll never hold any of my employees back. I want them to grow. I want them to become better.” — APRIL LAUSCH

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“So I had a great mentor until it was time to move on to the next space,” she said, saying that experience has stuck with her. “You know, I’ll never hold any of my employees back. I want them to grow. I want them to become better.”

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‘Going Green’ Can Be a Profitability Opportunity For Collision Repairers By Abby Andrews Autobody News

The latest installment of AirPro Diagnostics’ TechTalk 360 webinar series featured guest Gabriel Morley, AVP of DEKRA North America, and hosts Jordan Hendler and George Avery. The conversation delved into the impact of sustainability on daily auto body shop operations, environmentally-friendly initiatives and the shift towards a greener automotive world in general. From carbon neutrality to waste management, energy efficiency and the role of recycled parts, Morley explored various facets of sustainability and how they intersect with collision repair. “How does sustainability affect shops day to day, and what initiatives can they take to be on the leading edge?” Hendler said. “This is an opportunity to get in front of something you won’t have to catch up on later.” “Sustainability is a bucket of profitability shops can look into,” Morley said. “It’s not as scary and regulatory as it may seem. This is about doing good business, and staying on top of efficiency.” Morley went over environmental, societal and governance (ESG) components of sustainability. Environmental Components “We hear a lot about carbon neutrality,” Morley said. “States are trying to get to carbon-zero, moving away from ICE vehicles.” However, few shop owners have analyzed their own carbon footprint, in terms of things like materials used and equipment efficiency. Morley recommended keeping a closer eye on the use and potential waste of consumables like sandpaper and tape, and either upgrading equipment to newer, more efficient technology or keeping up on routine maintenance of what the shop already has. “It’s better for your bottom line because you save money on utilities and also get better production,” he said. Simple steps like switching to LED light bulbs and considering solar panels can save money and reduce environmental impact, Morley said, but every business owner needs to evaluate which strategies make sense for their individual situation. Morley also highlighted the potential environmental impact of incidents like EV thermal events. It can take 40,000 gallons of water to put out an EV battery fire, and anything on the shop floor, like oil, can be swept up into the runoff. He recommended keeping shop floors clean, as regulatory agencies like the EPA scrutinize such events, focusing

on their environmental implications and future prevention measures. The conversation shifted to recycled parts. Morley said he has spoken to insurer carriers for their perspective, and he expects to see a

tendency to repair parts when possible rather than replacing them, as a green initiative. The integrity of recycled parts remains a topic of discussion. He noted the importance of supply chain transparency and material integrity. “Yes it’s greener [to use a recycled part], but we also have to look at OEMs’ position on repairs,” Morley said. “There’s a strict chain of command so you know the integrity of that piece when it goes on a vehicle.” Despite these challenges, Morley sees opportunities for partnerships between OEMs and sophisticated recyclers. On a global level, several countries, particularly in Europe, have much more stringent regulations in place than in the U.S. Those regulations can drive advancements, Morley said, noting Nordic countries moved to ban sales of new ICE vehicles years ago, something the U.S. is working toward. However, he said, when applied too quickly or forcefully, regulations can squelch innovation. For instance, alternative fuels, like synthetic gas, could be used to run ICE vehicles, rather than banning the engines altogether. “We have to balance it out,” Morley said. “It’s easy to make advancements with regulations, but you also stifle innovation a little bit when you go too fast.” Societal Components There is a lot of conversation throughout the industry about the technician shortage, Morley said, and how to engage younger people and different demographics . Sustainability studies have shown

26 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

that when a repair shop has a defined career path for new hires, it is likely to outperform its profitability objectives by 21%, Morley said. On the flip side, the average three-month vacancy can cost a shop $107,000 to $160,000.

The key is to not just find new employees, but keep them, by offering a workplace they enjoy, and help them develop in their careers. “Are we prepared to facilitate a good workplace where they want to stay and grow?” Morley said. “I think it pays off.”

Governance Components Finally, governance is not just data privacy, Morley said, but whether or not “what you present on paper is the story you’re living.” “Make sure your actions follow the mission statements and policies you put in place,” he said, noting those policies could be on anything from smoking to anti-harassment. “If you say you’re going to do something, make sure you’re doing it.” Conclusion: A Greener Road Ahead In conclusion, Morley encouraged repair shops to embrace sustainability as an opportunity rather than a regulatory burden. He emphasized that sustainability aligns with good business practices, contributes to efficiency, and can even boost profitability. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, embracing sustainability will be essential to stay ahead of the curve. He encouraged shop owners to seek guidance from a company like DEKRA, which does testing, inspection and certification for anyone involved in the automotive supply chain, including OEMs, parts suppliers and MSOs. View the complete presentation at airprodiagnostics.com/techtalk360/

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Trainer Says ‘Who Pays?’ Survey Data Shows Industry Needs To ‘Wake Up’ on Weld Testing More than one-third of repairers (37%) have never sought to be paid to perform test welds, according to the latest results of the “Who Pays for What?” survey. While that is a big improvement from the 80% of repairers who acknowledged in 2015 never charging for that procedure, it still leads Mike Anderson of Collision Advice to question whether that one-third of shops are even conducting weld testing. “We need to wake up on this one,” Anderson said. “This is a non-negotiable procedure that every OEM says is necessary. If your techs aren’t doing this, don’t delay, get them doing it today. I recently was at a shop that set up and performed a destructive test weld that failed because the welding equipment did not have the latest software update. That was not the first time I’ve seen that happen. Be sure to check with your welder equipment company to know when any updates should be performed.” In 2015, 78% of repairers said

the eight largest insurers never paid for the time it takes to make and destructively test welds prior to welding on the vehicle. That number has since dropped to 38%, but still only 33% of repairers say they are regularly paid for the procedure.

“Our whole industry needs to acknowledge how critically important test welds are. Repairers need to perform them routinely, and insurers need to pay for them routinely.” — MIKE ANDERSON COLLISION ADVICE

Anderson said he’s disheartened by the fact only onethird of shops say insurers pay them for destructive testing of welds. “Our whole industry needs to acknowledge how critically important test welds are,” he said. “Repairers need to perform them

routinely, and insurers need to pay for them routinely.” The latest quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey is now open through the month of October. It focuses on billing and payment practices related to scanning and calibrations, aluminum repair and shop supplies. Shops can take the survey at www.surveymonkey. com/r/N57XS3R Survey participants receive a free report with complete survey findings along with analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented. The survey can be completed in about 15 minutes by anyone familiar with their shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of at least some of the largest national insurers. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence; only aggregated data is released. The results of previous surveys are also available online at www.crashnetwork.com/ collisionadvice.

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asTech, a Repairify company, announced asTech Insights, a revolutionary, generative AI product that will immediately enhance its OEM-compatible scans. Through the power of AI, asTech Insights uses the results from an asTech OEM-Compatible pre-scan to automatically generate custom collision repair recommendations specific to the vehicle and identified DTC codes—all within seconds after completing the pre-scan. For shops, asTech Insights will be like having a certified technician at their side wherever and whenever they need them. Within seconds, they’ll get collision specific repair recommendations to enable them to complete the repair correctly. Combined with asTech OEM-Compatible scans, shops will be able to perform an OEM-quality scan and generate a complete repair plan in under seven minutes.

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NHTSA Investigating Failures in Engines in 710K Ford, Lincoln Trucks and SUVs The National Highway Transportation SafetyAdministration (NHTSA) announced it has opened an engineering analysis of 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost engines produced by Ford for several model year 2021 and 2022 trucks and SUVs.

The engines are present in about 710,000 Ford Bronco, Edge, Explorer and F-150 and Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus vehicles. NHTSA said owners have reported a sudden loss of power due to catastrophic engine failure related to an alleged faulty valve. The agency first started looking into the engines in March 2022, when it received a

request to investigate a possible defect from the owners of three 2021 Broncos with the 2.7L EcoBoost engine. A preliminary evaluation was opened in July 2022, at which time NHTSA asked Ford for materials related to the 2021 Bronco, as well as any other vehicles equipped with the 2.7L EcoBoost engine. Ford provided evidence of 328 customer complaints, 487 warranty claims and 809 engine exchanges—but zero crashes or injuries—as well as evidence that the alleged defect is present across the Nano engine family, which includes both the 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost engine variants. On Sept. 23, NHTSA opened the engineering analysis, which will determine if a recall is warranted. NHTSA said its investigation so far has identified multiple

contributing factors which can lead to the fracturing of the intake valves in the engines. Ford acknowledged a fractured intake valve can result in catastrophic engine failure and a loss of power, and noted that following a valve fracture, a vehicle typically requires a full engine replacement. Ford said the defective valves were manufactured out of a specific alloy known as Silchrome Lite, which can become excessively hard and brittle if an overtemperature condition occurs during machining. A design modification was implemented in October 2021, which changed the intake valve material to a different alloy known as Silchrome 1, that is less susceptible to over-temperature during machine grinding. Ford said the defective intake valves commonly fail early in a vehicle’s life and suggested the majority of failures have already occurred.

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The Collision Vision(aries): 6 Months Into Autobody News’ Podcast By Cole Strandberg Autobody News

In the realm of collision repair, the past six months have marked a compelling journey for The Collision Vision. As the host of Autobody News’ weekly podcast dedicated to the business side of the collision repair industry, I’ve had the distinct privilege of connecting with industry trailblazers who have cast a penetrating light on the road ahead. Join me as we reflect on the past, navigate the present and peer into the exciting future of the collision repair industry. A Decade of Remarkable Transformation Over the past decade, the collision repair landscape has undergone a dramatic evolution. From the surges of consolidation and the infusion of sci-fi-worthy vehicle technologies to the escalated significance of OEM certifications and the persistent challenge of recruiting skilled technicians, our industry has witnessed a remarkable evolution. How has your business performed throughout this period of evolution? And how are you feeling about the future?

Navigating the Persistent Talent Shortage A recurring theme throughout The Collision Vision has been the industrywide talent shortage—a challenge that transcends the boundaries of single shops, regional and national MSOs, and even vendors in the collision space. While this issue may intensify before it gets better, industry thought leaders have presented some seemingly attainable solutions. Mike Anderson, a revered figure in the industry and a three-time guest on The Collision Vision, has stood at the forefront of addressing the technician shortage. Mike’s perspective is clear: as a shop owner, you have the power to enact change at the micro level. Need technicians? Consider expanding your talent pool. Struggling to find skilled workers? Be prepared to offer competitive compensation. If your pay scale falls behind local businesses, much less global business powers, attracting top talent will remain a challenge. Dave Luehr, another industry thought leader, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing personal responsibility in overcoming the technician shortage. How can you take action and make the rubber meet the road? Follow

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the example of Thomas Goforth at Absolute Collision in North Carolina, who proactively engages with local trade schools, organizing events and supporting the establishment of new educational institutions. While powerful players within the industry are diligently working on this issue on a broader scale, the immediate responsibility falls on individual businesses. Charting the Course for the Bright Future Some of the most exhilarating conversations we’ve had on The Collision Vision have revolved around the future of collision repair. Electric vehicle collision leaders like Kelly Logan and Jake Rodenroth, who lead collision repair programs at Rivian and Lucid, respectively, have shared their perspectives on what lies ahead. The outlook is undeniably bright. Success in the future of collision repair may not come easily, but for those willing to invest in training, equipment and scaling their operations, prosperity awaits. For those with limited resources or a shorter time horizon to attain that return on investment, there remains good news: the market for consolidation and mergers and acquisitions remains robust for body

What Lies Ahead for The Collision Vision? The Collision Vision is more than just a podcast; it’s an invaluable resource for the collision repair industry. Alongside our distinguished guests, we’ve delved into a wide range of topics, from marketing and growth strategies and new-store development to the intricacies of OEM certifications and financial planning. These insightful conversations are readily available for your perusal at www.autobodynews. com/podcasts.html. The journey continues, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for the collision repair industry and The Collision Vision. As we celebrate our first six months, the road ahead promises to be as enlightening and transformative as ever.

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shops. Private equity firms actively seek platform investments, while existing consolidators, both national and regional, are in pursuit of add-on acquisitions, each with its own unique flavor. For those reasons, another industry icon, Frank Terlep, and I share a favorite saying in the industry: There has never been a better time to be a business owner in the collision repair industry.

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SCRS Announces Focus of OEM Summit Session II The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) announced the topic of the second of three sessions in its OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit, taking place Nov. 2 in the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the 2023 SEMA Show. Join the collision industry from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. for Session II: North American Automotive Material Outlook and Implications to Collision Repair. The session will be led by Abey Abraham, principal or automotive and materials, and Bertrand Rakoto, director of strategic intelligence, both with Ducker Carlisle. The Ducker Carlisle team will outline research on the expected metallic and nonmetallic material strategies that collision repair facilities will encounter. As the fleet sees an increased transition from ICE vehicles to EVs and other alternate fuels, there are dynamic changes in the material makeup of vehicles including more advanced grades of steel, various types

of aluminum, magnesium and composites that the collision repair industry will need to contend with. Following the presentation, Abraham and Rakoto will introduce Dan Black, senior manager of service engineeringcollision at Rivian, and Matthew Pitta, body repair technical manager at Lucid Motors, to discuss material selections in their models, and important details the industry will need to understand when repairing those vehicles. SCRS previously announced the first session, from 9–10:30 a.m.: Understanding OEM Insurance, featuring presentations from Andrew Rose, president of OnStar Insurance, Mike Slattery, head of insurance for Rivian, and Rob Spencer, president of Toyota Insurance and vice president of Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC). The presenters will provide a deep dive into the emerging world of OEM insurance programs, insurance products

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designed and underwritten to deliver unique coverage to complement their vehicles and positively impact the consumer experience during the claims and repair process. The OEM Summit offers attendees the opportunity to learn how vehicles, materials, technologies and trends are evolving in ways that will impact repair processes and repair businesses, and is made possible with additional support from AirPro Diagnostics, BASF Automotive Refinish, Car-OLiner, CCC Intelligent Solutions, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Reliable Automotive Equipment Inc., Toyota Motor North America and SEMA. Visit https://bit.ly/ RDE2023 to register for Repairer Driven Education sessions, or use the SEMA Map Your Show sit to explore all available courses in the SCRS Repairer Driven Education (RDE) track.

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ASE Education Foundation Board Chair Releases Message Many states have adopted our industry recognized credentials for career and technical education (CTE) students which includes ASE entry-level certifications. These certifications confirm a student’s technical knowledge but not experience. That is where businesses come in, giving students work-based learning opportunities and much needed experience that reinforces classroom learning. For employers that aren’t sure how to get started working with their local schools, the ASE Adopt-A-School Program is a valuable tool. This online resource helps bridge the gap between local businesses and schools, offering specific steps that employers can take to get involved. The Adopt-ASchool program also provides information on implementing job shadowing and structured work-based learning programs for students. To learn more, visit ASEeducationFoundation.org/ AdoptASchool or contact an

ASE Education Foundation field manager who can help you build these connections. Lastly, the 2023 ASE Instructor Training Conference was held in Concord, NC, recently with a tremendous turnout. I would like to thank all who participated. More than 300 instructors attended the conference, which included 100 technical update training sessions from 60 different industry partners. Presenters covered topics of great interest such as ADAS systems and calibration, electric vehicles and high voltage systems, and strategies for effective teaching. The ASE Education Foundation continues to be the leader in bringing the automotive service industry and education together to help students start rewarding careers. On behalf of the ASE Education Foundation Board of Directors, I extend our gratitude for your continued hard work and support, and we wish you all the best this school year.

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Trey Michael, senior director of career and technical education for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and chair of the ASE Education Foundation Board of Directors, released the following message to schools, educators, students and employers as the 2023-24 academic year begins. It is with great pride that I serve as chair of the ASE Education Foundation for 2023. As an individual dedicated to education, I am fortunate to have insight into the essential efforts conducted by the foundation to enhance the connections among schools, educators, students and employers. As we welcome students back for another school year, it is worth pausing to recognize the value that the foundation provides. For 40 years, the ASE Education Foundation has been focused on creating a pipeline of well-prepared entry level technicians from high school and college programs across the country through its network

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Colonial VW of Medford 340 Mystic Ave., Medford, MA 02155 Ph: 781-475-5208 / Fx: 781-391-3506 Hours: M-Th 7-7; F 7-5; Sat 8-4 nmedeiros@vwmedford.com

Wellesley Volkswagen 231 Linden St., Wellesley, MA 02482 Ph: 800-228-8344 / Fx: 781-237-6024 Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 7:30-4 wellesleyvwparts@aol.com Contact: Dan Bettencourt / Wholesale Parts Manager

Toll Free: 888-240-2773 Parts Dir: 508-997-2919 Fx: 508-730-6578 Hours: M-Th 7-7; F 7-5:30; Sat 8-4:30 jdelcolle@buycolonialhonda.com www.hondapartswholesaledirect.com

Cityside Subaru 790 Pleasant St., Belmont, MA 02478 Ph: 617-826-5013 / Fx: 617-489-0733 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@citysidesubaru.com North End Subaru 757 Chase Rd. (Rte.13), Lunenburg, MA 01462 Ph: 888-686-4387 / Fx: 978-582-9843 Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@northendsubaru.com www.northendsubaru.com

Colonial Cadillac of Woburn 201 Cambridge Rd., Woburn, MA 01801 Ph: 781-935-7009 / Fx: 781-933-7728 Hours: M, T, Th, F 7-5; W 7-8; Sat 8-4 www.buycolonialcadillac.com Colonial Chevrolet 171 Great Rd., Acton, MA 01720 Ph: 978-263-3994 / Fx: 978-263-8587 Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-4 parts@colonialchevrolet.com Colonial South Chevrolet 361 State St., Dartmouth, MA 02747 Ph: 508-997-6711 / Fx: 508-979-1219 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 parts@colonialsouthchevrolet.com Colonial West Chevrolet 314 John Fitch Hwy., Fitchburg, MA 01420 Ph: 978-503-7480 / Fx: 978-345-1152 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 35

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Ide Honda Rochester

800-462-0056 (N.Y.) 585-586-4919

716-824-7852

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

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

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

Autosport Acura

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Curry Acura

973-361-3117

732-238-0777 732-238-5466

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

Denville

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

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East Brunswick

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

Scarsdale

800-725-2877 914-472-7406

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

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

Baierl Acura Wexford

800-246-7457 724-935-0800

Paragon Acura

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

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Woodside

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

267-296-1000 215-943-7000

Langhorne

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 frankp@davisacura.com autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 37

Hunter Wins PTEN People’s Choice Awards Hunter Engineering is proud to announce two Hunter products— the 1708-T Alignment Guide and BL Series of bench lathes with HunterNet 2 connectivity—were named winners in the 2023 PTEN People’s Choice Awards, voted on by readers of PTEN Magazine, following the selections made by an expert panel of judges from the PTEN Innovation Awards earlier this summer. The 1708-T Alignment Guide was also a winner of an Innovation Award. Previously available in print only, Hunter made its well-known and highly respected 1708-T Alignment Guide available online via the HunterNet® 2 portal at no charge. Hunter added HunterNet 2 connectivity to its BL Series of bench lathes with tablet. HunterNet 2 is a free customer portal developed for undercar service operators with single or multiple rooftops, allowing operators to access performance data for all Hunter-connected equipment. For more information on the 1708T Alignment Guide or HunterNet 2, contact your local Hunter business consultant at www.hunter.com/ contact.

With More Choices, Brand Loyalty Slips Among NewVehicle Owners As new-vehicle inventory and sales rebound to pre-pandemic levels in the U.S., more buyers are choosing to forego loyalty to a specific brand, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study. “As vehicle availability increased and more choices hit the market for consumers, loyalty among brands as a whole saw a decline this year,” said Tyson Jominy, vice president of data & analytics at J.D. Power, in a news release. “Additionally, owners were tied down to their vehicles for longer than normal due to ongoing supply chain disruptions, and as a result were more likely to experience problems with their vehicles. “Now that some of those issues have eased, consumers are looking to get behind the wheel of something different and are no longer remaining as loyal to a brand. However, many of the highest-ranking brands

perform similarly year after year. When vehicles deliver an experience that meets owner expectations, such as by offering superb build quality, owners are likely to reward brands with their loyalty.”

Highest-Ranking Brands Porsche ranks highest among premium brand car owners for a second consecutive year, with a 56.8% loyalty rate. MercedesBenz (50.5%) ranks second. Volvo ranks highest among premium brand SUV owners with a 56.5% loyalty rate. BMW (56.1%) ranks second. Toyota ranks highest among mass market brand car owners for a second consecutive year, with a 60.0% loyalty rate. Honda (55.0%) ranks second. Subaru ranks highest among mass market brand SUV owners with a 61.1% loyalty rate. Toyota (60.5%) ranks second.

Ford ranks highest among truck owners for a second consecutive year, with a 64.6% loyalty rate, the highest loyalty rate in the study. Toyota (60.4%) ranks second. The study, now in its fifth year, uses data from the Power Information Network to calculate whether an owner purchased the same brand after trading in an existing vehicle on a new vehicle. Customer loyalty is based on the percentage of vehicle owners who choose the same brand when trading in or purchasing their next vehicle. Only sales at new-vehicle franchised dealers qualify. The study includes brand loyalty across five segments: premium car; premium SUV; mass market car; mass market SUV; and truck. The 2023 study calculations are based on transaction data from September 2022 through August 2023 and include all model years traded in.

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U.S. Auto Insurer Claim Payouts Soar Due To Increasing Inflation U.S. personal and commercial auto insurer liability claim payouts combined were $96 billion to $105 billion higher between 2013 and 2022 because of social and economic inflation, according to a news release from the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I). “For personal auto liability insurance, increasing inflation drove loss and DCC (defense containment costs) higher by $61 billion,” according to Triple-I’s study, Impact of Increasing Inflation on Personal and Commercial Auto Liability Insurance. “For the same period (2013-2022), increasing inflation drove commercial auto liability loss and DCC higher by $35 billion to $44 billion.” Liability insurance covers what the policyholder is legally obligated to pay because of bodily injury or property damage. Every state except New Hampshire requires its drivers to carry a personal auto insurance policy, with mandatory minimum amounts of liability coverage, to operate a vehicle. Commercial auto insurance liability policies are commonly bought by small businesses and corporations to cover trucks and other vehicles used

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for commercial purposes, such as limousines and taxis. The study was researched and written by Jim Lynch, FCAS, MAAA, Triple-I’s former chief actuary; Dave Moore, FCAS, MAAA, president, Moore Actuarial Consulting LLC; and Dale Porfilio, FCAS, MAAA, Triple-I’s chief insurance officer. The research methodology compares the latest loss development patterns to a baseline assumption without social inflation and with stable inflation rates. Economic inflation is measured in the study as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmark, whereas social inflation indicates how insurer claim payouts exceed the CPI. “The business of personal auto liability insurance is also many times larger than commercial auto. Personal auto liability had $152.6 billion in net earned premiums in 2022, four times as much as commercial auto liability,” the study said. Yet personal auto policyholders typically have $100,000 or less in liability coverage, while a typical commercial policyholder has a coverage limit of $1 million, the study explained.

Supported by detailed analyses of claims payouts dating back years, the study concluded that, for personal auto liability insurers: • •

•

Losses have been growing faster than premiums in recent years Since 2020, standardized losses rose 15% while standardized premium fell 13% Severity, the size of losses, increased dramatically after 2019

The study concluded that commercial auto liability insurers saw: • Losses grow faster than the overall economy • Social inflation as a primary influence on these losses prior to 2021 • The average size of loss—claim severity—increase dramatically since 2020 “For both personal and commercial auto liability lines, social inflation was the main source of increasing inflation before 2021. For 2021 and later, increasing inflation came from a combination of economic inflation and social inflation,” the study said.

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www.schultzford.net Hours: Mon - Fri. 7AM - 5:30PM, Sat. 8AM - 12PM autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 39

Auto Parts Suppliers Brace For Effects of UAW Strike By Autobody News Staff

News 5 Cleveland he is “bracing for the next hit” as more plants like As the United Auto Workers’ strike Stellantis’ parts distribution center against the Detroit Three stretches in Streetsboro, OH, go on strike. into its second week, auto parts Juscelino Colares, a business suppliers are being forced to law professor at Case Western respond as demand wanes at new Reserve University, told the news vehicle production plants—but the outlet dealerships and repair shops effects are also trickling down to should stock up on parts, and collision repair shops. vehicle owners should get needed repairs done now before shortages start to materialize. Tim O’Day, president and CEO of Boyd Group Services Inc., on Oct. 3 commented on the potential impact of the strike. “To date, the strike has not impacted our Members of UAW Local 2177 in Langhorne, PA, participate in the strike, in these photos posted Sept. 27 ability to source parts to the UAW International Union Facebook page required to complete collision repairs; Auto body repair shops still however, should the strike continue dealing with lingering supply chain for an extended period of time, it issues caused by the pandemic is possible that parts supply from in 2020 might see the situation General Motors, Stellantis and Ford exacerbated by a prolonged strike. could be disrupted in a way that In Cleveland, OH, William could have a material impact on our Worley, owner of Piney’s Auto future results,” O’Day said. Repair and Customer Service, told “Leading up to this, many of

our supplier partners increased their inventory levels to mitigate disruptions to supply. In the event of an extended strike, based on information available to date, a number of actions could be taken to reduce the impact of the supply chain disruption so that some repairs for the impacted vehicles could continue; however, many repairs could be suspended until parts become available,” O’Day added. In Michigan, WXYZ News reported some shop owners are using third-party parts suppliers and junk yards to fill in the gaps when OEM parts aren’t available. Dave Keene, manager of Kesho Collision in Warren, MI, told the news station his shop was “in a relatively good place for parts” as of Sept. 25, but if the strike continues for a few weeks, customers might have to wait a lot longer for a repair. “That car’s just gonna sit until those parts are available. That could be months,” Keene said. In Cincinnati, OH, Charlie Smith, a technician at Smith Muffler, told WLWT5 News the shop, owned by his father, sees the strike as a

possible boon. “We weren’t getting nervous because if automakers are going on strike, alright, people aren’t going to want to buy a new car cause they’re skeptical. They’re going to want to keep their car. And that’s when we come in to play to help them maintain that older car,” Smith said. CNBC reported about 5,600 smaller parts suppliers, employing a total of 871,000 workers, mostly in the Midwest, may need to lay off workers if the strike continues for more than a few weeks. Some have already announced plans to do so. The Detroit Free Press reported Wixom, MI-based Eagle Industries, Inc., a parts supplier, told state officials it may need to lay off 171 plant workers, production and administration employees—though President John Bull said the paperwork was “precautionary,” and any layoffs would likely affect 55 to 60 employees.

www.autobodynews.com

Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge

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Check out MoparRepairConnect.com for resources, promotions and technical information. ©2023 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Wagoneer, Mopar and SRT are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 41 9/26/23 10:39 AM

WIN Kicks Off Sponsorship Campaign The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) announced the launch of its 2023-24 sponsorship campaign. The organization, which provides networking and connection opportunities for women in the male-dominated collision industry, announced this year’s sponsorship campaign is vital to the organization’s goal to attract, retain and advance women in the collision repair industry. Today’s prospective employees are looking for organizations that offer professional development opportunities and invest in educating their employees beyond the typical benefits package. Sponsoring an organization such as WIN is a great way for employers to use the resources and events WIN offers. Numerous sponsor level opportunities exist for WIN supporters, with various features and benefits available for all six program tiers: For more information, visit thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym. com/page/Sponsorship or contact a member of the sponsorship committee at sponsorship@ womenindustrynetwork.org.

Honda’s First All-Electric SUV Set To Debut Early 2024 The 2024 Honda Prologue, the brand’s first all-electric SUV, will open pre-sale activities later this year and make its first deliveries in early 2024, Honda said in a news release. The Prologue will be available nationwide with prices expected to start in the upper $40,000s, before government incentives or tax credits. The Prologue is a “spacious, adventure-ready midsize SUV,” according to Honda, with an anticipated EPA range rating of 300 miles and DC fast charging capability. “The arrival of the all-new Honda Prologue is a pivotal moment for the brand as Honda begins the transition to our zeroemissions future,” said Lance Woelfer, assistant vice president of Honda National Auto Sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Prologue is aptly named as our first volume Honda EV, a stylish, sporty and spacious SUV that will take us toward our vision of 100% zero emissions vehicle sales by 2040.” Honda said the Prologue will

be built on a state-of-the-art EV platform and multi-link front and rear suspensions, and will be available in both single-motor (front-wheel-drive) and dual-motor (all-wheel-drive) configurations with three trim levels—EX, Touring and Elite.

Standard features will include the latest digital services technology and features with Google built-in, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ compatibility. Targeting IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA 5-star ratings, the Prologue will come standard with the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-

assistive technologies, including Honda’s first applications of Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Blind Zone Steering Assist and Rear Pedestrian Alert. Customers interested in the new Prologue can find more information and sign up for updates at automobiles.honda. com/future-cars/prologue. Honda also announced it reached agreements with EVgo and Electrify America, plus roaming network partners, to give its EV drivers access to more of the largest charging networks in North America. These agreements are in addition to the recent announcement that Honda will adopt the NACS charging standard to gain access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, and that Honda established a joint venture with six other automakers to create a high powered charging network. Honda and Acura EV customers will be able to use the majority of public DC fast chargers starting in 2024 and can anticipate having around 100,000 DC charge points available to them by 2030.

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Federal Rebates on ‘Clean’ Vehicles To Be Given At Purchase in 2024

First Production Lucid Air Sapphires Roll Off Assembly Line

Beginning Jan. 1 2024, people who buy qualifying new and used “clean” vehicles will be able to effectively receive federal rebates when they buy it, rather than waiting for a rebate on the following year’s tax return. The U.S. Department of the Treasury released guidance Oct. 6 on how customers will be able to transfer their Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) clean vehicle credits—up to $7,500 for a new vehicle and up to $4,000 for used—to the dealership, which will then credit it to the purchase price. Researchers have found consumers overwhelmingly prefer an immediate rebate, rather than a tax credit. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is focused on lowering transportation costs for consumers and giving American car companies the tools to lead the market,” said Laurel

Blatchford, chief implementation officer for the IRA. “For the first time, the Inflation Reduction Act allows consumers to reduce the up-front cost of a clean vehicle, expanding consumer choices and helping car dealers expand their businesses. The IRS has focused on streamlining this process for car dealers as part of its commitment to improving service and helping taxpayers claim the credits they are eligible for.” Later in October, dealers will be able to register via IRS Energy Credits Online, a new website. In January, they will use the website to submit clean vehicle sales information to receive payment for customers’ transferred credits. Dealers must register with Energy Credits Online for customers to be eligible to transfer their credits. Customers must meet income requirements to be eligible to transfer the credit.

via X of a Lucid Air Sapphire release candidate on the line at Casa Grande. In August, Lucid On Sept. 29, Lucid Motors shared released the official specs of the on X a snapshot of the first halo car. production Lucid Air Sapphire The $249,000 Lucid Air super sedan going through the Sapphire is expected to be the ADAS system calibration in its world’s first fully electric luxury AMP-1 manufacturing facility super-sports sedan. Lucid noted in Casa Grande, AZ. The EV the EV can achieve 0-60 mph in manufacturer added customer 1.89 seconds, making it faster deliveries will begin soon. than the Tesla Model S Plaid. “Sapphire represents the pinnacle of electric performance, finally achieving the performance that I’ve so long searched for,” said CEO Peter Rawlinson. “After painstaking development work, I am able to confirm Lucid Air Sapphire has achieved a satisfactory performance, and I trust the Lucid Motors on Sept. 29 posted this most discerning drivers will photo to X, showing one of the first Lucid agree.” Air Sapphires. The Lucid Air Sapphire is a limited-production model Lucid Motors teased the Air to be available in the U.S. and Sapphire’s start of production in Canada. The Sapphire will start Arizona in the summer. In July, at $249,999 in the U.S. and the company shared a picture $325,000 in Canada.

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New-Vehicle Prices Fell Further in September, Led by Price Cuts At Tesla The average price Americans paid for a new vehicle in September 2023 was down 3.4% from the start of the year, as higher inventory levels and increased incentives continued to put downward pressure on pricing. The average transaction price of a new vehicle in September was $47,899, down $360 from one year ago (0.7%), according to Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive company. Prices decreased by $227 (0.5%) from August’s downwardly revised ATP of $48,126. “After new-vehicle prices peaked at nearly $50,000 at the start of 2023, we’re seeing average transaction prices dip below $48,000 for the first time in more than a year,” said Rebecca Rydzewski, research manager at Cox Automotive. “Dealers and automakers are feeling price pressure, and with auto loan rates at record highs and growing inventory levels, new-vehicle prices continue to ease. Assuming the UAW strike is short-lived, current inventory levels are healthy enough to prevent any significant impact on consumer prices.” With the UAW strike entering its fourth week and General Motors’ inventory levels far below Ford Motor Company and Stellantis, Detroit’s largest automaker slashed incentives on all four of its major brands in September. General Motors’ average incentive as a percentage of transaction price was 4.0%, down from 4.7% in August and below the industry average of 4.9%. Both Ford and Stellantis, which have inventory levels well above the industry average, saw average incentive packages increase month over month in September to 5.2% and 7.3%, respectively. GM and Stellantis posted higher ATPs month over month in September, while Ford ATPs declined less than 1%, aligned with the industry average.

Non-Luxury Vehicle Prices Increase Less Than 1% Year Over Year The average price paid for a new non-luxury vehicle in September was $44,626, an increase of 1% from one year ago. Compared to August, non-luxury prices were down $82. The average incentive spend in the non-luxury segment was 4.7% of ATP in September, up from 2.3% one year ago. Month over month, incentive spending was flat. Only three vehicle segments had average transaction prices below $30,000 in August—

compact cars, subcompact cars and subcompact SUVs. All three segments saw month-over-month price increases. August’s lowestpriced vehicles in the U.S. market were the Mitsubishi Mirage and Kia Rio—the final two vehicles still transacting under $20,000—and are expected to be discontinued in the coming years as the market shifts away from sedans.

Average Luxury Prices Down Year Over Year, Largest Decline in a Decade Luxury vehicle prices in September decreased by $873 compared to August. Luxury transaction prices were down 6.2% year over year to $62,342. Since the start of 2023, luxury prices have declined by almost 7%. Overall, the luxury segment continued to deliver strong results in September, holding an 18.5% share of the U.S. market. Luxury price declines in 2023 are primarily driven by aggressive price cuts at Tesla, the luxury market leader. Compared to September 2022, Tesla transaction prices are down 24.7%; Tesla Model 3 prices are down more than 26% year over year to $41,484, well below the average luxury car price. Tesla average transaction prices are now lower than Acura, Lexus, Infiniti and Volvo. Tesla’s price cuts have offset price gains by many luxury automakers. Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche all booked year-over-year price increases in September, with Mercedes-Benz ATPs up more than 10%. Audi and Porsche posted a year-over-year increase of more than 8%. BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Land Rover and Lexus also posted price increases. Brands with year-over-year price declines in September included Buick, Jaguar and Volvo. Luxury vehicle incentives have significantly increased year over year, rising from an estimated 1.7% of ATP a year ago to 5.7% last month. Luxury vehicle sales in September were up 19% year over year, helping to push overall industry volume higher by more than 18%. During the same timeframe, non-luxury sales were higher by 17%.

Electric Vehicle Prices Continue to Decline EV prices continue to fall, led again by market leader Tesla. In September, the average price paid for an electric vehicle was $50,683, down from $52,212 in August and down from more than $65,000 one

44 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

year ago. Incentives for EVs in September were 9.8% of ATP, or $4,991.

“At last check, we had 15 new EV models for sale that were not available a year earlier. Better choices and more options are helping push prices lower and drive higher sales.” — STEPHANIE VALDEZ-STREATY DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS AT COX AUTOMOTIVE

At the start of October, EV availability, as measured by days’ supply, was well above the industry average as product availability and EV production rapidly increases. EV and internal combustion engine (ICE) inventory started the year off at about 52 days’ supply. Since then, EV days’ supply dramatically increased while ICE remained consistent between 52 and 58 days. EV supply at the start of October was 97 days, down from the peak inventory of around 111 days during early July.

“EV sales continue to grow in the U.S., partly due to strong supply and more choice,” said Stephanie Valdez-Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox Automotive. “At last check, we had 15 new EV models for sale that were not available a year earlier. Better choices and more options are helping push prices lower and drive higher sales.”

Auto Incentives Offered by Manufacturers Reach 24-Month High Incentives averaged $2,368 in September, the highest point in the last 24 months and at 4.9% of ATP. While September incentives were essentially flat month over month, they remain historically low. For comparison, Kelley Blue Book estimates incentives averaged 10% of ATP in September 2020 and 10.2% in September 2019. The high-end luxury car segment had the highest incentives in September at 10.6% of ATP, followed by electric vehicles at 9.8%, luxury cars at 7.4%, entry-level luxury cars at 7.1% and full-size pickup trucks at 6%. Vans, high-performance cars, and small and midsize pickup trucks had some of the lowest incentives in September.

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Owners of 3.3M Kia, Hyundai Vehicles Told To Park Outside Due To Fire Risk Hyundai Motor America and Kia America have issued “park outside” recalls for more than 3.3 million vehicles due to the risk of fire, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Sept. 27. The vehicles’ anti-lock brake system module could leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short. An electrical short could result in significant overcurrent in the ABS module, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire while driving or parked. Hyundai plans to notify owners to bring their vehicles to the nearest dealership to replace the ABS module fuse. Kia is still working on a remedy. Until these recalled vehicles have been repaired, the manufacturers say the safest place to park them is outside and away from homes and other structures. Fires can occur whether the vehicle is parked and turned off or while driving. The recall includes about 1.64 million select Hyundai and Genesis vehicles: 20122015 Accent, 2012-2015 Azera, 2011-2015 Elantra, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2011-2015 Genesis Coupe, 2013-

2015 Santa Fe, 2013 Santa Fe Sport, 2011-2015 Sonata HEV, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, 2012-2015 Veloster and 2010-2012 Veracruz. About 1.73 million select Kia vehicles are also affected: 20142016 Cadenza, 2011-2013 Forte/ Forte Koup, 2015-2017 K900, 20102015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2011-2017 Rio, 2010 Rondo, 2011-2014 Sorento, 2011-2013 Soul and 2010-2013 Sportage. To date, Hyundai and Kia do not know of any crashes, injuries or fatalities associated with this defect. Hyundai said there have been 21 related vehicle fires in the U.S. as well as 22 thermal incidents, including visible smoke, burning and melting. Kia knows of one engine compartment fire, three fires in the unit, and six instances of melting components. Vehicle owners can visit NHTSA. gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their vehicle is under recall. If it is, vehicle owners should call their nearest dealership immediately to schedule a free repair when a repair is available.

Autel Releases ADAS Calibration Updates

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Autel has released another round of 2023-24 vehicle models ADAS calibration coverage software, providing ADAS calibration coverage for the most common systems on many Audi, GM, Porsche, Hyundai/Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Stellantis models to all MaxiSYS tablet owners, MS906 Pro and higher, with active ADAS calibration software subscriptions. Autel also announced at Auto Glass Week in Virginia Beach, VA, it is taking pre-orders for its new Subaru wide-angle mono camera calibration target set. Specific trim lines of Subaru Outback, Ascent, Legacy and Crosstrek vehicles feature a wide-angle mono camera designed to work with the Eyesight system to recognize pedestrians and bicycles entering the roadway from the sides. The Subaru target set is compatible with all ADAS calibration frame systems. Find information by visiting the ADAS Calibration Guide at Autel.com.

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CAPA Integrates Tracker Into Mobile App

Traffic Fatalities Continued To Decline in First Half of Year Fatalities on U.S. roadways appear to continue to be on the decline for the fifth straight quarter, according to early estimates of traffic fatalities for the first half of 2023, released Sept. 28 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA estimated 19,515 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, representing a decrease of about 3.3% as compared to 20,190 fatalities in the first half of 2022. Fatalities declined in both the first and second quarters of 2023. Continuing the trend identified in the first quarter estimates released in June, preliminary data shows vehicle miles traveled in the first half of 2023 increased by about 35.1 billion miles, roughly 2.3% higher than the same time last year. More miles driven combined with fewer traffic deaths resulted in a fatality rate of 1.24 fatalities per 100 million VMT, down from the projected rate of 1.31 fatalities per 100 million VMT in the first half of 2023.

“After spiking during the pandemic, traffic deaths are continuing to slowly come down—but we still have a long way to go,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “Safety has always been the core mission of this department, and thanks to President Biden, we are delivering unprecedented resources to communities across the country to make their streets safer.”

“While we are encouraged to see traffic fatalities continue to decline from the height of the pandemic, there’s still significantly more work to be done,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said. “NHTSA is addressing traffic safety in many ways,

including new rulemakings for lifesaving vehicle technologies and increased Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for state highway safety offices. We will continue to work with our safety partners to meet the collective goal of zero fatalities.” NHTSA estimates a decrease in fatalities in 29 states, while 21 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., are projected to have experienced increases. NHTSA has announced several safety initiatives aimed at reducing traffic deaths, including proposed rulemakings to require automatic e m e r g e n c y braking systems in passenger cars, light trucks and heavy vehicles. The agency has also published a proposed rule for seat belt warning systems and issued an order to collect more data about crashes that occur when automated driving systems and ADAS are engaged.

The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) announced the expansion of its CAPA mobile app, integrating the CAPA Tracker. Users will now be able to enter part information into the CAPA Tracker seamlessly through the CAPA app, without interrupting a repair to input information via computer into the CAPA website. The CAPA Tracker closes an information gap and provides visibility throughout the supply and repair chain from manufacturer to distributor to repairer to consumer. The app provides two options to input part information: users can type in the unique CAPA Seal number into the CAPA Tracker or simply scan the CAPA Quality Seal on the part using the phone’s camera, which will automatically populate part information into the form. The updated CAPA app is now live and can be downloaded for free from Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store.

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Political Rivals Biden, Trump Enter Into UAW Strike Discussion By Andrew Hensel The Center Square

The strike continues for United Auto Workers union members as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump weigh in. The strike has reached 30 General Motor plants scattered across the nation, including two Illinois plants in Naperville and Bolingbrook. So far, nearly 19,000 workers have joined the strike. The strike is against the three major auto companies: Ford, Stellantis and General Motors. The UAW initially sought wage increases of as much as 46% over four years, cost-of-living adjustments, pensions and retiree health care for all workers and a 32-hour work week paid as 40 hours, including the 46% pay hike. On Sept. 26 in Michigan, Biden spoke with union leaders, becoming the first sitting president to join striking workers, and offered his support. “You gave up a lot when these companies were in trouble. Now they’re doing incredibly well. And

guess what? You should be doing incredibly well, too,” Biden said. The Biden visit comes one day before Trump travels to Michigan to meet with workers. “With Biden, it doesn’t matter what hourly wages they get, in three years there will be no autoworker jobs as they will all come out of China and other countries,” Trump said in a statement. Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act adds and expands tax credits for purchases of new and used electric vehicles for American drivers. Trump said Biden does not care what these workers make because he does not view them as a part of his political future. “Crooked Joe should be ashamed to show his face before these hardworking Americans he is stabbing in the back,” Trump said. Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee, spoke about the relationship between United Auto Workers Union President Shawn Fain and Democratic leaders. Mix said Fain will have a difficult time

getting his workers to support Biden. “He’s got to come out of this with a union that will continue to support Democrat political candidates who are literally driving United Auto Worker members out of their jobs by a cram down of electric vehicles,” Mix told The Center Square.

The UAW posted this photo to its Facebook page, showing President Joe Biden, right, and UAW President Shawn Fain, left, with UAW members Sept. 26

Mix said the Biden visit shows the importance of having these auto workers on his side come election time.

“He’s got to have the United Auto Workers union and the rest of big labor, and I mean the union officials, not the rank and file workers, on his team as he heads into 2024,” Mix said. Trump’s visit is planned for Sept. 27, but he released a statement following Biden’s Michigan trip. “Joe Biden’s draconian and indefensible Electric Vehicle mandate will annihilate the U.S. auto industry and cost countless thousands of autoworkers their jobs. The only thing Biden could say today that would help the striking autoworkers is to announce the immediate termination of his ridiculous mandate,” Trump said. “Anything else is just a feeble and insulting attempt to distract American labor from this vicious Biden betrayal.” The UAW contract expired Sept. 14. The big three manufacturers make up 50% of all vehicles manufactured in the U.S. So far, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri and Illinois have workers who have joined the strike.

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 49

Driven Brands Holds Inaugural Joint Collision Conference Driven Brands hosted Evolution 2023, its inaugural U.S. collision repair joint conference, gathering Abra, CARSTAR and Fix Auto USA franchise partners, Sept. 2830 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, FL. The conference featured two days of education, thought provoking discussions and networking opportunities, capped off with the Fenders and Fairways charity golf event. Before the conference got underway, three Orlando-area women and their families were presented refurbished vehicles, courtesy of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides® program. GEICO donated all three vehicles. CARSTAR Collimotive Center refurbished two of them and CARSTAR Superior Auto Body refurbished one, while Jerry’s Abra in Mankato, MN, and Fix Auto Fort Myers helped stuff the trunks with much-needed items and gift cards. The conference officially opened with Hannah Whitesides, senior vice president of paint and collision marketing at Driven Brands, serving as emcee. Driven Brands collision repair leaders Sabrina Thring and Damien Reyna took the stage to share their outlook for the collision repair network and the year ahead.

“There are three critical pillars for us to have a common vision and common goal: profitability, excellence and growth,” said Thring. “We have the collective power to continue driving this industry forward. We are in the best position to influence the changes in the field and by uniting our forces, we will continue to blaze trails in the collision repair industry space.” Reyna shared his outlook on how CARSTAR, Abra and Fix Auto USA can continue to move forward and navigate this ever-changing industry. “While we are making great headway on many areas of our performance, there are still several opportunities for improvement across the network,” he noted. “We’re confident that, working together, we can meet and exceed our goals for the remainder of the year, maintaining our position as America’s leaders in collision repair.” The rest of the activities on opening night included a keynote address from Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author of eight books, who spoke about facing the inevitability of change and the dilemma of pivot or panic; and a party featuring whiskey tasting, cigar rolling, axe throwing, a live jazz band and fund raising that raised more than $6,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The conference continued Sept. 29

with keynote speaker Matt Mayberry, retired Chicago Bears linebacker and internationally acclaimed speaker; an OE panel focused on the current and future state of EVs, led by Dirk Fuchs and featuring panelists from Nissan, Lucid and Rivian; presentations on marketing and DrivenAdvantage; and breakout sessions for the franchise partners. A vendor tradeshow in the afternoon was followed by the awards gala that evening, where the guests donned their formal attire and celebrated the collective achievements during the conference. On Sept. 29, during a media roundtable call, Thring expanded on her comments from the previous evening. Collectively, there are 1,031 CARSTAR, Abra and Fix Auto locations in North America, Thring said, and Driven Brands plans on continuing to add more in 2024. Thring said Driven Brands is welcoming new owners from outside the collision repair industry, some of whom have private equity backing, as well as helping existing owners expand. “When you invest in your people and your shop, when you leverage the resources [of Driven Brands] and engage, you’re able to scale faster and you can take that talent, trust it, and

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move on to the next location,” Thring said. “Thee is an appetite to grow and expand; people still love this business.” Among those resources made available to franchisees are recruiting tools, to help find and hire quality technicians; partnerships with companies like asTech to provide the latest AI technology to expedite processes and ensure safe and proper repairs; and tools and training to repair the growing number of EVs on the road. “We are encouraging owners to get more OE certifications to attract talent,” Thring said. “We want to be seen as leader in [EV repair.]” Thring said Driven Brands currently has 92 Tesla-certified shops, as well as shops certified by Lucid and Rivian, and it wants to increase those numbers. The final day, Sept. 30, featured the Fenders and Fairways golf fundraiser, held at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The event was attended by 60 golfers who teed it up in the scramble for fun and fundraising. Throughout the conference week, the attendees raised more than $90,000 through sock purchases, onsite competitions, a 50/50 raffle and an art auction to be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to support research, advocacy and care.

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Average EV Prices Plummet As Oversupply Concerns Grow By Suvrat Kothari InsideEVs

The consistently falling prices of electric vehicles over the past year could be an encouraging and worrying sign in equal measure. Largely influenced by Tesla’s price cuts, EV prices fell sharply month-over-month and year-over-year, according to Cox Automotive’s latest data. In July, the average price Americans paid for a new EV was $53,633. In August, the price fell by $257 to $53,376. That’s a remarkable 18.7% lower than the average transaction price of $65,688 in August a year ago. The effective prices could be even lower after factoring in federal and state incentives. Franchised auto dealers have a diminishing outlook for EV sales in the short term, said Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke. The dealers are reportedly feeling pressure from oversupply concerns rather than lack of demand. Tesla has a direct-to-consumer modus operandi, so the dealers’

declining expectations are concerning non-Tesla EVs, whose sales are growing but not on a particularly steep curve. It’s a “natural speed bump and an expected part of growth,” wrote Smoke. The economist forecasted surplus inventory and increased competition could lead to further reduction in prices, and will positively impact buyers considering EV adoption. Moreover, manufacturer incentives have also peaked over the last 12 months, now standing at $2,365, which can help boost EV adoption further. Tesla’s impact on this trend is a truism. The brand witnessed 390,377 new registrations in the U.S. in the first seven months of 2023, and it is enjoying a nearly 60% EV market share. Chevrolet is second with a 6% market share followed by Ford at 5.2%. The Elon Musk-led brand has disrupted the EV space with multiple price cuts worldwide over the past 12 months. The latest cuts took effect in August, with inventory discounts of up

to $5,500 on the Model 3 Long Range, as the brand prepares to make room for its incoming facelifted version. In fact, the average transaction price of a Tesla has declined by 19.5% over the last 12 months, falling from $68,233 a year ago to $54,943 in August. Meanwhile, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles have witnessed a contrasting trend. The average price of a hybrid car increased by 18.1%, from $33,555 in August 2022 to $39,624 in August 2023. Despite that, hybrids continue to be considerably more affordable than pure EVs.

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CCC, Google Enable Online Appointments CCC Intelligent Solutions Inc. has teamed up with Google to streamline the online appointment booking process for repair shops that use CCC® Engage. The collaboration introduces a user-friendly “Book Online” button added to Google Business Profiles, Search and Maps, helping participating repair shops stand out in search results and making it easier for consumers to schedule repair appointments. The new “Book Online” button is now live on the Google Business Profiles of repair shops with subscriptions to CCC Engage, a CCC ONE® solution that drives digital traffic to repair shops. The button seamlessly directs consumers to schedule appointments through Carwise, CCC’s online platform that helps consumers find local collision repairers. Carwise integrates with CCC Engage to provide real-time access to repairers’ calendars. The CCC ONE platform improves every stage and level of the collision repair cycle, including the consumer experience.

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Toyota Airbag Control Unit Settlement Reached By David A. Wood CarComplaints.com

A Toyota airbag control unit settlement has been reached between the automaker and 11 vehicle owners who allege their airbag control units are defective. None of the plaintiffs claim their control units, seat belts or airbags failed. The Toyota airbag control unit settlement arises from a huge consolidated class action which includes Kia, Hyundai, Fiat Chrysler, Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi. Toyota decided to settle the lawsuit to put the matter behind it because the case could drag on for years. “Toyota has denied and continues to deny each and all of the claims and contentions alleged in the Actions, and has denied and continues to deny that it has committed any violation of law or engaged in any wrongful act or omission that was alleged, or that could have been alleged, in the Actions,” Toyota said. You are included in this class action if you own, lease, or previously owned or leased one of these vehicles as of July 31: 2011–2019 Toyota Corolla

2011–2013 Toyota Matrix 2012–2018 Toyota Avalon 2013–2018 Toyota Avalon HV 2012–2019 Toyota Tacoma 2012–2017 Toyota Tundra 2012–2017 Toyota Sequoia Toyota recalled nearly 3 million vehicles in January 2020 except for the Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia, even though the automaker had received no warranty claims about the airbag control units in the older vehicles. The class action alleges the Toyota airbag control units are defective because they contain DS84 application-specific integrated circuits which can suffer from electrical overstress from too many electrical signals during crashes. This causes the airbag control units to fail, which in turn cause failures of the seat belt pretensioners and airbags. When Toyota issued the 2020 recall, the automaker said the condition was “rare” because several circumstances must occur at the same time during a crash. At least 13 class action lawsuits were filed against multiple automakers after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an airbag control unit investigation in

2018. Those class actions were consolidated into the case known as In Re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation. Toyota Airbag Control Unit Settlement The Toyota airbag control unit settlement provides reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses related to the Toyota recall such as for towing or rental cars. However, Toyota had already offered reimbursements when the recall was announced in January 2020. Toyota has also agreed to extend the time period for the service part warranty coverage to 12 years. Certain Toyota customers may be eligible for a one-time payment of $250, “on a per capita basis to all Class Members who submitted out-ofpocket claims and to all Class Members who registered for a residual payment only.” The judge will hold a final fairness hearing Nov. 16. An owner who wants to object to the Toyota airbag control unit settlement must do so by Oct. 20. That’s also the deadline if you want to exclude yourself from the settlement. If the judge approves the airbag

control unit settlement, the 11 owners who sued will receive $2,500 each. The attorneys representing those owners will receive $25.9 million.The 11 owners who sued are Mark Altier, Alejandra Renteria, Samuel Choc, Tatiana Gales, Gary Samouris, Michael Hines, Brent DeRouen, Danny Hunt, Even Green, Joy Davis and Dee Roberts. The Toyota airbag class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: In Re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation. The plaintiffs in the consolidated ZF airbag lawsuit are represented by Keller Rohrback L.L.P., Baron & Budd, P.C., Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, Ahdoot & Wolfson, PC, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, LLP, DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLC, Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check LLP, Levi & Korsinsky, LLP, Podhurst Orseck, P.A., Pritzker Levine LLP, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, Robins Kaplan LLP, Seeger Weiss LLP and Hellmuth & Johnson.

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2023 Hood Master, PiN Master Winners Announced The winners of the 2023 FinishMaster Hood Master and PiN Master challenges were announced Sept. 22 at the Biltwell Event Center in Indianapolis, IN. More than $22,000 in prizes including cash, tools and equipment were awarded to this year’s winners. In addition, the FinishMaster team raised a record-breaking $30,000 for the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) through fundraising efforts. About 350 guests attended the event, where 105 hoods and pins were on display, including a gallery of select prior winners displayed on the main stage. Guests could meet Dave Kindig of Kindig-It Designs and watch live pinstriping demos from Cory Mroz of Mr.Oz Designs, both featured judges for this year’s challenge. There was also an activity station with 2023 Hood Master challenger and double winner Tom Hudach of TNT Custom Paint, who encouraged everyone to do hands-on taping and design activities with him. 2023 Hood Master Winners This year’s challengers brought their talent and experience to a whole new level. From intricate painting techniques to lighting and 3D sculptures, everyone was in awe of what they saw. Each

challenger poured their heart and soul into their artwork and the industry panel of judges did not have an easy job. “The FinishMaster Hood Master Challenge is a great opportunity for all skill leveled artists to show their talents and I was very honored to have had the opportunity to see and judge the contest this year,” Kindig said. “The FinishMaster team did a great job presenting the competition and putting on a quality reception and display.” Airbrush First place: Tom Hudach, Urethane Circus; $3,000, SATA TrueSun color match light, SATAgraph 4 airbrush and premium sponsor promotional items Second place: Tom Strait, Perseverance through Pain; $2,000, SATA 4400 minijet, SATAgraph 4 airbrush and premium sponsor promotional items Third place: Craig “WIZ” McNeil, Melting Pot; $1,000, Sagola 3300 GTO Gravity, Sagola Classic Lux Gravity and premium sponsor promotional items Pinstripe First place: Tommy Strader, Endless Summer; $3,000, SATA TrueSun color match light, Sagola Classic Pro

XD Gravity and premium sponsor promotional items Second place: Kevin Campbell, Purgatory; $2,000, Sagola Mini Xtreme Gravity, Sagola Classic Lux Gravity and premium sponsor promotional items Third place: Austin Polen, Turmoil; $1,000, Sagola 3300 GTO Gravity, Sagola Classic Lux Gravity and premium sponsor promotional items Overall Wild Card: Tom Strait, Perseverance through Pain; $2,000, Sagola Mini Xtreme Gravity, Sagola Classic Lux Gravity and premium sponsor promotional items Online Crowd Favorite: Tom Hudach, Urethane Circus; $2,000, Sagola 475 XTech Gravity, Sagola Classic Lux Gravity and premium sponsor promotional items 2023 PiN Master Winners PiN Master is a student challenge hosted at the same time as the Hood Master challenge. The contest is for students in collision repair programs across the U.S., who compete by repairing, designing and painting retired bowling pins. The goal of the PiN Master Challenge is to showcase the students’ skills and to support the future of this industry. More than 50

bowling pins were on display this year. First pace: Ahryus Griffin, ‘Murica Second place: Julian Perez, Project Neon Razor Third place: Kenny Rolle, Hot Fudge Sundae Wild Card: Kenny Rolle, Hot Fudge Sundae This year’s PiN Master winners’ prizes included tools and equipment to help advance the start of their careers in collision repair, and premium sponsor promotional items. FinishMaster is beyond grateful for the continued support from the key industry partners listed below who make the challenges and event possible with their sponsorship commitments. Diamond: 3M, AkzoNobel, Axalta Platinum: Smart Gold: Norton/St. Gobain, Sagola, SATA Silver: Accudraft, DeVilbiss, Dynabrade, Evercoat, GFS–Global Finishing Solutions, Innovative Tools, ProStat, RJE–Business Interiors, SEM, Transtar Congratulations to this year’s winners. In 2024, the fifth anniversary of the Hood Master event will be celebrated with another chance to give back to collision repair programs supported CREF.

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Widespread Autonomous Vehicle Adoption At Least a Decade Away A world of self-driving vehicles and mobility-on-demand is likely to exist eventually, but for the next decade, widespread implementation of autonomous technology will not be realized, according to a new forecast from S&P Global Mobility, released Sept. 25. The report reflects findings from robust model-level forecasting that autonomous vehicle expectations have not been fulfilled and still face more headwinds—affording significant opportunity and scale to automated driving implementations in the interim. For the next decade, autonomous tech will be limited to two specific areas: geofenced robotaxis operated by fleets in specific areas, and handsoff systems with various safeguards in personal vehicles that will still require some form of driver engagement. The latest forecast from S&P Global Mobility said Level 5 Autonomy—a vehicle that can go anywhere and do everything a human driver can”—will not be publicly available before 2035, “and probably for some time after that,” said Jeremy Carlson, associate director for the autonomy practice at S&P Global Mobility. “But the outlook for more targeted implementations of the same fundamental technologies, especially in Level 2+ and Level 3 but also for some forms of Level 4, is more positive and will certainly happen on a much shorter timeline.” This latest outlook from S&P Global Mobility reflects the headwinds and slower pace of development that both the automotive and tech industries have demonstrated over the past several years. It paints a stark contrast to the optimism of just five years ago, when the world was swept up in the promise and excitement of a future of self-driving vehicles in Levels 4 and 5. Automated—rather than autonomous —driving continues to be the focus of industry development. Today’s broad deployments of Level 2+ and Level 3 systems by many automakers in multiple regions will reach at least 31% of new vehicle sales globally by 2035, according to the forecast. L2+ and L3 allow the driver to be hands-off while supervising, or to disengage entirely in specific driving scenarios, such as in Super Cruise by General Motors and Drive Pilot by Mercedes-Benz, respectively. “There is immense opportunity for automated driving systems in L2+ and L3, and they are benefiting from the standardization of basic safety features which provide a foundation of in-vehicle architecture, sensing and compute,” Carlson said. “Their functionality also complements driving today rather than fully replacing

the driver, making consumer adoption less of a challenge. The next several years of wider deployment across brands and vehicle platforms will be a boon for automakers selling these optional features as well as suppliers who continue to build scale and a strong foundation for the future.” L4 Technology Slow to Develop in Personal Vehicles The S&P Global Mobility forecast predicts fewer than 6% of light vehicles sold in 2035 will have any Level 4 functionality, as described by the SAE J3016 classification. Early L4 implementations in personally-owned vehicles offer advanced parking functions, often with the support of infrastructure. But many technology providers remain focused on the longterm potential of scaling autonomous vehicles in fleets supporting MaaS business models. There are positive examples of autonomous vehicles performing as well as humans in today’s pilot programs in places like San Francisco, CA, and Phoenix, AZ, in the U.S., and Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in Mainland China. But these same vehicles can still be confounded by complex traffic scenarios the next minute or the next day, giving regulators and consumers alike reason to be cautious. Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and robotaxis are nonetheless expected to lead the transition to an autonomous vehicle future, even with the relatively cautious growth ahead. There are growing numbers of small-scale deployments in certain cities around the world. But S&P Global Mobility forecasters do not expect that to become widespread and broadly accessible within the next decade. MaaS-equipped vehicles and robotaxi applications are expected to represent less than 800,000 vehicles sold globally in 2035. Robotaxis will be carefully geofenced for the foreseeable future—offering revenue service only within specific areas where they have already been extensively tested, Carlson predicted. But their high rate of use can be nonetheless effective at bringing new mobility options to some consumers and new revenue streams to automakers and mobility providers. Owen Chen, senior principal analyst from S&P Global Mobility, said robotaxi development and commercialization is a complex and multi-stage process which can be summarized in three stages. First, technical feasibility demonstrations confirm robotaxis can operate safely and reliably in the targeted conditions. Second, the long process of

56 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

technology optimization, integration and refining vehicle design eventually brings scale to manufacturing and deployment. Third is the efficient expansion to many new locations and operating conditions, with profit on top of revenue from meaningful adoption by consumers. “In 2023, many are working through stage 1 while several are seeking scale in stage 2, led by Mainland China and the U.S.,” Chen said. “But the opportunity to restructure personal and shared mobility exists.” In August, the California Public Utility Commission approved an expansion of operations in San Francisco for Waymo and Cruise. Mainland Chinese regulators are also enabling providers like Baidu Apollo, Pony AI, WeRide and more to test or operate paid services in parts of many major Chinese cities. Europe is also actively developing regulations to help bring some uniformity to such vehicles and services across the region. While the U.S. captured an early lead in both development and deployment of L4 MaaS, Mainland China is expected to contribute the greatest volumes long-term, followed by the U.S. and Europe in that order, according to S&P Global Mobility. Challenges nonetheless remain for

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successful and widespread deployment of L4 MaaS. In addition to a fragmented regulatory landscape and relatively low public trust that may hamper consumer acceptance and adoption, the cost of technology and the time needed for robust development and validation of hardware and software have quashed the optimism that defined much of the last decade. Reduced complexity in L2+ and L3 features face less risk or uncertainty for each of these factors, hence the more positive outlook for those technologies in the short term. This optimism is further boosted as some regulators are also mandating certain basic safety assistance features that will generate even wider exposure for selective automation. Automakers, suppliers, technology companies and mobility providers alike, however, remain committed to a future of safe and equitable autonomous mobility, even if it takes more time to get there. “There’s plenty of opportunity and growth ahead,” says Carlson. “Significant volumes measured in the hundreds of thousands per year are quite likely to come before 2030—but a future of shared mobility everywhere all the time will remain an aspiration for the industry.”

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Car Ownership Now Costs Average U.S. Household Nearly $700 a Month The cost of car ownership has increased 7% over the past year to $6,184 per year, as Americans spend $811 billion annually on auto loans and insurance combined, according to two new reports from doxo. A statistical analysis of actual household payments toward auto loans and auto insurance was used to size the market and amount spent per household across 97% of U.S. ZIP codes. The 2023 U.S. Auto Loan Market Size and Household Spending Report and the 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Market Size and Household Spending Report found U.S. households with auto loan and auto insurance bills spend $674 per month, or $8,088 per year---or $6,184 when averaging across all U.S. households. The reports break out the household spending market size; percentage of households that pay each bill; and average monthly and annual bill pay costs by state, as well as the 50 largest U.S. cities (based on the number of households), and those cities with 40,000 or more residents.

Key Findings Cost of Car Ownership in the U.S. * Americans spend a total of $811 billion dollars a year on auto loans and insurance * The average annual cost per household is $6,184 a year for both loans and insurance Auto Loans Market Size and Household Spending Snapshot * Total Market Size: $544 billion spent per year * Average Monthly/Annual Cost: $467 spent per month; $5,604 spent per year * Percent of Households: 74% of U.S. households pay loans * Average Annual Cost per U.S. Household: $4,147 per year * Percent of Annual Income: Auto loan bills amount to 9% of consumers’ income per year

Auto Insurance Market Size and Household Spending Snapshot * Total Market Size: $267 billion spent per year

* Average Monthly/Annual Cost: $207 spent per month; $2,484 spent per year * Percent of Households: 82% of U.S. households pay auto insurance * Average Annual Cost per U.S. Household: $2,037 per year * Percent of Annual Income: Auto Insurance bills amount to 4% of consumers’ income per year The rising cost of car ownership continues the trend of recent years. Auto loan debt currently stands at $1.5 trillion, a record high on the upward trajectory starting in 2011. Supply chain issues brought on by the pandemic, interest rate hikes and inflation have all combined to make car ownership more expensive than ever. The high

cost of car repairs combined with record underwriting costs for some insurance companies means the cost of insurance premiums has simultaneously skyrocketed. “While supply in the market is finally starting to catch up to the demand of the past few years, drivers are far from getting a reprieve from the numerous factors that have made it so expensive to own a car,” said Liz Powell, senior director of INSIGHTS at doxo. “Armed with information on both the rising costs in auto loans and insurance, consumers can make an informed choice if they’re considering whether now is the right time to trade in their car or buy a new one or negotiate rates with their insurance company.”

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2000 Route 70 East Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 www.landrovercherryhill.com

856.663.2800 Local 856.663.1663 24hr Fax jasons@Irch.com

58 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

• Comprehensive Inventory of Quality Genuine Jaguar and Land Rover OEM Parts • Professional and Highly Knowledgeable Wholesale Specialists to Help You • Free Daily Deliveries to the Greater Philadelphia / South Jersey Metro Area

TRUST FORD PARTS 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

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

Hoffman Ford Lincoln

Colonial Ford of Plymouth

Malouf Ford Lincoln Mercury

Schultz Ford Lincoln

860-282-0861 860-290-6336 Fax

888-754-3380 508-830-1650 508-830-1658 Fax

800-959-6256 732-951-1429 Fax

845-623-5111 845-624-0075 Fax

EAST HARTFORD

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

PLYMOUTH

NORTH BRUNSWICK

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

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

Sarat Ford Lincoln

Nielsen Ford

413-786-4474 413-789-3715 Fax

973-702-4296 973-875-7016 Fax

AGAWAM

Hours: M-W 7-6; Th 7-8; F 7-5; Sat 8-4 www.saratford.net

NEW JERSEY

Ciocca Parts Warehouse Ford FLEMINGTON

800-221-1256 908-782-1795 Fax

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

SUSSEX

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

NEW YORK

NANUET

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

Whittaker Ford WILLIAMSON

315-589-0117 315-589-2344 Fax

Hours: M-F 7:30-5 bobp@whittakerford.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Biener Ford

New Holland Ford

516-466-6406 516-407-3537 Fax

800-367-3232 717-354-9633 Fax

GREAT NECK

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

NEW HOLLAND

Hours: M-F 7-5:30

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 59

Drivers Learn To Use Vehicle Safety Tech, But on Their Terms By Andrew Gross AAA

on their behavior and attitudes toward the driving assistance technology.

New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found drivers who use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) grow more comfortable with the technology over time—sometimes too comfortable. After weeks of using ADAS, attention to driving tended to drop. However, these drivers also used ADAS more when highway demands were lower. “The AAA Foundation findings from this research are a cautiously positive sign for the future of vehicle automation,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation. “As drivers become more comfortable with the technology, they will be more likely to use it, which could lead to safer and more efficient transportation. But they must use it properly and understand the system’s limitations.”The study involved 30 drivers operating a vehicle with advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) features, including Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assistance. The study participants drove the ADAS-equipped vehicle for six to eight weeks on highways and were assessed before, during and after

Key Takeaways • Drivers can become comfortable with ADAS over time but are less likely to use the technologies in high-demand situations, preferring to use driver assistance on roads with lower traffic and better weather conditions. • Drivers who used their vehicle’s ADAS reported lower stress levels and greater driving enjoyment. • Over six to eight weeks, there was an increase in the frequency of system warnings reminding the drivers to pay attention. This suggests drivers became more comfortable engaging in non-driving activities as they gained familiarity with ADAS. Intriguingly, the research found drivers initially paid more attention to the driving task when using ADAS than when driving manually. However, after a few weeks of experience, drivers began to relax and multitask more often while the vehicle was in partial control. These findings suggest drivers can learn to trust and rely on ADAS over time. However, drivers must be aware of the technology’s limitations and prepared

to take over in an emergency. ADAS are widely available, with some technologies combining acceleration with braking and steering. Since the introduction of these sorts of ADAS features, there have been numerous newsworthy instances of drivers misusing the systems by watching videos, working, sleeping or even climbing into the back seat. To prevent such activities, some vehicles equipped with this technology monitor drivers using a camera-based system that watches their faces or a system that tracks steering wheel movements. Recent AAA automotive research testing found the camerabased system to be superior. The AAA Foundation’s research reinforces the importance of the Safe System Approach (SSA). ADAS systems provide a safety benefit to drivers and other road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, by alerting the driver to their presence. The SSA is a strategic way of leveraging the engineering and behavioral countermeasures proven effective at preventing traffic crashes and the injuries that can result from them. The study’s findings suggest drivers are willing to use driver assistance systems but are still cautious about

relying too heavily on them. This is essential information for automakers and regulators as they work to develop and deploy safe and effective automated vehicles. What This Means for the Future of Vehicle Automation The findings of this study suggest ADAS-equipped vehicles have the potential to be a safe and efficient way to travel. A foundation report released in August estimates available ADAS technologies could prevent approximately 37 million crashes, 14 million injuries and nearly 250,000 deaths over the next 30 years. However, automakers and regulators must consider that drivers must retake complete control of their vehicles in certain situations. Vehicle automation must have safety features, allowing drivers to intervene quickly and easily. “The potential lifesaving benefits of vehicle safety technologies are maximized only when drivers keep them on and use them correctly,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy. “These study results help illuminate the important and sometimes irrational ways we as drivers interact with technology.”

Trust Your Order to the Collision Parts Specialists

NEW JERSEY Volvo Cars Bridgewater SOMERVILLE

908-253-0540 877-70-VOLVO

908-429-9220 Fax

Hours: M-F 8-5 schoeppe@volvocountry.com

Volvo Cars Princeton LAWRENCEVILLE

609-882-5140 877-66-VOLVO

609-882-1515 Fax

Hours: M-F 8-5 gerlachd@volvocountry.com

VOLVO GENUINE PARTS 60 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

THESE DEALERS ARE GENUINE WHOLESALE PARTS SPECIALISTS.

Maine

Rhode Island

BREWER

EAST PROVIDENCE

Downeast Toyota / Scion 800-432-0220

207-989-4610 Fax

M-F 7am-5pm; Sat 7am-4pm partsdepartment@downeasttoyota.com www.downeasttoyota.com

Grieco Toyota 401-438-2206

401-431-0673 Fax

M-Th 7:30am-7pm; F 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am-5pm toyotaparts@griecocars.com www.griecotoyota.com

Is the Peak Price For Gas in the Rearview Mirror?

There’s Nothing Like the Original.

By Andrew Gross and Devin Gladden AAA

Authentic Parts. Happy Customers. Mopar® Collision Parts When your customers need collision 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. ®

Keep your customers safe and satisfied with your repair services. Go with the original. Go with Mopar. Call us first for all your parts needs!

FRANKLIN SUSSEX AUTO MALL

Order Hot Line: (855) 268-1207 Fax: (973) 875-9088

315 Route 23 Sussex, NJ 07461

Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 8:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M. Thur. 8:00 A.M.–8:00 P.M. Sat. 8:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M.

We accept orders through Collision Link, OE Connection, Parts Trader and CCC One.

8665_Yellow_Q_ABN.indd 1

NISSAN

10/27/22 10:39 AM

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW YORK

Bob Bell Nissan

Nissan 24

Rockland Nissan

800-638-4967

508-513-1816

845-358-3670

Baltimore

(410) 282-2432 (410) 285-1376 Fax M-F 7-7, Sat. 8-5 smelson@bobbell.com MASSACHUSETTS

Boch Nissan Norwood

781-619-7270

Genuine NISSAN & INFINITI OEM Wholesale Parts are Superbly Crafted to Strict Quality Standards.

The national average for a gallon of gas hit what may be 2023’s peak price of $3.88 early in the week of Sept. 18, only to slide a few cents in the following days. The average as of Sept. 21 is $3.86—a penny more than a week ago. “The recent drop in the national average, while small, is fairly typical this time of year as much of the country makes the switch to less expensive winter blend gasoline,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “But the gradual seasonal decline in pump prices is being slowed by higher oil costs, hovering around $90 a barrel.” According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand rose slightly from 8.31 to 8.41 million b/d over the week since Sept. 14. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks declined slightly from 220.3 to

219.5 million bbl. Higher gas demand, amid tighter supply, has contributed to elevated pump prices, but oil remaining above $90 per barrel continues to steer the price increases seen by drivers. The Sept. 21 national average of $3.86 is the same as a month ago but 18 cents more than a year ago. Since Sept. 14, these 10 states have seen the largest changes in their averages: Nevada (+33 cents), California (+29 cents), Georgia (+15 cents), Arizona (+14 cents), Iowa (+11 cents), Florida (+8 cents), North Dakota (+8 cents), Minnesota (+8 cents), Utah (+7 cents) and Oklahoma (+7 cents). The nation’s top 10 most expensive markets: California ($5.79), Nevada ($5.06), Washington ($5.04), Hawaii ($4.83), Oregon ($4.68), Arizona ($4.65), Alaska ($4.60), Utah ($4.25), Montana ($4.19) and Idaho ($4.14).

(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

Brockton

(508) 513-1858 Fax M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@nissan24auto.com

Route 9 Nissan West Westboro

508-389-4300

Blauvelt (845) 358-6049 Fax M-F 7:30-5:30, Sat. 8-4 ldesir@rocklandnissan.com www.rocklandnissan.com RHODE ISLAND

parts@route9nissanauto.com

Stateline Nissan

NEW JERSEY

401-572-3445

East Providence

Lynnes Nissan Bloomfield

973-680-1234

(401) 572-3665 Fax M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@statelinenissanauto.com

(973) 429-3193 Fax M-F 7:30-5, Sat. 7:30-2 csolis@lynnes.com www.lynnesnissan.com

THE FOLLOWING DEALERS PROUDLY STOCK GENUINE PARTS FOR YOUR NISSAN OR INFINITI REPAIRS. autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 61

BrightDrop Delivers First Electric Vans To Ryder For Rental Fleet BrightDrop, owned by General Motors, is delivering its Zevo 600 electric van nationwide, with the latest batch going to four Ryder facilities in California, Texas and New York, the company announced in a news release. Earlier this year, Ryder announced plans to introduce 4,000 BrightDrop EVs to its fleet through 2025, with the first 200 ordered this year. The BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric van boasts a range of up to 250 miles, a payload of 1,460 to 2,450 pounds, and a cargo capacity of 615 cubic feet. “Electrifying commercial fleets can reduce operating emissions without sacrificing range, safety or performance. By adding BrightDrop EVs to its fleet offerings, Ryder is helping make electrification possible for companies big and small,” said Steve Hornyak, COO of BrightDrop. “Working with companies such as BrightDrop keeps Ryder at the forefront of identifying and testing advanced and emerging vehicle

• Competitive Prices and Competitive Prices and Dedicated Wholesale Staff! Kia of Attleboro Discounts Always Always • DedicatedDiscounts Wholesale Staff Find all your Genuine Kia Parts With Us 508.761.9300 PARTS • Fast, Free Fast, Daily Delivery MA & RI Free Daily to Delivery Mon-Fri 7:30am-6pm

to MA and RI

technology, and we’re excited to incorporate these new EVs into our fleet,” said Tom Havens, president of fleet management solutions for Ryder. “Through our partnerships with technology providers and equipment manufacturers, Ryder can offer commercial fleet management solutions that drive sustainability and operational goals for our customers.”

508.761.0768 Fax 795 Newport Ave. South Attleboro, MA 02703 fmedeiros@kiaofattleboro.com www.kiaofattleboro.com M W 8am-8pm fmedeiros@kiaofattleboro.com TU TH F 8am-5pm www.kiaofattleboro.com SAT 8am-4pm

Find all your Genuine Kia Parts With Us

Parts Hours

Kia of Attleboro

PARTS 508-761-9300

M, W 8am-8pm TU, TH, F 8am-5pm SAT 8am-4pm

FAX 508-761-0768

795 Newport Ave. • South Attleboro, MA 02703

Courtesy Mitsubishi

Genuine OEM Parts for the Perfect Fit Every Time Find all your On-line Mitsubishi Parts With Us

PARTS 508-761-9700 FAX 508-761-4285

16 Scott St. • South Attleboro, MA 02703

To introduce these new EVs into the Ryder fleet, Ryder hosted “Ride & Drive” events for customers showcasing the vans, as well as EV chargers from ChargePoint, Ryder said in its own news release. The BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric vans are now available for rent at Ryder locations in Santa Fe Springs and Hayward, CA, Saginaw, TX, and Long Island City, NY.

www.drivecourtesy.com wbrown@courtesy-mitsu.com Parts Manager: sean@courtesyma.com

Committed to Excellence! Find all your Genuine Mitsubishi Parts With Us

INFINITI OF NORWOOD

Parts Hours M-Th 8am-6pm; F 8am-5pm SAT 8am-5pm

888.340.4442

FX 781.702.6804 Proud Recipient of the 2013 Award of Excellence for outstanding customer service

√ 24-Hour Delivery √ Full Parts Inventory √ Overnight UPS Service √ Serving All of New England √ Call before 7pm for Next Day Delivery Genuine Infiniti Parts and Accessories deliver model-specific enginee engineering, perfect fit, reliability, and ent Manufacturer. like new performance for your vehicle you would expect from an Original Equipment Genuine Infiniti Parts and Accessories fit the first time, helping you save time and money. “You have my guarantee of personal service. We do what it takes to get the right Infiniti parts to you u on time.” -Kevin Donnelly, Parts Manager

866 Boston Providence Highway Norwood MA 62 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

We’ve Got Your Parts Covered 100% Genuine. No Exceptions.

Genuine Kia Parts* are specifically manufactured from original engineering specs to ensure the same exceptional Genuine Kia Parts* are specifically manufactured from original engineering and safety asperformance when you first droveas when specsquality, to ensureperformance the same exceptional quality, and safety your Kia your off the lot.the Plus, covered byby our you first drove Kia off lot. they’re Plus, they’re covered our12-month 12-month Replacement Parts Warranty. Limited Warranty. Replacement Parts Limited

CONNECTICUT

MARYLAND

Napoli Indoor Kia

Bob Bell 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

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

Find your local Kia dealership today at www.kia.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

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

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

*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.

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 63

CIF Announces Repeat Annual Donors The Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) is delighted asTech and Enterprise have committed again to the CIF Annual Donor Program, their third and consecutive donations at the Urgent Care (second highest) tier, respectively. Introduced in 2021, the Annual Donor Program was designed to bring needed recurring resources to the foundation, so it can deliver on its mission to “Answer the Call” when those in the industry have been impacted by catastrophic events such as wildfires, hurricanes, flooding or COVID. For more than two decades through the generous support of corporations and individuals, CIF has been able to assist hundreds of collision repair professionals in need after disaster. CIF is grateful for asTech’s and Enterprise’s continued support of the Annual Donor Program, which will enable CIF to continue its work for disaster relief assistance.

AUTOBODY

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GRIECO TOYOTA of East Providence

Professionally Trained Toyota Wholesale Parts Specialists on Staff

Parts Direct 401-438-2206 24-Hour FAX 401-431-0673

Competitive Discounts and Pricing on All our Genuine Toyota Parts Eight Trucks - Free Same Day Delivery to RI, MA & CTNationwide Shipping

Parts Hours: MON-THU 7:30AM-7PM FRI 7:30AM-6PM; SAT 7:30AM-5PM toyotaparts@griecocars.com www.griecotoyota.com

1M+ Inventory Updated Daily. Brand New Cutting Edge Parts Department

415 Taunton Avenue East Providence, RI 02914

www.autobodynews.com

We have you Covered Front and Back with

ACURA GENUINE PARTS DEPENDABLE AS THE PARTS YOU SELL Always Trust Genuine Nissan Parts

856-667-8010 Call our Wholesale Parts Hotline Today!

Purchasing Nissan OEM parts has never been easier and more cost effective. It’s a huge benefit to your customers to offer OEM parts at aftermarket prices!

Parts Hours: Mon-Thu 8am-7pm / Fri-Sat 8am-5pm parts@cherryhillnissan.com

Fax 856-667-9422

2325 Route 38, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002

www.PartsAdvantage.NissanUSA.com

The Best for Much Less Aggressive Price Matching Available Free Daily Delivery to the Greater Philadelphia Metro area including South/Central NJ and Northern Delaware Large Inventory of Genuine OEM Nissan Parts Updated Daily

Order Parts Online at: www.cherryhillnissan.com 64 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Open Road Acura of East Brunswick

Parts:732.238.0777 24 Hr Fax 732.238.5466

robert.talbot@openroad.com www.openroadacuraofeastbrunswick.com

• Competitive Pricing • Free and Fast Delivery • Knowledgeable Wholesale Parts Staff • Acura Genuine Parts

Mon-Fri 8am-5pm • Sat 8am-4pm 1041 NJ Rte 18 South l East Brunswick, NJ 08816

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

Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers. 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

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

732.396.9630 732.396.9090 Fax M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm dmcsorley@bellaudi.com

Audi Southampton Southampton

Audi Devon

631.204.2565 Tue-Sat 8am-5pm parts@audisouthampton.com www.audisouthampton.com

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

Edison

DCH Millburn Audi

Biener Audi

800.553.9250 973.762.2381 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4pm ddipalma@dchusa.com www.dchmillburnaudi.com

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

Maplewood

Ciocca Parts Warehouse Audi

Great Neck

Devon

Flemington

800.221.1256 908.782.1795 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-12pm www.njparts.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

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.

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 65

PPG To Invest $2 Million To Train Workers PPG and the PPG Foundation announced a commitment to invest $2 million through 2025 to support workforce development initiatives that provide training and opportunities for future skilled workers in manufacturing and coatings application. The commitment aims to introduce students to the diverse and high-tech career paths within modern industry and provide them with educational opportunities to pursue fields such as advanced manufacturing, automotive collision repair, automotive refinishing and painting. “We understand the importance of providing students with a hands-on, practical education that arms them with the advanced skills needed for career placements in technical and STEM- related fields,” said Malesia Dunn, executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. Through existing and new partnerships with local technical schools, community colleges and organizations, PPG and the PPG Foundation will support preparation and training for specialized industry certifications and careers.

SOCIAL MEDIA AUTOBODY

YOUR ASSURANCE OF QUALITY

@autobodynews Autobody News @autobodynews Autobody News Autobody News www.capacertified.org www.autobodynews.com

NEW HOLLAND TOYOTA

The Right PARTS. A PERFECT Fit. Order Genuine Mazda Parts From These Parts Specialists in Your Area.

3600 William Penn Hwy. Easton, PA 18045

610.829.3020

484.546.0292 24hr Fax

MARYLAND

Ourisman Mazda of Rockville Rockville

855-417-4511

4700 West Chester Pike Newtown Square, PA 19073

610-353-6906

www.browndaubkia.com csmith@browndaub.com

610-353-4116 24 Hr. Fax

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

M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm

www.raffertysubaru.com raffertyparts@aol.com

528 W. Main Street New Holland, PA 17557

800-367-3232 717-354-4907

717-354-3906 Fax www.newhollandauto.com

M-F 7am-5:30pm

Free Delivery to PA and NJ Competitive Pricing

Fax 240-499-2488 M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com

www.rockvillemazda.com

66 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

n Delivery to PA, NJ and DE n Competitive Pricing & Discounts

Wide Delivery Area

Competitive Pricing

Rivian Offers Faster Delivery Option With Purchase from Inventory By Joey Klender

Think Genuine The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs. Subaru Parts.

Teslarati

Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today!

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Cityside Subaru

Belknap Subaru

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

Rivian informed customers its R1T inventory shop has officially opened, meaning customers can get their orders sooner if they order through it.

wish their R1T to be delivered. Then Rivian asks for their paint preferences. For instance, under New Jersey ZIP code 08234 and blue paint options, one vehicle is listed: an R1T Dual-Motor AWD unit for $83,500, which includes

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

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30 parts@citysidesubaru.com

Long Automotive Group

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

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

NEW JERSEY

Metrowest Subaru LLC

Liberty Subaru

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

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6 parts@libertysubaru.com www.libertysubaru.com

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

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

“Now, there are two ways to get behind the wheel of the awardwinning R1T. You can make a reservation and put together your own custom configuration. Or you can shop available R1T inventory that deliver in just one to six weeks,” Rivian said in an email to customers. Rivian’s inventory shop is designed to get customers the R1T they want immediately. The search starts with customers typing in the ZIP code where they

Emerson (888) 782-9493 (201) 261-3261 Fax

additional charges of $6,000 for the large battery pack and $2,500 for the blue exterior. The R1T’s Ocean Coast + Dark Ash Wood interior also gets an additional $2,000 charge. The electric pickup truck’s estimated delivery date is one to six weeks. A blue R1T with similar configurations would cost the same if customized. Custom Rivian R1T builds usually deliver in four months or less.

Porsche Genuine Parts and Service, only at your local authorized Porsche dealer.

MARYLAND Porsche Silver Spring

Silver Spring, MD 800-288-6982 301-890-3748 Fax wholesales@mileone.com

MASSACHUSETTS Porsche Norwell Norwell, MA 781-261-5230 781-261-5274 Fax porschenorwell.com

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 YORK Porsche Huntington

Huntington Station, NY 631-424-1310 631-272-1805 Fax

M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 parts@porschehuntington.com

Porsche Manhattan

New York, NY 347-226-3913 212-208-0916 Fax parts@manhattanmotorcars.com

Porsche of Southampton

Southampton, NY 631-204-2565 631-204-2559 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

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 67

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Mitchell Wins Award For Appraisal Review Solution Mitchell, an Enlyte company, received a 2023 Stratus Award for Cloud Computing from Business Intelligence Group, for its recent innovation, Mitchell Intelligent Review, in the Software as a Service (SaaS) product category. It combines cloud computing, Mitchell-authored vehicle data and the company’s machine-learning and computer-vision models to scan photos of collision damage and automatically evaluate the labor operations entered on the estimate. The artificial intelligence (AI) then flags problematic estimates that require a closer look by a trained appraiser. Automating this traditionally manual, time-consuming and resource-intensive task is intended to help carriers increase estimate accuracy, ensure quality and pinpoint workflows or areas of the business in need of improvement. It also gives insurers the ability to review every estimate written and then assists them in identifying the specific appraisals they should focus on to accelerate settlement times for policyholders.

The RIGHT COLLISION PARTS

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201.587.0028 201.587.0432 Fax

• Professional Responsive Wholesale Staff Ready to Help You • Extensive Inventory of OEM Acura Parts Updated Daily • Very Competitive Pricing and Discounts • Experienced Dependable Delivery to North Jersey and Rockland County NY

ron@parkaveacura.com www.parkaveacura.com Family Owned - We go Above and Beyond Your Expectations 247 W. Passaic Street Maywood, NJ 07662

SHEEHY LEXUS OF ANNAPOLIS

FOR YOUR COLLISION JOB

QUICK, CONVENIENT AND GENUINE OEM PARTS

Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers

Connecticut

Massachusetts

Meriden 318 South Broad St.

Norwood 391 Providence Hwy.

MERIDEN HYUNDAI

BOCH HYUNDAI

203-935-0896

800-559-9210

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm parts@meridenhyundai.com

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm bchwholesale@boch.com

203-935-0895 203-440-9969 Fax

Genuine OEM Daily > Large La Lar arg rge In IInventory Inve nve vent ven ntor to orry of G enui en nui uine ne LLexus exxus u O EM Parts EM Par arts ts Updated ts Upd pdat ated ed dD aily ai ly Fleet of 5 Delivery Trucks for Fast Free Delivery in MD, DE, > Fl Flee et of Del eliv iver iver ery Truc ery TTrruc ucks uck ks for or Fas astt Fr Fre ee e Deli elliv ive errryy MD, D, DE, VA DC VA and and nd tthe he D he C Metro Metr Me tro o Area Arrea A ea

and Dedicated Wholesale Specialists > Professionally Prrof P ofe esssion sio si on na alllly TTrained raiined ra in ned ed a nd D nd ediiccat ed ated ed W ho h ollesa le esale alle eS peci pe cial ci ial aliists issttss Ready Help You Re R ea ad dy to to H ellp Yo e Y ou

781-762-9210 800-991-1009 Fax

PARTS HOURS:

M-F 7AM - 6PM SAT 8AM - 2PM WWW.SHEEHYLEXUSOFANNAPOLIS.COM PARTS DIRECT: 410-841-2593 24 HR FAX: 410-266-3014 LEXUSWHOLESALE@SHEEHY.COM

121 FERGUSON ROAD I ANNAPOLIS, MD 21409 68 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Full Page (no bleed) | 8.28˝ x 10.132˝

Sometimes, “slow and steady” just isn’t an option Quality repairs and the possibility for quicker turnarounds—Genuine Volkswagen Collision Parts help provide the work your customers need at the speed of satisfaction.

CONNECTICUT

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

Lia Volkswagen Enfield

Ciocca Parts Warehouse Volkswagen Flemington

Hudson Valley Volkswagen Wappingers Falls

Ciocca Volkswagen Allentown

800-221-1256

845-298-2365

610-791-4177

Fax: 908-782-1795 M-F 7:30am-5pm www.cioccaparts.com

Fax: 845-224-3686 M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-5pm

Fax: 610-289-7016 M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm

billsantoro@thepremiercollection.com

cioccavwparts@cioccadealerships.com

Open Road Volkswagen of Bridgewater Bridgewater

Platinum Volkswagen Hicksville

516-822-4800

Jeff D’Ambrosio Volkswagen Downingtown

Fax: 516-822-4831 M-F 7:30am-5:30pm parts@platinumvw.com www.platinumvw.com

Fax: 610-363-8227 M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-12pm partsteam@dambrosio.us

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

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

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

610-363-8250

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

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 69 58720554-013-23-VW_2023_10Missions_Autobody_News_Wholesale_Assets_hz4.indd 1

7/31/23 5:41 PM

Co-President & Publisher Nathan Gregory

Accounting & HR Manager Heather Priddy

Co-President & Publisher Paul Stepanek

Permissions Editor Randi Scholtes

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

SOCIAL MEDIA AUTOBODY

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. ©2023 Autobody News, LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516 Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

@autobodynews Autobody News @autobodynews Autobody News Autobody News

John Bean Updates Calibration Info John Bean® has updated the website for its Tru-Point™ ADAS calibration tool, providing users with advanced information on proper calibrations to enhance performance and productivity. The updated website features system coverage videos that demonstrate calibration processes and procedures in a clear, concise manner. New information has been added to help shops ensure accurate calibrations and learn about floor space and lighting, service data, vehicle alignment and target placement, as well as scan tool solutions. In addition, an ADAS profit calculator can illustrate how much revenue a shop can realize by performing ADAS procedures. The Tru-Point calibration tool performs a check of the ADASrelated wheel alignment values and closely monitors each step of the setup procedure. To learn more, visit www. johnbean.com/us/adascalibration-systems/tru-point/.

www.autobodynews.com

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CARMEL INDUSTRIES | Tel. 514 270-5377, Email: info@carmelindustries.com www.carmelindustries.com 70 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Finish It Like a Masterpiece with

G E N U I N E PA R T S

The Dealers Below Are Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts Specialists: DELAWARE

NEW YORK

NEW JERSEY

PENNSYLVANIA

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington Wilmington

Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge Goldens Bridge

Mercedes-Benz Atlantic City Pleasantville

Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington Fort Washington

302-995-5033 Fax

914-232-4770 Fax

609-272-1535 Fax

201-765-9760 Fax

302-995-5030 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

914-232-8146

609-645-9310

M-F 8am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 2pm

M-F 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 4pm

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

267-419-1414

bmorey@mbofatlanticcity.com

M-F 7:30am - 6pm Sat 7:30am - 5pm mbpartswholesale@yourmercedes.com

Mercedes-Benz of Newton Newton

Mercedes-Benz of West Chester West Chester

888-302-2369 973-383-1284 Fax

484-313-1002 Fax

800-842-0557

M-F 7:30am - 6pm Sat 7:30am - 5pm

M-F 8am - 5pm

realmercedesparts@mbofnewton.com

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus Paramus

M-Th 7:30am - 7:30pm F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 5pm parts@prestigemb.com

parts@mbofwestchester.com

RHODE ISLAND

888-30-PARTS 201-265-7808 201-483-2782 Fax

484-313-1110

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

Smith Motor Sales of Haverhill, Inc Haverhill

877-764-8462 Direct 877-SMITH MB 978-702-5020 Fax M-F 8am-5pm

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS NOVEMBER 2023 71

SEMA BOOTHS 12517 & 37055

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THE PERFECT FINISH BEGINS AND ENDS WITH DYNABRADE 72 NOVEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Dynabrade, Inc. | 1.800.828.7333 | dynabrade.com/automotive |