37 YEARS
SOUTHEAST EDITIO N
AUTOBODY
AUTOBODYNEWS.COM
Vol. 9 / Issue 11 / January 2019
AL / FL / GA / MS / NC / SC / TN / VA / WV
Cars Talking to Cars Happening in Tampa, FL, as Connected Vehicle Program Rolls Out
FL Body Shop Worker Crashes Customer’s Audi S4, Shop Refuses to Pay for Repairs
by Nicole Grigg, ABC Action News
by Michael Fira, TopSpeed
The idea of cars talking to cars sounds futuristic, but it’s happening in Tampa, FL. The city is one of three places selected to take part in a pilot program for connected vehicles. The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is demonstrating cars that can “talk” to each other, known as “connected” vehicle technology. “Connected” vehicles are not the same thing as “autonomous” vehicles, or self-driving cars. Instead, these are vehicles that
communicate wirelessly via the Internet with other similarly equipped vehicles, as well as with downtown traffic and pedestrian signals. The goal is to enhance safety, improve traffic flow and even reduce greenhouse gas use. On Nov. 29, ABC Action News went along with THEA for a demonstration of how this concept works with different public transportation forms such as HART and the Streetcar system. The pilot program will gather data for the next year to see how cars See Cars Talking to Cars, Page 8
Collision Repair Industry Associations Make 2019 New Year’s Resolutions by Chasidy Rae Sisk
Since the Babylonians began the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions over 4,000 years ago, people around the world have kicked off each new year by making a promise to improve some aspect of their lives. The collision repair industry is no different, and associations around the country have begun thinking about what they can do to improve their organizations in 2019. Fortunately, some of these industry leaders were willing to share their 2019
New Year’s resolutions with Autobody News. Increasing membership, expanding educational offerings and pursuing legislative initiatives were all largely important to associations and the industry in 2018. Collision repair professionals can anticipate seeing these efforts extend into 2019 with renewed vigor. Elijah Winans, board member of the North Carolina Association of Collision and Autobody Repair (NCACAR), would “like to see our membership, attendance See Resolutions, Page 28
All day, every day, we have to agree with forms online that are too long to be worth reading. Much in the same way, we often fail to read contracts in real life; however, this could have costly consequences. Take a man who brought his Audi S4 to a body shop for repairs only for an employee to wreck it and then refuse to pay for the damages. Apparently, the client had signed a contract that exempted the shop from having to pay for any damages that occurred while the car was in its care. However, the owner has since sought legal help as he aims to some-
how get the body shop to pay for the gross negligence. It’s not the first time that we’ve heard about a customer handing his car over in good faith to an auto body repair shop thinking that he’ll get it back in better condition than it was in when he left it. Instead, through the carelessness—or utter recklessness in this case—of the staff, the car ends up damaged or nigh on destroyed. Who is to blame if that happens? You’ll be quick to point fingers at the shop, but you may be in for a surprise. Vincent Hansen took his Audi S4 to Titan Motorsports in Orlando, FL, to have it upgraded with some See Refuses to Pay, Page 21
Holidays Holidays y Caliber Collision, ABRA (Auto Body Repair of America) To Merge Caliber Collision (“Caliber”) and ABRA Auto Body Repair of America (“ABRA”) recently announced a definitive merger agreement that brings together the companies’ teams, brands and operations to better serve their customers and insurance clients. The combination joins two complementary leaders in the $47-billiona-year collision repair industry. “This combination will allow us to offer even greater satisfaction for our valued customers and insurance clients while creating new opportunities for the talented teammates of both companies,” said Steve Grimshaw, Caliber Chief Executive Officer. “With more than 1,000 stores in 37
states and the District of Columbia, we look forward to providing customers and insurance clients with the flexibility and convenience that come with the broadest geographic coverage in the United States and a full suite of services.” The combined company will offer customers and clients a single solution with more offerings, including dedicated non-drive, express and aluminum-certified and high-line repair centers. Customers will also benefit from increased choice, as substantial opportunities exist to expand the companies’ offerings, such as glass, mechanical, diagnostic See Caliber Collision, Page 10
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