S OU T HE A ST E DI T I ON AL / FL / GA / MS / NC / SC / TN / VA / WV
Vol. 14 / Issue 10 / December 2023
U.S. House Subcommittee Advances REPAIR Act The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce on Nov. 2 favorably reported HR 906, the REPAIR Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at preserving consumer choice and independent repair shops’ access to vehicle diagnostic data, the Auto Care Association announced in a news release.
The bill now advances to the full House committee. The REPAIR Act is sponsored by U.S. Reps. Neal Dunn, R-FL, Brendan Boyle, D-PA, Warren Davidson, R-OH, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-WA, and has 46 bipartisan co-sponsors. Davidson is also the only repair shop owner in Congress. While more than 70% of postwarranty vehicle repairs are carried out by independent repair shops, the advent of sophisticated vehicle technology has raised concerns about those repairers’ ability to access critical vehicle diagnostic data, essential to providing high-quality and affordable vehicle repairs to consumers and commercial fleet owners.
The REPAIR Act seeks to safeguard consumer choice and competition in the marketplace by granting independent repair shops the right to access vital diagnostic and repair data, provided it is authorized by the vehicle owner. Importantly, this legislation would remove restrictions imposed by vehicle manufacturers, ensuring
independent repair shops can continue to provide affordable and accessible vehicle maintenance and repairs. “We are grateful to the subcommittee for recognizing the intent behind this legislation and agreeing to report the REPAIR Act to the full committee,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association. “While today’s action is a testament to the hard work of our industry’s advocacy of preserving safe, affordable and accessible vehicle repair, it is also just the beginning of the legislative process. As this fight now moves to the full Committee on l CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
42 YEARS
AUTOBODYNEWS.COM
2023
RECAP ISSUES REGIONAL NEWS
Southeast Collision Conference Announces 2024 Date and Location The Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) and the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) announced the third annual Southeast Collision Conference (SCC) will be held May 16-18, 2024, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, NC. SCC will continue to be a premier tradeshow and education opportunity, featuring elevated experiences for both attendees and vendors alike. As with last year, there will be national-level contributors taking part in the events. The conference is intended to move
“The entire point of the conference is to get shops together, help them to get great education and encourage community growth with their peers,” — JOSH KENT
CCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
annually between the two regions to serve as many shops as possible, year over year. l CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
REGIONAL NEWS
GM Delays Opening of Ultium Cells Plant in Tennessee By Joey Klender Teslarati
General Motors has delayed the opening of its Ultium Cells production plant in Spring Hill, TN, originally scheduled before the end of 2023, due to construction delays, the automaker said in its Q3 earnings call in late October. GM’s Ultium project will enable a new platform of EVs for the legacy automaker, bringing a software-
based offensive to one of the U.S.’s best-selling car companies and a major player in the EV sector. The company has been producing Ultium cells at another plant in Warren, OH. GM Authority noted the automaker is also planning to bump up starting wages for production operators and quality inspectors at the Spring Hill plant. l CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 14
Columnist Mike Anderson: How to Shape ‘Customer Experience’ to Set Your Collision Repair Shop Apart
6
Columnist Abby Andrews: Successful BMW Shop Manager Has Vision for Future of Repair Planning
4
Columnist Stacey Phillips: Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards Celebrates Standout Achievements
24
Columnist John Yoswick: MSO Symposium Looks at Claims Trends, Opportunities for Collision Shops to Buy or Sell
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