December 2023 Southwest Edition by Autobody News

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Vol. 41 / Issue 12 / 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

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Colorado Auto Body Shop Sued by Customer for Taking Too Long to Repair Car A Lakewood, CO, auto body shop is facing a lawsuit from a former customer for taking three months to fix her vehicle after it was damaged by hail. Shirley Dale took her Honda CR-V to StormWise Automotive Hail Repair on July 11 for the repairs. The shop told her it would take four weeks, but 12 weeks later, she still didn’t have her SUV. She finally got it back Oct. 4, the day after Denver7 Investigates aired a news story about Dale and other customers enduring long waits

for repairs at the shop. Dale hired Dan Vedra, a consumer protection attorney, in September, who sent StormWise a letter, but it received no response. Dale is suing StormWise for $10,000 for loss of use of her car, plus legal fees, to send a message. “I shouldn’t have to send demand letters. I shouldn’t have to hire an attorney,” Dale told Denver7 Investigates in a follow-up news story Oct. 10. “That’s just not the l CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

REGIONAL NEWS

Dan Stander Honored with Fix Auto USA Community Champion Award Since the 1970s, Dan Stander’s family has been in the collision repair business in the Littleton, CO, area, delivering quality service and community investment. Stander, owner of Fix Auto USA Highland Ranch, who continues his family’s tradition, was recently honored at the Driven Brands U.S. collision repair joint conference as the winner of the Fix Auto USA Community Champion Award. The Community Champions

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Pictured, left to right, are Damien Reyna, Dan Stander, Dennis O’Mahoney and Sabrina Thring

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 22

Columnist Mike Anderson: How to Shape ‘Customer Experience’ to Set Your Collision Repair Shop Apart

Columnist Abby Andrews: Successful BMW Shop Manager Has Vision for Future of Repair Planning

Columnist Stacey Phillips: Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards Celebrates Standout Achievements

Columnist John Yoswick: MSO Symposium Looks at Claims Trends, Opportunities for Collision Shops to Buy or Sell

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Contents

COLUMNISTS Mike Anderson How to Shape ‘Customer Experience’ to Set Your Collision Repair Shop Apart �� 22

REGIONAL NEWS Colorado Auto Body Shop Sued by Customer for Taking Too Long to Repair Car �� 1 Dan Stander Honored with Fix Auto USA Community Champion Award �� 1

NABC Recycled Rides Program Donates Vehicles to 2 Oklahoma City Veterans �� 13 Oklahoma Auto Shop Disappears as Man Waits 19 Months for Truck to Be Fixed �� 4

Abby Andrews Axalta Introduces World’s First Digital Paint-Mixing System to U.S. �� 28 Goliath Carts, Hunter Engineering Win Best New Product Awards at SEMA 2023 �� 12 NABC Recycled Rides Presents Vehicles to 7 Las Vegas Residents During 2023 SEMA Show �� 14

NATIONAL NEWS 2024 WIN MIW Nominations Open �� 33 AirPro Diagnostics Auggie Mobile Device Meets IIHS and NHTSA Standards for Calibration �� 42 AkzoNobel Showcases Celebrity Vehicles, Digital Tools at 2023 SEMA Show �� 40 Auto Suppliers Increase Layoffs Due to UAW Strike �� 21 Automakers Report October Sales Results �� 44

Experian Launches Data Network to Combat Rising Fraud in Auto Loans � 29 Ford Could Cut F-150 Lightning Production Due to Waning Demand 38

Successful BMW Shop Manager Has Vision for Future of Repair Planning �� 18 Stacey Phillips Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards Celebrates Standout Achievements �� 10

Dynabrade Introduces Renny Doyle Series Geared-Dual-Action Polisher at SEMA �� 36 IDEAS Collide Encourages Collision Repairers to Think Differently, Outperform ��6 John Yoswick Conference Includes Discussion of Sublet Requirements, Tech Access to OEM Procedures �� 26 MSO Symposium Looks at Claims Trends, Opportunities for Collision Shops to Buy or Sell �� 16 State Farm Making Efforts to Reduce Supplement Delays �� 32 Tesla-Certified Shop Suing 2 Insurers; ExEmployee Files Lawsuit Against Safelite 20

Former Nikola CEO Ordered to Pay $165M in Damages �� 46 Industrial Finishes and Systems Joins CIECA �� 29

Index of Advertisers

Mazda, Mitchell Renew Agreement � 41

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 41

Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 35

Most People Not Embracing Robotaxis in Their Community �� 38

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 42

Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa �� 36

Bob Howard Parts Distribution Center �� 23

Mac Haik Ford-Lincoln �� 15

New MotorTrend Documentary Examines China’s EV Production in Mexico, Impact on U.S. Market �� 43

Bob Utter Kia �� 32

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 44

Brent Brown Toyota �� 22

Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts �� 47

Opus IVS Launches ADAS Map �� 43

Car-Part.com �� 33

Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts �� 40

U.S. House Subcommittee Advances REPAIR Act ��1

Certified Automotive Parts Association �� 18

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 29

Christopher’s Dodge-Ram �� 19, 26

NOROO Paint & Coatings, Ltd �� 7

Classic Chevrolet �� 32

NorthAmerican Bancard �� 13

Classic Elite Chevrolet Sugar Land �� 11

North Freeway Hyundai �� 36

Classifieds �� 46

Northside Chevrolet �� 21

Cool Boss A Division of BendPak Inc �� 2

Northwest Hyundai �� 4

Courtesy Chevrolet �� 17

Part of the Club �� 19

Emich Chevrolet �� 19, 37

Peak Kia �� 19

Equalizer Auto Glass Tools �� 34

Quality Buick-GMC �� 28

Fisher Acura �� 19

Santa Fe Kia �� 47

Fisher Honda �� 19

SATA Dan-Am Company �� 5

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Five Star Subaru �� 16

Schomp Mazda �� 34

Flatirons Subaru �� 19, 27

Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center �� 8-9

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 31

Stevinson Lexus of Lakewood �� 19

Freeman Mazda �� 38

Stevinson Toyota West �� 19

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Garcia Honda �� 28

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 43

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 39

Toyota of Laredo �� 20

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers 24-25

Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 45

Horne Kia �� 40

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 44

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 42

Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 47

Industrial Finishes and Systems �� 48

Yatu Paints, USA �� 12

Average Length of Repair Soars to 23.1 Days in 2023, But Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Rises �� 17 bp Pulse Invests $100 Million in Tesla Chargers for Network Expansion �� 41 Caliber’s TAP Program Hits Milestone �� 37 CARSTAR Ranked on Franchise Times List �� 45 Collision Repairers Asked for Input on Annual Insurer Report Card �� 45 Dip in Deer Strikes Poses Mystery for Insurers Ahead of Peak Season �� 47

UAW Reaches Tentative Agreements with Stellantis, GM, Ending Strike �� 37 UAW Reaches Tentative Deal with Ford �� 34 White House Holds Round Table Discussion on Right to Repair Efforts �� 33

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Oklahoma Auto Shop Disappears As Man Waits 19 Months For Truck To Be Fixed By Taylor Mitchell KFOR News

An auto shop in Jones, OK, has seemingly disappeared after an Oklahoma City man said he dropped his car off there more than a year and a half ago to get it repaired. Micah Jones was told it would take 90 days to fix his truck, but he still doesn’t have it. Jones said he dropped off his truck at Jones Auto on Hiwassee and E. Britton roads in March 2022. He said he has been given the runaround for the last year and a half on when his truck would be fixed. He finally had enough and decided to talk in person, but when he showed up to the auto shop, no one was there. There are no signs, no cars and no employees. “The whole story doesn’t really line up,” Jones said. It was last year when Jones was driving and slipped on ice, crashing into a tree. Jones Auto agreed to fix the truck. Jones paid the owner of Jones Auto, Kirby Gallagher, $3,000 up front and was told it would take 90

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Champion Award Award is given in recognition to honor owners who have gone above and beyond in their community outreach to support a variety of charitable causes and local organizations. Stander and his family business joined the Fix Auto USA network several years ago. His efforts to engage with the Littleton community is a great example of the spirit, culture and attitude of a community champion. Stander was also recently elected to serve on the Automotive Service Association (ASA) board of directors as their chairman elect. “My family certainly has been blessed,” said Stander after receiving his award. “There were some tough years where we struggled, but we kept at it, worked hard, networked and

days to fix. But Jones hasn’t seen his car since March 4, 2022. “People have been very generous. I think I’ve borrowed seven different cars or something like that. So, I’m very thankful for the people who have just allowed me to borrow here and there,” said Jones. A year and a half later, there’s been no sign of the truck, but also no sign of the auto shop. Jones told KFOR he has no idea where his truck could be. Jones said he’s been given excuse after excuse why his truck has not been fixed. Also, text messages between the two show Gallagher’s communication has been inconsistent. KFOR reached out to Gallagher to see what the hold up is. He told the news outlet he is busy with other jobs and feels he took on a bigger job than he expected. “We took out more than we could, and I had some employees hired that I thought were better than they were, and they weren’t. And, you know, there’s no excuses. It kind of sucks… I made several promises. And based on the actions of other people, to made me look like a

learned from others. This award is a testament to that hard work and also making sure that you give back to the community where we work and live.”” He is well known for his family’s involvement in the founding of the Sertoma Mile High Soap Box Derby, a fun, family-oriented event in which children and their parents can participate in the greatest amateur racing program in the world. His facility also serves as the location for the program. Fix Auto Highlands Ranch is also involved in the local Rotary chapter. Through Rotary, the Fix Auto USA family has enjoyed many service projects, including making and serving meals at the Ronald McDonald House, serving meals at the Denver Rescue Mission, assembling and delivering Thanksgiving baskets to homebound people for the Interfaith Task Force, and helping at local food banks.

fool… It’s just a stupid mistake,” said Gallagher. Gallagher said they tried but failed to fix the truck. He is taking full responsibility as to why it has taken so long. “Sometimes it’s not as bad as they look when they’re all crunched up. And I’ve picked a lot of cars that looked worse. I thought, the worst that can happen is we can’t fix it… My guys took it apart. We took it to the frame shop. He tried to pull on it and said, I don’t know. And then we pulled back the shop and was going to try to find another donor car, you know, for the inner frame rails and stuff… I just couldn’t find anything… And then I got busy with a bunch of other jobs and kept getting on the back burner,” said Gallagher. As to why Jones Auto is gone, Gallagher said, “The shop’s closed down. The rent is too high for that location.” Jones just wants some sort of resolution. “We’re not supposed to walk around with bitterness, so I’m doing what I can to forgive him. I’m asking for help for forgiveness to forgive him, because I know he’s done me

wrong,” said Jones. Kirby told KFOR, “I want to make it right.” Jones said he filed police reports with the Jones and Oklahoma City police departments. He also filed a small claims lawsuit in October 2023. That hearing will be in November. Gallagher told KFOR he will make things right before that and take care of everything. KFOR asked him where the truck is, and he said it is at a mechanic shop in Jones, but did not give the location so the reporter could take a look.

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IDEAS Collide Encourages Collision Repairers To Think Differently, Outperform EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By Stacey Phillips Autobody News

Since IDEAS Collide was launched by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) in 2018, as part of the Repairer Driven Education Series, the program has included professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds. “IDEAS Collide showcases people’s big grand schemes for how this industry can be better, outperform where we are today, think differently about how our businesses look and find ways to implement that,” said Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of SCRS. During this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, new speakers had an opportunity to share their ideas with the industry in a series of short presentations. Three are summarized below.

Affordable Health Benefits Ben Simmons, Gravie’s chief strategy officer, talked about one of the biggest problems the country faces: affordable and comprehensive health benefits. “It’s something we have to think about, like it or not, sometimes on a day-to-day basis to attract and retain talent,” said Simmons. “But it’s laden with so many problems that there has to be a better solution.” Currently, the average yearly cost of health care per employee is $12,000. “That’s rising at an unsustainable rate,” said Simmons. Rising costs coupled with high deductibles and co-pays ultimately create a burden for employers and employees. “When your health insurance spend is eating more into your profit year after year, it’s at a breaking point for many businesses,” said Simmons. Simmons noted little change has occurred in insurance over the last 30 years except for some innovations in digital health. Examples include telemedicine and apps that help manage chronic conditions from home. However, Simmons said these solutions have been mostly accessible to large, self-insured employers. Currently, Simmons said small business owners with fewer than 500 employees make up more than 50% of the American workforce. “Health insurance is at a breaking point for small business owners,” noted Simmons. To address this challenge, Simmons said a shift in perspective is critical.

“That perspective shift is focusing on the member,” he said. “…the consumer who is actually using the health insurance and align their interests with everybody else in the value chain.” When Simmons started at Gravie a decade ago, the team set out to redesign health insurance for small employers and build a health plan everyone can love. Simmons discussed the company’s flagship program, Comfort, designed to be a benefits plan for small business owners and employees. It provides 100% coverage on most common services, such as routine primary care, specialist care, urgent care, imaging in an office setting and generic drugs. It also incorporates emerging digital health solutions and a no-interest payment plan. Although Simmons said the plan is not a solution for every employer every year, the company aims to pass through savings, when possible, be transparent and give customers more control.

Culture Is Currency Michael Bradshaw, vice president of K&M Collision and an SCRS board of director, talked about culture and why he believes it is the real currency in the job market today.

to do within their company. K&M bases its culture on five foundational building blocks: inspiring leadership, recognition, work-life harmony, professional growth and personal growth. “As business owners, we often get caught up in the daily grind and lose sight of what truly matters,” said Bradshaw. “For many of us, family is at the heart of what we do, and we aim to create a work culture that feels like family, where everyone is supported and valued.” Bradshaw said building a positive company culture and a team of excellent individuals has not only propelled his business forward but has also allowed him the opportunity to spend quality time with his family and create lasting memories. “That is the true power of positive work culture,” he said. “It not only transforms our businesses and our teams, but it also enriches our personal lives, bringing us closer to the ones we love.” By investing in employees as if they were family, Bradshaw has found they will go above and beyond for the business. “Our business would not be the success that it is without our people,” he said. “They come first and foremost.”

industry are missing one of the most important tools of all, a great mentor,” said Brune. Weber shared two of the four critical areas part of their proprietary system. The first is assessing culture. Weber advised asking employees if they believe the company believes in them. The other critical area is assessing the mentor involved in the program to determine if they are willing and able to instruct and believe in the industry. Brune recommends educating everyone involved in the program and focusing on three areas: working across generations, the ability to communicate a clear vision for the future and demonstration. “Just like we wouldn’t let our technicians use a tool they don’t know how to use, the same applies to mentoring,” he said.

Mentor Mentee CEO Ryan Weber and Business Development Manager Marc Brune

A New Approach To Mentorship

Michael Bradshaw, vice president of K&M Collision and an SCRS board of director

Bradshaw said 80% of U.S. employees don’t feel connected to their company’s culture. “We’re used to thinking that salaries and benefits get the best talent and collision repairers,” said Bradshaw. “We wring our hands over how we’re going to attract new technicians and how can we pay more because we can’t be competitive in the workplace. But we never talk about culture.” Bradshaw said that is really the secret weapon. “It’s the force behind attracting and keeping staff, keeping them happy, boosting morale and performance,” he noted. He asked attendees to picture the greatest job satisfaction coming from a workplace that enriches life, sparks passions and thrives on excellence. That is what Bradshaw has tried

6 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

With a growing technician shortage, two representatives from the company Mentor Mentee shared best practices about mentorship, CEO Ryan Weber and Business Development Manager Marc Brune. Weber said the company approaches mentorship differently than traditional programs where an employee is matched with someone more experienced. Instead, Mentor Mentee offers a technical mentoring platform. “The outcome is to strengthen that new person’s ability and skills in a technical field,” he explained. Weber asked attendees to imagine tackling repairs without diagnostics, plans or tools. “It would be chaos,” he noted. “The same applies to a workforce and mentoring.” By incorporating technology into the apprenticeship process, Weber said it can help replace a skilled workforce and pass down critical knowledge from one generation of workers to the next. “Just as we would not approach a vehicle without the proper diagnostic tools…a lot of times what we see is that mentees and entrylevel technicians that come into the

Whether a shop is already running a program or getting ready to launch one, Weber said it’s important to begin with the end in mind. He suggests creating a customized task list for the technicians’ roles to provide direction. He also recommends employers be aware of how wide they are leaving the door open. Without a career plan, Brune said an employee will likely have their eyes open to other jobs, even if they pay just a few dollars an hour more. “By supporting and investing in your people, you’re able to close that door,” he said. To ensure mentees continue to thrive, Brune recommends monitoring their progress. He advocates setting priorities, holding everyone accountable and providing feedback. “Not every technician is cut out to be a mentor, but those with the right support can make an immense amount of difference within your business,” he said.

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Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards Celebrates Standout Achievements EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By Stacey Phillips Autobody News

The Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards ceremony was held Oct. 31 in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Las Vegas, NV. Industry members gathered during to celebrate standout achievements and character in the collision repair industry. The event was sponsored by participating organizations, with added sponsorship from BodyShop Business, the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) and SCRS. Emcee Liz Stein from OEC described the event as the industry’s “version of the Oscars with the best quality people, as well as awards that actually are meaningful and change lives.” BodyShop Business The Executive of the Year award by BodyShop Business recognized repairers in two categories, single shop and multi-shop owner. The single shop winner was Greg Solesbee from Carstar Hayden in Hayden, ID. Charlie Drake, chief operations officer at Classic Collision, received the multi-shop award. “The winners of these prestigious awards are true collision repair visionaries who have experienced great success through innovative thinking, overcoming challenges and persevering,” said Jason Stahl, editor of BodyShop Business. NABC Jennifer Hubbard, NABC board member and secretary, and client engagement manager–Automotive Services Group for CCC, presented NABC’s Changing and Saving Lives Award. The recipient was Shawn Crozat, CEO of G&C Auto Body in Santa Rosa, CA, who shared his appreciation for the award virtually during the event. “It’s an absolute honor to receive the Changing and Saving Lives award from NABC,” said Crozat. The family has donated 200 cars through the NABC Recycled Rides program. CIC In honor of CIC’s 40th anniversary, Chairman Frank Terlep, vice president of ADAS solutions at Opus IVS, shared history about the organization and played a video highlighting memories over the years. As part of the celebration, CIC

announced a new tradition— mpresenting a Volunteer of the Year award to someone who has gone above and beyond by being an ambassador of CIC’s vision and mission. The award was given to Petra Schroeder, a Hall of Eagles inductee and known by many as “Collisionista.” Darrell Amberson, president of operations for LaMettry’s Collision and CIC past chair, said Schroeder serves the industry in many ways, greeting first-timers with a welcoming, warm spirit, and epitomizes class and dignity.

vehicles, totaling a donation of more than $2 million. “Thousands of students are going to be impacted…through this very generous donation,” said Eckenrode.

CREF Brandon Eckenrode, CREF’s executive director, handed out the organization’s two Fueling the Future Awards. Pam Watson, sales and marketing strategist at Albert Kemperle and Florida state chair for I-CAR, was recognized for her help in addressing the critical need for entry-level talent entering the industry. “I want to thank CREF and I-CAR for setting ambitious goals and providing us the resources and the guidance to achieve those goals,” said Watson. “Equipping collision repair education programs with the tools that they need is very valuable to me.” CREF’s other Fueling the Future Award recipients included Tony Russo from Volkswagen Group of America and Mark Allen from Audi of America. The auto manufacturers donated 78 new vehicles slightly damaged in an overseas shipment. As a result, 18 schools in Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia received internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric

CIECA CIECA Chairman Greg Best, senior business analyst at California Casualty, announced CIECA’s award recipients. Two individuals received an Outstanding Achievement award for their support of the organization: Frank Phillips, formerly of Rivian, and Jake Rodenroth, North American Body Repair Program operations manager at Lucid Motors. “I want to thank my team at Lucid Motors; I couldn’t do it without them,” said Rodenroth, who thanked Andy MacDonald, Lucid’s director of technical operations, the certified Lucid repair facilities and his family, most of all his dad. Bill Brower, vice president of industry relations at Solera, received CIECA’s Chairperson’s Award. “I’m honored to be a part of the CIECA organization and really appreciate the industry and all that you do for consumers to help them get their cars repaired properly and pleased to play a small role in that,” said Brower. The award for Electronic Commerce Company of theYear was presented

I-CAR I-CAR President and CEO John Van Alstyne announced the Jeff Silver and the Russ Verona Memorial awards recipients. “Our two award recipients promote technical education and professionalism beyond just their own businesses,” said Van Alstyne. Zack Beck, corporate claims trainer for GEICO Insurance, received the Jeff Silver award. “Our award recipient, who trains appraisers, is viewed by coworkers as a true champion for the I-CAR community,” said Van Alstyne. Beck completed about 200 I-CAR courses and continues to train. Clinton Body Shop in Mississippi, established by the “Collisionista” Petra Schroeder, front left, received late John Mosley, received the the CIC Volunteer of the Year award. Also pictured are Jordan Hendler, back left, CIC administrator, and Russ Verona Memorial Award. CIC’s current and past chairs. Ron Reichen, owner of Precision Body and Paint in “The first honoree of the Volunteer Beaverton, OR, accepted the award on of the Year Award is a person who behalf of John’s widow, Carol. has embodied every attribute,” said “John was a warrior for our industry,” Amberson. “She makes meaningful said Reichen. “He always put the contributions and always has new customer’s needs above all else. John ideas.” believed there was only one correct “I will contribute to this industry way to repair a vehicle, and that was as much as I possibly can,” said knowing the vehicle’s construction and Schroeder. “I love this industry and the correct methodology that could most of all, I love the people in it.” only be achieved through training.”

10 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

to OEC. Ken Eagleson, OEC’s vice president of business development and a CIECA board member, was recognized for his dedication. “The company chosen this year has supported CIECA and its mission in many ways,” said Best. SCRS Tony Adams, business services consultant for AkzoNobel, and Andy Tylka, owner of TAG Auto Group, presented the 2023 Affiliate Association Award to the Auto Body Association of Texas, accepted by Jill Tuggle, executive director. “This year’s recipient has really demonstrated exceptional leadership in their state and their activity in advocating for legislation,” noted Adams. “The person accepting this award for the organization is selfless,” added Tylka. “She a progressive thinker. She encourages people to learn from what they’re doing.” “It has been a pleasure to fight the good fight and to be there and represent the small guys and the independent shops and…to do what’s good for this industry and the empty chair,” said Tuggle. Michael Bradshaw, vice president of K & M Collision, awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to the late John Mosley, owner of Clinton Body Shop. “He was as genuine an individual you’ll ever meet in your life,” said Bradshaw. “He cared deeply about everyone else, and he was always someone who put others’ needs before his.” Burl Richards, owner of Burl’s Collision Center, accepted the award and shared some thoughts from Mosley’s family. Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of SCRS, and Barry Dorn, vice president of Dorn’s Body and Paint, presented the 2023 March Taylor Kina’ole Award to Kye Yeung, owner of European Motor Car Works. “This award is about folks that truly shine a light on all of us… whether or not they intend to,” said Dorn. When Dorn talked to Yeung about joining SCRS, Yeung hesitated and said that he didn’t feel ready. “It’s common that that person just doesn’t believe they belong there because they look at all the greatness in everyone else, and sometimes, they fail to recognize it is within themselves,” said Schulenburg. “The success that that I feel in accomplishing this is because of the friends around the table,” said Yeung. “Thank you so much. I’m so proud to be part of this.”

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Goliath Carts, Hunter Engineering Win Best New Product Awards At SEMA 2023 EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

Hunter Engineering and Goliath Carts started off the 2023 SEMA Show with a bang, both being named winners of Best New Product awards, presented at the Kick-Off Breakfast before the show opened Oct. 31. Goliath Carts took top honors in the collision repair and refinish category for its destructive test weld stand, while Hunter won the ADAS Product category for its Ultimate ADAS.

bolted to the ground or a bench, or a mobile version that can be moved from vehicle to vehicle, Diez said. The stand has a wet/dry box to hold hot coupons after welding, and a white board where photos and other information can be tracked for insurance purposes. A cubby holds

“It can do all of the types of welds in all of the positions, and that’s the important thing,” Diez said. “You can overlay them, lay them side to side, put a plate behind them. Anything you can think of as far as performing a test weld, you can do on this thing.” Diez said it was exciting to hear his company’s name called as the award winner. “We’re just fortunate that Mike Anderson and his group gave us the challenge,” Diez said. “We met the challenge and we’re very excited to win the award and to be associated with the Spartans Group.” The destructive test weld stand is in stock and available now.

Dito Diez, center, lead engineer and owner of Goliath Carts, accepts the Best New Product Award in the collision repair and refinish category for his company’s destructive test weld stand

Hunter Engineering won the ADAS Product category for its Ultimate ADAS, eliminating the errorprone manual layouts traditionally associated with static ADAS calibrations. The system seamlessly integrates Hunter’s renowned alignment technology with an efficient guided target placement system, delivering comprehensive around-the-vehicle coverage. The pivotal component of this technology is the gimbalmounted lasers, which replace the

Collision Repair & Refinish Winner Dito Diez, lead engineer and owner of Goliath Carts, said his company developed the destructive test weld stand after being challenged by Mike Anderson, president of Collision Advice, and his Spartans Group. Anderson is a big proponent of destructive test welding, saying not doing it as part of the repair process “would be like an automaker not doing vehicle crash testing before selling a new model of vehicle.” Goliath Carts worked with a focus group of about 10 of the best shops in Anderson’s group to figure out what features were necessary. The result is a stand that can be

ADAS Product Winner

tools like the welding gun tip and pliers, and a table holds odds and ends. The most important feature is an articulating coupon holder, Diez said, that can handle multiple thicknesses and sizes, and moves up and down and around the post.

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imprecise guesswork of strings, plumb bobs and tape measures. This advancement results in an impressive 70% reduction in setup time for certain procedures. “It’s named Ultimate ADAS for a reason,” said Ryan Gerber, Hunter product specialist for ADAS. “It’s the fastest and most precise ADAS calibration system available.” “All of Hunter is so proud to win the SEMA New Product Award for Ultimate ADAS,” said Pete Liebetreu, vice president of product management and marketing. “Bringing this innovative product to market took a huge team of engineers, developers, U.S.-based manufacturing and of course, the interest of our customers and partners. It was a huge effort and the team at Hunter is very proud of this prestigious recognition.” Ultimate ADAS is currently exclusively available to Honda and Acura dealers, with plans to expand its availability to other OEMs in 2024.

Autobody News EXCLUSIVE

COVERAGE

NABC Recycled Rides Program Donates Vehicles To 2 Oklahoma City Veterans On Oct. 16, two deserving Oklahoma City, OK-area veterans were presented vehicles to provide them independence and the ability to work, thanks to the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides program, along with GEICO, which donated the vehicles, and collision repair partners Gerber Collision & Glass in Norman and Oklahoma City. The presentation was held at Gerber’s Oklahoma City location. Nonprofit partners Phoenix Recovery Institute and Honoring America’s Warriors nominated the recipients. Terrell Moody received a 2018 Chevy Cruze. Moody is a disabled U.S. Navy veteran facing multiple injuries, and his determination to overcome his challenges and rebuild his life have been nothing short of inspiring. Providing him with a reliable vehicle will be a crucial step toward helping him to achieve his personal and recovery goals, as his current lack of transportation poses significant obstacles in accessing essential resources and services. With numerous doctors’

appointments and physical therapy sessions each week, Moody relies on public transportation or other people to drive him, which has proven to be highly unreliable and limiting. Having a dependable vehicle will grant him the autonomy and freedom to attend appointments on his schedule. Beyond medical appointments, securing gainful employment is a top priority for Moody, as he seeks to rebuild his life and achieve financial independence. Andre Parker received a 2019 Hyundai Kona. Parker is a U.S. Army combat veteran. He has worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for more than 17 years and is currently a volunteer for the American Legion. He is married with four kids. Parker is working on completing service dog training for his dog Kilo. He travels 200 miles round trip a week for service dog training in an unreliable 2006 Acura with 325,000 miles. He does not have the income to replace this vehicle and a reliable vehicle would enable him to continue to work, volunteer and take care of his family.

“It’s a great honor to be able to partner with Gerber Collision & Glass and GEICO to provide these two deserving veterans with the gift of reliable transportation,” said Dale Ross, NABC Recycled Rides program manager. NABC Recycled Rides is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the program in 2007, members of the NABC have donated more than 3,200 vehicles valued at some $46 million. Additional partners in the presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars and Enterprise.

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REPAIR Act Energy and Commerce, I encourage our members to remain diligent with outreach to elected officials to ensure they know that your business depends on the REPAIR Act becoming law.” Justin Rzepka, executive director of the CAR Coalition, also applauded the subcommittee’s decision. “It’s tremendous to see bipartisan support for expanding vehicle owners’ right to repair,” Rzepka said. “Today’s markup and approval of the REPAIR Act demonstrates the clear desire of Congress to put consumers first. We thank the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for advancing this important legislation and look forward to seeing the bill move forward. This legislative development comes at a crucial time when the automotive industry is witnessing rapid technological advancements, making it imperative to ensure consumers retain the freedom to choose where they get their vehicles repaired. For more information about the REPAIR Act and how to support the legislation, visit repairact.com.

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NABC Recycled Rides Presents Vehicles To 7 Las Vegas Residents During 2023 SEMA Show EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

One of the most inspiring events of the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, took place Nov. 1, when the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled Rides program presented fully refurbished vehicles to seven local residents in need of reliable transportation. Held on the rooftop of the Renaissance Hotel parking facility, overlooking the Las Vegas Convention Center, the presentation changed the lives of U.S. military veterans, a brain cancer and burn survivor, a single parent, and people who aged out of the foster care system and no longer have support.

Jakob Todd received a 2020 Toyota Corolla to help him get to school and work.

Also in attendance were all the partners who made the presentations possible, including representatives of the local nonprofits who nominated the recipients; car donors GEICO, Travelers, Farmers Insurance, Nationwide, Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car; repair partners Caliber Collision, Classic Collision, Crash Champions, CARSTAR, Faulkner Collision and CCG member Updated Auto Body; and 1-800 Charity Cars. Scott Sampley, chairman of the NABC, said the Recycled Rides program is on track to donate more than 200 vehicles in 2023 alone. Since the inception of the program in 2007, more than 3,200 vehicles have been donated. Glenn Castillo, nominated by U.S. VETS, received a 2015 Kia Optima, donated by GEICO and refurbished by Caliber Collision. Castillo is a U.S. Navy veteran who served from 1998 to 2006. After Castillo lost his job, he was at risk of being evicted from his apartment. U.S. VETS helped him find a new job as a medical assistant, but it required a two-hour bus ride each way. Castillo said he was grateful he decided to answer an email about the donation.

“It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he said, adding he thanks God for helping him figure things out. Luciana Hamilton, nominated by My Scars are Beautiful, received a 2019 Toyota RAV4, donated by GEICO and refurbished by Caliber Collision.

By his 17th birthday, he was in a juvenile detention center. There, he buckled down and graduated from high school. On his 18th birthday, he was offered a job, but it is a twohour bus ride from his home. He has endured the four-hour round trip commute for more than a year, and also mentors troubled teens once a week with the local police. Having a car will make it easier for him to attend junior college and eventually continue at a four-year college.

Before Houston turned 18, both of his grandparents passed away. When he turned 18, Houston aged out of the system and asked to take his siblings with him. He was able to meet the requirements of a stable home and job eight months later, and he was awarded “foster kinship” of his siblings, now 16 and 13, but they have had to rely on the often unpredictable public transportation system. “I wasn’t expecting things to go the way they did,” Houston said. “I learned you have to reach out; you can’t just be by yourself. Help from friends and family means too much to bear.”

Luciana Hamilton, left, hugs Michelle Hardy-Rodriguez, founder and president of nonprofit My Scars Are Beautiful.

Hamilton is a burn survivor from a house fire, and has also undergone surgery to remove a brain tumor. Without a vehicle, she has had to pay for ride shares to go to doctor appointments, and walk in the often severe Las Vegas heat to take care of daily errands. “What a blessing,” Hamilton said. “Thank you, everyone. This car is going to bring so much joy in my life.” Richard Carreon, nominated by Forgotten Not Gone, received a 2021 Nissan Altima, donated by Hertz and refurbished by Updated Auto Body, a member of the Certified Collision Group. Carreon is a U.S. Army combat veteran who served from 1999-2014 and deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Carreon suffered from untreated PTSD, leading to the loss of his car. Since receiving treatment, Carreon has volunteered with Forgotten Not Gone, a veteran suicide prevention nonprofit, since it was founded in 2015. The vehicle will help him continue to volunteer and fulfill other roles. “When the world doesn’t give you a reason to get up, purpose is the most powerful thing,” Carreon said. “This vehicle will help me be efficient and keep paying it forward.” Jakob Todd, nominated by the Children’s Foundation of Las Vegas, received a 2020 Toyota Corolla, donated by Nationwide and refurbished by Faulkner Collision Centers in Pennsylvania. Todd entered foster care when he was 5 and was shuffled from home to home until he was 16, when he ran away from a bad foster home.

14 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Kelly, left, and Peter Guidry, right, cofounders of nonprofit Forgotten Not Gone, with Richard Carreon, center.

“I have a deep love and appreciation for every individual who put this event together,” Todd said. “This restored my faith that our community has our back. Not just me, but every [recipient] here has one less thing to worry about.” Alberto Swann, nominated by the Children’s Foundation of Las Vegas, received a 2017 Hyundai Elantra donated by Travelers and refurbished by CARSTAR. Swann was placed in foster care, along with his siblings, when he was 8. Over the next decade, they were moved to more than 20 different homes, before Swann was turned out of the system when he turned 18. He was homeless for more than a year. The Children’s Foundation has helped him secure a stable home and job, and he has gotten his driver license. Now 27, he rides a scooter to work, after the bike he was using blew out a tire. Both exposed him to the extreme weather. The car will ease the struggle that transportation has been his entire life. “I really want to thank everyone for this opportunity,” Swann said. “I’ve been struggling for a long time, but this will help.” Ryan Houston, nominated by the Children’s Foundation of Las Vegas, received a 2017 Honda Accord donated by Farmers and refurbished by Classic Collision. Houston was 7 when he and his two younger siblings were placed in a foster home with their grandparents.

All seven cars await unveiling before the presentation.

Finally, Tonya Jones, nominated by Family Promise of Las Vegas, received a 2020 Jeep Compass, donated by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and refurbished by Crash Champions. Jones is a single mom, after she fled from her young daughter’s abusive father only with what she could fit in a friend’s car. When the pandemic hit, she lost her childcare and was eventually laid off from her job. Then a thief stole her identity and her unemployment benefits, leading to eviction when she could not pay rent. Family Promise provided emergency housing, and she soon secured a new job. Jones’ mother also moved in, and needs dialysis treatment two to three times per week. Jones has been paying for ride shares to get her mother and daughter where they need to go and to run errands. “I’m really grateful,” Jones said. “This means so much. I’ve had to start over twice in the past two to three years, and this will allow me to take [my daughter] to see the world. This will also let me make the end of my mom’s life special for her.”

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MSO Symposium Looks At Claims Trends, Opportunities For Collision Shops To Buy or Sell EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By John Yoswick Autobody News

More than 300 people attended this year’s MSO Symposium on Oct. 30, the largest attendance in the event’s 12-year history. For many in the industry, the annual gathering, focused on consolidation in the collision repair industry, kicks off the start of SEMA week in Las Vegas. Speakers offered an outlook for the economy, discussion about the flow of private equity investment in the industry, and the opportunities—and challenges—for business owners wanting to add additional shop locations. Bart Mazurek, vice president of consulting services for CCC Intelligent Solutions’ automotive services group, shared data at the event indicating direct repair claims were up 3% in the third quarter of this year—good news for collision repair businesses that focus more on DRP work. Mazurek said higher prices and lower availability of new vehicles in recent years has contributed to a continued rise in the average age of vehicles in the U.S. “If you look at 2019, only 34% of vehicles were seven years and older,

but now we’re up to 42% of vehicles being over seven years, and that has an impact on total losses,” he said. “Older vehicles are obviously easier to total out.” The percentage of noncomprehensive claims resulting in a total loss had dipped down to as low as 18.2% in the summer of 2022, according to CCC data, but that has

Bart Mazurek of CCC Intelligent Solutions said DRP claims were up 3% in the third quarter of this year

rebounded to above 20% every month this year. Speaking on the day that General Motors became the final automaker to announce a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers, Mazurek downplayed any significant impact the six-week strike had on collision claims. “As we looked at national

implications, especially when it comes to cycle time, we didn’t notice any differences or any uptick in cycle time,” he said. “Sure, we’d heard some anecdotal information on a regional basis of parts availability issues, but generally speaking, we’ve been told that dealership groups had been stocking up on parts, focusing on the 60-day market. If they could [have] inventories to get through 60 days, there wouldn’t be an impact on cycle time, and I think that’s held firm to date.” Also during the MSO Symposium, David Roberts of Focus Advisors said there are now 17 private equity firms with investments in collision repair operations. “And there are at least 12 more who are knocking at the door,” Roberts said. “If you’re an independent MSO out there today and you’ve got four or five or more shops, they’ve knocked on your door.” He said realistically, maybe four of the 12 will make an acquisition while they others will not, perhaps deciding it’s a business they don’t know enough about. But still, the interest means it’s not too late for a smaller MSO to get a private equity buyer to help them grow. “I think that they are looking for a

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five- or six-shop MSO to get started with,” Roberts said. “If you’re one of those high performers, where you’re doing $25 million out of five shops and you’ve got 18% EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization),

“Management may be the most important part of the profile of any [business] selling to a private equity firm.” — DAVID ROBERTS

MANAGING DIRECTOR, FOCUS ADVISORS

you’re going to get a really nice offer. If you are smaller than that or you don’t have those kinds of margins, most importantly, you have to have a great management team that is going to stick with the business. Management may be the most important part of the profile of any [business] selling to a private equity firm.” What are buyers paying for collision repair businesses? Roberts said it varies on the buyer and the size of business being acquired, but the good news is “values are holding steady and in some cases rising.”

Average Length of Repair Soars To 23.1 Days in 2023, But Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Rises In 2023, the average time for auto repairs has reached a staggering 23.1 days, a significant increase of 6.2 days from the previous year and more than double the duration in 2021, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. Surprisingly, despite the prolonged repair cycles and lingering parts shortages, customer satisfaction with the auto insurance claims process has improved this year, reaching an overall score of 878 on a 1,000-point scale. The study credits this boost in satisfaction to insurers’ efforts to manage customer expectations and improve digital communication. “It’s really a testament to strong client management processes and improved digital communications,” said Mark Garrett, director of global insurance intelligence at J.D. Power. “Insurers have been able to earn significantly higher auto claim satisfaction scores at a time when costs and rates are rising---even though it’s never taken longer to get a vehicle

repaired. Notable, too, is that insurers that have improved the most in overall satisfaction have done so in two key customer areas: showing concern for their situation at the beginning of the process and keeping them informed. Being empathetic toward the customer situation goes a long way in building trust with them.”

Key Findings Overall Satisfaction Improves: The overall satisfaction with the auto insurance claims process has increased by 5 points to 878 on a 1,000-point scale. This improvement can be attributed to enhancements in various aspects of the claims experience, including settlement, first notice of loss (FNOL), claim servicing, estimation process and repair process. The only factor that declined this year is rental experience, which fell by 2 points. Record Repair Cycle Times: Despite the improved overall satisfaction, the time it takes for vehicles to be repaired has never

been longer. The average repair cycle time from FNOL to returning the vehicle to the claimant now stands at 23.1 days, marking a significant increase of 6.2 days compared to 2022 levels. Before the pandemic, the average cycle time was only 12 days. Impact on Rental Car Satisfaction: The prolonged repair cycles have adversely affected rental car satisfaction. An increasing percentage of customers report their rental period is not long enough or they are incurring out-of-pocket expenses, resulting in a 32-point drop in overall rental satisfaction for repairable claims when the car is needed for 15 days or more. Alignment with Customer Preferences: The study highlights the importance of aligning processes with customer preferences. Digital interactions have contributed to increased satisfaction, particularly among those who prefer digital channels. However, satisfaction declines among customers who prefer more personal interactions but

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are directed to digital processes. Aligning processes to preferences is key, as customers increasingly want personal interactions, resulting in increased satisfaction. Digital FNOL Usage: The study found nearly one-fourth (24%) of auto claimants are using digital FNOL methods to report a claim, with 13% using an insurer’s mobile app and 10% using the insurer’s website. In terms of rankings, Amica Mutual secured the highest overall customer satisfaction for a second consecutive year with a score of 909, followed by Erie Insurance at 902 and NJM Insurance Co. at 900. As auto insurance repair times continue to climb, this study underscores the importance of effective customer management and digital communication in maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. Customers can benefit from exploring digital channels for reporting claims, while insurers must continue to refine their processes to align with customer preferences.

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Successful BMW Shop Manager Has Vision For Future of Repair Planning EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

to complete each step, as well as the wait time in between the steps. Then Autobody News possible sources of waste can be identified, and an “ideal” process can The role of estimators in most be mapped out. The crucial final step auto body shops should die—but is to set up experiments to monitor only because the duties currently and measure improvement in the expected of them should be divided process in real time, Batenhorst said. into two categories, those of repair “It may seem strange to write it planners and those of customer down and map it out like this, but service representatives. it may reveal there are things your Andrew Batenhorst, body shop people are doing that you’re not manager at Pacific BMW Collision aware of,” he said. Batenhorst led attendees through an example exercise, writing down the steps in their repair planning process and the amount of time they estimated it takes—everything from gathering information and doing a vehicle walkaround with the customer, to disassembly, researching OEM repair procedures and checking parts availability. He then shared the repair plan standards he wrote for his shop—documenting Andrew Batenhorst, body shop manager at Pacific BMW Collision Center in Glendale, CA, explained why the steps of each task, who managers need to replace the typical “estimator” role does it, when and how— with a CSR and a repair planner and recommended posting those standards where Center in Glendale, CA, delivered the everyone could see them. He also reasoning behind his position during recommended getting employee “The Death of the Estimator Role,” input when writing them. one of many educational sessions “You want to make sure the car offered at the 2023 SEMA Show as flies through the shop without part of the Society of Collision Repair stopping,” he said. “It’s all setting a Specialists’ (SCRS) Repairer Driven quality expectation.” Education lineup. Batenhorst said shop managers “The estimator works closely with need to get out of the mindset of everyone in the shop and is really an letting estimators “pick up all the ‘assistant’ shop manager,” Batenhorst pieces,” as they’re “really the surgeon said. “There is a long list of tasks for a of everything that’s going on.” typical estimator, and most are, in my The ideal repair planner is opinion, irrelevant to the role.” naturally curious about the way the Batenhorst said his ideas on how world works, emotionally in control, to fix that problem might stress out a not afraid of confrontation, enjoys body shop manager initially, but they doing research, empathetic, has work. negotiation and collaboration skills In his vision, the “estimator” would and is not overwhelmed by fine detail split into two roles: a front office work, Batenhorst said. customer service representative For necessary training, Batenhorst (CSR) managing customer suggested “all of it.” interactions, and a repair planner “Send repair planners to the handling the technical aspects same training as master technicians, without customer engagement. including painting,” he said, “Right now, an estimator spends acknowledging that it takes time, and 30% to 50% of their time doing CSR takes them out of the production mix duties,” Batenhorst said. in the beginning. The first step is to take a hard look To measure repair planners’ at the waste in a body shop’s repair success, set up three to four easy-toprocess. measure key objectives, like sales mix Batenhorst recommended shop and repair plan accuracy. managers or owners try “value stream Also, set an authority limit—for mapping”—tracking the series of instance, $5,000—under which the steps that have to happen to provide manager doesn’t need to review the the service their customers need, repair plan, and leaves it up to the and then adding up the time needed planner. By Abby Andrews

18 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Finally, go over regular progress reports with repair planners, either monthly or every three to six months. Batenhorst said his suggestions can be scaled to any shop. The average repair planner can handle $250,000 to $300,000 in production every month. Shops that handle more than that would benefit from also hiring a repair planner assistant. “In my shop, by implementing all these things, we have achieved a sales mix of 48% labor, 42% parts and 9% materials,” Batenhorst said, noting that his shop only repairs BMWs, which often require expensive parts. He said his shop also achieved 82% repair plan accuracy in September, a gross profit on labor of 71% and paint materials of 68%. “It all goes back to how we designed our process,” he said. Further, more clearly defining the role of repair planner has helped employees. Batenhorst said when he was hired to run the body shop, the lead repair planner was highly stressed. Now, he has a much better work-life balance because all of the excess was cut from his job duty list. That increased job satisfaction leads to better repairs and reduced delays. Technicians also earn more money, so they want to stay with their

employer. “I implore all of you to take even just a fraction of what I’ve said today back with you,” Batenhorst said. “The industry is plagued with so many issues. We have to trust in ourselves as leaders that we can make that change. If we want to attract new people to the industry, we can’t keep doing things the same way.” Batenhorst then offered a list of resources, including signs.com to create process boards; Gemba Academy, an online resource to learn about lean theory; AkzoNobel’s Acoat program; Paul Akers’ YouTube channel; “The Toyota Way” by Jeffrey Liker; “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” and “The Ideal Team Player” by Patrick Lencioni; and finally, himself—anyone can contact him at andrewb@pacificbmw.com or 818691-2590.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 19

Tesla-Certified Shop Suing 2 Insurers; Ex-Employee Files Lawsuit Against Safelite By John Yoswick Autobody News

Multiple lawsuits involving various segments of the collision industry are working their way through federal courts. State Farm has filed a motion to dismiss a tortious interference and defamation lawsuit brought by a Tesla-certified collision repair business in Maryland, arguing the lawsuit doesn’t adequately “state a claim [for] which relief can be granted.” In the lawsuit, Total Recon Auto Center in Rockville, MD, alleges the insurer’s “intentional, malicious campaign” to “disseminate misinformation to its insureds who are actual or potential customers” of the shop violates the Maryland Information Act. The lawsuit states the shop is one of three Tesla-certified shops in the county, and charges “a specific hourly labor rate---no more or no less---determined by Tesla to be reasonable” in a given market area. That labor rate of $60 is $10 more than “the area’s more typical hourly labor rate.” The lawsuit says State Farm “resisted but eventually agreed to

pay” that labor rate, but “ultimately decided to launch an intentional campaign to harm Total Recon” using misinformation to improperly steer customers away from Total Recon. It cites more than a half dozen examples of customers and potential customers of the shop concerned about having to pay outof-pocket for costs not covered by the insurer even though “there is no

history of Total Recon charging outof-pocket expenses to State Farm’s customers.” Total Recon said in June in response to cease and desist letters sent to State Farm, it received a letter from a law firm for the insurer saying the company’s actions are “compliant with Maryland law.” Total Recon argues the letter did not dispute “any of Total Recon’s contentions but instead has brazenly

taken the position that [State Farm’s] conduct is not unlawful and that it will continue engaging in this course of conduct.” For each of three counts in the lawsuit, Total Recon seeks more than $75,000 in punitive and compensatory damages. The same shop filed a similar lawsuit against Allstate in March. That insurer is similarly seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed for “failure to state claims for which relief can be granted.” In another lawsuit, a former Safelite Auto Glass employee is suing the company for insurance fraud, alleging Safelite billed insurance for OEM or aftermarket moldings but used neither, instead using less expensive universal moldings rather than vehicle-specific ones. “Safelite concocted a scheme to get paid insurance rates… regardless of the part selected by its technicians,” states the complaint, filed on behalf of the people of California, alleging two senior employees of the company created computer programming that would do just that. “Safelite’s computer systems have been programmed to replace the name of the OEM or aftermarket

part…while keeping the part-specific number and/or part-specific price of the OEM or aftermarket part intact,” the lawsuit alleges. The complaint provides three screenshot examples of invoices in which it says such substitutions occurred. The lawsuit also claims Safelite was charging $30 for cleaning of vehicles using special sanitation wipes during four months early in the pandemic, yet alleges only about 25,000 of the nearly 500,000 wipes those services would have required in California were used. The former Safelite employee, product development and strategy manager Brian Williams, said he first noticed the differences in 2019, eventually bringing it to the attention of his direct supervisor and others within the company. He said he was the only management person furloughed for four months in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, and was told when he returned to work that summer his job duties were changing. Feeling nothing was being done about the issue, he resigned the following year. A Safelite spokesperson said the company does not comment on pending litigation.

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GENUINE TOYOTA COLLISION PARTS 20 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

l CONTINUED FROM COVER

Auto Suppliers Increase Layoffs Due To UAW Strike The most recent survey from a parts suppliers trade association revealed the impact on the vehicle supply base from the ongoing strike between the UAW and Detroit’s Big Three manufacturers. MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers said in a news release vehicle suppliers employ more than 900,000 workers—more than six times the 146,000 workers represented by the UAW at Ford, GM and Stellantis. Additionally, suppliers contribute 2.5% of the U.S. GDP and operate in all 50 states. The survey, collected from Oct. 9 – 11, revealed: Layoffs have increased by nearly 10% week-over-week with 39% of surveyed vehicle suppliers now having laid off a portion of their direct labor employees. Of the suppliers who have not begun layoffs, half indicated they will begin laying off direct employees the week of Oct. 30. More than 30% of suppliers

surveyed indicated they will need more than one week and up to over three weeks to ramp-up idled production; the greatest challenges to restarting operations are returning labor and material availability.

Nearly 80% of suppliers are concerned about the financial viability of their sub-suppliers, while 30% of these suppliers express some concern regarding their internal financial viability. MEMA continues to assert the importance of federal action to support the essential U.S. supplier base and to work with the White House to develop a plan to provide financial

Shop Sued

assistance for smaller suppliers. The output of these suppliers, often Tier 2 or lower, is critical to the ongoing viability of the entire supply chain. MEMA recommended the federal government immediately initiate: A scalable low-cost loan/grant program to ensure suppliers have enough capital on hand to sustain their business during this crisis. Establish an emergency training program enabling suppliers to retain their workforce during the strike and equipping them with new skills needed for future transformative manufacturing. Reduce the minimum project amount of the domestic manufacturing conversion grant program (IRA) from $50 million to $10 million to be more inclusive of the entire vehicle supply chain. MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers will continue to survey vehicle suppliers each week and share critical information from the results.

expectation when you do business with people.” StormWise owner David Hobbs told the news outlet the delays were caused by a combination of parts backorders due to the UAW strike and insurance companies being slow to approve claims. The Better Business Bureau reported there has been an increase in complaints about body shops in general in Colorado this year, possibly because more people needed repairs after storms earlier this year.

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emartin@mynschevy.com autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 21

Mike Anderson — From the Desk of Mike Anderson

How to Shape ‘Customer Experience’ to Set Your Collision Repair Shop Apart One of things I have been really focused on lately is the collision repair customer’s experience. As I noted in a couple of previous columns** with one of my teammates, Sheryl Driggers, customer service and customer experience are definitely two different things. When you think of customer service, that’s how we treat the customer. The customer experience is how the customer felt treated. What are their perceptions of us, what emotions do they feel when they interact with our brand. From what I see, many shops focus on customer service, but neglect to think enough about the customer experience. I’ve recently attended about a halfdozen dealership conferences put on by various OEMs. The conferences are designed to help vehicle retailers take a new look at the customer—or “guest—experience. One OEM, for example, has a piece of alignment technology that service customers drive over in the dealership’s service lane. As they do, the technology checks the tire wear and alignment specifications of the vehicle, in part to give the dealership an opportunity to upsell the customer. But the system also reads the customer’s license plate, alerting the in-dealership Starbucks of that customer’s arrival. If the customer has been in before and the Starbucks knows that customer’s drink of choice, they can have it ready for the customer. Now that’s a pretty extraordinary experience, isn’t it? At another conference, they talked about how Tesla is shaping many consumers’ expectations for vehicle repair. Since Tesla sells directly to consumers versus the conventional dealership model, Tesla drivers might not have a Tesla service center in their area. But Tesla has countered this by doing more mobile service. I’m not saying that is or isn’t the way to go, but it IS shaping customer expectations. Perhaps it’s time to think about offering concierge pick-up or drop-off service. Also discussed at one or more of the conferences was that consumer surveys have found “appearance” is very important to customers. When I had my shops, my technicians did not wear uniforms, and I’m not here to say just because somebody is wearing a uniform with an OEM patch it means they can fix a vehicle. I’m not saying

“clothes make the man,” as the old expression goes. But appearances likely impact the customer’s perception and experience. It can communicate to a consumer that the uniformed person at a minimum has access to the training and tooling or equipment to properly repair their vehicle. And that perception can have an impact on their customer experience.

situations in which the vehicle owner is having to pay something more out of pocket—beyond their deductible— to cover things their insurance company is not. That can be a difficult challenge to navigate, right? That’s where transparency is key. I think we need to spend more time in the beginning of the process educating the customer, in a way that provides the needed transparency but

A “book online” feature on your shop’s Google business listing can help provide the 24/7 self-service feature many consumers want as part of the customer experience.

The other thing often talked about at the OEM conferences was that consumers are looking for a self-service platform to book an appointment. I’ve seen data showing about 43% of accidents occur outside of normal business hours today. So if that’s the case, you have to have a digital presence 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so the customer can engage with you at their convenience—just as they do when they want to buy something from Amazon, CVS or other retailers. A self-service appointment scheduling service can be a big part of that. Do a Google search for “Body Builders Automotive in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.” When you do, you’ll see that shop’s Google business listing has a “book online” appointment feature, that lets a customer choose a date and time for an appointment at the shop. It’s a new feature CCC Intelligent Solutions offers to shops that have subscriptions to CCC Engage. There may be other ways of tying something similar to your Google business listing. Another key point made at the OEM conferences: It’s more important than ever to make the customer’s experience of doing business with us easy and transparent. Most shops report an increasing number of

22 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

doesn’t scare them away. We need to explain why what they may need to pay out of pocket for is important to them and will impact their vehicle’s performance and safety. That upfront education process is equally important in explaining the time the repairs will take. Some of that time—parts delays, or how long insurers take to respond to supplement requests, for example— is at least in part beyond the shop’s control. But what you can control are the customer’s expectations and experience. That has to happen both at the start and throughout the process. At times, it may require what may seem like over-communication. But in the past, it was easier to have a mindset that as long as the car looks good in the end, they’ll forgive us for how long it took. But now quality repairs are just the expected and necessary endpoint. It’s those companies that can pair that with an extraordinary customer experience who will end up as the winners in this industry.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 25

Conference Includes Discussion of Sublet Requirements, Tech Access To OEM Procedures By John Yoswick Autobody News

Several speakers at the CIECA CONNEX annual conference this fall offered cautions for shops subletting a lot of work, particularly ADAS calibrations. Frank Terlep, vice president of ADAS solutions for Opus IVS, said sublet work suffers now from “a black hole of information.” “The information that is not being shared about what’s being done on the vehicles is unbelievable,” Terlep said. “So in my opinion, the sublet process, particularly related to ADAS and calibrations, is going to change dramatically. And this is going to happen pretty quickly. The vendors who are doing that sublet work and not documenting what they’re doing? That’s going to end. Because what I’m hearing is the insurers, the payers, don’t know what they’re paying for. You get an invoice that says a calibration for a thousand dollars [but] what does that tell me about what was done to the car? So from my perspective, I think the days of sublet with no documentation, no evidence of what has been done, is going to change dramatically in the near future.” Chuck Olsen of AirPro Diagnostics agreed. “If you’re going to be doing sublet, make sure that you’ve done your own research,” Olsen said. “Know exactly what needs to be done, and be very specific what it is that you’re asking for from that provider. And then ask them for documentation coming back.”

“There’s one more thing: The OEM service information is written at a very high grade reading level,” Chesney said. “And the majority of technicians in the field weren’t really good readers when they were in school. And so they push back on having to read. When they see the numbers of documents they have to refer to for repair procedures, they shut down and they just put it down and go do it the way they did it on the last car. And

riskiest times. About 34% of this is at speeds higher than 50 miles per hour. If you look down at your phone for two seconds [at that speed], you’ve just gone the length of a football field. A lot can happen in that amount of time when you’re on the roads.” Interestingly, that same percentage—34%—of all the accidents Young’s company has looked at, from the millions of drivers using its crash detection technology, “have active phone distraction 60 seconds prior to the crash, and in some cases, it’s right as the crash is happening.” Collision repairers planning marketing might want to consider another data point Young shared. “It might not be a surprise that on the holidays, there’s more distraction,” he said. “So on Labor Day, we’re 5% more Chris Chesney of Repairify said more needs to be distracted versus the other done to bring OEM information to technicians when days around Labor Day, and and how they need it. on Thanksgiving, we’re 11% more distracted.” so [we need to] leverage technology to bring that information to the The Future for Adjustors technician at the point [they need it], During another panel discussion at in context that they can understand, the CIECA event, Luke Harris, vice in the appropriate order they need to president of innovation at USAA, apply it.” As someone who started as a technician in the industry, Chesney said he encourages all organizations in the industry to “consider the technician in everything you’re doing.” “Because that’s the person who has to perform and validate the repairs, and without them, none of the rest of it happens,” he said. “And so if we can create technologies that serve them, that make their life easier, more productive and more enjoyable, then we’ll all win.”

Distracted Driving at Record Highs Chuck Olsen of AirPro Diagnostics said any shop In what might be viewed subletting ADAS work needs to understand and ask as good news for collision for exactly what they need from that sublet provider. repairers, Cornelius Young, senior vice president of Getting Techs to Read OEM product for Cambridge Mobile Procedures Telematics, shared data at the During another session at the conference showing distracted conference, Chris Chesney, vice driving, as measured by “moving president of training for Repairify, said the [cell] phone around in a vehicle he believes a number of factors can or hitting the screen,” has reached lead technicians to not read and follow record highs. OEM repair procedures, including the “About 58% of trips involve that pressures of flat-rate pay plans and phone screen interaction, on average failure by shop management to set for two minutes and 12 seconds per standards of performance beyond hour of driving per person,” Young “expecting the car to be done at 5.” said. “And they’re doing it at the

said the work for insurance claims adjusters is changing, but that doesn’t spell the end for that role within auto claims.

“The vendors who are doing that sublet work and not documenting what they’re doing? That’s going to end.” — FRANK TERLEP

VICE PRESIDENT OF ADAS SOLUTIONS FOR OPUS IVS

“I think about my early job when I was a claims adjuster: I’d get a new claim, I’d take my time to research the file, I’d get my mini-cassette and my tape recorder and I’d get ready to go,” Harris said. “And much of that work doesn’t exist anymore. So what you’re going to find is you’re still going to need adjusters. You may not need as many, but the cognitive load you’re placing on these adjusters [is tougher] when everything they do all day is making tough decisions throughout the claim process. Because you’re automating the simple claims endto-end, or the simple tasks that they do today. So it’s going to be a much more specialized, demanding role in the future, even more so than today. But they’re not going away.”

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Axalta Introduces World’s First Digital Paint-Mixing System To U.S. matching paint ready to go in less than five minutes. Autobody News Initially launched in Europe earlier this year, the Irus Mix will be available Axalta Coating Systems announced its in North America around the middle latest innovation, the Axalta Irus Mix, of 2024. Developed through a the first and only fully automated paintpartnership with SANTINT, the Irus mixing machine. This new technology Mix works with Axalta’s premium base completes the simple three-step Axalta coat products, including Spies Hecker Irus color management process of Permahyd Hi-TEC, Cromax Pro and Scan, Match and now, Mix. Standox Standoblue. Company executives touted the efficiency, labor optimization, waste reduction and sustainability benefits of the entire Irus system, including the Irus Mix, which translates a digital scan of a vehicle’s paint into a formula and then measures and mixes it— delivering a precise match with minimal material waste, all while freeing up a collision repair James Muse, vice president of sales for Axalta’s global refinish division, shows off the cup of paint the shop’s painter to complete Axalta Irus Mix machine automatically measured and more important duties that mixed during his presentation. make money. James Muse, vice president Axalta demonstrated the new of sales for Axalta’s global refinish machine at an event it hosted Oct. division, said the company “innovates 30 at Celebrity Cars in Las Vegas, NV, with a purpose.” In this case, the showing how a painter can use the purpose is to solve multiple issues complete Irus system to scan a vehicle in a body shop’s paint department, panel and have the right amount of eliminating bottlenecks in production. EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

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Dan Benton, Axalta’s color marketing manager, used a tablet equipped with Axalta Irus Scan to take a picture of the paint on a 2021 Toyota Tacoma painted in Lunar Rock, a fivecomponent shade that blends light green and silver.

“Time is money in a body shop. A painter should be painting, not mixing.” — JAMES MUSE AXALTA

The photo was uploaded to Axalta Irus Match, software that digitally chooses the right shade from 4 million active color variants stored in the cloud. “We are moving away from chips and the subjectivity of color,” Muse said. Irus Match then sends the color to Irus Mix, which resembles a large vending machine, full of components in plastic bottles. The bottles, made of 50% recycled plastic, range from 100 mL to 1.5 L, depending on how often the components are used, reducing the amount of infrequently used and often expensive material a shop must keep in inventory. Irus Mix displays the “recipe” for the color, then pulls each component

separately, pours the correct amount using precise dosing lids, agitates it and adds it to a mixing cup. The machine also tracks how much material is in each bottle, and will not start a mix if there is not enough of a particular component. While Muse talked, the machine automatically pulled and measured all five components, a process that could be viewed through the large window, then presented the finished paint— four minutes and 43 seconds after it received the color information from Irus Match. Muse said the average painter would take about 10 minutes to manually mix the same paint. In an average shop that paints five cars a day, that works out to about 208 hours a year spent mixing paint. “That’s three-plus weeks of time that you’re not paid for,” Muse said. “Time is money in a body shop. A painter should be painting, not mixing.” The Irus Mix is also very easy to use, Muse said, meaning a painter or technician does not need a lot of training or experience to operate it— an important point as the collision repair industry struggles to attract enough quality employees. “This is the future,” Muse said.

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Experian Launches Data Network To Combat Rising Fraud in Auto Loans Experian unveiled the Hunter Automotive Fraud Alliance, a collaborative data network to assist automotive lenders nationwide share real-time fraud intelligence, minimizing the risk of fraud while preserving a positive customer experience. The Hunter Automotive Fraud Alliance encourages participating lenders to contribute historical data, including previous instances of suspected and confirmed fraudulent applications. This data is then leveraged to provide member organizations with valuable insights into potential fraud risks. When new loan applications are received, they are meticulously cross-referenced with a comprehensive database that includes both internal and external data sources, along with the shared fraud database, enabling the identification of data anomalies and other indicators of suspicious activity. Hunter calculates a fraud score for each application, allowing lenders to make more informed

lending decisions. This datadriven approach empowers lenders to stay ahead of fraudsters who are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their tactics.

“The Hunter Automotive Fraud Alliance harnesses the power of advanced data and analytics and empowers automotive lenders to share fraud intelligence to identify suspicious activity, mitigate fraud losses, and protect their customers.” — JOHN GRAY

PRESIDENT OF EXPERIAN AUTOMOTIVE IN NORTH AMERICA.

Experian’s Hunter system has already demonstrated its effectiveness in combating fraud. It is currently in use by more than 360 organizations in 17 countries, across various industries. In the automotive

sector alone, Hunter has been adopted by organizations in five countries, collectively saving an impressive $684 million in potential fraud losses each year. Participating clients in the Hunter network report a substantial 35% increase in fraud detection rates. The alliance also addresses the issue of “false positives.” By reducing these false alarms, the alliance streamlines the application process, significantly improving the overall customer experience. The Hunter Automotive Fraud Alliance will debut in the U.S. in early 2024. “We have long been committed to helping businesses anticipate future fraud risks and verify consumers’ identities, said John Gray, president of Experian Automotive in North America. “The Hunter Automotive Fraud Alliance harnesses the power of advanced data and analytics and empowers automotive lenders to share fraud intelligence to identify suspicious activity, mitigate fraud losses, and protect their customers.”

Industrial Finishes and Systems Joins CIECA CIECA welcomed Industrial Finishes and Systems as a new corporate member. Established 65 years ago by Stuart Barr, the family-owned company focuses on automotive and industrial paint, coatings and supplies, as well as specialty vehicle and industrial wood finishing products. With about 350 employees and 38 locations nationwide, Industrial Finishes also works with many military bases across the country. Keith Clark, operations manager at Industrial Finishes, learned about CIECA while working on a project to integrate the company’s invoicing system with CCC ONE. Clark said the company joined CIECA primarily to clean up its data and ensure it could integrate with third party systems in the industry. “The CIECA standards will be helpful for our own internal data needs so that we have consistent and complete data,” said Clark. “It should help our internal teams with data managem0ent, as well as the ability to grow using API connection systems in the market.”

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 31

State Farm Making Efforts To Reduce Supplement Delays EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By John Yoswick Autobody News

The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) held in Las Vegas as part of SEMA week marked the 40th anniversary of the quarterly conference. The daylong event included a data privacy discussion about what shops should consider about “end-user licensing agreements” (EULAs) and what they mean in terms of the shop’s and customers’ data, an update on the Collision Engineering Program now in place at a half dozen schools around the country, and a panel discussion about consolidation in the industry. Frank Terlep, chairman of CIC, opened the prior quarter’s meeting this past summer with a call for the industry to address the issue of supplement processing, which he calculated was costing the industry $3.3 billion a year. At the most recent CIC, he turned his focus to transparency within the industry, saying vehicle technology is too critical to driver and passenger safety not to be “completely, 100% transparent in terms of what goes on in the repairs, what goes on in the whole process.” He also said there’s a need for

certification of the technicians performing ADAS work. “Right now, we’re at the beginning of what I’m calling the Wild West of ADAS services and calibrations,” Terlep said. “We have an opportunity to shape the future of that segment of our business right now. We’ve got to find a way to get people who are

people from calibrating cars in any other place other than a place where they need to be calibrated. I challenge this industry to do that.” During another committee panel discussion, Chris Evans, a property and claims consultant at State Farm, talked about efforts the insurer is making to reduce the delays in responding to claims reviews. State Farm experienced a hit in terms of staffing post-COVID, he said, but “we’ve hired about 500 appraisers in the last two years.”

CIC Chairman Frank Terlep challenged the industry to improve transparency and accuracy of repairs, particularly related to ADAS work.

repairing ADAS-equipped vehicles, calibrating these vehicles, to make sure they’re doing it right and make sure they’re trained to do it right. “It’s critical in my opinion. We’re at the stage of this business where we can do this,” Terlep continued. “We’ve got to stop people from calibrating vehicles in parking lots. We got to stop people from calibrating vehicles in wash bays. We’ve got to stop

A CIC panel discussion related to supplements included Cheryl Boswell, center, of DCR Systems and Chris Evans, second from right, of State Farm.

“We’ve also been dealing with more third-party appraisal services in the last three years than we ever have in in my 36-year career at State Farm,” Evans said. “When you’re managing those third parties, it’s a lot different

than directly managing your own people. And so we are stepping that back, if you will. And I think doing a fairly effective job, although we’re still going to be using third-party appraisal services for some time.” He acknowledged the company is still working to determine which claims are best suited for a virtual inspection versus a physical inspection. “I will tell you we haven’t got that right yet,” he said. “We definitely need to figure out when [one method] is more appropriate.” He said total losses dropping from about 20% to 17% of claims significantly ramped up the number and size of repairable vehicle claims the company has had to process. He said State Farm also has added 2 million policies in 2023, which also “has put a strain on the claims system.” Lastly, he said, State Farm is “attempting to create greater transparency in the claim and supplement process. We surveyed a number of body shops to get feedback from them on what works, what doesn’t work, how could we improve it. We took that feedback and we’re making those enhancements. So we still have a lot of work to do. We appreciate the partnership.

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White House Holds Round Table Discussion on Right To Repair Efforts State legislative leaders and industry representatives from around the U.S. convened at the White House on Oct. 24 to discuss how to ensure consumers retain the right to repair what they own, including their vehicles. The discussion, hosted by the National Economic Council, focused on how original manufacturers’ increasing use of repair restrictions, like patent abuse, hurt small businesses and consumers alike. “From smartphones to wheelchairs to cars to farm equipment, too often manufacturers make it difficult to access spare parts, manuals and tools necessary to make fixes,” said Lael Brainard, director of the NEC. “So it doesn’t only cost consumers money, but it also prevents independent repair shops from competing in this business and it creates unnecessary waste from reducing the lifespan of these devices.” Representing automotive

repairers in the discussion was Don Jones, senior vice president at Allstate and a member of the CAR Coalition. Jones talked about how bipartisan bills like Save Money on Auto Repair Transportation (SMART) and Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) acts would increase consumer choice and promote a healthy car repair market for vehicle owners. “One way to increase consumer choice is to bolster aftermarket part manufacturing,” Jones said. “Unfortunately, the manufacturing of aftermarket parts has been severely limited due to OEM use of design patents on basic cosmetic car parts. “The good news is, there is a solution,” Jones continued. “Simply, the bipartisan SMART Act will provide customers with increased options and choice—saving them money and potentially getting their vehicle repaired more quickly.” Jones said it has become increasingly difficult for

independent repair shops to service newer vehicles with more advanced technology without the same wireless access to car data that dealers have. “The REPAIR Act, another bill with broad bipartisan support, would promote consumer choice by allowing car owners to wirelessly access and securely share their own vehicle-generated data with independent repair facilities of their choosing,” he said. Justin Rzepka, executive director of the CAR Coalition, said the event was a “welcome sign of the growing bipartisan support for enacting national right to repair protections.” “Nationwide, consumers want more affordable repair options—not less,” Rzepka said. “As car repair prices continue to climb, bipartisan federal legislation, like the SMART and REPAIR Acts, would bring much-needed relief to American consumers and small businesses alike.”

2024 WIN MIW Nominations Open Nominations for the Most Influential Women (MIW) award, sponsored by the Women’s Industry Network (WIN), will be accepted through Jan. 5. Nominations of women working in any segment of the collision repair industry across the U.S. and Canada are welcome, and the recipients will be recognized at the annual WIN Educational Conference, May 6-8, 2024, in Newport Beach, CA. Nominees are reviewed and interviewed by an independent selection committee comprised of industry professionals, past MIW recipients and WIN members who do not currently serve in the network’s leadership capacity. WIN acquired stewardship of the program in 2013 and continues to evolve the program to align with WIN’s mission. For more information or to download a nomination form, visit thewomensindustrynetwork.siteym.com/page/MIW

AUTOBODY

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 33

UAW Reaches Tentative Deal With Ford UAW negotiators reached a tentative agreement with Ford on a record contract late Oct. 25—40 days into the union’s strike against the Big Three— and called on Ford strikers to return to work, UAW President Shawn Fain and International Vice President Chuck Browning announced in a video.

will will vote Oct. 29 on whether to send it to the membership. If it does, a Facebook Live event will be held that evening to go through the deal in detail, followed by regional meetings and finally, a vote by members. “For months we’ve said that record profits mean record contracts. And UAW family, our Stand Up Strike has delivered,” Fain said. Browning called the tentative contract “historic” and “life-changing” before listing the details: a 25% general wage increase over the course of the agreement, a 68% increase in starting pay and UAW President Shawn Fain, left, and International Vice a 30% increase President Chuck Browning, right, appear in a video in top pay rate to announcing the deal with Ford more than $40 an hour. Temporary The deal still needs to be workers, who Browning said reviewed by the UAW National- have “been abused” by Ford, Ford Council leadership, which GM and Stellantis for decades,

will see a 150% increase in pay over the life of the contract, and some lower-tier workers at Ford’s Sterling Axle and Rawsonville facilities will see an immediate 85% increase in pay. The deal gave back the UAW “core things we had lost over the years,” Browning said, including the COLA it gave up in 2009 and the three-year progression it had before the Great Recession, and eliminated “divisive” wage tiers at some facilities. The deal also adds to the UAW’s pension multiplier, providing more for retirement for current retirees, members with pensions and members with 401(k)s, Browning said. Finally, the deal made “historic advances in job security,” Browning said, allowing the UAW the right to strike over plant closures. “For decades that was an impossible demand, but through the power of the Stand Up strike, we have made it a reality,” he said. “That means they can’t keep devastating our

communities and closing plants with no consequences. Together, we have made history.” Fain said Ford “knew what was coming for them” if it didn’t strike a deal with the UAW, after seeing the strike hit Stellantis’ and GM’s largest and most profitable plants earlier this week. Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant, which builds heavy duty F-series trucks and full-size SUVs, had already been hit Oct. 11. Browning said Ford strikers should go back to work before the tentative agreement is approved to keep the pressure on Stellantis and GM. “The last thing they want is for Ford to get back to full capacity while they mess around and lag behind,” he said. Fain concluded the video by pointing out since the strike began Sept. 15, Ford had put 50% more on the bargaining table. “I want to be clear. We told Ford to pony up and they did,” he said. “We won things nobody thought possible.”

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 35

Dynabrade Introduces Renny Doyle Series Geared-Dual-Action Polisher At SEMA EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By Stacey Phillips Autobody News

Dynabrade, Inc. introduced a new product during this year’s SEMA Show, the DB8 Geared Dual-Action Polisher, part of the Renny Doyle Signature Series. Doyle is a master detailer and trainer. He owns Detailing Success based in California, is the founder of the Detail Mafia, a group of detailing experts, and is the official detailer of Air Force One.

Pictured, left to right, are Fred Deer, Nischal Sachdev and Kevin Ramirez at the Dynabrade booth in North Hall in front of a 1964 Porsche 356 restored by Stratton Motorsports.

Dynabrade showcased the Geared Dual-Action Polisher, along with its other products and equipment, at two booths during SEMA. Ronald Veiders, Dynabrade’s

director of marketing, said the new electric polisher’s lightweight, low-profile design was built to be precision-balanced and deliver superior power. It can be used with both 5- and 6-inch-diameter backing plates with coordinatingsized polishing pads. An ergonomic extended handle allows for increased operation comfort during use. “We took a lot of ergonomics into consideration, so the handle is more conforming to the hand,” Veiders explained. “Because it’s a low-profile tool, it allows you to see what you’re working on a little bit better than some of the other tools on the market.” Veiders said the polisher has a lockon trigger, which eliminates accidental start-up. “There’s a little switch you can click to keep it on and then move your hand back so you have a little more flexibility in moving the tool,” noted Veiders. Other features include a rubberized tactile grip for user comfort and an electric motor with a 20-foot swivel cord to prevent cord fatigue and extend cord life. Due to its power and design, Veiders said the tool can be used by a wide range of experience levels, from an amateur or “weekend warrior” to a master detailer.

“The polisher also runs a little slower than some other tools to provide more control,” he said.

Pictured, left to right, are Horacio Casillas, Jim Gross and Karen McMullen at the Dynabrade booth in South Upper Hall in front of a 1964 Mercury Comet restored by Casados Design.

He added the polisher is ideal for removing oxidation, haze and correcting imperfections. “It provides a nice shine on a variety of surfaces but it’s not aggressive, so that it won’t damage the clear coat,” explained Veiders. “It gives the proper shine every time.” The polisher is 1000 watts and operates at a speed of 150–350 orbits per minute with a 6.8-mm orbit. He said the geared dual-action motion can even assist experienced operators in avoiding fish eyes and halo patterns. “You’ll always have a consistent

rotation in the orbit as well as the drive, no matter what pressure you’re putting down,” he said. “It really is a smooth tool.” Dynabrade has developed a line of compounds to complement this tool, as well as the company’s other polishers on the market. The company, headquartered in Buffalo, NY, was founded by Walter Welsch in 1969. Welsch developed the first Dynafile Abrasive Belt Tool to improve hand-filing metals and other hard surfaces. At the time, the inventor worked on Wurtlitzer jukeboxes and the Dynafile could be used to deburr and polish the grills. “From that one tool, we’ve expanded into over 1,300 tools sold in more than 90 countries,” said Veiders. These include two of their most popular items, the Dynafile and the palm-style random orbital sanders. Veiders said over the years, the company has earned a reputation for excellence in designing and manufacturing portable pneumatic abrasive tools, accessories and dust collection. “If there’s a surface, we like to think that we’ve either pretreated it or finished it,” said Veiders. “The perfect finish begins and ends with Dynabrade.”

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UAW Reaches Tentative Agreements With Stellantis, GM, Ending Strike

Caliber’s TAP Program Hits Milestone

On the 44th day of the Stand Up Strike, the UAW announced it reached tentative agreements with Stellantis and GM. The union now has tentative deals with all three automakers; it announced a deal with Ford on Oct. 25. All three contracts must be voted on by UAW membership before they are official. Like Ford workers, Stellantis and GM workers will also return to work while the agreements go through the ratification process. The details of GM’s deal have not yet been released, as the negotiations stretched into the early morning hours of Oct. 30, but UAW leadership said the deal with Stellantis, reached Oct. 28, is also a record contract. “Once again, we have achieved what just weeks ago we were told was impossible,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “At Stellantis in particular, we have not only secured a record contract, we have begun to turn the tide in the war on the American working class. “Going into these

Caliber’s innovative Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP) recently graduated its 1,000th apprentice and announced the enrollment of an additional 2,000 apprentices, a strong response to the growing demand for skilled auto body technicians in the automotive industry. The TAP program, a cornerstone of Caliber’s commitment to “Restoring the Rhythm of Your Life,” emphasizes practical training and hands-on experience. It has been instrumental in not only equipping individuals with vital skills but also in addressing the industry-wide shortage of qualified technicians. The program’s success also points to a larger trend in the industry towards investing in specialized training programs to bridge skill gaps. With technological advancements and evolving customer expectations shaping the automotive landscape, programs like TAP are becoming increasingly crucial.

negotiations, the company wanted to cut 5,000 jobs across Stellantis. Our Stand Up Strike changed that equation,” Fain continued. “Not only did we not lose those 5,000 jobs, we turned it all the way around. By the end of this agreement, Stellantis will be adding 5,000 jobs. We truly are saving the American dream.” UAW Vice President Rich Boyer said the strike saved Stellantis’ Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois. The automaker idled the plant earlier this year, laying off 1,200 workers. Boyer said the deal reached with Stellantis will not only reopen the plant and restore those jobs, but will also add another 1,000 jobs at a new battery plant in the same city. Like the Ford agreement, the UAW said, the Stellantis deal includes gains valued at more than four times the gains from the union’s 2019 contract. It provides more in base wage increases than Stellantis workers have received in the past 22 years. The agreement grants 25%

in base wage increases through April 2028, and will cumulatively raise the top wage by 33% compounded with estimated COLA to more than $42 an hour. The starting wage will increase by 67% compounded with estimated COLA, to more than $30 an hour. The lowest-paid workers at Stellantis, temporary workers, will see a raise of more than 165% over the life of the agreement. Some workers at Mopar will receive an immediate 76% increase upon ratification. The agreement reinstates major benefits lost during the Great Recession, including COLA and a three-year wage progression, as well as eliminating divisive wage tiers in the union. It improves retirement for current retirees, those workers with pensions, and those who have 401(k) plans. Like the Ford agreement, the Stellantis deal includes a right to strike over plant closures. It also includes a right to strike over product and investment commitments, a historic first for the union.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 37

Most People Not Embracing Robotaxis in Their Community Consumers are not comfortable with the testing and deployment of robotaxis1 on their city streets, according to the inaugural J.D. Power U.S. Robotaxi Experience Study, released Oct. 19. The study provides the first consumer feedback from robotaxi riders and those who have interacted with robotaxis as non-riders in their community. Findings show only 27% of nonriders are comfortable sharing the road with robotaxis and just 20% of all consumers nationally are comfortable with AV technology being tested on streets and highways near them. However, robotaxi riders— who are new-tech adopters— are critical ambassadors for AV technology, as most tend to tout a positive experience. Consumer confidence in AV technology is fragile and positive first-hand experiences tend to build consumer trust. Among riders, 47% gained trust during a ride and 51% maintained their already high level of trust in the technology during a ride. It is notable only 2% of riders lost trust

in robotaxi capability during a ride experience. These positive firsthand experiences can help educate other consumers, providing balance to news coverage that often focuses solely on the negative aspects of AVs. While many non-riders express concern for their safety and lack of trust in the technology as reasons they have not yet ridden in an AV, 81% express a desire to hear about others’ experiences before they ride in one. “Automated vehicle technology is built on the promise of alleviating distracted driving, impaired driving and collisions attributed to human error,” said Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at J.D. Power. “However, the benefits result from consumer acceptance, which is why it’s imperative to ensure these first deployments are flawless— not only for the riders but also especially for those who are not early adopters, including nonriders who are experiencing AVs in their community and those

Ford Could Cut F-150 Lightning Production Due To Waning Demand By Brad Anderson CarScoops

Ford may cut a shift at the factory responsible for building the F-150 Lightning due to an alleged drop in demand for the electric pickup truck. A letter sent out by the UAW chapter official who represents workers at the Michigan factory claimed the firm will cancel a shift and wants to increase production of its combustionpowered pickups. It has been 18 months since production of the F-150 Lightning commenced and already, sales appear to have dropped significantly. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that our sales for the Lightning have tanked,” the official wrote. The Wall Street Journal spoke with Ford about the letter. The car manufacturer declined to comment on the possibility of dropping a shift on a long-term basis but did say supply-chain disruptions and quality checks

mean there will be schedule changes in the short term. The Ford spokeswoman added it is these constraints that have forced it to temporarily cut a shift impacting 700 workers. Soon after launching the F-150 Lightning, Ford increased its production plans twice with the intention of building 150,000 examples annually. However, the carmaker reported a 45.8% drop in sales of the pickup in the U.S. through the third quarter. This came despite Ford cutting prices of certain F-150 Lightning models by as much as $10,000 in July, reversing price increases it made earlier in the year due to the soaring cost of raw materials. Ford is aiming to produce 600,000 EVs annually by the end of 2024, about a year after it had initially planned to reach that figure. CEO Jim Farley said this was because the firm expects the “EV market to remain volatile until the winners and losers shake out.”

38 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

learning from a distance through social media and other news outlets.”

Key Findings Inquisitive consumers drive initial robotaxi usage: As with most new technologies, consumer interest in robotaxi usage is garnered by general curiosity (40%) and recommendations from a friend or colleague (37%). However, for the service to thrive and to establish repeat ridership, it must be viewed as more than a novelty since few riders use the service to multi-task (25%); avoid parking (22%); or don’t have the ability to drive short distances (e.g., intoxicated/under the influence of controlled substance) (18%). Robotaxi riders’ critical needs not being met by current services: The four attributes that consumers perceive as important to consideration of using a robotaxi also have the lowest levels of satisfaction. They are cost to ride; service area coverage; accessibility for disabled passengers; and customer support during the ride.

Improving performance of these key metrics is imperative for longterm adoption. Most riders don’t think robotaxis drive better than humans: Despite the marketing hype of AVs making roads safer, nearly 60% of both riders and non-riders say they don’t think a robotaxi drives any better than a human. Those who say they think a robotaxi drives better associate it with obeying traffic laws, while those who say a robotaxi drives worse than a human mention abrupt and unnecessary stopping, as well as causing collisions/incidents. The U.S. Robotaxi Experience Study is based on responses from 408 consumers residing in Phoenix and San Francisco where robotaxi companies (e.g., Waymo, Cruise) are testing and deploying vehicles. To qualify, respondents had to ride in a fully automated, self-driving robotaxi or see a fully automated, self-driving robotaxi. These two groups of participants are classified as riders and nonriders, respectively. The study was fielded in July.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 39

AkzoNobel Showcases Celebrity Vehicles, Digital Tools At 2023 SEMA Show EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By Autobody News Staff AkzoNobel kicked off the first day of the 2023 SEMA Show with Dave Kindig, the company’s spokesperson, unveiling a celebrity vehicle. Kindig, owner of Kindig-it Design and star of MotorTrend’s “Bitchin’ Rides” series, was challenged to build a vehicle for the comedian and actor Kevin Hart that represented the Batman villain Bane. He unveiled the creation, also named “Bane,” Oct. 31 at one of AkzoNobel’s two booths—a Dodge Challenger painted with Modern Classikk color Black Ice, described by Kindig as “the deepest darkest black you can get.” Kindig said the build, which has a chili red interior designed by JS Custom Interior, includes a lot of “really cool technology.” Several components were 3D-printed, including the dash center console, components of the door panels and rear quarter panels, as well as the supercharger’s cover. “Our relationship with Dave Kindig continues to expand and provide a lot of excitement for us,” said Jen Poliski, marketing communications manager – North America, AkzoNobel Automotive & Specialty Coatings. “SEMA provides the best opportunity

for us to showcase how he uses our paints to help create his masterpieces.” In 2018, AkzoNobel launched Modern Classikk, a custom color line of automotive paints designed in partnership with Kindig. The Modern Classikk line now includes more than 40 base coat colors and four reducers. “One of the things that people don’t realize is these are all colors that Dave Kindig formulated,” noted Sue Jaszkowski, marketing communications – North America, AkzoNobel Automotive & Specialty Coatings. In addition to being the spokesperson for Modern Classikk, earlier this year, AkzoNobel announced Kindig as its brand ambassador for Sikkens, its premium paint line. AkzoNobel has also restyled the Modern Classikk label. “We were five years into the partnership and wanted to give the label a facelift,” explained Jaszkowski. “The redesign was a collaborative effort.” The new label now reads, “Modern Classikk, powered by Sikkens,” and was inspired by Kindig’s hand-drawn and colored renderings created for each Kindig-it Design vehicle build. AkzoNobel Booth Highlights During SEMA, AkzoNobel and Kindig-

it Design shared 2,400 square feet of exhibit space in the Silver Lot outside, displaying several one-of-a-kind vehicles. These included the Bitchin’ Bronco featured on recent episodes of “Bitchin’ Rides” and two of Kindig’s carbon fiber CF Roadsters.

During SEMA, Dave Kindig unveiled “Bane,” a Dodge Challenger he built for comedian and actor Kevin Hart.

In addition to the outdoor space, AkzoNobel set up a larger indoor exhibit in Central Hall this year to showcase Sikkens and hold demonstrations of Carbeat, the company’s digital body shop workflow control solution. The booth featured Kevin Hart’s “Bane” vehicle, as well as a custom-designed roadster. The cars were nominated for an award for Best on RS 2023. Throughout the event, Kindig signed autographs in both booths.

Industry Insight Shared AkzoNobel employees and customers had an opportunity to share insight during various presentations throughout the week. Tony Adams, AkzoNobel business services consultant, discussed improving employee retention and engagement through communications during his presentation, “Freedom to Speak?” Adams also teamed up with Tim Ronak, senior services consultant, and customers Stephen Bozer from Fix Auto Tempe and Kena Dacus, owner of Dacus Auto, to discuss “Changing the World With a FourDay Work Week?” In addition, some AkzoNobel customers took part in educational sessions. Andrew Batenhorst, body shop manager at Pacific BMW, talked about the death of the estimator role. Both Michael Giarrizzo, CEO of DCR Systems and Calibration Connection, and Andy Tylka, owner of TAG Auto Group and Midwest ADAS, participated in a SEMA panel discussion about ADAS calibration strategies. “The SEMA Show is the largest event we do, and we were excited to be contributing in many ways again this year,” said Poliski.

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Bp Pulse Invests $100 Million in Tesla Chargers For Network Expansion bp Pulse, bp’s EV charging business, announced a $100 million deal to acquire ultrafast charging hardware units from Tesla, to supercharge the expansion of the bp Pulse public charging network across the U.S. while enabling the deployment of Tesla chargers at private depots for EV fleet customers. This landmark partnership marks the first time Tesla’s hardware will be integrated into an independent EV charging network. The rollout is scheduled to begin in 2024, covering key sites within the bp family of brands, including TravelCenters of America, Thorntons, ampm and Amoco. Additionally, Tesla’s chargers will be deployed at select bp Pulse fleet customer depots. The Tesla ultra-fast chargers, with 250 kW output, will be operated by bp Pulse and feature Tesla’s “Magic Dock,” compatible with both North

American Charging Standard (NACS) and Combined Charging System (CCS) connectors. This cross-compatibility opens up Tesla’s chargers to EVs from various manufacturers, enhancing accessibility and convenience for all EV drivers. Furthermore, these chargers will support the Plug and Charge protocol, streamlining and automating payment processes. “Strengthening the bp Pulse network with Tesla’s industryleading hardware is a major step forward in our ambitions for high-speed, open access charging infrastructure in the U.S. and advances our ambition to delivering an exceptional customer experience,” said Richard Bartlett, global CEO of bp Pulse. “This is another example of how bp Pulse is collaborating with leaders across the industry to advance EV infrastructure growth across the US and to deliver the fast and reliable

charging experience we know our customers demand,” said Sujay Sharma, CEO of bp Pulse Americas. bp Pulse also has plans to continue deploying additional fast and reliable charging points at high-demand locations such as airports, major metropolitan areas and properties along Alternative Fueling Corridors. The company has secured grant funds through programs like the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and California Energy Commission (CEC) to expand charging infrastructure in California, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Kentucky. bp’s plans to invest $1 billion in America’s EV charging infrastructure by 2030, with a focus on allocating $500 million in the next two to three years. As the EV industry continues to grow, bp Pulse aims to play a pivotal role in supporting the transition to sustainable energy.

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Mitchell and Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) announced they renewed a contract naming Mitchell program administrator of the Mazda Collision Network in the U.S. Launched in 2021, the network gives vehicle owners access to certified facilities specially equipped to deliver proper and safe Mazda repairs. The new program features put greater emphasis on consumer marketing. Following last year’s release of the Mazda Collision Network online facility locator, the manufacturer added program information to its MyMazda mobile app. The app allows Mazda owners to schedule service appointments, locate nearby dealers, access automobile manuals, request roadside assistance and stay up to date with recalls. Now it can also be used to find nearby Mazdacertified shops. Additionally, to increase network visibility, program information is in the glove box of every new car and Mazda plans to soon provide active facilities with a plaque.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 41

AirPro Diagnostics Auggie Mobile Device Meets IIHS and NHTSA Standards For Calibration EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By Autobody News Staff AirPro Diagnostics announced Oct. 31 its mobile static calibration device, the Auggie, has met two national organizations’ vehicle requirements to complete a safe Forward-Facing Camera (FFC) calibration. They include the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The announcement occurred during the 2023 SEMA Show, following independent testing by IIHS and NHTSA. “This independent testing to the IIHS and NHTSA standards now validates the claims we have made that the Auggie is safe and OEM-compatible,” said Josh McFarlin, president and COO of AirPro Diagnostics. The testing was conducted by FT Techno of America (FTTA), an independent vehicle evaluation company, at the Fowlerville Proving Grounds in southeast Michigan. The 950-acre facility employs professional engineering and operations staff and has multiple test tracks. These include a 3-mile oval track, a handling course to test vehicle dynamics, ride and handling, and a 300-by-500foot multi-purpose pad designed for testing and development of ADAS and

autonomous technologies. Established in 2016, AirPro Diagnostics focuses on remote diagnostics, scanning, programming and ADAS calibration solutions for the automotive repair industry. The company introduced the Auggie to the collision industry in 2021 during the Texas Auto Body Trade Show.

Pictured, left to right, are AirPro Diagnostics President and COO Josh McFarlin, CEO Lonnie Margol and Brian Evces, senior vice president of sales and business development.

The patented mobile device was designed to serve the automotive service sectors with quick and safe FFC calibrations. McFarlin said the Auggie renders ADAS targets and lighting conditions using machine learning and computer vision according to the OEM’s requirements. It works with most major scan tools. Because the calibration process can

be completed in a fraction of the time of traditional systems, McFarlin said shops can bring calibration in-house and be more productive and profitable. Since introducing the Auggie, McFarlin has found customers appreciate not having to contend with challenges such as needing a large space with a level floor, lighting requirements, vehicle fuel level, vehicle payload and other environmental concerns. The company completed in-depth research and testing on the product before and after its launch to ensure accurate results and safe and proper calibration. “Everybody on our team is very confident that it’s a product that does what we say it does,” said McFarlin. Earlier this year, the AirPro team set out to prove the equipment can complete a successful calibration. After talking to multiple test facilities about testing the tool, AirPro moved forward with onsite testing to evaluate the Auggie. For the IIHS testing, McFarlin said a 2023 Toyota Camry was chosen since it was one of the vehicles IIHS has tested in both daytime and nighttime scenarios and received a superior rating. After calibrating the vehicle with the Auggie, vehicle-to-vehicle automatic emergency braking (AEB) and Pedestrian AEB were evaluated during the daytime and

nightime. The vehicle completed 16 IIHS tests and received the highest possible rating—superior. McFarlin explained the IIHS nighttime pedestrian testing is a series of the most challenging tests for an FFC and only a very small percentage of vehicles earn a superior rating. “AirPro is especially proud of the ‘superior’ rating we achieved on IIHS testing,” said McFarlin. “This further confirms the efforts of our engineers and testing personnel, who over the last five years, have worked diligently to validate our patented solution on thousands of vehicles to ensure the safety and accuracy of our tested and proven Auggie.” NHTSA NCAP Testing was then conducted using Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) or AEB and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) test scenarios on a 2023 Nissan Rogue calibrated with Auggie. The Nissan successfully passed all CIB and LDW tests performed to NHTSA standards. The tests included both Solid and Dashed Line scenarios for LDW along with CIB/AEB testing on a moving and stationary vehicle. Additional CIB/ AEB testing was successfully performed on a stationary pedestrian to a hybrid of current ADAS standards. For more information, airprodiagnostics.com/auggie.

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New MotorTrend Documentary Examines China’s EV Production in Mexico, Impact on U.S. Market MotorTrend Group, a Warner Bros. Discovery company, announced the launch of new documentary series, “MotorTrend Investigates,” with the premiere story focusing on the controversial topic of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) production in Mexico and the potential impact of expansion into the U.S. market. MotorTrend visits representatives of major Chinese automakers in Mexico, including BYD, Chery and JAC, to dig deep into their plans to cross the border tariff-free with potentially more affordable, quality EV options. The documentary, “China’s Big Bet on Mexico,” is available to view on MotorTrend’s YouTube channel and on MotorTrend.com, starting Oct. 11, at the following link: https://www.motortrend. com/features/motortrendinvestigates-chinese-cars-inmexico-is-usa-next The documentary was filmed on location in Mexico City, led by MotorTrend editors Miguel Cortina and Kristen Lee. The program includes exclusive interviews with executive leadership from Chinese EV manufacturers, as well as key

authorities in the automotive space in Mexico. In addition, Cortina and Lee take a spin in a new vehicle from China’s EV offerings, the BYD Yuan Plus, to give quick first impressions on what may lay ahead for American car shoppers. “Currently, tariffs and politics make it economically unfavorable for Chinese-built vehicles from Chinese automakers to be imported into the U.S. However, by strategically building EVs in Mexico, certain Chinese companies could enter the U.S. market under more favorable conditions,” said Cortina. “In the past three years, 11 Chinese automakers have settled in Mexico, and their market share of passenger vehicles has already risen from 0% to 9%.” To probe deeper as to whether American car shoppers would be willing to buy a Chinese EV, MotorTrend conducted a poll of 2,000 Americans currently in the market to purchase a new vehicle and found that while 50% of potential car shoppers are likely to consider an EV in the next five to 10 years, 45% of those willing to consider such vehicles are unlikely to consider an EV produced by a

Chinese manufacturer. Notably, however, 28% of that same group would be somewhat more likely to reconsider if the quality and safety met U.S. standards, and the purchase price was considerably less than the closest known competitor. Under the United StatesMexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), 75% of a vehicle must be built in North America for its maker to avoid paying import tariffs. Currently there are no Chinese car brands available for purchase in the U.S., and only recently have there been vehicles from China sold in the U.S. under separate brand name manufacturers. “Based on our research, these Chinese companies are investing heavily in the product, and the result shows based on the BYD Yuan Plus we tested,” said Lee. “The question is whether U.S. consumers are ready—and willing—to purchase EVs from Chinese manufacturers, and whether regulations would allow for vehicles to enter the U.S. market through Mexico.”

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Automakers Report October Sales Results Automakers on Nov. 1 began releasing new-vehicle sales data, which were mostly positive.

Subaru Subaru of America, Inc. reported 15 consecutive months of increased sales with 53,772 vehicles sold for October 2023, a 10.7% increase compared with October 2022 (48,568).

remained the top performer by volume for the fourth month in a row with 15,479 vehicle sales and an increase of 29% over the same month in 2022. Crosstrek and Outback posted robust sales of 13,768 and 12,396 vehicle sales respectively, while Legacy sales remained strong with an 88% increase compared to the same period in 2022.

Mazda

SOA also reported year-todate sales of 520,995, a 15.9% increase compared with the same period in 2022. In October, Solterra achieved its best-ever month, building upon five consecutive months of sales increases. Forester

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) reported total October sales of 23,504 vehicles, a decrease of 7.2% compared to October 2022. Year-to-date sales totaled 296,121 vehicles, an increase of 23% compared to the same time last year. With 25 selling days in October, compared to 26 the year prior, the company posted a decrease of 3.5% on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis. CPO sales totaled 4,836 vehicles in October, an increase of 9% compared to October 2022. The CX-50 had its best-

ever October sales, with 3,168 vehicles sold, and the CX-30 saw its second-best October sales, with 5,908 vehicles sold.

Kia Kia America, continuing its streak of year-over-year growth for 15 consecutive months, achieved an all-time high October sales record with 59,164 units sold, despite a decrease in business days compared to the previous year. Kia’s EV models saw a yearover-year increase of 83%, with the EV6 in particular setting an all-time October sales record, surging by 30% compared to the same month the previous year. In October, six models, including Carnival (+172%); Rio (+44%); EV6 (+30%); K5 (+7%); Forte (+5%) and Telluride (+4%), recorded increased sales compared to the same month the previous year. Carnival and EV6 achieved their highest October sales records and Kia’s SUV lineup accounted for 71% of October sales, leading the way in overall sales.

Hyundai Hyundai Motor America reported total October sales of 60,805 units, a 0.3% increase compared with October 2022, the 15th month in a row Hyundai has seen increases in total sales. Hyundai set total sales records in October for Elantra HEV (+15%), IONIQ 5 (+89%), Santa Fe HEV (+81%), Tucson PHEV (+170%) and Tucson HEV (+14%). Hyundai also announced the Winter Sales Event of 0.0% APR financing for up to 60 months plus 90-days deferred on 2024 Tucson ICE and 2023 Santa Fe ICE and HEV for well-qualified buyers. Hyundai sold 54,145 retail units in October, a 7% yearover-year decline from October 2022. October retail sales were led by IONIQ 5, Santa Fe HEV, Tucson PHEV, Tucson HEV and Kona. Hyundai ecofriendly vehicle sales of 11,286 represented 21% of retail and a 49% year-over-year increase. SUVs represented 81% of the retail sales mix.

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7/31/23 5:41 PM

CARSTAR Ranked on Franchise Times List

Collision Repairers Asked For Input on Annual Insurer Report Card Collision repair professionals once again have a unique opportunity to grade the performance of the auto insurance companies in their state, with the launch of the annual CRASH Network Insurer Report Card. “Shops interact with insurance companies every day, so they are well aware that not all those insurers are alike,” said John Yoswick, editor of CRASH Network. “The Insurer Report Card is a way for the industry to channel that unique perspective and experience in a way that helps educate consumers. It also can help the highest-graded insurance companies communicate what sets them apart and compete for customers against some of the companies that receive lower grades from shops.” More than 1,000 collision repair professionals each year grade the performance of the auto insurers in their state through CRASH Network’s Insurer Report Card. Insurers like Chubb and Acuity

that have consistently received top grades from shops tout that in their marketing and social media. Other organizations, like USA Today, Forbes Advisor and CNET, which also offer independent information to consumers about financial decisions, now incorporate the Insurer Report Card grades into their auto insurance rankings.

“Because each state has a different mix of insurers, the Insurer Report Card allows repairers to grade insurers specific to their state.” — JOHN YOSWICK

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To request a link to the survey, shops can visit: https://www. crashnetwork.com/irc/signup.php It asks collision repairers to grade each company—from “A+” to an “F”—based on how well the insurers’ claims practices help ensure quality repairs and customer service.

“Because each state has a different mix of insurers, the Insurer Report Card allows repairers to grade insurers specific to their state,” Yoswick said. “That makes it far more extensive than similar surveys, which generally focus on only the 10 largest national insurers. The results of the Insurer Report Card help raise awareness of insurers that are really great at taking care of customers.” The Insurer Report Card can be completed in less than three minutes—though shops are encouraged to spend time to explain why they gave each insurer the grade they did—and all individual shop grades and identification information will remain confidential. Shops that complete the Insurer Report Card and provide an e-mail address will be sent the results to share with their customers, at no charge, once they are compiled. For more information about the weekly CRASH Network newsletter, visit www.CrashNetwork.com.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 45

Former Nikola CEO Ordered To Pay $165M in Damages 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

Serving Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, Colorado, Arizona, Utah 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

By Simon Alvarez Teslarati

A regulatory filing from Nikola revealed former CEO and founder Trevor Milton has been ordered to pay the company about $165 million in damages. The update appears to have been appreciated by investors, as NKLA stock ended the day up 8.9%. Nikola said an arbitration panel in New York determined earlier in October the company was due the funds for costs and damages it incurred due to its previous CEO’s controversial actions. “[Nikola] had sought reimbursement from its founder and former executive chairman for costs and damages arising from actions that were the subject of government and regulatory investigations, including the December 2021 SEC settlement and associated civil penalty. The company intends to file with the arbitration

panel an application to recover attorneys’ fees related to the matter,” the filing read. As noted in a CNBC report, Nikola agreed in December 2021 to pay a fine of $125 million to the SEC to settle allegations the company defrauded investors about its products, business prospects and technology. Nikola is also looking to secure reimbursement for its attorney fees. Prior to his controversial resignation from Nikola in September 2020, Milton was considered by media outlets one of the up-and-coming leaders in the sustainable transport sector. Milton’s unraveling was triggered by an expose from Hindenburg Research, which accused Nikola of making false statements about its projects, like the Nikola One. Milton was found guilty in federal court in 2022 of three counts of fraud. His sentencing is expected to be held Nov. 28.

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Dip in Deer Strikes Poses Mystery For Insurers Ahead of Peak Season Insurance claims for animal strikes inexplicably dipped to pandemiclockdown levels last November, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said in a news release. Will they drop further or spike again in 2023? The rate of animal-strike-related insurance claims in November is more than twice the yearly average, according to an analysis of claims from 2013 to 2022 conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute. The peak coincides with mating season, when deer are most active. The fewest animal strike claims typically occur in August. The severity of claims, measured in dollars insurers pay to cover losses, also climbs during the peak month. The average cost of November animal strike claims over the 10-year period was $4,600, compared with $3,522 for February, the month with the least-severe crashes. The data do not include information about the type of animal. However, both the timing of the spike in crashes and the greater damage they cause suggest that most of these collisions involve deer, rather than smaller animals. While the seasonal pattern is

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familiar, the November 2022 figures present a mystery. After holding steady for many years, November animal strike claim frequency dropped from 14.1 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years in 2019 to 12.6 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years in 2020 as pandemic-related lockdowns dramatically reduced the mileage drivers logged during the

peak mating season. An industry measure, an insured vehicle year represents one vehicle insured for one year or two vehicles insured for six months, and so on. As expected, the November claim frequency rebounded to around the 10-year average in 2021 (13.6 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years) as the miles people traveled

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returned to pre-pandemic levels. Then, as even more workers returned to the office full time and normal life resumed in countless other ways last year, the number of deer strikes plunged once again. November claim frequency, at 11.9 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years, was even lower than during the 2020 lockdown. “This is a real head-scratcher,” said Matt Moore, senior vice president of HLDI. “Originally, we thought we might get a big spike in November 2021, thinking more deer might have survived the 2020 season. Maybe an increase in hunting prevented that from happening. But that doesn’t explain the drop in 2022. It might be related to changes in commuting patterns as people continue to work from home, or we might just be seeing variations in the data. Time will tell.” Monthly travel patterns don’t explain the drop. Travel on U.S. roads fell a little more than 1% in November 2022, compared with November 2021, according to the Federal Highway Administration. But the 264 billion vehicle miles logged during the month was still a massive Finish It Like a Masterpiece with

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increase over the lockdown period, when drivers logged only 232 billion vehicle miles in November. It’s possible some newer automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems, especially those designed to prevent pedestrian crashes, can also prevent animal strikes. However, the overall number of equipped vehicles is probably still too small to have a noticeable impact, and it didn’t change dramatically between 2021 and 2022. In 2022, vehicles equipped with front AEB of any sort accounted for around 23% of the fleet, compared with 18% in 2021. Better headlights, including curve-adaptive ones, can also help prevent deer strikes. But there was not a big change in the U.S. fleet between 2021 and 2022 with respect to headlights either. There’s also no strong evidence of fewer deer. Hunters killed around 6.2 million deer in 2021, compared with 6.3 million in a record-setting 2020 and around 6 million in 2019, according to the National Deer Association’s annual Deer Report. However, state wildlife departments generally believe their deer populations to be stable or increasing, particularly in urban areas. For the most part, the states with the highest claim frequencies for animal strikes remained the same in November over 2013-22 as in previous analyses. As was the case over 2006-21, West Virginia topped the list with a claim frequency of more than three times the national average, and Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Pennsylvania feature high claim rates. Eight of the 10 counties with the highest November claim frequencies over 2013-22 were in Pennsylvania, with drivers in list-topper Crawford County, in the northwestern corner of the state, filing claims at more than six times the national average for the month. The two other counties were in neighboring New Jersey. All 10 counties had November claim frequencies that were more than twice the national average. Repairs made necessary by crashes involving deer and other animals are covered by comprehensive insurance, which also covers theft and physical damage from causes other than crashes. Of the 37 companies that report comprehensive coverage to HLDI, only 25 provide information about animal strikes. Over the 10year study period, that amounted to a total exposure of around 579 million insured vehicle years and more than 3.5 million claims.

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 47

The new Talon is a portable, gas-catalytic, medium-wave infrared curing unit that incorporates the same unique emitters as larger, in-booth US Autocure systems.

48 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com