December 2023 West 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.

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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

2023

RECAP REGIONAL NEWS

3 CA Family Members Plead Guilty To $38M Catalytic Converter Theft Conspiracy Three Sacramento, CA, family members pleaded guilty Oct. 16 to charges related to their participation in a nationwide catalytic converter theft conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced in a news release. Brothers Tou Sue Vang, 32, and Andrew Vang, 28, and their mother, Monica Moua, 58, all pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen catalytic converters from California to New Jersey in return for more

than $38 million in wired payments. Tou Sue Vang also pleaded guilty to an additional 39 charges related to money laundering. The trio are not yet scheduled to be sentenced. Andrew Vang and Monica Moua each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The 40 counts to which Tou Sue Vang pleaded guilty carry various maximum penalties per count ranging from 20 years in prison to five years in prison, and fines that l CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

REGIONAL NEWS

Sacramento Native Jessie Hord Honored With Fix Auto USA Arrow Award Jessie Hord declared his passion for all things with a motor at 17, and has been laser-focused on pursuing a career in the field ever since. After mastering high school automotive class, he went on to study machining and welding at the local college. Like he was shot from a bow, this entrepreneur is on target for success as owner of three Fix Auto USA collision repair facilities in Sacramento. In recognition of his accomplishments, Hord was honored

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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 3 CA Family Members Plead Guilty to $38M Catalytic Converter Theft Conspiracy �� 1 California Suspends Cruise’s Driverless Testing Permit �� 21

Western States �� 4 Ian Musselman Appointed to CAWA Board of Directors �� 13 Sacramento Native Jessie Hord

CAWA, TechForce Foundation to Collaborate to Recruit New Technicians �� 9

Honored with Fix Auto USA Arrow

Fix Network Automotive Glass Expands Apprenticeship Program to

Swickard Auto Group Buys Mercedes-

Award �� 1

Benz Dealerships in Hawaii �� 17

Abby Andrews Axalta Introduces World’s First Digital Paint-Mixing System to U.S. �� 20 Goliath Carts, Hunter Engineering Win Best New Product Awards at SEMA 2023 ��8 NABC Recycled Rides Presents Vehicles to 7 Las Vegas Residents During 2023 SEMA Show �� 14 Successful BMW Shop Manager Has Vision for Future of Repair Planning �� 18

NATIONAL NEWS 2024 WIN MIW Nominations Open � 13

Mobility to Revolutionize Services �� 47

AirPro Diagnostics Auggie Mobile Device Meets IIHS and NHTSA Standards for Calibration �� 38

Experian Launches Data Network to Combat Rising Fraud in Auto Loans � 39

AkzoNobel Showcases Celebrity Vehicles, Digital Tools at 2023 SEMA Show �� 34 Auto Suppliers Increase Layoffs Due to UAW Strike �� 27 Automakers Report October Sales Results �� 44 Average Length of Collision-Related Rental Slightly Drops Again in Q3 �� 36

Ford Could Cut F-150 Lightning Production Due to Waning Demand 21 Industrial Finishes and Systems Joins CIECA ��4 Mazda, Mitchell Renew Agreement � 39 Most People Not Embracing Robotaxis in Their Community �� 42 Opus IVS Launches ADAS Map �� 40

Stacey Phillips Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards Celebrates Standout Achievements �� 10

Dynabrade Introduces Renny Doyle Series Geared-Dual-Action Polisher at SEMA �� 30 IDEAS Collide Encourages Collision Repairers to Think Differently, Outperform ��6 John Yoswick Conference Includes Discussion of Sublet Requirements, Tech Access to OEM Procedures �� 28 MSO Symposium Looks at Claims Trends, Opportunities for Collision Shops to Buy or Sell �� 12 State Farm Making Efforts to Reduce Supplement Delays �� 26 Tesla-Certified Shop Suing 2 Insurers; ExEmployee Files Lawsuit Against Safelite 16

Index of Advertisers ADAS Calibration �� 31

Industrial Finishes and Systems �� 5

American Chevrolet �� 35

Kendall Subaru of Marysville �� 8

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 38

Kia Downtown Los Angeles �� 47

AutoNation Honda Costa Mesa �� 40

Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 37

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 43

Kia of Carson �� 4

Camp Chevrolet �� 28

Kia of Irvine �� 27

Car Pros Kia �� 42

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 45

Average Length of Repair Soars to 23.1 Days in 2023, But Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Rises �� 31

SEMA Announces First Recipient of ‘Best Engineered Vehicle’ at 2023 Show �� 46

Car Pros Kia Renton �� 30

Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers � 45

Certified Automotive Parts Association �� 12

Michael Hohl Motor Company �� 16

bp Pulse Invests $100 Million in Tesla Chargers for Network Expansion �� 45

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

Chase Chevrolet �� 45

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 43

Citrus Kia-Ford �� 16

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 33

UAW Reaches Tentative Agreements with Stellantis, GM, Ending Strike �� 43

Classifieds �� 46

NextLED �� 13

UAW Reaches Tentative Deal with Ford �� 35

Colortone Automotive Paints �� 44

Niello Audi �� 20

Cool Boss A Division of BendPak Inc �� 7

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 29

Corwin Buick-GMC �� 30

NorthAmerican Bancard �� 21

Courtesy Chevrolet San Diego �� 23

Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 26

Dublin Chevrolet �� 20

RelyOn Technologies �� 48

Equalizer Auto Glass Tools �� 22

Roseville Kia �� 34

Fairview Ford Lincoln Mercury �� 40

Sandberg Volvo Cars �� 18

FH Dailey Chevrolet �� 35

Santa Margarita Ford �� 36

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 39

Santa Monica Audi �� 34

Future Nissan of Roseville �� 12

SATA Dan-Am Company �� 2

Galpin Motors �� 19

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 47

Garden Grove Kia �� 27

The Bay Area Automotive Group �� 15

Glenn E. Thomas Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep �� 17

Vin Label Shop �� 8

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 41

Volkswagen Pasadena �� 42

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers 24-25

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 26

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 43

Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 44

Indasa USA �� 11

Yatu Paints, USA �� 9

Caliber’s TAP Program Hits Milestone �� 27 CARSTAR Ranked on Franchise Times List �� 43 CCC Introduces Advanced Photo Analysis �� 45 Enterprise Introduces Enterprise

White House Holds Round Table Discussion on Right to Repair Efforts �� 40

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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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Theft Conspiracy range from $500,000 to $250,000 per count or twice the gross gain or loss from the crimes. According to court documents, the defendants operated an unlicensed business from their residence in Sacramento, where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC in New Jersey for processing. They sold more than $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto. In October and November 2022, law enforcement executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers and processors for their roles selling stolen catalytic converters to a metal refinery for more than $600 million. Nine of 21 defendants were charged in the Eastern District of California. In 2022, approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. Also charged in the 2022 indictment were co-defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 40;

Fix Network Automotive Glass Expands Apprenticeship Program To Western States Fix Network continued to expand the reach of its Automotive Glass Apprenticeship Program with opportunities in Washington State, Oregon and now Montana. The Fix Network Apprenticeship Program (FNAP) began in

November 2022 as the first automotive glass apprenticeship of its kind in the U.S. The program, run through Fix Network’s Speedy Glass USA shops, focuses on training and certifying individuals in automotive glass repair and replacement services. The program aims to attract those interested

Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 36; Daniel Dolan, 45; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 25, all of New Jersey, who operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. According to court documents, they knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for more than $600 million. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Davis Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, the Livermore Police Department and the San Bernardino County Sherriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegria is prosecuting the case.

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in building a career in the skilled trades. “As vehicles become more advanced and technology-focused, the demand for skilled technicians has never been greater,” said Fix Network President and CEO Steve Leal. “The Fix Network Apprenticeship Program provides opportunities that fast-track auto enthusiasts to an in-demand career. This program expansion reflects our commitment to providing accessible and high-quality training opportunities for aspiring automotive glass professionals.” Each apprentice receives instruction and training on auto glass repair and replacement processes, ADAS calibration, cutting-edge auto glass tools and technologies, troubleshooting and diagnostics, customer service and cost estimate preparation. Comprehensive customizable benefits are also available. Program participants benefit from 2,000 hours of paid, comprehensive, on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced journeyperson-level

auto glass technicians. “The training and support I’ve received during my apprenticeship at Speedy Glass in Salem, OR, has given me confidence and strengthened my auto glass skill set,” said Speedy Glass Auto Glass apprentice Tyler Reed. “I’m excited to grow my career path and encourage anyone interested in automotive skilled trades in Montana, Oregon and Washington State to explore this career opportunity.” To graduate with nationally recognized certification, apprentices must pass the certified technician standardized test specified by the Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC).

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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

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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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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

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

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.

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

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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.

ADAS Product Winner 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

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“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.

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CAWA, TechForce Foundation To Collaborate To Recruit New Technicians CAWA and the TechForce Foundation have formed a strategic alliance to address the growth and support of America’s skilled technician workforce. The two nonprofit organizations will collaborate and share resources to promote the technician profession with young people, connect industry volunteers with future techs and tech school programs, and spotlight the importance of respecting techs who keep America rolling. “Our country needs skilled, qualified automotive technicians to keep our lives moving. Students who love problem-solving and working with their hands are longing to find an education and career that fits. For many, a fouryear university isn’t the path they want or need. Instead, they’d be most excited by a technical career,” said Jennifer Maher, CEO of TechForce Foundation. “These days the auto tech profession offers a solid middle-class wage, the opportunity to live and work anywhere, and involvement in the fast-evolving, technology-rising mobility industry. Students are

unaware of all their options and don’t always know how to navigate the career exploration pipeline. By forming this collaboration, CAWA and TechForce have combined the conduits through which we can reach, support and connect aspiring tech students to their futures.” “The Board of Directors unanimously supported this new collaboration with TechForce, and we are excited to contribute to promoting and growing the technician workforce as another contribution of the association to the improvement of the auto care industry,” said Rodney Pierini, president and CEO of CAWA.

Collaboration Principles CAWA’s website will promote and support the technician workforce. CAWA will invite its members to become “TechForce Champions,” whereby they will provide financial support to the charitable mission of TechForce Foundation. CAWA will ask its members to become “TechForce Ambassadors,” volunteering to speak in various venues regarding

REPAIR Act

the need for a robust technician workforce. CAWA will encourage its members to nominate technicians to TechForce to share their positive stories to inspire young people and their influencers, e.g. parents, school counselors, etc., regarding careers as technicians. CAWA members will have access to TechForce’s resource center to assist them in promoting technician careers. CAWA will assist TechForce and vice versa in building relationships with tech high schools and postsecondary programs. Plans are underway to implement the principles of this new collaboration. For more information, contact programs@ cawa.org or info@techforce.org.

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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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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.”

autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 11

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

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

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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.”

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2024 WIN MIW Nominations Open

Ian Musselman Appointed To CAWA Board of Directors Ian Musselman of LKQ Corporation has been appointed to CAWA’s Board of Directors. “I am pleased to announce that Ian is joining the CAWA Board of Directors,” said Young Suhr Jr., chair of the board. “He is a welcomed addition to our leadership with his experience and government affairs acumen. I look forward to Ian’s participation and contributions to CAWA in assisting the association in achieving its goals as an effective and valuable automotive care industry organization.” Musselman joined LKQ Corporation and its senior management team in 2019 as senior vice president of government affairs, overseeing the company’s regulatory and policy initiatives around the world, including opening its North American public affairs office in Washington, D.C. He is tasked with managing LKQ’s government affairs strategy, including throughout North America, and oversees external communications as it pertains to policy, manages its association

memberships and events, and serves as LKQ’s Political Action Committee treasurer. Prior to joining LKQ, he served Continental Automotive Group and Continental Tire of the Americas as director of government affairs for North America from 2012 until 2019. In his role as director, Musselman’s responsibilities included the creation Continental’s first government affairs office in Washington, D.C., setting the corporation’s government relations agenda, and implementing this strategy before Congress and the Executive Branch. Musselman formed the state government affairs office of Continental in 2014, working with individual states

on growth incentive packages, product development regulation and employment matters. Prior to joining Continental, Musselman was a principal director at American Continental Group (ACG). Joining the firm in 1999, he provided clients with strategic political and business counsel in issue areas including government oversight, health care/pharmaceutical, Indian affairs, education, nonprofit, appropriations, energy, foreign affairs, transportation and defense. Musselman currently lives in Maryland with his wife and three children. He earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies from Colby College in Waterville, ME.

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

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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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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

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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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Swickard Auto Group Buys MercedesBenz Dealerships in Hawaii Swickard Auto Group entered the Hawaiian market through the acquisition of Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Honolulu and Maui, along with a cutting-edge service center in Kona. The newly acquired Hawaii locations join Swickard Auto Group’s array of high-performing Mercedes-Benz stores, spread across Alaska, California, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Jeff Swickard, president of Swickard Auto Group, expressed the personal significance of the Hawaii locations, emphasizing a commitment to hospitality, employee growth and community engagement. Swickard’s mission is to extend its well-known service hospitality to the Honolulu and Maui dealerships, offering a comprehensive range of luxurious Mercedes-Benz vehicles celebrated for their safety and innovation. Furthermore, the acquisition encompasses state-of-the-art service centers in Honolulu, Maui and Kona, equipped with advanced technology and skilled technicians.

These centers are poised to provide top-tier maintenance and repair services to cater to the needs of their customers. Fletcher Jones, COO of The Fletcher Jones Group, conveyed his satisfaction with the successful acquisition. He lauded the shared values of Swickard Auto Group and the seamless nature of the transition. Jones expressed confidence that this change in leadership would secure a bright future for the employees. Swickard’s acquisition also includes Commercial Vehicles and Sprinter of Honolulu and Maui, in addition to Commercial Vehicles and Sprinter at the Kona Service Center. This expansion broadens Swickard’s offerings to include the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter series. With this expansion, the Swickard Auto Group team is eager to engage with the vibrant and diverse communities in Maui, Honolulu, and Kona. Now boasting 49 franchises, Swickard is set to serve customers from the majestic mountains of Anchorage, AK, to the scenic shores of Hawaii.

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Sacramento Native with the Fix Auto USA Arrow Award at the Driven Brands U.S. Collision Conference in Orlando. The Fix Auto USA Arrow Award honor is presented to an owner who uses and follows the Fix Auto USA playbook and keeps forging ahead, no matter the challenges they face in their path. Hord has been with the Fix Auto USA network since 2019 and in that time has grown his business to three locations in the Sacramento region. All three locations exhibit exceptional customer service, maintaining at least a 4.8-star rating based on hundreds of reviews. Consumer expectations are always changing, but this owner

has stayed the course and continued to deliver outstanding, above-andbeyond results. It wasn’t always easy for Hord, but he took advantage of every opportunity that came his way and his work ethic and sweat equity paved the way. When he heard of a collision shop coming up for sale, he jumped at the chance and Fix Auto USA was born. Although the facility was outdated by 30 years, this didn’t scare him, so he went to work to modernize it into his vision. That same commitment and drive continues today and Hord is known for his high-quality collision repair services and his tremendous generosity to countless charity and community events, making him an ideal recipient for the Fix Auto USA Arrow Award.

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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

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

By Abby Andrews

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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Ford Could Cut F-150 Lightning Production Due To Waning Demand

California Suspends Cruise’s Driverless Testing Permit The California Department of Motor Vehicles on Oct. 24 announced the immediate suspension of the deployment and driverless testing permit of GM’s self-driving subsidiary, Cruise LLC, due to an “unreasonable risk to public safety.” The DMV said it will not reinstate Cruise’s permit until certain steps are taken, which the company has been provided. Cruise is still allowed to test its autonomous driving technologies with a safety driver present in the car. The DMV said its suspension was based on the facts Cruise’s vehicles are not safe for the public’s operation, and Cruise misrepresented information relate to its self-driving technology’s

By Brad Anderson

safety. In August, Cruise and Waymo both received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to operate selfdriving taxis in San Francisco, similar to an Uber or Lyft service. On Oct. 18, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration announced it opened an investigation into how Cruise’s “robotaxis” operated around pedestrians in roadways, including those in crosswalks, following several complaints. “These reports involve ADS equipped vehicles encroaching on pedestrians present in or entering roadways, including pedestrian crosswalks, in the proximity of the intended travel path of the vehicles,” NHTSA said.

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

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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.”

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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

State Farm Making Efforts To Reduce Supplement Delays EXCLUSIVE SEMA COVERAGE

By John Yoswick Autobody News

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

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 Chairman Frank Terlep challenged CIC, opened the prior quarter’s the industry to improve transparency and meeting this past summer with a accuracy of repairs, particularly related to ADAS work. call for the industry to address the issue of supplement processing, which he calculated was costing repairing ADAS-equipped vehicles, the industry $3.3 billion a year. At calibrating these vehicles, to make the most recent CIC, he turned his sure they’re doing it right and make focus to transparency within the sure they’re trained to do it right. industry, saying vehicle technology “It’s critical in my opinion. We’re at is too critical to driver and passenger the stage of this business where we safety not to be “completely, 100% can do this,” Terlep continued. “We’ve transparent in terms of what goes got to stop people from calibrating on in the repairs, what goes on in the vehicles| 4˝ in parking Quarter Page (no bleed) x 5˝ lots. We got to whole process.” stop people from calibrating vehicles He also said there’s a need for in wash bays. We’ve got to stop

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

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.”

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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Caliber’s TAP Program Hits Milestone

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

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.

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.

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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 28 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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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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.

CAR PROS K I A OF R EN TON

“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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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

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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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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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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Average Length of Collision-Related Rental Slightly Drops Again in Q3 Enterprise released its length of rental at 11.6 days and Iowa at 11.9. (LOR) data for collision-related rentals Drivable LOR increases have for the third quarter of 2023. The become smaller with each average of 17.5 days was down 0.7 days subsequent quarter for some time from the same period the year before. now, and this neutral result gives The drop continued a trend that optimism that Q4 could potentially started in the second quarter of bring a decrease. 2023, which was down 0.3 days yearEnterprise asked PartsTrader Chief over-year. Innovation Officer Greg Horn to However, Enterprise noted, LOR in weigh in on delivery days for parts. Q3 2022—18.2 days—was up three “Our average delivery days for all full days compared to 2021, meaning part types are virtually unchanged these newest numbers are still “new when we compare Q3 2023 to the normal” figures. LOR was 15.2 days in same quarter in 2022, which aligns Q3 2021 and 12.3 days in Q3 2020. with Enterprise’s drivable LOR being Alaska had the highest overall LOR unchanged,” Horn said. “We are also at 21.9 days, an increase of 1.6 days seeing that shops are sourcing parts from Q3 2022. Rhode Island (20.6), when the vehicle is being scheduled Oklahoma (20.4) and Colorado (20.2) for repairs. This seems to indicate were the next-highest. that repairers are scheduling more North Dakota brought in the lowest drivable vehicles to arrive when there LOR at 12.3 days, a decrease of 0.7 is capacity, and therefore reducing days from Q3 2022. Hawaii was right repair cycle time.” behind at 12.5 days, reflecting a 1.2day decrease. Non-Drivable In sixth, Louisiana (20.0 days) may LOR associated with non-drivable have been near the top in overall claims was 25.0 days in Q3 2023, a LOR, but it’s significant to note this 2.2-day decrease from Q3 2022. represents a 2.2-day decline from Q3 Alaska had the highest non-drivable 2022. In addition, 10 other states plus LOR at 32.5 days, which reflected Washington, D.C., had decreases of a a decrease of 1.7 days, followed by full day or greater, while an additional West Virginia (30.9), Montana (30.8), 21 states had decreases of at least Colorado (30.5) and Washington half a day. (30.0). These five states were the only Only seven states—Alaska, New ones with LOR greater than 30 days, Mexico, Vermont, Wyoming, Montana, whereas in Q2 2022, there were 12 Rhode Island and Colorado—had states with non-drivable LOR greater increases, while Nevada’s results than 30 days. were flat. Washington, D.C., came in with As Enterprise continues to track the the lowest LOR of 21.1 days, a 1.1Santa Margarita Ford impact of EVs, ADAS and other new day decrease. Iowa (21.3), New technology on the repair process, it York (21.6), North Wholesale Dakota (21.9) and asked Ryan Mandell, director of Nebraska (21.9) were the next-lowest. Hotline claims performance for Mitchell Overall, only three states had International, for his insights. an increase in non-drivable LOR: “Electrical vehicles (EVs) continue Montana, South Dakota and Vermont. to occupy a greater portion of Louisiana had the greatest overall repairable claims volume at 1.86% decrease, going to 29.2 days from in Q3 2023 compared to 1.59% in 34.3 in Q3 2022—a 5.1-day drop. Q2 2023 and 1.31% in Q3 2022,” Seven other states—Delaware, Hawaii, Mandell said. “EVs have more than North Dakota, Kentucky, Arizona, six additional labor hours on average Georgia and South Carolina—recorded per estimate than ICE vehicles. The decreases of three full days or greater. frequency of calibrations increased John Yoswick, editor of the weekly above 10% for the first time in Q3 CRASH Network newsletter, offered 2023, compared to 8.8% in Q2 2023 insights into some of the headwinds and 7.5% in Q3 2023.” facing the repair industry. “First, while no one would Drivable suggest the technician shortage has LOR for vehicles associated with a significantly improved, among 500 drivable claim was 15.7 days in Q3 shops surveyed by CRASH Network in 2023, flat from Q3 2022’s results. June, more than 1 in 5 said they were Alaska had the highest drivable LOR fully staffed and had no job openings. at 19.2 days, a 2.4-day increase over Q3 That’s not a lot, but it was up from 2022. Following closely behind were just 15% a year earlier,” Yoswick Rhode Island (18.7), Oklahoma (18.6), said. “Secondly, shops’ backlog of Georgia (18.4) and Colorado (18.2). work has eased a bit, falling from a North Dakota had the lowest LOR nationwide average of 4.7 weeks in at 10.3 days, which itself was a 0.4the second quarter of this year to 4.3 day increase. Hawaii (11.0) was nextweeks in July. The average backlog lowest, followed by Washington, D.C., this past summer was more than 10 36 DECEMBER 2023 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

days shorter than it was in the fourth quarter of 2022. “Finally, shops may be juggling fewer in-process jobs, which is perhaps a sign that parts supply issues have continued to improve, at least pre-UAW strike,” Yoswick continued. “We measure work-in-process as the number of jobs (car count) a shop has in-progress compared to that shop’s typical monthly job count. Our survey in September found that among more than 400 respondents, the average shop had work-in-process equal to 64% of their typical monthly volume. That was down just 2 points from the prior quarter, but down 14 percentage points from a year ago.” Total Loss Rentals associated with total loss claims dropped 1.2 days from Q3 2022, coming in at 16.6 days. The highest total loss LOR was also Alaska at 23.4 days—almost five days higher than the next-highest state, Washington, at 19.5 days. The lowest LOR was 14.8 days in Iowa, whose results were unchanged from Q3 2022. Kansas (14.9), Nebraska (15.0) and Virginia (15.0) were the next-lowest. Variances from quarter over quarter were across the board with

no discernable pattern. Take Hawaii and Alaska—the former’s results were down 7.0 days from Q3 2022 and the latter up 7.6 days. Comparing the next two, Arkansas has a 4.1-day decrease and Wyoming is up 1.3 days. “Total Loss frequency declined to 18.0% from 18.5% in Q2 2023 but was slightly higher than Q3 2022 (17.8%),” Mandell said. Summary As the numbers show, the trend of “predictable” seasonal LOR continues; the LOR decrease is positive, and many repairers are finding ways to anticipate and operate in the new normal. However, challenging market conditions remain, and overall LOR remains significantly higher than it was pre-pandemic. While parts disruptions from the roughly 45-day UAW strike are unclear, Horn said: “The impacted OEMs are deploying employees from other areas and hiring temp workers to minimize the impact to OE parts delivery, and though there has been an increase in ‘unable to quote’ parts, the combination of the parts distribution center temporary staff and the increase in alternate parts sales has reduced the impact of the strike efforts.”

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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

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Experian Launches Data Network To Combat Rising Fraud in Auto Loans

Mazda, Mitchell Renew Agreement

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

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.

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.”

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autobodynews.com / AUTOBODY NEWS DECEMBER 2023 39

White House Holds Round Table Discussion on Right To Repair Efforts

Opus IVS Launches ADAS Map

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

Opus IVS™ introduced ADAS Map, a comprehensive software platform designed to identify ADAS systems, their components, precise component locations, necessary calibrations and the underlying reasons for these calibrations. This technology automatically reviews CCC or Mitchell estimates and provides a detailed presentation of a specific vehicle’s ADAS requirements. Seamlessly integrated with CCC, Mitchell, Opus IVS DriveSafe and the Opus IVS CoPilot platforms, ADAS Map streamlines the entire calibration process with unprecedented efficiency. One of the key features of ADAS Map is its automated reporting system, which swiftly places pertinent information in the CCC attachments tab, ensuring a seamless workflow. Additionally, the integration with ALLDATA further solidifies ADAS Map as the ultimate goto solution for comprehensive automotive diagnostic and calibration needs.

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.”

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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

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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UAW Reaches Tentative Agreements With Stellantis, GM, Ending Strike 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

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.

CARSTAR Ranked on Franchise Times List CARSTAR continued to lead the collision repair sector in the automotive category in Franchise Times magazine’s Top 400, the most comprehensive ranking of the 400 largest U.S. franchise systems. Recognized by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise Times Top 400 placed CARSTAR 62nd on the list, a move up of 23 positions from 2022. CARSTAR was the top collision repair company for the overall automotive category again in 2023. For more than 30 years, CARSTAR has been known for its premier reputation fueling the growth of its strong North American footprint to more than 700 locations in 35 states and 10 provinces. The Franchise Times Top 400 is an exclusive annual ranking of the largest U.S.-based franchise systems by global systemwide sales.

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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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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

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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.

CCC Intelligent Solutions announced the next generation of its AI-based photo analysis capabilities, including its first solution that extends into claims handling and ahead of the appraisal process to help users identify potential indemnity amounts earlier. The offerings deliver actionable intelligence following FNOL, enabling insurers to pull forward key decisions that work to optimize and accelerate downstream processing across APD and casualty claims. CCC First Look can help insurers capture accident information sooner on more claims and is designed to ingest photos from various sources—including consumers and salvage providers. CCC Impact Dynamics applies AI to photos of vehicle damage to predict impact severity, which enables insurers to spot injury potential early and inform a series of important decisions including casualty claims segmentation and routing, early settlement opportunities and reserve management.

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SEMA Announces First Recipient of ‘Best Engineered Vehicle’ At 2023 Show 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

SEMA announced the recipient of the inaugural SEMA Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year Award is the ‘23 Cobra Venom by Scorpion EV. “Venom” is an electric vehicle conversion car designed to demonstrate the ease with which internal combustion engine

Serving Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. 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

vehicles can be converted to electric power. The car showcases Scorpion EV’s Venom EV conversion kit, which solves the challenges related to EV conversions by providing the DIY builder with a complete, turnkey solution. “As a small company with a passion for EVs and one that’s pushing the envelope for this

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Enterprise Introduces Enterprise Mobility To Revolutionize Services

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Enterprise, known for its car rental and fleet management services, announced it is consolidating its vast portfolio of offerings, including car rental, fleet management, vehicle hire, carsharing and technology solutions, under a new corporate brand, Enterprise Mobility. Enterprise Mobility President and CEO Chrissy Taylor expressed the company’s dedication to delivering better mobility experiences: “Since day one, we’ve been inspired by a bold idea: creating better experiences for how the world moves.” This transformation reinforces the commitment of Enterprise’s 90,000-strong global team to innovate intentionally and adapt to the ever-changing needs of its partners, customers and neighbors. Enterprise’s journey began more than six decades ago as a car leasing business, growing since in terms of geographical reach, offerings and customer segments served. The introduction of Enterprise Mobility unites the

full spectrum of services the company offers and underlines its substantial investments in addressing the mobility needs of today and the future. With the announcement, Enterprise Mobility also revealed a new visual identity and corporate purpose: “Advance the world, one journey at a time.” This refreshed visual identity pays homage to the iconic dual parallel lines in the Executive Leasing logo from 1965. “More than just an ‘e’, Enterprise Mobility embodies the incredible journey of our business, both where we come from and where we are going,” Taylor said. Crucially, all Enterprise Mobility brands, such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo and Enterprise Fleet Management, will remain unchanged as key components of its extensive portfolio. To learn more about Enterprise Mobility and its vision for the future of mobility services, visit enterprisemobility.com.

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