February 2019 Southeast Edition by Autobody News

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GA Auto Body Shop Owner, Customers Plead Guilty in Insurance Fraud Racketeering Case A Decatur, GA, auto body shop owner pleaded guilty Jan. 14 to staging car crashes and inflicting intentional damage on customers’ cars to pocket larger insurance payments. Alfonzo McKeever, 55, pleaded guilty to racketeering just before his trial was set to begin in Bibb County Superior Court. A judge sentenced him to serve 15 years. McKeever, of Stone Mountain, must serve the first two years in prison and the remainder on probation. He also must join his co-defendants in paying more than $19,000 in restitution to GEICO Insurance Company and more than

$15,000 to Progressive Insurance. If the case had gone to trial, prosecutors Matt Bridges and Kyle Owenby would have presented evidence showing: Between November 2013 and February 2015, McKeever operated the Impact Solutions body shop and The Viaduct Group Inc. used car lot, both located on Covington Highway in Decatur. Claims were called into the GEICO Insurance Claims unit located in Macon and into Progressive in attempts to fraudulently collect inSee Insurance Fraud, Page 27

Speakers at SCRS’ Ideas Collide Discuss Their Visions for Industry’s Future by John Yoswick

An automated system that can detect tiny dents or other vehicle “anomalies” within seconds. Collision parts being ordered within minutes of a crash. A not-for-profit data repository that would ensure shops have long-term access to their job file records. These were among the topics covered in a unique TED Talk-style presentation at “Ideas Collide,” a new session that the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) hosted during SEMA in Las Vegas in

AUTOBODYNEWS.COM

Vol. 9 / Issue 12 / February 2019

FL State Rep Jason Fischer Files Comprehensive Bill Promoting Autonomous Vehicles State Rep. Jason Fischer filed the first autonomous vehicle—aka selfdriving car—legislation of the 2019 Legislative Session. Submitted Jan. 17, the bill (HB 311) includes several provisions to get autonomous vehicles, or AVs, rolling on Florida roadways—even if there isn’t a person in a passenger seat. It defines many terms in the statute, including “automated driving systems” and “fully autonomous vehicles,” the former describing the hardware and software backbone of AVs and the latter being any vehicle equipped with such a system that is able to function without anybody on board. If an AV is involved in a crash, they would be exempt from certain laws so long as the car or a person contacts a law enforcement

agency. Additionally, Fischer’s bill would also open the door for an automated ride-sharing platform and allow The Florida Turnpike Enterprise to “fund, construct and operate test facilities” to study AV technology. The Florida Turnpike Enterprise is currently partnered with Florida Polytechnic University, the Florida Department of Transportation and Central Florida Automated Vehicle Partners to run the SunTrax testing facility, which is expected to open in April. “Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and Florida has a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of autonomous vehicle policy. Autonomous technology has the capaSee First Legislation, Page 4

Challenges of Processing Hail or Other Catastrophe Claims Among Discussion at Recent CIC

timating system,” but McDonnell said “cat team” claims handlers aren’t With another hail season approach- always aware of that. ing, a panel discussion at last No“We had to go through that vember’s Collision Industry [PDR] company for a supConference (CIC) offered plement,” McDonnell said. insights from shops, insur“We sent it to them and they ers and paintless dent repair took off a significant amount. companies on reducing fricThey said, ‘We have an tion related to catastrophe agreement [with the insurer claims after a major storm. involved] and you don’t get paid for those things.’ I had Matthew McDonnell Montana shop to call them and tell them, of Big Sky Collision in Monowner Matthew tana described some of the McDonnell said not ‘We have a different regulaall those helping tion in Montana. You cannot challenges of working on an insurer handle disregard repair operations, such “cat team” claims, such catastrophe claims and I just want to let you as those managed by a paintafter a storm will know you’re inconsistent less dent repair company. be aware of laws and regulations in with Montana law.’ They Since 2011, for example, the state in which said, ‘Oh, I don’t have to Montana has had a law that they are working follow Montana law.’” prohibits an insurer from But although some states may “unilaterally disregard(ing) a repair operation or cost identified by an esSee Processing Hail, Page 24 by John Yoswick

Pete Tagliapietra of NuGen IT suggested the industry develop a not-for-profit data repository to give shops long-term access to their job file records and other data

November. SCRS invited 10 speakers to offer ideas or visions related to See SCRS’ Ideas Collide, Page 14

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FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

CONTENTS REGIONAL AL Supreme Court Reverses Summary Judgment Ruling in Case Over Fire at Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Auto Collision Repair Students Build Toy Cars for Children in Clanton, AL. . . . . . . . . . 10 FL State Rep Jason Fischer Files Comprehensive Bill Promoting Autonomous Vehicles . . . . . . . 1 GA Auto Body Shop Owner, Customers Plead Guilty in Insurance Fraud Racketeering Case. . 1 IGONC Triangle Chapter Hosts 2018 Christmas Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Knoxville I-CAR Committee Meeting Focuses on 2019 ‘Even Better’ I-CAR . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Man Charged With 13 Car Break-Ins, Burglary at Macon, GA, Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Tupelo, MS, Collision Repair Class Rehabs Bicycles for Christmas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Man Charged With 13 Car Break-Ins, Burglary at Macon, GA, Body Shop Executive Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

by Staff, WGXA

asTech Renews Commitment to CIECA Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Axalta, Plenham Form 3-Year Global Alliance. . 53 Caliber Collision Repairs Donated Car to VA Soldier/ Single Father Through NABC Recycled Rides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Challenges of Processing Hail or Other Catastrophe Claims Among Discussion at Recent CIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chuck Olsen To Host CIECAst Webinar. . . . . . . 20 Collision Career Institute Celebrates One of Their First Technician Graduates . . . . . . . 30 Collision Works Utilizes Symach’s FixLine Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Consumers Confused by Partially Automated Driving Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

A 20-year-old Macon, GA, man was arrested Jan. 16 in connection to a burglary and entering auto investigation of a local business. Cedric Leon Gunn of Macon has been charged with 13 counts of entering auto and one count of burglary. He is being held in the Bibb County Jail on a $23,850 bond. On Dec. 26, 2018, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Butler Toyota Collision Center at 2122 Eisenhower Pkwy. regarding someone breaking into numerous vehicles and the business. Deputies said it was reported that the suspect was caught on surveillance video riding a “red chop-

per”-style bicycle. It was also reported that the suspect took items from the business and then entered numerous vehicles in the parking lot. Recently, deputies spotted a man—Gunn—on a bicycle fitting the description given by investigators. Gunn was taken into custody without incident on a warrant from Jones County Sheriff’s Office. “Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that [Gunn] was identified as the suspect who entered the business and vehicles located at the Toyota Collision Center,” deputies said. We thank WGXA for reprint permission.

CREF Benchmark Grant Applications Available to Collision Schools . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Anderson - Automaker’s Increased Role in Claims Seems Just on the Horizon as Connectivity Happens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Attanasio - Eric Newell Is Not Afraid to Serve His Community in Different Ways . . . . . . . . 42 Attanasio - MSO CMO Megan Williams Stresses Community Support in Marketing Efforts . . . 22 Ledoux - Early DRP Programs of the 1960s. . . 35 Phillips - ALLDATA Showcases Diagnostic Scan Tool and Collision Repair Product . . . . 56 Phillips - General Motors Collision Repair Network Starts off With Strong Response from Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Phillips - The Impact of Telematics and Connected Vehicles on the Collision Repair Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Phillips - TX Body Shop Invests in Community, Technology, OEM Certifications . . . . . . . . . . 48 Sisk - ASA Hosts RepairPal’s Jill Trotta for Webinar on Transparency and Trust . . . . . . . 40 Sisk - Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation Hosts Holiday Celebration . . . . . 52 Sisk - Dave Luehr’s December Elite Webinar

CREF Career Fairs Pair Eligible Graduates With Transportation Industry Positions . . . . . 58 CREF Invites Industry Businesses to Sponsor Student Safety Kits for Collision Programs. . 30 Dave Luehr’s Elite Body Shop Academy Launches Operations Monthly LIVE . . . . . . . 21 Ford Recalls 953,000 Vehicles for Airbag Flying Shrapnel Threat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Gerber Collision & Glass Enters 26th State With Opening of Repair Center in Cayce, SC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 GM To Double Resources for Electric, Autonomous Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Industrial Finishes & Systems Names Vice Chairman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 New Car Technology May Lead to Sticker Shock at Auto Body Repair Shops . . . . . . . . 57 SAAR in Canada Becomes Newest Association to Affiliate with SCRS . . . . . . . . 12 Safelite Group Acquires Glasspro . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Speakers at SCRS’ Ideas Collide Discuss Their Visions for Industry’s Future . . . . . . . . . 1 Study Pours Cold Water on AI Driving Algorithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Features Brad Mewes Discussing

Survey to GCIA Rate Insurers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

‘Financing Growth’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Tesla Owners Go Behind-the-Scenes at

Sisk - Mike Anderson Presents ‘Using the Subaru Technical Information System – Part 2’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Sisk - Regional Association Event Announcements: February 2019 . . . . . . . . . 61

a Certified Tesla Repair Center . . . . . . . . . . 51 Unhappy AZ Residents Slash Waymo Tires, Derailing Self-Driving Cars, More . . . . . . . . . 4 Up to $60 Million Is Available for Testing ADS . . 54 Waymo Plans to Build Self-Driving Plant in Michigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

NATIONAL

WIN Begins Sponsorship Campaign for 2019 . . 16

AkzoNobel Becomes I-CAR Sustaining Partner . 50

WMABA Opens Survey for Collision Repairers

AMi To Host FCA Certified Collision Network Online Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 ASA Appoints Ray Fisher to Serve as

to Rate Insurance Companies . . . . . . . . . . . 16 WMABA President Receives SCRS Regional Lifetime Achievement Award. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

COLUMNISTS

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Vicki Sitarz Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes

Serving Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2019 Adamantine Media LLC.

AzkoNobel Coatings Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists, LLC. . . . . . 14 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 49 AutobodyLaw.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 AutoNation Collision Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,8 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 50 Braman Miami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Coggin Deland Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Dent Fix Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Dominion Sure Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Eckler’s Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 52 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Gus Machado Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 GYS Welding USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Hendrick Automotive Group. . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Hendrick BMW/MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Hendrick Honda Pompano Beach . . . . . . . 47 Hendrick Kia Cary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Hendrick Kia Concord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31, 32-33 Hyundai Motor America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 57

Jim Cogdill Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram . . . 12 Jon Hiester Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Kernersville Lexus-CDJR-GM . . . . . . . . . . 41 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 59 Killer Tools & Equipment Corp . . . . . . . . . . 26 Launch Tech USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 61 Matrix Automotive Finishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 50 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 25 Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 56 Radley Chevrolet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 RBL Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Naples . . . . . . . . 51 Rick Hendrick MOPAR Southeast Wholesalers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19 Riverside Ford-Lincoln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Smith Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Southside Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Spartanburg Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. . . 11 Stateline Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram . . . . . 27 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 53 Tameron Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 61 West Broad Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 YesterWreck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

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Waymo Plans to Build Self Driving Plant in Michigan Google’s self-driving car spinoff Waymo said Jan. 22 it will bring a factory to Michigan, creating up to 400 jobs at what it describes as the world’s first plant “100%” dedicated to the mass production of autonomous vehicles. The company plans to spend about $13.6 million to retrofit a to-be-determined manufacturing facility in the Detroit area. In exchange, it will get a state incentive grant worth up to $8 million that was approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund Board. Waymo spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson said the company plans to hire up to 400 people to work at the factory, including engineers, operations experts and fleet coordinators. She said Waymo is looking for a site and hopes to open the plant in the middle of this year. A memo from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. says Waymo will create 100 jobs, with the potential for up to 400, and it chose Michigan despite a “high level of interest” from states in the Midwest, South and Southwest.

The company integrates its self-driving system into vehicles it buys from automakers and is currently testing autonomous Chrysler Pacifica minivans in a preferred rider program for passengers in the Phoenix area, but with human backup drivers on board. It plans to expand the service to the San Francisco area but has not given a time frame. Waymo previously announced plans to buy 62,000 Pacificas and 20,000 I-Pace electric SUVs from Jaguar. Waymo has a 20-employee facility in the Detroit suburb of Novi where it tests vehicles in snowy weather. It will locate the new factory in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties, where the auto industry dominates the economy with thousands of jobs from U.S. and foreign-based automakers as well as parts supply companies. “As we begin to commercialize our business and vehicle supply grows, we’re laying the foundation for a scalable, robust vehicle integration plan, starting in Michigan,” the company said in a blog.

Continued from Cover

First Legislation

bility to eliminate human error on our roadways, making everyday modes of transportation drastically safer for Floridians,” Fischer said. “Autonomous vehicle technology will ensure our transportation modes serve all Floridians, providing opportunities for the elderly and special needs communities to have an independent and reliable source of transportation.” That assertion is given credence by early endorsements from AARP Florida and the Florida Council of the Blind, both of which said it would improve transportation options for their members. “If done right, automated vehicles can do something truly remarkable and historic: they can better enable people, especially those with disabilities, regardless of age, geographic location or socio-economic factors, to have choices in mobility and delivery opportunities that more fully meet their needs and help combat social isolation. We applaud Rep-

Unhappy AZ Residents Slash Waymo Tires, Derailing Self-Driving Cars, More The advent of any new technology is accompanied with complaints, as seen with Wing’s delivery drones, but in the case of self-driving cars, there have been more radical expressions of discontent.

attacks since 2017 that range in severity from seemingly pure mischief to more serious acts. The most brazen incident took place in August 2018 when a man armed with a handgun tried to scare the safety driver in an autonomous Chrysler Pacifica. That man in ques-

As Waymo tests and operates vehicles in Phoenix, some Arizona residents have taken to threatening or even damaging the cars. A New York Times report on Dec. 31, 2018 followed up on incidents that were first brought to light by the Arizona Republic earlier that month. There have been at least 21

tion cited the Uber incident that killed a pedestrian earlier that year, and he was eventually charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. Another safety driver was threatened with a PVC pipe, while other incidents involve people throwing rocks, blocking routes and slashing the tires of Waymo vehicles. There were also

by Abner Li, 9to5Google

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

attempts to derail the car while it was autonomously driving. One particular Jeep tried to run the Chrysler Pacificas off the road six times in 2017. In all these cases, Waymo or the safety drivers have not pressed charges. The Alphabet division directs its drivers to first contact the internal dispatch system during incidents. In fact, police contact is reportedly kept to a minimum, with one incident not being reported until four days after it took place. According to the NYT, Waymo in some cases is unwilling to provide footage of the attack. This defeats the benefit of self-driving vehicles always maintaining video of everything happening around the car. Waymo noted that these incidents only represent a small fraction of operation and pushed back against the narrative that it was trying to avoid bad publicity by not pursuing charges. The incidents have not turned Alphabet away, with Waymo noting how “over the past two years, we’ve found Arizonans to be welcoming and excited by the potential of this technology to make our roads safer.” We thank 9to5Google for reprint permission.

resentative Fischer and other legislators for bringing this issue forward to help make Florida age-friendly for all of its residents,” said Jeff Johnson, the head of AARP Florida. Florida Council of the Blind President Sheila Young added that “for blind people, people living with disabilities and some senior citizens, self-driving cars will mean greater independence.” St. Petersburg Republican Jeff Brandes will file the Senate companion. “Since 2012, Florida has been at the vanguard of automated vehicles. This legislation recognizes the advancements in technology as we move toward shared mobility,” he said. Fischer and Brandes have been the two most vocal lawmakers on autonomous vehicle policy since the nascent technology started gaining traction. In the 2018 Legislative Session, the pair sponsored bills similar to the 2019 version announced Jan. 17. In 2012, Brandes pushed for legislation encouraging the testing and studying of automated vehicles in Florida. That push led Brandes to request that some self-driving cars be demoed for lawmakers at the Florida Capitol. Google obliged, taking lawmakers around the city and then out to the freeway where speeds hit 70 mph. Those tests played no small part in the Florida Legislature passing the first bill nationwide making autonomous vehicles street legal. Late last year, Fischer also hosted a panel at Florida Internet & Television’s FITCon 2018, where he and lobbyist Chris Spencer of GrayRobinson, a former chief aide to Brandes, expounded on their visions for connected cities, including autonomous vehicle tech. Spencer has since become policy director to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. “Eventually, in a couple of decades, driving a vehicle is going to be like riding horses. Fun to do, but you don’t do it to work,” Fischer said in November. We thank Florida Politics for reprint permission.

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autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

WMABA President Receives SCRS Regional Lifetime Achievement Award The Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) celebrated its 50-year anniversary with a membership dinner and special twist: President Torchy Chandler was awarded the Society of Collision Re-

(l to r) Barry Dorn, Torchy Chandler, Aaron Schulenburg, Jordan Hendler

pair Specialists’ Regional Lifetime Achievement Award in the presence of her peers. Held at the association’s former stomping ground, the restaurant P.J. Skidoo’s in Fairfax, VA, the association went through historical reminiscing and looked to the future of the collision repair industry. With the event being M.C.’d by Jeff Hendler, longtime industry mainstay and administrator of the

Collision Industry Conference (CIC), those in attendance heard the history of WMABA’s presence at every national industry event or industry entity creation. He stated, “WMABA was always in the room—when I-CAR was formed, when the national SCRS group got started [and] when CIC first began. There may have been only a few people there to start, but WMABA folks were always present, and look where those organizations are today. You have been well-represented in every major event in these past 50 years, and I’m sure you will be for the foreseeable future.” While all those in attendance enjoyed a great meal, WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler showed the association’s 40-year history video to the group, then followed with a state-of-the-industry address. Talking about future technologies, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles, she discussed how the future of our industry is in the hands of the youth of today who are familiar with technology and computers. “They will be the needed boost for our industry to have diagnosticians that are efficient and knowledgeable.

Safelite Group Acquires Glasspro

Safelite® Group, the nation’s leading vehicle glass services company and owner of Safelite® AutoGlass, has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Glasspro®, Inc. The transaction was completed at the close of business January 4, 2019. Glasspro is an award-winning, independent auto glass repair and replacement company founded in

1995 by Paul Heinauer, a well-respected leader in the industry and pillar of the Charleston, South Carolina community. “I’ve always been incredibly impressed with Paul’s leadership and Glasspro’s focus on delivering excellence,” said Safelite’s President and CEO Tom Feeney. “He is a man of great integrity with actions that consistently put his people first. It is one of the deepest honors for Safelite to welcome Glasspro associates to our business and to our family.” Glasspro operates 11 auto glass 6

locations including North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Goose Creek, Georgetown, Walterboro, Bluffton, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Greenville, and Florence, and will increase Safelite’s current South Carolina footprint. “For the past 23 years I have been blessed and privileged to lead a business that has experienced great success, thanks to the dedication and hard work of our Glasspro associates,” said Heinauer. “The decision to sell to Safelite was far from being an easy one. Our people and our customers deserve an organization that delivers excellence. Through discussions with my family and close friends, I found comfort in knowing our business philosophies align well with Safelite’s, particularly around our mission of serving our customers and taking care of our people.” Feeney continued, “Paul’s contributions to his team and to his community are significant and his legacy will live on as we build upon the solid foundation he has established over the past two decades. I’m confident he’ll be proud of the results.”

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

With the knowledge base being laid off by the thousands on the insurer side, this is how our industry will keep up—[by] getting these young minds in our shops. It’s all about the advancements of repairers at WMABA; onward and upward!” she said.

WMABA Board of Directors (l to r) Jordan Hendler (Executive Director); Don Beaver, Barbara Chase, Phil Rice, Torchy Chandler, Danny Szarka, Steven Krieps, Kevin Burt, William Hawkins, Barry Dorn

Members of the association who have had continued membership for the past 50 years were also recognized: Fairfax Auto Body, Hanagan’s Auto Body, NCS Coatings, Inc. and Ray’s Auto Body. The crowning of the evening was certainly Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of SCRS, and Barry Dorn, Dorn’s Body and Paint, WMABA board member and SCRS past chairman, giving the Lifetime

Achievement Award to Torchy Chandler, WMABA’s current president and longtime board member. “Her sole desire is to see positive change in the industry,” commented Dorn. “She has willingly offered assistance to anyone locally or nationally. She steps up for any event.” Schulenburg also commented, “This person is the first one to show up to organize the group and the last one to leave. It would be hard to find somebody as passionate and involved as this individual, and it’s been evident in her work with WMABA [and] Hammer & Dolly and her participation in things like the SCRS Affiliate Leadership Conference.” Chandler graciously accepted the award behind emotions. She said, “I just don’t know what to say; thank you so much for this award. You don’t expect something like this. You just do it because it’s the right thing to do.” WMABA thanks all those who participated in the celebration and encourages their continued participation and support of the association and the work it continues to do on behalf of the entire industry.

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Caliber Collision Repairs Donated Car to VA Soldier/ Single Father Through NABC Recycled Rides

Tupelo, MS, Collision Repair Class Rehabs Bicycles for Christmas

by Staff, 13 News Now

by Allie Martin, WCBI

On Dec. 14, the holidays got a little brighter for a Fort Eustis soldier and single father. SPC Derek Witcher was given the keys to a car donated by Caliber Collision in Virginia Beach, VA, and USAA.

Witcher joined the Army in 2015 and is currently stationed at Fort Eustis. He and his wife are separated and have shared custody of their 4-year-old son. It has been a struggle for Witcher to juggle his responsibilities without a reliable form of transportation. The donated car was stocked

with some holiday gifts. The soldier received a 2017 Nissan Rogue provided by USAA that was restored by Caliber Collision-Virginia Beach technicians who volunteered their time and talent as a community service. The car donation is part of the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides program in which collision industry businesses team up to repair and donate cars to individuals in need of reliable transportation. Witcher was nominated for the car donation by the Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and strengthening military families. The car will give Witcher the independence and ability to care and provide for his son and enjoy fatherhood. We thank 13 News Now for reprint permission.

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Students in a collision repair class at Tupelo High School in Tupelo, MS, recently made Christmas brighter for some families.

For the second year, the collision repair class at THS took bikes donated by the community and repaired them for a program called “Sharing at Christmas.” Many of the bikes had flat tires, busted chains, broken brakes and other issues. The bikes were available for people on a first-come, first-served basis.

On the morning of Dec. 19, people picked up the bikes for children and their families. “Getting my students to understand they can put a smile on people’s faces just by using their hands ... it doesn’t always take money for you to do something good for somebody,” said collision repair teacher Derek Bradley. “People who can’t afford bikes or they want to give ... it’s something I like to do to give back to the community—people who want a bike, kids needing one, parents are able to come here and grab one, give [it] to the kids and make them happy,” said THS senior Nathan Kulovitz. The collision repair students fixed 25 bicycles. Next year, Bradley hopes to double that amount for the community. We thank WCBI for reprint permission.

AL Supreme Court Reverses Summary Judgment Ruling in Case Over Fire at Body Shop by Charmaine Little, Legal Newsline

On Dec. 7, 2018, the Supreme Court of Alabama reversed a decision for summary judgment in a case over a fire at an auto body shop. Hartung Commercial Properties challenged the summary judgment ruling issued by Mobile Circuit Court in favor of Buffi’s Automotive Equipment. Hartung sued Buffi’s over allegations of negligence and wantonness, alleging Buffi’s repairs caused a fire and destroyed Hartung’s body shop. The Supreme Court looked at five factors in its decision: the importance of evidence destroyed, Hartung’s culpability, fundamental fairness, alternative sources of information that would be available if the evidence had not been destroyed and the possible impact of other sanctions that would be less daunting than dismissal. The Supreme Court determined Buffi’s didn’t show enough evidence to prove the first, third and fourth factors. It pointed out that Buffi’s was able to contact any party that investigated the scene, snapped pictures and wrote reports on their

discoveries. “Our analysis thus far has touched on the factors related to the importance of the evidence, fundamental fairness and alternative sources

of information,” the Supreme Court said. “Our review of the evidence in light of the two remaining factors— culpability of the offending party and the possibility of sanctions less severe than dismissal—does not convince us that Buffi’s Automotive has nevertheless established that it was entitled to the sanction of dismissal.” Justice Tommy Bryan authored the opinion. And while he had concerns about the method of the ruling, Justice Brady Mendheim Jr. agreed that Buffi’s failed to provide

enough evidence to display its case and ultimately concurred with the opinion. Hartung said Buffi’s conducted repairs to a paint booth inside the body shop that required one of Buffi’s agents/employees to hot wire part of the booth until the actual part came. The fire, which took place in 2011, broke out roughly a week after the repair before the correct part arrived. Buffi’s moved for summary judgment in Circuit Court in September 2013, citing that Hartung demolished the shop without notifying it and giving it the opportunity to inspect the shop and paint booth. Hartung said more than enough people conducted an investigation, including a local fire department and the insurance company. The Circuit Court granted summary judgment in Buffi’s Automotive’s favor in November 2014 based on the spoliation of evidence. We thank Legal Newsline for reprint permission.

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IGONC Triangle Chapter Hosts 2018 Christmas Party by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On Dec.19, the Triangle Chapter of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC) hosted its 2018 Christmas party at the Peddler Steak House in Raleigh, NC. According to Bob Pulverenti, executive director of IGONC, “This is our annual Christmas party, which is really just to pass the torch from one president to the next, plus it allows members to enjoy a little relaxed social time with fellow shop owners and technicians. This event is strictly social, to celebrate each other and the season. “The attendees had a great time and were all in great holiday spirits. We added a gift raffle where attendees won anything from carshaped computer mice to a ukulele. We enjoy these events because they bring our members and vendors closer together and strengthen our industry by building relationships face-to-face. For more information on IGONC, visit igonc.com.

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Auto Collision Repair Students Build Toy Cars for Children in Clanton, AL schools choose the recipients. Last year, a student from Isabella, VerLeCroy Career Technical Center’s bena, Maplesville and Thorsby each auto collision repair students in Clan- received a car. The cars come in a kit, but stuton, AL, continued a Christmas tradition last December as they completed dents customize the paint scheme and pedal cars to be given to children who add details. Last year, the students would not be getting many presents decided to add engine components to the body design. Each group disthat month. cussed and chose the colors it wanted to add. Each student then had a specific aspect that they focused on completing. “It brought us all closer together,” Renissa Dennis of Verbena High School said. Zoe Watley of Isabella High School said she enjoyed doing the project for a child who did not have much. Watley mostly worked on Students in the morning auto collision repair class at LeCroy Career painting the cars but also Technical Center built and customized two pedal cars for Christmas worked on the motor mount. presents. Credit: Joyanna Love, The Clanton Advertiser She said it was challengTeacher Jason Duren started the ing to “try to figure it all out together tradition with his class in 2017 with because there were so many of us.” Bailey Littleton of Isabella High two cars. Last year, students from the morning and afternoon classes com- School enjoyed painting the vehicle. pleted four cars. Each class completed He also helped with sanding, taping one car for a girl and one car for a boy. and other prep work before the vehiCounselors at the elementary cles were painted. by Joyanna Love, The Clanton Advertiser

Knoxville I-CAR Committee Meeting Focuses on 2019 ‘Even Better’ I-CAR by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On Dec. 6, the Knoxville I-CAR Committee met for lunch at Calhoun’s on the River in Knoxville, TN, for a presentation by special guest speaker Tom McFinch, I-CAR business development manager for the southeast region, and to elect the

(l to r) Jerry Dalton, Fran Stidham, Wayne Griffin, Randy Dunn with TCAT Morristown, Jason Whitson with Greene Technology Center, Graham Adams, Jim Luttrell, and Clayton Thompson

group’s 2019 officers. According to Fran Stidham, education chair of the Knoxville I-CAR Committee, “The event went well. The main topic of discussion was the changes to I-CAR for 2019—’Even Better ICAR’—and while there is some concern with regard to ‘Road to Gold’ no longer being available, attendees’ responses were mostly pos10

itive. “We had around 40 attendees at our December meeting. The meeting met and possibly exceeded our expectations as far as attendance and participation in the discussion about the I-CAR changes. Our committee was recognized as Platinum again.” In addition to electing officers for 2019, the Knoxville I-CAR Committee recognized Keith Kuhn, a longterm TCAT instructor who retired at the end of 2018, for his contributions to the industry and the committee. Also, Jerry Dalton, president of the Knoxville I-CAR Committee, recognized two schools that benefited from the group’s golf tournament, each of which demonstrate a criterion of teaching I-CAR standards and curriculum to its students. TCAT Morristown was represented by Randy Dunn, while Jason Whitson represented Greene Technology Center. Stidham added, “Bringing the industry together is extremely important, and our meetings provide members with an opportunity to stay current on industry trends, training and customer service.” For more information on the Knoxville I-CAR Committee, visit facebook.com /ICARKnoxville/.

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finding out what the colors were going to be,” Rowlan Brady of Verbena High School said. He sanded the inside and outside of the car before it was painted. “It was fun to do,” Brady said. The project was completed while working on other projects. One class worked on the cars for six weeks, while the other had three weeks to complete them. The collision repair class also enlisted help from students in the HVAC and STEM programs at LeCroy to create the engine components. STEM students created some of Students in the afternoon auto collision repair class at LeCroy Career the components using a 3D Technical Center built and customized two pedal cars for Christmas printer. Duren said he hopes presents. Credit: Joyanna Love, The Clanton Advertiser the class can complete six then chose one that would fit well cars next time, so that a student at with the paint colors. Campos said every elementary school in Chilton adding the decal without peeling the County Schools will receive one. paint off of the car was challenging. “When we were putting it to- We thank The Clanton Advertiser for gether, it was hard to do some of the reprint permission. bolts,” Dennis said. Campos said he enjoyed that they “all got to work on it together.” “I enjoyed talking about it and www.autobodynews.com One of the teams found the headlights and adding the aesthetic engine pieces to be challenging. The group that Jose Campos of Jemison High School was a part of added a pinstripe design to its car. The group discussed possible designs

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asTech Renews Commitment to CIECA Standards

SAAR in Canada Becomes Newest Association to Affiliate with SCRS The Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers (SAAR) closed out 2018 as the most recent collision repair association to affiliate with the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and as the third such association in Canada.

asTech recently renewed its commitment to CIECA and the CIECA Standards. Founded in 2010, asTech® is based in Plano, TX, with additional corporate offices in Irving, TX, and Jacksonville, FL. The company is a nationwide provider of dealer-level OEM diagnostic and vehicle electronic repair services supported by ASE Certified Master Technicians. “Our mission is to protect lives through the proper repair of automotive electronic systems,” said Frank Terlep, asTech® senior VP of global innovation. asTech® has been a CIECA member since 2015. Terlep said he and Doug Kelly, asTech® CEO, are both very familiar with CIECA. Terlep was one of the original CIEDES (Collision Industry Electronic Data Interchange Subcommittee) members and a previous CIECA chairman. “asTech® believes CIECA plays an important role when it comes to the creation and management of industry standards,” said Terlep. ®

The Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers is a nonprofit organization of automotive repairers and associated firms whose concerns are the promotion and development of their industry in all its aspects. The association also represents the collision repair industry to the Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and the public, while also providing programs, training

Survey to GCIA Rate Insurers

In the week of Jan. 6 the SCRS shared an email from WMABA encouraging their members to participate in a survey rating insurers. The email prompted several other state associations to take notice, and ask how they could conduct something similar.

.surveymonkey.com/r/WMABAShopsRateInsurers If you wish to talk with Jordan Hendler directly about the survey before participating, her contact information is:

Jordan Hendler Executive Director Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association

As a result, WMABA is extending an offer for any GCIA members to participate. Also, If the WMABA receives 25 or more responses from Georgia, they will put together a similar report specific to our area for the Georgia Collision Industry Association. Please participate in this survey so the GCIA can conduct a similar one in our state. Here is the direct link to the WMABA survey: https://www

AUTOBODY

Work 804-789-9649 Mobile 804-396-0195 Email jordanhendler @wmaba.com

Let me just say, this is exactly what I love most about our Affiliate network. Associations working together to strengthen this industry.

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and membership meetings and conferences. “Our industry is going through disruptive changes, and SAAR is looking to provide its members with as much information and training as it possibly can to help them make the necessary changes in their business in order to survive and thrive,” shared Tom Bissonnette, SAAR executive director. “After being associated with SCRS through events like CIC and SEMA, we have concluded that connecting with our counterparts in the States and affiliating with SCRS will give our members a great conduit to information that will help them meet the demands of the fast-changing collision industry. It is our hope that the relationship will promote a collaborative exchange of ideas and solutions to our mutual challenges in both countries and that we can use some of the really spectacular work SCRS has put together, with resources like Repairer Driven News, to share with our membership.” “It’s always a tremendous honor to have the ability to formally grow our network of groups interested in advancing the collision repair profes-

sion,” added Kye Yeung, SCRS chairman. “The fact that the work developed by our organization has international appeal to associations and across our borders further reinforces the global challenges that face our industry and the hope that lies in addressing those challenges through collaboration and communication. As that network of communication grows, both through added affiliate associations and through the addition of individual locations, the stronger the industry becomes as a result. On behalf of the SCRS Board of Directors, we welcome our colleagues in Saskatchewan and look forward to the good work we can do with one another.” If your business is interested in joining the largest national trade association dedicated to representing the collision repair professional, please contact the SCRS offices at info@scrs.com. For more information about SCRS, visit www.scrs.com.

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Continued from Cover

SCRS’ Ideas Collide

the future of collision repair in 10 minutes or less. Dan Langford of the Nevada Center for Advanced Mobility, for example, said he envisions that telematics data from a vehicle involved in a crash, combined with OEM data and historical claims data, could enable the needed parts for the repair of that vehicle to arrive at the shop before the car itself does. “I’m willing to bet you can actually start getting a clear idea of estimating the cost of the damage in most crashes [just from the data],” Langford said. “So within an hour or half-hour of an incident happening, you have an understanding of what parts are going to be needed to repair that. It’s not completely crazy to think those parts could be ordered and shipped before the vehicle even arrives at your shop. The depth of data may not be quite there yet, but it’s an interesting direction to start heading in.” Langford also said he believes

that few people will personally own an autonomous vehicle and that such vehicles primarily will be used as part of “mobility fleets,” such as Lyft or Uber or other monthly subscription services that provide transporta-

Dan Langford of the Nevada Center for Advanced Mobility said telematics data from a vehicle could enable a parts order for a repair to be determined at the crash scene

tion on demand. (He noted that Lyft currently is operating dozens of autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas, shuttling passengers between properties on the Strip.) “By the time we have significant penetration of autonomous or highly automated vehicles, you won’t need one yourself,” Langford said. “It’s just not going to be cost-effective anymore.”

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What will that mean for collision repairers? “Does that mean you should align yourselves with more fleet operators,” Langford asked rhetorically. “What role can you play on a regional basis in supporting these potentially nationwide fleets of vehicles?” He said collision repairers need to understand their role—and liability—in repairing what he called the “eyes and ears” of increasingly autonomous vehicles. “And I do say ears,” Langford said. “The Waymo autonomous vehicles operating in Phoenix are listening for things like emergency vehicles. The video and lidar sensors are the eyes of the vehicle. So if you’re replacing a panel and it’s incorrectly aligned, you’re potentially threatening the riders in that vehicle. Your role becomes incredibly important.” Not-for-Profit Data Repository In his “Ideas Collide” presentation, Pete Tagliapietra of NuGen IT suggested the industry develop a notfor-profit data repository that would

ensure shops have long-term access to their job file records (even if they have switched estimating or shop management systems) along with global industry data on such things as labor rates and cycle time. Tagliapietra compared such a database to the Property & Liability Research Bureau, to which participating insurers submit claims information. “I built a new home several years ago, and there was water damage when the patio doors blew open and it rained,” Tagliapietra said. “That information will stay with that home for as long as that home remains in existence. That’s not such a bad idea for the next insurer or the next owner who buys that house. Maybe we could do the same thing in automobiles and collision repair.” Tagliapietra said companies—including his—collect data from some shops that those companies are then able to “use internally to our company’s benefit,” but collision repairers in many cases get little in return for the data they give away. “Should insurance companies have the advantage of having all

that information available, while collision repairers really don’t have it?” Tagliapietra said. “Why shouldn’t everyone have the opportunity to have access to the benefits of that data?” He said a shop subscribing to such a database, for example, could see how they stack up in terms of cycle time with the industry as a whole. In theory, they could review documentation of prior repairs made to a particular vehicle or contact others who have made similar repairs on a make and model of a vehicle that is causing them challenges. Imagine, Tagliapietra said, being able to “speak to another repairer who has gone through a similar situation and understand what you are up against before you start the repair.” He said there are obvious benefits of having access to such a collection of data for other segments of the industry as well, including automakers, parts and paints suppliers, etc. “Less than a handful of companies [currently] really manage over 80 percent of that information,” Tagliapietra said. “I don’t believe that’s the right approach that this industry needs

to take in years to come.” Automated Damage Report in Seconds It might not be immediately clear why a representative of an Israeli company that has developed threatdetection security systems was a logical choice to speak at a collision

Amir Hever said a security system his company developed to detect vehicle anomalies could be used to spot collision damage quickly

repair industry event. But SCRS’ Aaron Schulenburg said he likes to bring in new voices with ideas that may have application within the industry, which is why Amir Hever, CEO of UVeye, was one of the 10 speakers during the “Ideas Collide” session.

Hever said that years ago when he was driving into a parking lot at a government building in Israel, a security guard used a mirror to look briefly under his vehicle; more than a decade later, he encountered the same process. “Nothing had changed in the past 15 years,” Hever said. “When I asked the security guard whether he could see something, he said, ‘No, but if something happens while you’re inside, they will check the cameras and see that I tried to do my job.’” That led Hever to develop a system that scans the underside of a vehicle traveling over it, immediately generating a 3D image, and using that information to identify any “anomalies in the undercarriage.” The potential application beyond security? UVeye has added cameras and microphones to collect similar data all around the rest of the vehicle to detect “everything from a small [2 mm] scratch or dent, to problems with the brakes or suspension, exhaust pipe, tires, everything.” Hever said such a system has obvious uses for automaker production lines, rental car return lanes,

dealership pre-delivery inspection stations—and possibly collision repair. “Think [about] how simple it [would] be if you [could] simply drive through a system and get a full report about the status of the vehicle,” he said. “Think [about] how it would shorten the time when you arrive at the dealership or garage, and by the time you get to the receptionist, they have a full report with everything that is not okay with the car.” The company’s website (www .uveye.com) includes a video of how the system can be used for security and information on how it could play a role in other types of vehicle inspections. John Yoswick, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988, is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com). He can be contacted by email at john@Crash Network.com.

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WMABA Opens Survey for Collision Repairers to Rate Insurance Companies The Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) is opening a survey for collision repairers in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and Washington D.C. to anonymously rate insurance company market behaviors in several categories. Utilizing a list of the largest carriers by market share, repairers will be given an opportunity to give their feedback. The survey will provide results to collision repairers, the association and insurers regarding how they are handling claims in the mid-Atlantic region. With some insurers having specific market tactics utilized in each market, under different leadership, this may show the overall perception from the repair industry to their claims staff. WMABA hopes the information helps improve relationships with the carriers in the area. Survey Link: https://www .surveymonkey.com/r/WMABAShopsRateInsurers The topics are as follows: 1. Shop Relations – Claims Handling

Customer Experience

Overall Fairness

Insurer Knowledge Base

5. Insurer Payment for Proper Procedures 6.

Open Comment

Having conducted surveys in previous years to gain information and insight on the general labor rates of the market, WMABA will perform that survey biannually with the even years. “Our association is focused on bettering the overall market conditions for collision repair,” explained Jordan Hendler, executive director. “This survey—while some may think it arbitrary—is really about narrowing the field of both positive and negative interactions. The biggest loser of any negative claim experience is the vehicle owner. Their experience is what we are also concerned about. Those who do it better should be commended.”

Gerber Collision & Glass Enters 26th State With Opening of Repair Center in Cayce, SC Gerber Collision & Glass recently announced the Jan. 9, 2019 opening of a location specializing in the repair of large commercial vehicles, semi trucks, buses and recreational vehicles in Cayce, SC.

This location previously operated as Bob Johnson’s Body Shop and has operated in the market for 45 years. Cayce is located on the Congaree River across from Columbia, the capital city of South Carolina and the primary city of a metropolitan area of approximately 800,000 people. This location is the first Gerber repair center in South

Carolina. Gerber now has locations in 26 states. “This new location will help introduce our brand of service to new customers and further assist our insurance clients,” said Tim O’Day, president and COO of Gerber Collision & Glass. “We are excited to enter South Carolina and provide the quality repairs and service that our customers expect.” Gerber Collision & Glass is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Stephen Boyd at (204) 594-1776 or stephen.boyd@boydgroup.com for more information.

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WIN Begins Sponsorship Campaign for 2019

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) recently announced that the 2019 Sponsorship Campaign began on Dec. 23, 2018. WIN is in its second decade as the network that drives industry sustainability by facilitating women’s career development through education and connections. To continue this mission, WIN depends on the support and generosity of individuals and organizations in the industry. WIN remains committed to finding new ways to recruit, retain and support women in the collision repair industry. Progress toward these initiatives in 2018 included:

• Record-breaking attendance at the annual Educational Conference • The presentation of scholarships to nine collision repair students

• The presentation of the Most Influential Women Award to four individuals • The growth of WIN’s Regional AUTOBODY

Networking Events, with five events being held across the United States

• A continued presence at career fairs and industry and company events in the United States and Canada

• Increases in WIN’s presence in industry publications and social media engagement

Corporate Sponsorships are currently being sought to allow WIN to continue to expand its programs of education, networking and mentorship. Additionally, a variety of sponsorship opportunities is available to support the organization’s activities. Sponsors are recognized on the WIN website and in signage and verbal acknowledgments during the WIN Educational Conference, as well as during regional and industry events. Please contact Petra Schroeder at petra.schroeder@comcast.net for more information about sponsorship opportunities.

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Rick Hendrick MOPAR Southeast Wholesalers

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Chuck Olsen To Host CIECAst Webinar

Chuck Olsen, executive director of operations for AirPro Diagnostics, will host the next CIECAst webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. CST: “Interpreting and Documenting Scan Data, Trouble Codes, Calibration.” During his one-hour live broadcast, Olsen will discuss the proper application of Live Scan Data, DTCs and Service Information during the scan process for diagnostic and calibration decisions as well as the tools and equipment needed. Olsen has 40 years of experience in the automotive repair and technologies industry. His current focus includes operations and continued development of remote diagnostics, calibrations, programming procedures with data analysis for improved diagnostic results and documentation of confirmed electronic repairs and procedures. To register for the CIECAst, visit https://register.gotowebinar .com/register/835310128244 8106755

Study Pours Cold Water on AI Driving Algorithms by George Leopold, Datanami

A recent report emerging from the center of U.S. auto manufacturing is raining on the AI parade with research results claiming autonomous vehicle algorithms fare poorly in bad weather. The study by researchers at Michigan State University found that even light rain or drizzle can interfere with algorithms used in self-driving car cameras. That could mean future fleets might initially be restricted to sunny states such as Arizona, California and Florida. The Michigan State study determined that the core problem stems not from the cameras used as primary sensors for detecting obstacles but the algorithms used to sort through computer vision data. “When we run these algorithms, we see very noticeable, tangible degradation in detection,” Hayder Radha, a Michigan State University professor of electrical and computer engineering who oversaw the study, told Automotive News in late November. “Even low-intensity rain can really create some serious problems, and as you increase

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the intensity, the performance of what we consider state-of-the-art mechanisms can almost become paralyzed.” The university researchers found that computer vision algorithms failed to detect about 20 percent of objects in light rain. The failure rate doubled when rain intensity was tripled. Additional factors such as seasonal changes—like reduced autumn foliage and colder weather—also affected other autonomous vehicle sensors like radar and lidar. Changing seasonal scenes underscored a need to update high-resolution maps used by autonomous systems. “I’d say now that challenging weather conditions are going to be a problem for many years to come,” Radha told the automotive website. Weather concerns have not dampened investor enthusiasm in autonomous systems startups. For example, Korean carmaker Hyundai announced in November that it is investing in Allegro.ai, an Israeli startup applying deep learning to computer vision for car navigation. Founded in 2016, Allegro.ai emerged from stealth mode in April upon completion of a Series A funding round that raised

$11 million. Hyundai Cradle, the auto manufacturer’s venture arm, entered into a strategic partnership with Tel Aviv-based Allegro.ai. It did not disclose the amount of its investment, saying only that the collaboration would help accelerate deployment of the startup’s AI technology. Among them is autonomous driving, which Hyundai and a growing list of automotive startups are pursuing with varying degrees of success. Hyundai said it expects to deploy Allegro.ai’s computer vision technology for auto applications like navigation and real-time decisionmaking. Others are taking interim steps in their efforts to deploy self-driving vehicles in controlled environments. For example, Boston-based Optimus Ride is using early investor Nvidia’s Drive AGX Xavier computing platform as part of a planned driverless fleet service in “geofenced” areas such as planned communities, campuses and other designated autonomous driving zones. We thank Datanami for reprint permission.

Industrial Finishes & Systems Names Vice Chairman

Industrial Finishes & Systems Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Gay Brown as Vice Chairman. As the daughter of Industrial Finishes Chairman, Stuart Barr, Brown has extensive experience in the business and has previously filled many roles at the company. Industrial Finishes & Systems is a privately held company owned by the Barr family. Industrial Finishes & Systems President Glenn Duckworth said, “The Industrial Finishes management team is grateful to the Barr family for their unwavering support. The appointment of Gay Brown to this position reflects their commitment to our business and our continued growth.” Brown will be based in the Eugene and work with Industrial Finishes’ employees and customers in each of Industrial Finishes & Systems’ markets, including automotive, recreation vehicle, aerospace and industrial.

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Dave Luehr’s Elite Body Shop Academy Launches Operations Monthly LIVE Dave Luehr, collision repair industry expert and founder of Elite Body Shop Solutions, is excited to announce the release of the latest training from the Elite Body Shop Academy (www.elite bodyshopsolutions.com/academy).

The course, Operations Monthly LIVE, is specifically designed to help collision repairers receive interactive monthly training and support to reach their operational goals. Dave Luehr’s Elite Body Shop Academy was created in 2018 to provide collision shop personnel modern operational, leadership and general body shop education in an easy-toaccess online video format. People can sign up for free at the academy to access their own private content accounts.

“My observations lately indicate that body shop leadership and their teams work way too hard for the results they are getting.” said Luehr. “Shops that will thrive in the future desperately need a better approach. My purpose in launching Operations Monthly LIVE is to share these much-needed operational secrets with our industry.” Luehr is offering the first LIVECAST for free on Jan. 8, 2019, at 10 a.m. CST. During this one-hour training, he will share a simple system of operational goal-setting and execution that will help body shop executives proactively regain control and find operational success like never before. To attend this LIVECAST, visit www.elitebodyshopsolutions.com/ academy and sign up for Operations Monthly LIVE. Those who choose to subscribe to future monthly LIVECASTs will be given an opportunity to interact live with Luehr while learning worldclass operational techniques and much-needed leadership fundamen-

tals. This blend of educational content will allow participants to successfully implement and sustain the operational techniques learned each month.

“My observations lately indicate that body shop leadership and their teams work way too hard for the results they are getting.” — Dave Luehr

To learn more about how you can change your business for the better, check out www.elitebodyshop solutions.com/academy and look for Operations Monthly LIVE or email info@elitebodyshopsolutions.com.

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MSO CMO Megan Williams Stresses Community Support in Marketing Efforts by Ed Attanasio

Lefler Collision & Glass Repair Centers Chief Marketing Officer Megan Williams oversees all marketing efforts of the 66-year-old MSO, which has three locations in Indiana and one in Kentucky. Autobody News recently interviewed Williams about how the company’s marketing and advertising succeed in a highly competitive market.

How have you devised a way to connect all of your marketing events to your philanthropy?

We are able to connect our variety of marketing events to our philanthropy because our core mission is to be a resource to the community in any way we can. We do not only support certain segments, but more of a variety of organizations and events because we want to see our city continue to grow and we want to assist where help is needed most. The least we can do is give back to the community that has supported us since 1952.

How do you work with the local media to publicize these events?

When a significant event is approaching, I work with the local media by sending out a traditional press release to all of the radio, television and local paper connections. This is an excellent way to send out a ‘heads-up’ that Lefler’s is going to have something coming up. Around five days out from the event, I will get on our Lefler Collision Twitter account and personally tweet any of the local news reporters, radio personalities or reporters, and this is where I have seen a substantial increase in media turnout for our events. I think pairing the traditional method of the press release with the more modern approach of utilizing social media as a tool helps get their attention. We have had multiple news outlets at our events since implementing this strategy.

Q: 22

Are you able to track your activity so that you know how

many new customers you attract through these events and your other marketing efforts?

While there is no KPI available for us to track how our commitment to being an active member of our community [attracts new customers], we feel that the positive brand image, word-of-mouth and top-of-mind benefits help us when it comes to potential customers deciding where to take their vehicle. It is challenging to track such referrals, and our main marketing goal is to be widespread throughout various organizations in the community while also being prevalent on traditional marketing platforms such as television, radio and social media.

You hold a teen driving class and a Ladies Night annually. What is the value of these events to your business and the community?

A good (free) way to get involved with your community is to pair up with a hospital or business and hold a teen driving class. We have done this with our local hospital and law enforcement for many years, and it allows us to go and speak to a group of teen drivers and their parents to highlight topics such as what to look for when shopping for a used car and what to do if you get in a wreck. We are able to leave them with a bag of “Lefler swag” that includes an important document holder and car safety tool. It also helps position us as a reliable resource to the young drivers and their parents. Our most notable community outreach event has always been our Lefler Ladies Night Out. We hold this ladies-only car care clinic every spring and have increased the attendance from 50 to more than 200! We hold this in our largest body shop and have local vendors for shopping, provide dinner and a bag of quality Lefler-logoed items and discuss topics such as insurance coverage, safely traveling alone, vehicle fluids and more. It is a fun-filled evening paired with quality information taught by our CEO, Jimmy Lefler, and COO, Ed Dietz. This event is free and fills up every year. I utilize radio ads and paid Facebook advertising to spread

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

the word of our upcoming Ladies Night Out. We have also held a few Lefler Paint Parties in the estimate bays at one of our locations, which was a way for us to pair with a local nonprofit and essentially offer to host a paint party event while giving them a portion of the proceeds. We had a local art studio come in, which provided wooden door hangers in various designs, paint and creative assistance.

On your website, you list more than 300 nonprofits to which you provide donations and/or support. How do you pick the ones to support?

We are thankful to be able to support the 300 nonprofit organizations we have listed on our website. While it is very difficult to determine who we can and cannot assist, I have a few things to look at before deciding. Once I receive a donation request, I look at the organization’s Facebook and website to get a better idea of what they do

and how many people seem to benefit or support their organization. I then try to decide the most beneficial way for us to help them. It may be that they want us to post their event’s information on our digital road signs, or they want a donation basket for an auction or for us to donate money to assist in the purchase of something they are in need of. We always want to make sure we are giving to organizations that are helping further our core mission—he betterment and growth of our city. We also want to ensure our money is going to the right place and is actually going to the people in need.

I know your #1 mission with philanthropy is your incredible work in Myanmar. Can you give us an update on what is going on?

In 2017, our CEO, Jimmy Lefler; his wife, Stephanie; and I started a nonprofit called Reclaimed Lives International to help

See Megan Williams, Page 27

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

of initially working with a particular insurer, he brought in two seasoned adjusters to look at a hail-damaged vehicle. “These were 20-year guys,” waive their licensing requirement for adjusters who come into the states as Morrison said. “But before they even part of a “cat claim,” they don’t started writing the sheet, they both waive the requirement for state laws looked at each other and were saying, to be followed, McDonnell said. He ‘What do you see? Are those nickels? said shops should understand what Are they quarters?’ It was a debate, their state requires of those who and it shouldn’t be.” David Pinto of PDR Nation said come in temporarily to assist with another issue the industry faces is catastrophe claims. “Our [insurance] commissioner’s when his company is hired by a body office wants them to register with the shop to handle PDR claims originally state,” McDonnell said. “So they will estimated by another PDR company now follow Montana regulations. It’s that has a contract with a particular $100 [to register]. It’s not like it’s a insurance company. “So the customer is coming to big thing. But it’s the fact that we’re all playing by the rules. That’s a big me, but I have to send my supplements to a competitor,” Pinto said. deal to me.” “I’ve waited several weeks for a claim to get processed Handling supplements because it has to go through The other panelists at CIC my competitor who has no were asked to explain how incentive to put that claim collision repair shops should through. They’d rather hanhandle supplements on cat dle the claim themselves claim estimates prepared eifrom start to finish. They ther by PDR companies or Bo Opansyuk of Hi-Tech PDR said don’t want someone else insurer cat teams. his multi-location having it. So I have con“On all of our estimates company lists you will see an appraiser contact information cerns about the relationships that are being created. name and phone number, so on each estimate that’s usually who we’re as to who handles I think the repairers themany supplements selves need to be asking looking to be the contact for on that claim more questions as these rethat car,” Chris Andreoli of lationships evolve. It’s very compaProgressive Insurance said. Bo Opansyuk of Hi-Tech PDR rable to what’s happened in the glass said his multi-location company sim- industry. You know how things have ilarly lists an estimator name and changed in the glass industry. This is supplement direction on the estimate. what we’re looking at in the PDR in“If we write the estimate, we dustry, and that’s a concern for me.” McDonnell said his company would handle that supplement internally,” he said. “We have an internal now has PDR technicians on staff supplement division, and if there’s year-round, but has previously alstaff still out in the field, they will do lowed PDR suppliers to use shop space following major hailstorms. the follow-up visit to the shop to oversee that supplement from the begin- He said there are pros and cons for bringing in the outside help. ning to the end.” “There are some incrediMichael Morrison of ble advantages. It’s hundreds Catastrophe Solutions Interof claims for maybe one carnational said the subjective rier, and boom, they’re all in nature of hail claim PDR – your shop,” he said. “You based on different providers’ have the opportunity to fix standards and capabilities – results in a lot of unneces- Michael Morrison them [beyond the PDR work]. It’s almost like you sary supplements. said he’d like to “It really shouldn’t be a see less subjectivity can work on one carrier’s in terms of PDR cars and you’re busy.” debate,” Morrison said. “It is estimates But a potential downside, a dime-sized dent, so you write it for a dime. You don’t write it he said, is if vehicle owners don’t feel like they were choosing your shop but for a nickel or a quarter.” But he said as part of the process felt like they had to use your shop. Continued from Cover

Processing Hail

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

parts in a recent 12-month period, just 50,000 fewer than the number of used parts it paid for during that same time. The BAR more recently codified its rule that all parts must be identified only as new, used, rebuilt, At upcoming CIC meetings Based on input from CIC partici- reconditioned, OEM or non-OEM. Speaking at CIC in Novempants at CIC last fall, attenber, Scott Biggs of Assured dees at future CIC meetings Performance Network said this year likely can expect a it really should be an interreturn to the issue of “optindustry entity like CIC OE” and “alt-OEM” parts. that addresses the confuIt was a topic discussed at sion about “opt-OE” and several CIC meetings in “alt-OE” parts. 2016, at a time when the David Pinto said “Are we going to let anCalifornia Bureau of Auto- he’s concerned that as insurers form other body figure this out, motive Repair (BAR) anrelationships with or are we going to get our nounced that the unclear or PDR providers, one inconsistent use of “alt-OE” PDR provider may heads together and come up or “opt-OE” designations have to go through with a better plan and start a competitor to pushing it out to the legislameant the terms could no get a supplement tors or [regulators],” Biggs longer be used on customer handled said. “We talked about this estimates or invoices in that state without providing additional in- literally two years ago, [but] nothing formation about such parts, includ- has been done about it. So we waited for the BAR to do it. We can do beting what warranty they carry. That hasn’t appeared to slow the ter. This ought to be one of our principal objectives to address.” use of such parts; a Farmers InsurKen Weiss of SSF Imported ance executive last year said his company paid for 200,000 “opt-OE” Auto Parts agreed that the industry “They may feel like they were herded in and are just a claim to you,” he said. “When you go through that many customers, it’s hard to give that one-on-one attention.”

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

needs to standardize part type definitions. “We have three estimating platforms, and several parts procurement portals, and they all call the same parts something different,” Weiss said. “I push our parts to a third-party administrator, and it’s like sausage: I have no idea how they will come out [described] on the other end. And I’m not necessarily happy with how they come out.” The next CIC meeting will be held April 17-18 in Nashville, Tenn. Check the CIC website (www.CIC link.com) for details. Tours of Nissan’s assembly plant in Smyrna, Tennessee (where the Altima, Maxima, LEAF, Pathfinder and Rogue are produced), are being organized in conjunction with the meeting; visit https://tinyurl.com/NissanTour to register. John Yoswick, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988, is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com). He can be contacted by email at john@Crash Network.com.

Continued from Cover

Insurance Fraud

surance proceeds. While investigating five suspicious insurance claims, The Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner determined McKeever conspired to stage car crashes, some using vehicles from McKeever’s car lot. In some cases, customers participated in the fraud. After examining photos and other evidence, investigators found inconsistencies in the physical evidence showing the crashes didn’t occur as McKeever and his co-defendants had claimed. For example, paint wasn’t transferred when McKeever and 54-year-old Terrance Gerrard White claimed White’s Lexus had struck McKeever’s MercedesBenz in a grocery store parking lot. None of the damage on the Mercedes-Benz lined up with a part of the Lexus that could have caused the damage. The investigation also showed McKeever inflicted additional damage on cars he’d been contracted to

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

repair. For example, a customer hired McKeever to repair a small amount of damage from when a car slid on an icy road and into a light pole. By the time an insurance adjuster examined the car, it had significantly more damage, including a deployed airbag. Further investigation revealed damage to the car was consistent with at least three separate impacts. Another claim involved 38year-old Quandos Williams’ report that he sideswiped a parked car at McKeever’s shop. Further investigation showed the damage to the two vehicles wasn’t consistent with a sideswipe impact, and a substantial amount of damage was caused by some type of tool. White also pleaded guilty to racketeering Jan. 14 and was sentenced to serve seven years on probation. An additional seven co-defendants had previously pleaded guilty to racketeering: Patricia Ann Staples, 57, of Lithonia; Vickey Jessica Mack, 27, of Atlanta; Teresa Necole Scott, 36, of McDonough; Joseph Bernard Favors, 28, of Atlanta; Dana Louise Brown, 49, of Atlanta;

Breanna Alexis Woods, 24, of Atlanta; and Williams, 38, of Atlanta. Staples, Mack, Scott, Favors, Brown, Woods and Williams each were sentenced to serve seven years on probation and pay restitution. Speaking after the hearing, Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke said, “Insurance companies shouldn’t have to look at their customers with an increasingly skeptical eye, but fraud like this makes that a reality as hardworking people struggle to pay for insurance and are faced with greater difficulty in trying to collect on legitimate claims. When scammers target insurance companies, it’s a bill that we all have to pay. Anyone who considers a scheme like this one should expect to face serious consequences when they’re caught and their portion of the bill comes due.”

TWITTER : @autobodynews

Continued from Page 22

Megan Williams

the women of Love Loom House in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Jimmy has been to Myanmar to volunteer and work with Love Loom House and the network of orphanages more than 11 times in the last decade. Following his intense passion for the people of Love Loom House, he has taken me and other Lefler Collision team members to Myanmar to assist in the mission multiple times, so it has become a unifying cause we are passionate about. The majority of these women were rescued from human or sex trafficking, were previously orphans or were in dire need of a job. By working at Love Loom House, each woman is taught various textile skills to create handmade blankets, scarves and travel bags. Reclaimed Lives International then brings the items to Evansville and sells the goods and sends back 82 percent of all proceeds, which provides food, shelter and a livable salary to all the women of Love Loom House. We

incorporate this into our Lefler Collision locations by having blanket displays set up in each of our locations.

Are there any new marketing approaches that you’re going to embark on in 2019?

In 2019, I plan to focus the majority of my efforts on three things: geofencing, Facebook Live videos from our shops and search en-

tification programs, so those will be a top focus of mine as well.

You’re very successful with your social media; there are multiple posts, heavy engagement and a lot of photos and videos. Tell us why it’s important and how you’re so successful on Facebook.

Social media marketing was my first passion in college, and I was able to get a lot of good ex-

“We are able to connect our variety of marketing events to our philanthropy because our core mission is to be a resource to the community in any way we can.” — Megan Williams

gine optimization. I also plan to find a way to better highlight and feature some of our team members on our social media platforms because I feel it is important that they get some of the recognition they so deserve. I think 2019 will be a very impactful year for the industry as changes take place with insurance companies, vehicle scanning technology and OEM cer-

perience with content creation during an internship I held prior to joining the Lefler Collision & Glass team. Since 2015, when I joined, we have been able to grow our Facebook followers from 1,100 to almost 7,400 through a variety of methods. The most important tips I can give for increasing your social media followers is to post regularly, interact

promptly with your fans, and be sure to post about a variety of things (not everything has to be about wrecking your vehicle!). People will not “like” or “follow” a social media account that does not have at least a few months of regularly posted content. It makes the business appear as though it is not a priority for them or is an afterthought. It is now 2019, and Facebook and other social media platforms are increasingly more important for businesses. They are free, so take advantage of them! One of my favorite things to do on our Facebook page to encourage conversation and fan interaction is create a giveaway for something small, such as asking them to post a picture of their Christmas tree to win a Visa gift card. It is a cool way to be able to comment back and forth and ‘personify’ your brand by interacting with people on your page. It is also something out-of-the-box that no one would expect a body shop to do. With an industry like ours, no one knows when they may be in need of a collision repair center, so staying top-of-mind through a variety of different ways is crucial.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

The Impact of Telematics and Connected Vehicles on the Collision Repair Industry by Stacey Phillips

About five years ago, Mike Anderson, owner of Collision Advice, was at a conference where several vehicle manufacturers were in attendance. The OEMs discussed FNOL (First Notice of Loss) and how those in an accident typically call their insurance company first and are then referred to a DRP shop if they don’t already have a collision repair shop in mind. While this may be the process currently being followed after a collision, that is expected to change over the next few years. Instead of the driver contacting an insurer, the vehicle will utilize telematics and connected car systems with Internet access. Vehicles will be the ones to notify the OEM when an accident occurs, and a voice will be heard over the car’s sound system to ask if anyone is hurt and if the driver has a body shop to go to. “OEMs will have the ability to communicate with the consumer and assist with FNOL,” said Anderson. “Sometimes they will be the first point of contact, and in other cases, the OEMs may partner with insurers.” Anderson is often asked if vehicles currently have the ability to do this, and if so, what its impact on the industry will be. As a result, he recently discussed the impact of telematics and the connected car during a CIECAst webinar. “It’s really important that all stakeholders, whether that’s an insurance company, a shop, OEM, parts vendor or distributor, realize we live in a very connected world,” he said. He explained to webinar attendees that the age of the connected car began in 1996 with General Motors’ introduction of OnStar, the first wireless, in-car driver assistance system. Since then, the OEM has processed 5.5 million emergency services calls and 270 million turn-by-turn navigation requests and assisted 390 million with vehicle diagnostics. Twenty years after the introduction of OnStar, 250 companies joined the connected car and telematics space with over $38.7 billion in funding. By 2020, Anderson said, analysts project that the globally connected car industry will be a 28

$141 billion market. Telematics and connected car systems are expected to allow OEMs the ability to provide such services as vehicle diagnostics, roadside assistance, mobile WiFi and automatic accident messaging. “Today, they are predicting that the connected car market will spur innovation and growth among automotive and non-automotive industries alike,” said Anderson. “For compa-

sions, which led to the use of collision avoidance systems such as adaptive cruise control and autonomous braking. The second cause Toyota found was traffic lane departures, which spurred the development of blind spot monitoring systems. The third finding was poor night visibility, which resulted in new technologies with headlights. About a year ago, the fourthleading cause of death in North Amer-

nies willing to invest in the automotive industry of the future, the payback could be huge.” There are many vehicles on the road today offering this technology. Acura’s AcuraLink monitors airbag status, GPS location and collision sensor activity. If an airbag deploys, the Acura vehicle automatically sends a vehicle report to AcuraLink support. Hyundai BlueLink offers automatic collision notification and assistance. Other systems on the market include Toyota Safety Connect, BMW Connected-Drive/Assist, Mercedes-Benz MBrace, Lexus Safety Connect, Nissan Connect and Honda Link. “Consumers today want more comfort features in their vehicles and to be connected 24/7, but that is really not the driving force behind these rapid advancements,” said Anderson. Instead, he said, the driving force centers on vehicle fatalities. Anderson cited a World Health Organization statement from 2014 that noted that 1.24 million people die in traffic accidents every year. If nothing changed over the next 16 years, it was expected that car accidents would be the fifth-leading cause of death in the world by 2030, unless countermeasures were implemented. Toyota conducted research at that time to determine the leading causes of traffic accident fatalities. Anderson said the OEM found that the number-one cause of fatalities was vehicle-on-vehicle colli-

ica was found to be traffic accidents. Anderson said that globally, road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 15–29 and claim more than 1.25 million lives each year. “What the World Health Organization thought would happen in 16

“When a vehicle is connected to the Internet and can notify the OEMs when there is an accident, it can transmit vehicle data instantly to first responders in an emergency,” — Mike Anderson

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

years happened in less than four,” said Anderson. As a result, he said, the OEM’s primary function is to build vehicles that will prevent accidents where there are fatalities. Telematics and connected cars are expected to play a huge role in this. “When a vehicle is connected to the Internet and can notify the OEMs when there is an accident, it can transmit vehicle data instantly to first responders in an emergency,” said Anderson. “Not only will this help EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) dispatch quicker, but in the event of congestion or traffic, it can also help them determine the best route to take.” Another benefit associated with connected car technology is its ability to assist during a natural catastrophe. “It would be a lot easier to communicate with consumers in order to help them find shelter in the event of an emergency,” said Anderson. “At the end of the day, telematics and the connected car will save lives.” Anderson believes the industry

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will notice a significant shift over the next four years, when the majority of new vehicles built will be equipped with this technology. In the meantime, he said, three factors must occur before telematics and the connected car begin to gain traction and start to affect the collision repair industry:

1) Vehicles need to have the technology and be connected to the Internet. 2) There must be a generational shift, and the individual has to be comfortable having the car connected to the Internet. 3) The technology must be affordable. Currently, 32 percent of consumers said that telematics is a feature they are willing to pay for in their next vehicle, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Today, OEMs such as Nissan and Lexus offer these services for a specific amount of time at no charge.

Impact on Damage Analysis Process During the CIECAst webinar, An-

derson also discussed the impact of the connected car on the Damage Analysis Process. “As collision repairers, it’s important that we identify when vehicles are connected to a service such as Nissan Connect or GM OnStar because we have to disable those as more and more cars are connected to the Internet,” he explained. “If we do not, then customers will be alerted, and we’re going to end up with a lot of angry customers contacting us, which may result in a negative Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) experience for the insurer, OEM and consumer.” He shared an example of a consumer who took a vehicle to a body shop to replace the door. The Lexus was connected to Lexus Safety Connect. The consumer received six emails from Lexus in one day noting there was a problem with the door. Anderson said the shop should have accessed Toyota Lexus’s OEM repair procedure website to find out if the vehicle was connected to the safety connect system and if it needed to be disabled. “As the industry changes and

Collision Career Institute Celebrates One of Their First Technician Graduates by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On December 13, the Collision Career Institute (CCI) celebrated the graduation of Dillon Kendig from the CCI Body Technician Appren-

Dillon Kendig was one of the first technician graduates from CCI (l to r) Kathy Mello, Jason Cocco, Dillon Kendig and Scott Ingrahm

ticeship. Kendig trained at TGIF Body Shop in Fremont, CA, and according to CCI Chief Operations Officer Amber Ritter, “TGIF was dedicated to the process of Apprenticeship and giving Kendig the op30

portunity to train and develop his skills as a technician.” Kendig shared, “CCI is a great program to introduce new technicians to the new age collision repair.” Ritter added, “Kendig graduated the apprenticeship program with his I-CAR Pro-level 1 certification and a certificate from both the California Department of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) and the Collision Career institute. This program is designed to educate future technicians while allowing them to earn money during their training.” The graduation ceremony was attended by trainer Scott Ingrahm and Verifacts Coach David Durham who conducted Kendig’s assessments, as well as TGIF owner Kathy Mello, general manager Jason Cocco and the shop employees. Kendig’s graduation was also attended by Jasmeen Karan, Associate Governmental Program Analyst for the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), and Charles Robertson, President of CCI.

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

we have more vehicles connected to the Internet, we are going to have to rethink our strategy on how we approach these vehicles to rate the Damage Analysis Process when writing the estimate, and more importantly when determining if we need to disable these systems,” he explained. As a result, Anderson advised attendees to start educating estimators and technicians about the names of the different connected services offered by OEMs, the proper way to identify if the vehicle is connected and how to disable the connected car subscription service before taking the car apart to begin the repair. The Future of Voice-Activated Searches Another upcoming trend he shared is the increasing use of voice-activated searches in vehicles. Anderson’s research has found that by 2020, voice searches will be the future for search engine optimization (SEO), and reportedly 50 percent of all searches will be voice searches. In a magazine article, SEO expert Bradley Shaw stated that 41

percent of adults conduct at least one voice search per day—and that number will keep rising. By 2020, voice searches are expected to account for 50 percent of all online queries, which will be up from 20 percent in 2016. Studies show that one of the most common search terms that people currently use when searching on the Internet is “best [xx] near me,” said Anderson. In an accident, an insurer may refer the driver to “ABC” body shop. Where a manual search may show the top five body shops, a voice-activated search might only show one. “As we start to see these connected vehicles offer voice-activated searches, it could affect the way people might find you or validate if you are a good referral from an OEM or insurer,” said Anderson. “I believe that as telematics and the connected car start to gain speed, it’s going to be critical that you show up at the top of the search engine when people do a voice-activated search because it will change the way consumers determine which collision repair facility they choose.”

CREF Invites Industry Businesses to Sponsor Student Safety Kits for Collision Programs The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) is facilitating a student safety kit donation program between collision repair businesses and high school and college collision repair programs. The safety kit includes:

• New Cintas work shirt/pants

• Pair of safety glasses • Ear plugs

• Disposable dust mask

Each local student can be sponsored for $50. Businesses that sponsor 20 or more safety kits can have their corporate logo featured on a patch on the front of the uniform shirts. “The Collision Repair Education Foundation wants to make the return to school this spring safer and more professional for collision school students,” said Brandon Eckenrode,

director of development for CREF. “Through the generous support of our industry partners, we can provide the next generation’s workforce with the support they need to succeed.” Participating businesses can sponsor schools of their choice, or they can choose to be paired with a school in need by CREF. The donation program can lead to long-term relationships between professionals and school programs that are preparing the next generation of collision industry employees. Sponsorships and donations are facilitated through CREF, but sponsoring businesses are invited to visit the school to meet the students and distribute the new uniforms. Companies interested in sponsoring the uniform donation program through CREF for the 2018– 2019 school year should contact Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode @ed-foundation.org or (312) 2310258.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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In Reverse with Gary Ledoux

Early DRP Programs of the 1960s In the 1960s, the concept of a direct repair program took several twists and turns before it got to the model we recognize today. Here are a few variations of that theme. In the early 1960s, dealer-owned body shops were at odds with independent shops. Dealers saw the phenomenal growth of independent shops and felt threatened. In Tulsa, OK, in the early part of 1961, the area dealers decided to corner the market. A group of dealer-owned shops got together to offer insurance companies discounts on parts and labor if they sent more cars to their shops. The local insurance agents loved it and established what was then known as the “Approved Garage Plan,” or an early form of a DRP arrangement. Insurance agents and adjusters began telling claimants that they could bring their car to a nonpreferred shop if they liked, but the

Gary Ledoux is an industry veteran with 48 years’ experience in the automotive and OEM collision parts industry. His column appears exclusively in Autobody News. He can be reached at YesterWreck@yahoo.com

vehicle would probably be “held up” because the insurance company did not have a “check bid” with the nonapproved shops. This deepened the rift between independents and dealers. Independents thought the dealers had an unfair advantage because it was thought that 1.) the dealer could handle a lower profit made from body work because they also had profits from their service departments and new cars sales, and 2.) because the dealer bought the parts from the car maker, they could sell them to the insurance company at the same price as what the shop would pay for them. In this particular case, a then-current trade magazine noted that one Tulsa shop owner decided he would rather get out of the business than succumb to insurance companies’ and dealer body shops’ tactics, so he sold his shop and opened a sal-

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

vage yard. One of the earliest forms of a DRP network emerged in 1961, but it was way different from what is known today, over 50 years later. In 1909, Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company was founded in Grinnell, IA. By 1961, it was serving customers in eight states and had a network of about 100 dealer-owned and independent shops to which they sent policyholder’s vehicles for repair. But Grinnell conducted their claims business very differently from how virtually every other insurance company did. Shops in their network did not bother to write estimates. Grinnell agents sent policyholders’ cars to the network shops. The shop simply repaired the car in a safe and proper manner and sent the bill to the Grinnell claims department. Grinnell’s policy was that the shop should

be trusted to repair the car properly and at a fair and competitive price, and in return, they would pay the claim in a timely fashion, and all the bickering and animosity would be removed from the equation. In the ensuing nine years of conducting business in this manner, only two shops were removed from the network. In addition to giving the shops its trust, Grinnell’s also loaned money to any of its network shops for new equipment or other business expansion purposes. In the early summer of 1963, 100 auto body repairmen attended a seminar in Iowa conducted by Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Company. During the all-day clinic, three damaged vehicles were repaired by equipment company representatives. The clinic, then unique in the automotive insurance industry, was part of Farmer’s program of working with

body shops to maintain high standards of workmanship, facilities and integrity. In the course of the clinic, qualifying shops were appointed as approved repair centers, then started receiving work from the company’s claim section without a cost estimate being submitted. A Farmer’s representative said, “…such a system is practical, time-saving and efficient for the insured, the body shop and the company.” Unfortunately, not all shops conducted themselves with all insurance companies the way they did with Grinnell Mutual or Farmers Mutual in 1963. Many shops tried to profit fraudulently on the backs of insurance companies, causing many insurers to turn to the forerunners of the DRP program—informal agreements to give work only to “honest” shops. At that time, there was a symbiotic relationship between some shops and certain adjusters, mostly with independent adjusters /appraisers. When a potential customer came into a shop for an estimate, the shop would first try to determine which insurance company was involved. Based on that answer, the shop

would know who most likely would be coming out to inspect the damage. The shop would pad the estimate by 20 percent so the adjuster could cut it by 10 percent. The shop got some premium money, the adjuster/appraiser looked good to his superiors, the customer got a quality repair, and everybody was happy. Another trick some shops used was to keep a bin full of used parts from old jobs. If the shop owner wanted to make a few extra dollars on the job, he would pull an AC compressor or steering rack or something else that “might have been damaged” in the accident and put in a supplement to R&R that part. Another trick was to push for a complete panel replacement including parts and labor, and then fix the panel with some filler. Shop owners had another trick to garner more insurance company work—“low-ball pricing,” or what lawyers called “predatory pricing.” In the late summer of 1969, a bill introduced by Senator John Sparkman (D-AL) would address those body shops that used “predatory” pricing to carry favor with insurance companies and garner more work at

deeply discounted prices. John Killcullen, general counsel for the Conference of American Small Business Organizations, noted, “Loss leaders (selling one product at a loss and making up the difference with other goods or services, as many shops were doing at the time) is preventing new, independent firms from entering existing markets and forcing other small businesses out of the market.” Obviously, not every shop was guilty of the aforementioned subterfuge. There were plenty of standup shop owners who took pride in their craftsmanship and whose professional reputation were paramount. They took pride in their work and in their industry. Unfortunately, those who were around during that time maintain that under-handed practices were so widespread that they were described as pervasive. One former shop manager who was around during that time and was interviewed for this article called the late ‘60s and early ‘70s the “Wild West” period of the industry when “anything went.” The insurance companies needed a way to protect them-

selves against fraud. This gave advent to the insurance company appraiser or independent appraisers. In 1962, a trade magazine article written by C. A. “Art” Fox, president of the Independent Garage Owners of America, stated in part: “Let’s face the fact: Unethical shops (not the general run of body shops) in the beginning took advantage of insurance companies by increasing the cost of the job to cover the deductible. They did other work in conjunction with the immediate repair and added that cost to the collision job. In self-preservation, the insurance companies resorted to their own appraisers or used outside, so-called ‘neutral’ appraisers. This was a fairly workable plan for a while, but now the tail wags the dog; the appraisers are setting the cost for collision repairs without knowing the cost of the shop’s operation (and neither do many shop owners!). This has been going on for some years now, and most body shop operators are hypnotized into believing they have to work on the low estimate, regardless of who made them. This practice inSee Early DRP Programs, Page 42

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National News with Chasidy Rae Sisk

Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.

Dave Luehr’s December Elite Webinar Features Brad Mewes Discussing ‘Financing Growth’ On Dec. 13, Dave Luehr’s Elite organic growth; efficiency and cost Body Shop Solutions’ free webinar reductions; new developments; and series featured an informative session acquisitions. Most small businesses titled “Financing Growth” discussed focus on organic growth by attracting by Brad Mewes, founder and princi- and retaining customers, and owners pal consultant at Supplement Advi- tend to focus on enhancing efficiency sory. and reducing cost. The goal of the webinar “The companies that was to share information on: grow the most turn their athow to finance growth, the tention to new developdifferent types of lenders ments and acquisitions, but and how companies can best these are less common beposition themselves to accause funding is a challenge cess these funds to facilitate in the industry,” he said. Brad Mewes, the growth of their business. “Focus on all four is imporfounder and Luehr began by talking principal consultant tant. The key factor here is at Supplement about the purpose of the that they all involve some Advisory webinars and encouraging sort of investment, whether shops to sign up for the Body Shop in time, energy or money. Growth reExecutive’s Performance Group on quires an investment, but the largest Facebook and the Elite Body Shop players in the industry are willing to Solutions Academy (elitebodyshop invest heavily in that growth.” solutions.com/academy). He also anCommon questions that Mewes nounced that he will be launching a received included how to: find the brand-new product, the Operations right lender, prepare financials, know Monthly Live, on Jan. 8, in which he how much is needed, minimize risk will be talking about goal-setting and and increase certainty of funding, how to build the operational business evaluate different loans and avoid of your dreams. making costly mistakes. After reminding attendees that “It’s not a lack of options that the webinar can be used towards slows us down. More likely, it’s too AMi credits and providing the an- many options that cause paralysis,” titrust guidelines, Luehr introduced Mewes advised. “Set a path to minMewes, who began his presentation imize the options, and that will inabout leveraging $638 billion worth crease the likelihood of success.” of assets to build the business you Talking about growth capital deserve. He began by providing a and funding for your business, brief description of his background, Mewes showed a video by Fix Auto including his lifelong involvement in that demonstrated the capital requirethe collision repair industry, which ments that go into running a modern has culminated in his current role as collision repair center. a business advisor working with inHe noted, “The amount of capivestors, analysts and bankers to help tal needed to be competitive in shops support expansions and im- today’s market is significantly higher provements. than it was even a few years ago.” “I’m privileged to work with a Forty percent of small business lot of businesses, allowing me to owners consider additional funding leverage a broad base of insights in for their business each year, yet 80 order to drive growth,” Mewes stated. percent of small business loan appli“Driving growth is the business phi- cations to traditional banks are relosophy at Supplement Advisory. We jected. Noting that 70 percent of are very growth-oriented and focused small business owners don’t realize on building and growing the business there are alternative sources to you deserve.” banks, Mewes discussed private eqFour primary ways to grow a uity and debt, explaining that $638 business (in terms of profit) include billion worth of private debt assets

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

were under management as of June 2017. This includes $236 billion in investible funds ready to be deployed. Mewes said, “While private equity assets under management have increased by approximately 90 percent since 2007, private debt assets under management have more than tripled in the same time period.” Turning to the most important things to think about when attempting to secure financing to grow your business, Mewes introduced attendees to the ABCs of financing: Assets, Business cash flow, and Credit—the factors that every lender will consider in order to determine a shop’s loan worthiness. He explained, “As you’re preparing to go out to the market place, one of the key things that every business needs is assets, or collateral, which is what the lender needs to be secure in

making a loan to the business. Part of the challenge is that if you’ve underinvested in assets over time, some lenders will balk at providing capital because they have nothing to secure that capital. “The next thing is business cash flow. Lenders like to see sufficient cash flow to service the debt they are providing, meaning the amount of money transferred into and out of a business. Lastly, a creditor is going to investigate business and personal credit.” Segueing into the five Cs of credit, Mewes gave examples of Character as reputation, Capacity as debt-to-income, Capital as equity, Collateral as personal assets, and Conditions as defining the purpose, providing examples of how to frame those conditions. Mewes advised, “When going to See Elite Webinar, Page 53

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From the Desk of Mike Anderson with Mike Anderson

Mike Anderson is the president and owner of Collision Advice, a consulting company for the auto body/collision repair industry. For nearly 25 years, he was the owner of Wagonwork Collision Center, an OEM-certified, full-service auto body repair facility in Alexandria, VA.

Automaker’s Increased Role in Claims Seems Just on the Horizon as Connectivity Happens It’s been about four years since the industry began talking about the automakers playing a larger role in helping vehicle owners after an accident—using telematics to contact the driver at the crash scene, for example, to ask if they need medical help or a tow arranged for them, or to see if they would like a referral to a nearby shop certified by that automaker. I frequently get asked, particularly by shops that have invested in OEM certifications, when that’s going to start to take place regularly. I believe there are three things that need to occur—and are about to happen—to make that a reality. I should say these are strictly my opinions based on what I’ve read, conferences I’ve attended, etc. But the first thing that needs to happen is to have more vehicles “connected” via internet access. That’s happening rapidly. From the research I’ve seen, just three years from now, in 2022, nearly 90 percent of new vehicles in North America will be equipped with telematics.

But being equipped to be connected and actually being connected are two different things. To have more consumers choose to be connected will require two other changes that I see beginning to occur. First, there’s a generational shift that has to happen. My 81-year-old 38

father does not want GM’s OnStar to always know where he is. He’s concerned about privacy. But my 20something-year-old niece, on the other hand, wants to stream music, so she wants to be connected to the internet 24/7. She wants her child to be able to watch movies while they are

for example, and working together on first notice of loss. In either case, I think that shops thinking about where they want to be three or four years from now need to be moving toward OEM certification, so that as that OEM connectivity to the vehicles increases, you’re there.

in the car. That generational divide may have slowed the adoption of vehicle connectivity, but that’s changing. The other factor that has to be addressed is affordability. Studies have found U.S. drivers aren’t willing to pay even $500 a year to have their vehicle connected, and Canadians are willing to pay even less—under $200 year. That’s why some recent announcements by automakers are convincing me that the connected car is about to become much more common very soon. There are automakers offering internet connectivity for $22 a month or even $17 a month. One automaker has said that in 2019 it will offer free internet connectivity for a number of years on its new cars. So the technology is there, the affordability is getting there, and the generational shift is happening. As those three things align, it starts to bring to fruition the ability for car manufacturers to handle first notice of loss after an accident. How will that look? Some automakers may offer their own insurance bundled with the car. They’ll want more control over their customer’s experience with that vehicle even throughout the claims process after an accident. Others may do something more jointly with insurance companies, partnering with them to provide the insurer with accident information,

Could this create some challenges in the meantime? You bet. OEM certification programs may have different parts use expectations than insurer direct repair programs, for example. That may mean giving up some margin by using only OEM parts or maybe stepping back from some DRPs. I think it’s conceivable that as automakers control more of the first notice of loss process, they

could help a shop regain market share the shop may have lost by ending a DRP relationship. Some shop owners will question whether there’s a risk of not getting a return on their investment in OEM certification. What if this increased involvement of the automakers doesn’t occur, or doesn’t result in added business for certified shops? To me, that’s a little bit like asking, “What if I invest in a whole bunch of training for a technician who then leaves my shop?” My response to that question has always been: What if you don’t train that tech and they stay? What happens, in this case, if you don’t get OEM-certified, and the connected car scenario I foresee happening plays out—only by then, the automakers already have their certified shops in your market? What will you do then?

“Some automakers may offer their own insurance bundled with the car.” — Mike Anderson

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National Associations

with Chasidy Rae Sisk

ASA Hosts RepairPal’s Jill Trotta for Webinar on Transparency and Trust On Dec. 19, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) hosted a webinar titled “Transparency & Trust: A Guide to Getting Customers and Keeping Them,” presented by Jill Trotta, vice president of industry advocacy and sales for RepairPal. Trotta, who boasts 25 years of industry experience, said the goal of the webinar was to share how RepairPal gains insight into consumer behavior and needs from its 5 million monthly website visitors as well as how shops can apply this information. ASA Vice President Tony Molla hosted the webinar. He welcomed attendees and introduced Trotta, who defined her key objectives as providing information on how to overcome price-sensitive customers, delivering data about price transparency and consumer behavior, and teaching about tools to work with the modern

auto care consumer. “RepairPal spends a significant amount of time trying to understand consumers who have changed more in the past five years than in previous decades,” Trotta explained. “Today’s consumer is tech savvy and uses mobile devices. They are better-educated and research prices online. They also value instant gratification.” When consumers were asked in 2017 if they felt they were charged a fair price for their last automotive repair, only 42 percent said yes, while 58 percent answered in the negative. This was a 6 percent increase in dissatisfaction from 52 percent in 2014. Trotta pointed out, “The majority didn’t feel like they got a fair deal.” Of the consumers who believed they were charged a fair price, 31 percent determined this based on comparisons to other shops; 31 percent reported a gut feeling; and 28

percent based their opinion on online research. When those who were unsatisfied with the price explained the reason, 36 percent reported that the issue was not resolved; 29 percent did online research; 18 percent compared to other shops; and 17 percent felt they received poor value. While 85 percent of consumers check prices, only 45 percent check them before authorizing the repair. Based on research of the 40 percent that check prices after authorization, Trotta shared, “For every 26 unhappy consumers, only one will complain directly to you. Most won’t call you and tell you, but they will call your competition, tell their friends or post reviews. Very few will actually call and tell you. We all know that retaining your customers is critical to the future success of your business.” An alarming trend Trotta noted is that 63 percent of Americans don’t

have enough savings to cover a $500 emergency, but automotive repair is one of the single biggest necessary expenses for today’s consumer and can throw their budget into a tailspin. This is why consumers are so often focused on price. According to Trotta, “Shop ads and websites that focus on price deliver 6–7 times better results than those that don’t. Some phrases that pay include: “straightforward and transparent pricing”; “upfront pricing”; “We never overcharge”; and “Happy to provide a good estimate.” “When you ask people if they want price or quality, they want quality, but they ask about price because they have no idea what else to ask. Unfortunately, explaining that a shop performs proper repairs doesn’t attract traffic to the website; you need to talk about pricing. At our core, RepairPal is focused on quality repairs

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and safe repairs for consumers, but the shops in our network have a proven track record that they are focused on the same. RepairPal is really focused on pricing in order to attract traffic to the website.” Explaining how to create a transparent experience for customers, Trotta said, “If a customer leaves the shop confused about what they experienced or unsure if they received high-quailty work or a fair deal, they are unlikely to return. “Do these three things: 1. Many shops focus so much on the initial conversion that they forget to check in with the consumer as they are leaving the shop. 2. Making sure the consumer is fully satisfied confirms understanding of what was done, why it was done and what any next steps might be. 3. Small gestures like leaving the car clean and tidy make a big difference.” Transparent customer communication should follow three steps: receive complaint and perform diagnosis, determine the cause and recommend the corrections. “Breaking out items in a way that the consumer can understand ex-

actly what they’re paying for is important,” Trotta stressed. After reviewing what she’d covered, Trotta reiterated the importance of mentioning price, noted that 46 percent of consumers will pay more for a two-year warranty as opposed to a one-year warranty and emphasized the importance of your value shining, because 30 percent of consumers will call more than one shop. Trotta explained that transforming price into value starts with presenting the diagnosis as a product. “Prices must be clearly attached to meaningful services and outcomes. Provide a clear and concise broken-down final RO with no ‘unexplainable’ charges. You may not be the cheapest shop, but you can offer the highest value,” she said. Trotta explained how RepairPal’s Fair Price Estimator works and how it benefits shops by building trust with consumers. “Removing questions from the customers’ mind is what’s going to retain customers,” she said. “We offer friendly customer explanations, and we provide a third-party voice that mirrors your own. Calling other shops

is a way to get a second opinion. When you direct consumers to RepairPal, we become the second opinion. Hopefully, the consumer goes to our site and experiments with our estimator instead of calling another shop. “Shops in our network are the top 20–25 percent of shops in the industry, and our estimator is built to reflect that. When compared to other estimators [in the] market, we generally have higher prices and we give more information. We are for fair pricing, not cheap pricing. We give the whole picture and promote the right repair.” To inspire customer loyalty, shops should communicate, be transparent, do a great job and ensure a smooth exit from the repair experience. They should also help the consumer evaluate their reputation and price, coordinate the consumer’s online and off-line experience and help them solve their problem as quickly as possible without sacrificing price, trust or convenience. It’s also beneficial to help the consumer understand pricing and repair decisions and make sense of any pricing differences

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they may encounter when doing research. Trotta noted, “Explain what you need and why! People like to do business with other people.” She continued to talk about creating a transparent experience before providing information on RepairPal’s estimator widget that shops can place on their website. She also talked about the benefits of offering a two-year warranty. “This is a very inexpensive thing you can do for your customers. Most consumers see it as more valuable to have a longer warranty than a nationwide warranty,” she said. The webinar concluded with Trotta sharing RepairPal’s values and describing its involvement with the industry. Before ending with a questionand-answer session, Trotta observed, “We want to provide consumers with the best shops. We want to work together, constantly solicit feedback and improve our processes.” For more information about RepairPal, visit repairpal.com. For more information about ASA, visit asashop .org.

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Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

Eric Newell Is Not Afraid to Serve His Community in Different Ways As a part-time firefighter, a member of his town’s Building and Planning Commission and an area marketing manager for asTech—a company that focuses on providing OEM diagnostics to collision repair shops nationwide—Eric Newell, 36, is adept at multi-tasking, to say the least. When he isn’t going into burning structures to save lives or working for asTech, he is making crucial decisions about the future of Lowell, IN—a town whose slogan is “A Friendly Town of Friendly People” with a population of approximately 9,000. Newell broke into the collision repair industry as an estimator for Cars Collision, an MSO with locations in Indiana and Colorado before the business was bought by Gerber Collision & Glass. He redirected his career from there and decided to become a full-time firefighter. “I’m in my 10th year now as a firefighter, and I love it because I can help people and play an important role,” he said. “I also love the brotherhood that exists between firefighters.” After completing his two-year training to become a paramedic and a firefighter, Newell was assigned to Fire Station 1 in Schererville, IN. He immediately took to his new job and excelled at his new role. “It’s an exciting and fascinating life with something new and different to do literally every day,” he said. “After two years, I was elected and became our union president of the Professional Firefighters of Schererville and subsequently became a member of the state organization’s board.” In 2013, Newell received the Firefighters’ Medal of Honor for savContinued from Page 35

Early DRP Programs

evitably leads to shoddy workmanship and unsafe collision repairs because the shop owner wants to make a profit. Correction of this situation, 42

ing a fellow firefighter in addition to several other citations over the years, he said. “An attic above us collapsed on a firefighter, and he wasn’t able to get out of the building, so I dragged him down three stories and got him out. I didn’t have any time to think about it,

Eric Newell is a member of the Building and Planning Commission of Lowell, IN, when he isn't working as an area marketing manager for asTech

and my adrenaline was pumping. I know he would have done the same for me if I was in his position, so my training kicked in and I got him out. I don’t fight fires for awards or medals, but it is nice to be recognized,” he said. After a while, an opportunity to re-enter the collision repair industry came his way. He decided to take it. “A friend of mine owns a sixshop MSO in northwest Indiana. They asked me if I would work for them part-time as a consultant, and I said yes,” he said. “I later became the company’s compliance manager and then was promoted to their COO. In July of [last] year, I was offered the job at asTech, and I decided to accept it. I cover three states (Indiana, Illinois and Ohio) for asTech, and it’s a in the estimate of this writer, is a matter of education.” Fox urged shop owners to ascertain their operating costs and learn to make better estimates so their work would be profitable but fair. Still, it would not stave off the advent of the modern DRP programs.

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

hectic life, but he would not change it for anything. “Busy people are happy when they’re busy. It’s all about being organized, and that is why it works. People make the time they need to do what they want to do, and if you play a positive role, it fulfills you on many levels,” he said. One of the things he wants to do now is help asTech grow and to continue on his path to helping others, he said. “They would have to kick me out of the firehouse for me to stop, and that’s not going to happen anytime soon,” he said. “asTech is going through a hyper-growth stage, and I want to be instrumental in that. It’s an exciting time in my life, and if I can get enough leisure time to attend my 10-year-old son’s wrestling matches and play a little golf now and then, I am a happy man.”

great place to be. We have some of the brightest minds in the industry and an incredible executive leadership team.” At the same time, Newell was appointed to a position in Lowell’s Office of Building and Planning Commission and accepted it without hesitation. “It’s a great role for the town, and I enjoy doing it,” he said. “If a new business wants to come into Lowell or if an existing business wants to change its structure, we have to review it and make a decision. I am now thinking of running for Town Council in the next election, which will be in November. It’s been very satisfying, so expanding my role is something I am definitely considering.” Now, Newell works full-time at asTech and covers at least one 12hour shift at the firehouse in addition to sitting on his town’s board. It’s a

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General Motors Collision Repair Network Starts off With Strong Response from Industry by Stacey Phillips

Since launching the General Motor’s Collision Repair Network in August 2018, Kris Mayer, general director, wholesale channel of GM’s Customer Care and Aftersales, said the company has received a great response from the program. Over 1,300 dealers and collision repair facilities have already started the enrollment process, and more are signing up every day. When the company first set out to establish the Collision Repair Network, Mayer said GM wanted to ensure it offered repair facilities all the guidance needed to repair a vehicle properly, and customers could trust in the safety and integrity of the repair.

Prior OEM programs have put a strong emphasis on making sure collision repair facilities had the proper tools and training. With the introduction of the Collision Repair Network, GM has forged ahead by adding standards for pre- and post-scanning, repair procedures and ADAS calibration. In addition, the company provides positioning statements and recall notifications to keep repair facilities informed. “It’s important for a repair facility to have the right tools and training but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the vehicle has been repaired properly,” said Mayer. “We really want to ensure that repair facilities are following the correct repair procedures.” Mayer said it can often take a body technician several hours of research during a major repair, which can be a barrier to getting the job done appropriately and in a timely fashion. As a result, GM realized the importance of providing repair facilities easy access to repair procedures to allow for a more streamlined collision repair process. “We needed to work with a company that was going to capture the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and make sure those procedures were being done,” said Mayer. “Using an information provider made sense to us.” As a result, Mitchell was chosen 44

to be the administrator of the GM Collision Repair Network. “A little over two years ago, Mitchell realized that the biggest challenge facing the industry was the increasing vehicle complexity. We made a decision to completely rearchitect our product suite focusing on enabling proper and safe repairs,” said Jack Rozint, Mitchell’s vice president, sales & service, repair. “To be recognized by General Motors and be chosen to administer their collision repair network was truly gratifying and we’re really proud to be associated with General Motors and this program.” Rozint said the cultures of both companies are very closely aligned and the program is designed primarily around two major themes: proper and safe repairs and a positive experience for GM customers. “In order to deliver happy customers requires efficiency, which means shorter cycle times and efficient processes,” he said. “Those efficient processes also have good results for other industry stakeholders such as insurance carriers.” Participants will be able to manage all aspects of the repair through Mitchell Connect, the company’s cloud communication program. This includes pre- and post-repair diagnostic scans; utilizing Mitchell Cloud Estimating, which creates the estimates; the ability to reference GM repair procedures through the repair process; as well as perform qualitycontrol checks. When technicians are working on various components or sections of the vehicle, Rozint said Mitchell’s Integrated Repair Procedures communicates the specific repair procedures that apply to that component to the user right at their fingertips. The repair procedures can also be saved, printed and sent through email. Mitchell’s Freedom Platform enables this integrated repair procedure access at all stages of the job, beginning with teardown, throughout the repair and recalibration processes, and during the quality checks. “Mitchell’s software platform and expertise will help us make a difference for GM drivers and help the entire repair industry satisfy customers and run profitable, efficient

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

enterprises,” said Debbie Day, executive vice president and general manager, Auto Physical Damage Solutions at Mitchell. Herb’s Paint & Body Shops, with eight locations in Texas, recently enrolled in the General Motor’s Collision Repair Network. “As newer vehicles and technology come out, to be able to be trained and informed on how to handle those

The company was also already using Mitchell products. “We have a good relationship with Mitchell and the transition to Mitchell Cloud Estimating was pretty seamless,” he added. “Repairers who partner with General Motors in this program are going to gain assistance and direction with the delivery of proper and safe repairs and give customers an

technologies is extremely important,” said Robert Walne, president and COO of the company. “We felt the GM program would give us the ability to do that and perform proper and safe repairs.” Walne said it was relatively easy to become part of the GM Collision Repair Network. “For us, it wasn’t a huge undertaking because most of our locations are pretty advanced from a tool perspective as well as training,” he said.

extra level of security,” said Rozint. “I believe the most important thing is the sense of consumer confidence that will come out of this program that benefits everybody involved, especially the collision repairer.” Dealers and independent collision repair facilities interested in the GM Collision Repair Network can email GMCollisonRepairNetwork@GM .com or visit GenuineGMParts.com to enroll and learn more (click on the “For Professionals” tab).

“We really want to ensure that repair facilities are following the correct repair procedures.” — Kris Mayer

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Mike Anderson Presents ‘Using the Subaru Technical Information System – Part 2’ by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On Thursday, December 13, Mike Anderson of Collision Advice presented another webinar in his “Learn to Research, Research to Learn” series, during which he explored “Using the Subaru Technical Information System (STIS) – Part 2,” which focused on how to use the Subaru website to ensure safe and proper repairs. He was joined by John Lancaster, National Wholesale Parts Manager for Subaru of America, as well as Subaru technical service representative J. J. Marino and Rick Miller of Wadsworth International. The webinar was created by Collision Advice in collaboration with Subaru. After reading the antitrust guidelines, Anderson reiterated that he decided to host these webinars because the results of his annual “Who Pays for What?” surveys, conducted in conjunction with the Crash Network, led him to determine that shops are not researching OEM repair procedures 100 percent of the time as they should be. As a result of this finding,

Collision Advice has been hosting monthly webinars, each one focusing on a different OEM, to raise awareness of the resources each OEM offers to research repair procedures. Anderson plans to guide attendees on a step-by-step tour of each specific OEM’s website and advise on how to improve search results. He

ation of how to access Subaru’s paid site and conduct a search at techinfo .subaru.com. Anderson then proceeded to explore the tabs across the top of the page, explaining that the index allows users to search for particular section titles in the service manual. He demonstrated this by exploring the

will also demonstrate how to research some common procedures needed by collision repairers, explore the differences between an OEM scan tool and aftermarket scan tool and investigate OEM parts information and support tools. The second part of the Subaru webinar began with a recap of the first part, including a reminder that Subaru’s position statements can be found on oem1stop.com and a reiter-

battery section to reveal what procedures repairers must do when removing a battery and enumerating the many systems that will not work after a battery is removed if the proper procedures are not adhered to. He reiterated the importance of searching battery requirements several times during the remainder of the webinar, pointing out “It’s not just about scanning. It’s also about researching every time we disconnect a battery.”

“It’s important that we use OEM parts even on something as simple as a wiper blade because using an aftermarket wiper blade could cause this Eyesight feature not to work properly.” — Mike Anderson

Moving to the DTC search tab, he demonstrated how to search the service manual for pages relating to a specific DTC. “I really love this feature because it gives you the ability to research DTCs,” Anderson noted. “I won’t tell you what you should charge for scanning, but I do believe you should separate your diagnostic time from your scanning time because what’s really time-consuming is the amount of time it takes to research the DTCs.” Anderson’s demonstrated showed the detailed diagrams available in the service manual, and he also explained how users can print any subsection or chapter. Anderson concluded with the Help tab which provides a walkthrough on how to navigate and interpret the STIS website. Looking at the gray tabs across the top, Anderson opened Service Manual, stating, “This is going to give you some repair precautions that you may need to know as a collision repairer – either as a technician or as an estimator. I’ve found that reviewing this anytime you go into STIS for

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that specific make and model is an absolute must.” Scrolling through the tab, Anderson pointed out several interesting tidbits such as the need to allow the vehicle to get to operating temperature prior to performing a diagnostic scan, the necessity of ensuring adhesives used are products approved by Subaru, and reiterating the importance of researching what to do after disconnecting a battery. He added, “Another thing we really liked was the pre-delivery inspection procedure. These are the items a dealership must check before selling a new vehicle, and I found these items to be a great addition to our quality control checklist.” Under Service Manual – Suspension, Anderson pointed out a caution that prohibits reuse of valves and screws, meaning that a new valve stem is required each time a new wheel is put on. In the Steering section of the Service Manual, he read the specific operation required for proper performance, adding, “I encourage you to go back and navigate STIS. Repetition is key.” While exploring air bag and seat

belt systems, Anderson noted that mounting bolts and nuts should not be reused and explored the listed parts that need to be removed before performing certain procedures as well as the “comprehensive list of systems that need to be checked and parts that need to be replaced if the vehicle is in a collision, even a slight collision.” “We need to make sure we do these things,” Anderson continued. “I understand that sometimes the insurance companies don’t want to pay for some items, but it starts with us. We must accept personal responsibility, and if you’re not educated, how can we blame the insurer for that? There are a lot of things we need to make sure we’re researching every time we work on a vehicle.” Under the Diagnostics tab, Anderson demonstrated where information can be found about the occupant detection system, noting that the manual instructs the user to connect the Subaru Select monitor. “The only way we can verify the safe and proper repair is to use the approved scan tool,” Anderson emphasized. “STIS walks us through the questions we need to ask ourselves. It’s a very interactive

website and takes me to the next screen based on the options I select, directing me to things that I may need to ask the customer.” While looking at the Eyesight feature, Anderson showed where the manual insists only a Subaru windshield wiper blade can be used on the vehicle. “It’s important that we use OEM parts even on something as simple as a wiper blade because using an aftermarket wiper blade could cause this Eyesight feature not to work properly.” Anderson also explained that the BRZ service manual looks different than any manuals for other Subaru vehicles because the BRZ was a joint project between Subaru and Toyota. He briefly navigated through the BRZ manual and explored some details and variances with this model. Moving onto the Owner’s Manual where he explored some requirements about seatbelts and airbags as well as a warning against attaching anything to the windshield, Anderson noted, “During all the OEM webinars we’ve done, one of the things I’ve learned is the value of reviewing the owner’s manual with the ve-

hicle owner when they drop off the car. Reviewing the owner’s manual is a great way to earn that vehicle owner’s trust.” As Anderson finished reading from the Eyesight document, Marino interrupted to share, “With the Eyesight camera lenses, if anything gets on those lenses, even if it’s a fingerprint, they cannot be cleaned & the camera assembly must be replaced.” Anderson then showed the Tech Tips Newsletter, found under “What’s New” as well as the advanced search tab, which is published monthly and available as a PDF download. He encouraged shop owners to review this with their technicians and shared some interesting tips he found in recent editions. If a user cannot find what they are looking for, the last page of each newsletter contains a form that can be used to contact Subaru to request clarity. In Summary, Anderson responded to questions submitted on the first webinar before accepting questions from the day’s attendees. This webinar is available on the Collision Advice website and YouTube channel.

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Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips

Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

TX Body Shop Invests in Community, Technology, OEM Certifications Robert Walne’s grandfather, Herb Walne, founded Herb’s Paint & Body in 1956. The business encompassed a Humble Oil (Exxon) service station, a full-service mechanical shop, a drive-through car wash and a paint and body shop in northeast Dallas, TX. It quickly became known for its knowledgeable professionals, outstanding customer service and quality repairs. When Exxon purchased the mechanical shop in 1969, Herb focused his time and energy on the collision repair side of the business. Since then, the operation has grown at a fairly steady pace. When Herb passed away in 1986, his son, Alan, currently the chairman of Herb’s Paint &

we have 187 employees at our eight locations, and I serve as president and COO.

years?

To what do you attribute your company’s success over the

I think it’s a combination of our focus on the community and being a family business. Our core values and mission/vision are centered on these two aspects.

We are really passionate about being a family business and how we treat our employees. We have a motto that we treat them like family. They are part of the team. We often say, ‘You aren’t just a number; you are a name.’ That perspective was passed on by my dad. We have always been very much involved at the store level, being seen by employees and engaged in the business. Our employees are an extension of everything we do. If employees have an event and they ask us to The business originally consisted of a Humble Oil (Exxon) sponsor it, we do it on their service station, a full-service mechanical shop, a drivebehalf. through carwash and a paint and body shop Another element that sets Body, took over the business. Today, us apart as a company is doing the Herb’s Paint & Body has eight loca- right thing, whether that is in regard tions. Robert, president and COO, to customer service or taking care of manages the day-to-day operations our employees. We’re not going to compromise our core values for anywith a focus on strategic planning. Autobody News sat down with thing. It’s how we do business, treat Robert to learn more about how the business sets itself apart from others our employees and customers, supin the industry and its recent enroll- port the community and provide rement in the General Motors Colli- sources such as technology and tools. We attribute those things to our sucsion Repair Network. cess. How did you get involved in the family business? As avid community supporters, what is your motivation? I grew up working at Herb’s That’s at the heart of everyand spent most of my summers at the shops washing and workthing we do at Herb’s Paint & ing on cars. After I graduated from Body. The other thing my grandfaBaylor University in May 2004 with ther was very passionate about is that a BBA in finance and real estate, I if a community was going to do busijoined the company full-time. Today, ness with him and pay him for his

Q: A:

services, he felt he needed to provide back to that community for doing so. As a result, we’ve always been very passionate about that.

such as the Child Advocacy Center of Collin County, the Dallas Zoo and the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas. We also sponsor high school booster clubs and sports teams and award community scholarships, for example, at the State Fair of Texas. We look for all possibilities to give back to the communities we serve. It has always been part of the fabric of how we do business, and we plan to always continue to do so through financial and time commitments. The collision repair business currently has eight locations We feel that the greatest imin Texas pact we could have is to The majority of our marketing reinvest in the areas we serve and efforts and what we do is very much make the communities we serve and at a local store level, whether it’s a live in better. We have that ability to nonprofit, high school or another do that, so we do. community organization. We support By working together as a team a wide range of local organizations with hard-working, highly trained

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employees and an attitude of charity, we will accomplish our goal to have a long-term, successful family-owned business.

Q: A:

What do you enjoy most about the collision repair business?

I think it’s the compassion/people side of it. Over the years, I’ve realized that we have the ability to turn an experience that nobody wanted to have into something that can be positive. We’re able to help

and he chose to run the collision repair shop, he realized that it gave him the ability to help somebody out. On the mechanical side, he was able to get somebody’s car running, but he never could see the impact of what was done and understand everything about it. The collision aspect gave him the ability to touch customers and let them feel the impact that was done, and I think that compassion plays a lot into what we do. It’s a driving force behind all of the decisions we make.

“We are really passionate about being a family business and how we treat our employees. We have a motto that we treat them like family. They are part of the team.” — Robert Walne

our customers understand that it’s going to be OK and we’re going to restore their vehicles. I also enjoy watching our employees grow, whether that is through training or providing a home for them to grow in our business. I learned that from my grandfather. When his business went through a transition

We are honored to have been named Best Body Shop by Dallas AList City Voter. Since 2009, we have received six first-place awards based on more than 24,000 votes from local experts.

Can you tell us about your recent decision to join the

General Motors Collision Repair Network?

We first found out about the program through Mitchell. We have been long-time customers of Mitchell’s since the 1990s. I was attending their conference in the fall of 2017 and John Eck, collision manager, GM Customer Care and Aftersales, talked about the company’s path of coming up with a certification program. I told John that as soon as we were eligible to sign up, we would be on the list. My grandfather’s strategy was always that he understood that an agent was taking premiums from customers. As soon as there was an accident, the individual who was taking the money was out of the picture. They couldn’t help make the experience go well for that customer. His motto was to make an unpleasant experience a pleasant one, and that’s what he preached from the moment he started. That’s still very much part of the culture and fabric of how we operate today. It goes back to the same idea of making an unpleasant experience a

pleasant one and determining how to accomplish that. By joining the General Motors Collision Repair Network, we felt that it was consistent

Herb Walne started Herb’s Paint & Body in 1956 in northeast, Dallas, TX

with our belief of doing the right thing in everything we do. In terms of being certified, it’s about doing the right thing for that vehicle and having the knowledge to understand the new technology. What did joining the General Motors Collision Repair Network entail?

We signed up when the program was first announced in August 2018 and submitted all of our paperwork a couple of months

AkzoNobel Becomes ICAR Sustaining Partner

AkzoNobel is one of the first paint suppliers to become an I-CAR® Sustaining Partner™. “Technology is playing a bigger role in our industry, and that means we need welltrained technicians who can deliver safer, higher-quality repairs,” says Don Shearer, AkzoNobel Technical Service Manager, Automotive Coatings. “Through our pathyielding partnership with I-CAR, we are supercharging the successful education of our present and future collision repair technicians. At the end of the day, it’s about helping create a better tomorrow.” “The Sustaining Partner program was created to help control the cost of training for collision repair technicians and career and technical school students” says Nick Notte, I-CAR’s Senior Vice President, Sales. “It makes I-CAR training more readily available and affordable for collision repairers and schools. We appreciate AkzoNobel’s support for this important initiative, and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.” 50

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ago. General Motors has a pretty comprehensive website where a shop can upload information. For us, it wasn’t a big undertaking simply because most of our locations are pretty much on the cutting-edge from a technology and tooling perspective, and we already had the majority of equipment necessary to perform the repairs. We also keep our technicians and employees trained in the latest and greatest from an I-CAR standpoint, so we didn’t have a huge to-do list. Also, with our existing relationship with Mitchell, the switch to Mitchell Cloud Estimating was straightforward.

Do you have any other OEM certifications? What is the benefit of having them?

In addition to GM, we are recognized by Assured Performance, FCA, Ford, Nissan, Infiniti and Hyundai. Overall, the biggest advantage is the ability to perform proper and safe repairs per the manufacturer’s requirements. The industry is definitely transition-

ing to that knowledge becoming more and more available. That has been a very large benefit for us to know and understand how these cars need to be repaired, not necessarily for the manufacturer, but for the vehicle owner. We understand retention from the standpoint that if the experience is not going well for a customer and we do a poor job, the likelihood that they are going to switch insurance carriers goes up. I think the same holds true for the manufacturer. Nobody wakes up with the idea that they want to get into an accident on a certain day. What we want to make sure of is that we’re doing everything that puts that vehicle in a safe condition going down the road. Ultimately, life happens, and we want to see that we’re there to make sure it goes smoothly for our customers and that their vehicles perform how they should if anything does happen again. We hope it doesn’t for that individual, but if it does, we want to be sure we’ve repaired it correctly and the way that GM intended for it to be repaired.

Tesla Owners Go Behind-the-Scenes at a Certified Tesla Repair Center by Kay Talley and EVANNEX for InsideEVs

Attendees from Denver Tesla Club experienced a unique opportunity to see damaged cars up close, personal and naked at Stuttgart Auto Body, a Tesla collision repair facility in Denver, CO.

They visited to gain insight into the structure of Tesla’s vehicles— and what can possibly go wrong while out on the road. Stuttgart is certified by Porsche, Mercedes and Tesla. The main focus of the Englewood facility is the lat-

ter. State Farm expert Austin Domsch was also on hand to explain coverage of the incident. Accidents happen. How they are taken care of is an eye-opener into the vehicle and the overall construction of Models S, X and 3. The crumple zone up front is a testament to its lifesaving abilities. Tesla is possibly the most complicated of vehicles to work on, but Stuttgart has made a massive investment in all Tesla-approved equipment necessary and continues to grow with the company to keep up with the electric carmaker’s continually evolving technology. Tesla Fremont handson trained technicians are passionate about returning a car to an owner in pre-accident condition and use only Tesla OEM and diagnostics. We thank InsideEVs for reprint permission.

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Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation Hosts Holiday Celebration On Dec. 5, the Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF) hosted its 2018 Holiday Event at the prestigious Whitney Mansion in Detroit, MI, one of the city’s most beautiful and historic venues. Sherry Muir Irwin, member of AWAF’s board of directors, noted, “It was a wonderful evening celebrating the culmination of another successful year for AWAF! The Whitney, all decked out in its holiday finery, provided a festive backdrop for AWAF’s sold-out signature year-end event. The evening began with the 125+ AWAF members and their guests enjoying delicious hors d’oeuvres and holiday cheer while mingling with fellow automotive professionals and friends. It was a wonderful conclusion to a great year!” The evening’s featured speaker was Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president and president of global operations for Ford Motor Company. He shared some of the insights and wisdom he’s gained during his extensive automotive industry career. “With one of his daughters now pursuing an automotive career, he has gained a new appreciation for the challenges faced by women in the industry and encourages us to speak up and use challenging situations as teachable moments,” Irwin recounted. “He’s told his daughter that ‘you either teach or tolerate’ when faced with negative circumstances and behavior—and encouraged us all to be teachers!” Next, Jane Bishop, co-chair of AWAF’s Scholarship Committee, announced the five deserving recipients of AWAF’s final 2018 scholarships. All of the recipients are pursuing undergraduate degrees in preparation for automotive industry careers. The scholarships were sponsored by Deloitte, Magna International, Adient, AWAF and the Elder Automotive Group’s scholarship in memory of Irma Elder, who was the matriarch of the Elder Automotive Group, one of the first female auto dealers, and a long-time supporter of AWAF.

Irwin noted, “With these five scholarships, AWAF is nearing the half-a-million-dollar mark in scholarships awarded since 2001.”

popular signature events, attendees of the 2018 Holiday Event enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow industry professionals and friends while ush-

AWAF members celebrate another successful year during the group’s annual Holiday Event in December

AWAF’s outgoing president, Linda Taliaferro, then announced the association’s 2019 board of directors, which included incoming President Susan Rokosz of Ford Motor Company, who has served on AWAF’s board since 2012. Taliaferro also announced the creation of a new VP of STEM office position as part of AWAF’s increased focus on STEM, a role that will be filled by Cathy Koch of K-Tec Systems, Inc. Irwin then expressed her appreciation for Taliaferro and the last two years she served as president. “Linda was a truly impactful, influential and inspirational leader for AWAF, and the organization is better for having had her at the helm!” Irwin stated. “The evening’s program concluded with a word of thanks to our annual sponsors: Faurecia, Magna, Deloitte, Leggett & Platt Automotive Group, Envisics, HELLA, Irvin Automotive and PlanteMoran, as well as the evening’s event sponsors Epitec and MB Jewelry. Appreciation was also expressed to the board of directors, the executive advisory council, committee members and the membership at large for all their contributions over the past year. And a special word of thanks to RoseAnn Nicolai and her team at Nicolai Events & Communication for their administrative support throughout the year—we couldn’t do all that we do without them! “Always one of AWAF’s most

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

ering in the holiday season! To add to the festivities, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a silent auction with the chance to be the winning bidder for a one-on-one lunch with two female Ford senior

executives or a beautiful necklace, courtesy of MB Jewelry Design & Mfg., Bloomfield Township, MI. “These events provide our members with opportunities to cultivate both professional and personal relationships, which are critical support mechanisms as one builds and navigates one’s career in the auto industry—or any industry, for that matter. As part of our value proposition, events provide educational and professional development opportunities as well.” On Jan. 28, AWAF will kick off 2019 with a post-NAIAS mixer at the Black Lotus in Clawson, MI. On Feb. 6, members can attend a Fireside Chat with Julie Martin, vice president of sales and marketing for HELLA USA.

For more information on AWAF, visit awafoundation.org.

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Financing includes seller finance and vendor finance, which may include prebates and investments, but there are also lenders that will finance acquisitions. Mewes then proceeded into a hypothetical prebate analysis in which he determined the cost of a prebate compared to a discount, considering the opportunity cost of the lost discount and the impact of taxation. He noted, “Prebates become very expensive money, and there are a lot of alternatives out there. There are times when prebates make perfect sense, but it also makes sense to understand your alternatives and pick the solution that works best for you.” Alternatives Mewes mentioned included equipment loans, lines of credit, M&A loans, unsecured working capital, AR factoring and/or ARbacked loans, SBA loans, real estate loans and sale leasebacks. When Mewes opened up the webinar to questions, he was asked if consolidation has opened the door for more independents. Mewes responded, “What consolidation has done is provide ‘role

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Axalta, Plenham Form 3-Year Global Alliance

Axalta and Plenham Ltd announced a multi-year global partnership to help the worldwide collision repair industry share ideas for business improvement, drive best practices in innovation, and establish new processes and know-how through dynamic media and social interactions. “We are delighted to establish a long-term agreement with Axalta,” commented Jason Moseley, Plenham CEO. “Having forged a strong bond over the last year its clear we have a joint passion for improving the collision industry based on shared ethics and beliefs in ‘doing the right thing.’” Jim Muse, Axalta’s Vice President of Global Refinish Sales, said, “I am confident that this new alliance between Plenham and Axalta will significantly benefit our customers and the overall global collision repair industry.”

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autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

Up to $60 Million Is Available for Testing ADS by Staff, Intelligent Transport

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently announced the availability of up to $60 million in federal grant funding for projects that test the safe integration of automated driving systems (ADS). The ADS Demonstration Grants aim to ensure significant data gathering and sharing of project data with USDOT and the public throughout the project in near-real time to inform rulemaking. They also aim to work with innovative state and local governments and private partners to create collaborative environments that harness the collective expertise, ingenuity and knowledge of multiple stakeholders. One of the main focuses of the grants is to test the safe integration of ADS into the nation’s on-road transportation system. Grant applications are due in March 2019 and awardees will be announced in the spring of 2019. Originally published on www .intelligenttransport.com.

Ford Recalls 953,000 Vehicles for Airbag Flying Shrapnel Threat by Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press

Ford Motor Co. issued a recall on Jan. 4 of nearly 1 million vehicles in North America with a risk of flying shrapnel caused by exploding Takata airbag inflators. The latest action involves more than 953,000 Ford vehicles worldwide—including 782,384 in the U.S. and its territories and 149,652 in Canada. Seven Ford and Lincoln vehicles are named in the recall: • • • • • • •

Ford Edge, 2010, built in Oakville Lincoln MKX, 2010 built in Oakville Ford Ranger, 2010 and 2011 built in the Twin Cities Ford Fusion, 2010 to 2012 built in the Hermosillo Assembly Plant Lincoln MKZ, 2010 to 2012 built in the Hermosillo Mercury Milan, 2010 and 2011 built in the Hermosillo Ford Mustang, 2010 to 2014 built in Flat Rock

Ford urges consumers to get their vehicles to dealers as soon as

ASA Appoints Ray Fisher to Serve as Executive Director

ASA has a new leader. Ray Fisher, executive director of ASA’s Michigan affiliate, was selected to head the Automotive Service Association as its executive director/president. His new position began Jan. 2. Fisher, AMAM, replaces Dan Risley, who left to pursue an opportunity in his home state of Illinois in July. Beth Risch served as ASA’s interim chief operating officer while the ASA Board of Directors conducted an extensive search. “I appreciate the opportunity that the ASA Board of Directors has afforded me, and I look forward to serving the independent automotive repair industry,” Fisher said about his new role leading the 67-year-old organization. “We are at a critical time in our industry where involvement plays an important role. Education and training are no longer an elective but required. Trade schools were forgotten, technology can be overwhelming, and we have an aging workforce that is faced with some difficult decisions. ASA can help lead the industry in addressing those challenges.” 54

ASA Board Chairman Roy Schnepper, AAM, said the board felt Fisher distinguished himself in several categories that led to his selection.

“The ASA National Board considered many variables in choosing our next executive director,” said Schnepper. “After reviewing approximately 80 resumes, the search committee of Bryan Kelly, Jim Keller, Robert Redding, Darrell Amberson and myself narrowed it down to three well-qualified candidates and presented this to the board of directors at the November board meeting in Las Vegas. Ray’s broad industry background and long association experience as executive director of the ASA-Michigan affiliate made him the best candidate. We welcome Ray to his

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

monium nitrate to create an explosion that causes inflation. But heat and humidity can damage the integrity of the system and cause it to deteriorate and explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister designed to contain the explosion. Unrelated to Takata airbags, Ford also issued a safety recall on certain 2019 Ford Ecosport vehicles because the front seats haven’t been welded properly and may come loose. “A seat back with an inadequate weld may have reThe Flat Rock Assembly Plant stands with the ruby red duced strength ... potentially 2014 Mustang convertible that was the 1 millionth increasing the risk of injury Ford Mustang built at the Flat Rock assembly after in a crash,” Ford said in its an event marking the milestone in April 2013. Credit: release. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press Ford is not aware of any Ford said it has no reports of in- accidents or injuries resulting from juries involving these vehicles. But this condition. The recall impacts about 87 at least 23 people worldwide have been killed in incidents involving EcoSport vehicles in North America, Takata airbags, which led to one of including 63 in the U.S. and its territhe largest recalls in history involv- tories and 13 in Canada. Ford dealers will replace front seats on affected ing multiple carmakers. The Takata airbags, which are vehicles with new seats. We thank Detroit Free Press for intended to prevent or reduce injury upon impact, use the chemical am- reprint permission. possible for replacement. They will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator or module at no cost.

new role and look forward to working with him to grow the association through his knowledge and dedication to serving our members.” Fisher, who has served the industry in varied roles, has been president and executive director of ASA-Michigan since 2010. In addition, he served as a body shop manager for more than 20 years, assistant parts manager and an expert witness for a local law firm regarding collision repair and processes. With formal education in business administration, Fisher is an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and an Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM). He has extensive legislative experience, driving key issues for ASA-Michigan members on sales tax issues and shop licensing. His recognition and contributions to the organizations he served have resulted in numerous awards, including the ASA Affiliate of the Year Award in 2018, ASA Legislative Award in 2015 and 2016, as well as the I-CAR Founder’s Award.

Collision Works Utilizes Symach’s FixLine Process

Symach announced that the company has installed three new body shops for Collision Works of Oklahoma (CWO)—two in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City—utilizing Symach’s FixLine process. The three locations are currently using Symach’s FixLine system, Drytronic technology and the Symach Paint Application Process (SPAP). Jake Nossaman, owner of the shops, said the company expects that the modern equipment and process will enable the repair facilities to cycle vehicles through the shops faster, reach their financial goals much easier and improve CSI scores. “We helped Collision Works customize their new locations using the FixLine Process, which will enable the state-of-the-art collision centers to optimize repair times and reduce labor costs by as much as four or five hours for each repair,” said Osvaldo Bergaglio, CEO of Symach.

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ALLDATA Showcases Diagnostic Scan Tool and Collision Repair Product by Stacey Phillips

Having direct access to OEM repair information has many benefits for those in the collision repair industry. Not only does it ensure a vehicle is repaired properly for the customer, but it can also potentially limit liability for a body shop and the insurance company, according to Satwinder Mangat, president of ALLDATA, an AutoZone Company. Established in 1986, ALLDATA provides OEM service and repair information to more than 400,000 technicians in 115,000 repair shops worldwide. Over the years, the company has expanded its product line to include factory-correct diagnostic, repair and collision information, business tools and support services for the automotive service and collision industries. During the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, Autobody News sat down with Mangat and the ALLDATA team to learn about one of the company’s newest products, ALLDATA Diagnostics, which was introduced to the market in October 2017. They also shared information about some of the other solutions they offer customers. The ALLDATA Diagnostics scan tool enables shops to turn their Android or Windows 10 tablet into a professional-level scan tool. One of its unique features is the integration of repair information from ALLDATA Repair or ALLDATA Collision within the tool. As a result, shop owners, service writers and technicians can perform pre- and post-scans with exportable reports, and the codes link to ALLDATA’s OEM-direct repair information and procedures. A recent development to ALLDATA Diagnostics this year is QuickScan, which allows technicians to run a full-system vehicle scan report with just one click. “All of this data gives shops the information they need to create detailed estimates the first time,” said Mangat, who has three decades of experience in the software industry and holds six technology patents. “Following OEM procedures helps ensure that vehicles are repaired back to pre-accident OEM condition, a requirement being mandated more and 56

more often by insurers and OEMs.” Rather than having to purchase the device, collision repair shops pay a monthly subscription fee for either ALLDATA Repair or ALLDATA Collision Advantage and receive unlimited pre- and post-scans with no

cludes OEM procedures such as sectioning and structural repairs, handling of new materials and panel removal and replacements. ALLDATA Collision Advantage is a combination of ALLDATA Collision and ALLDATA Estimate Integra-

The ALLDATA team at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV

per-scan charge. Part of the subscription fee also includes free software and data updates as wells as the Vehicle Connection Interface (VCI) device that attaches to the vehicle’s OBD port. “There are a lot of scan tools on the market,” said Mangat. “Our goal wasn’t to introduce another scan tool. The goal was to start integrating the repair information within the scan tool.” He said the integration makes it very convenient for shops to access OEM information and allows technicians to print out the reports to attach to the claim. This can help limit liability by demonstrating that the repair has been done properly. Also, by prescanning the vehicle with the ALLDATA Diagnostics scan tool, Mangat said shops can provide the necessary documentation to insurance companies to get paid for the work that was completed. “Shops need to get paid for what they do, and we want to make sure they have the documentation to prove it to the customer and also to the insurance company,” said Mangat. “We’re also helping shops be more profitable because they are getting paid for what they are repairing.” ALLDATA Repair provides shops with online OEM repair information with factory-direct diagrams, repair procedures, TSBs and DTCs. Mangat said the product offers upto-date repair information, fast navigation, unedited OEM information and tech-verified repairs. ALLDATA Collision also offers unedited, factory-direct mechanical repair information. In addition, it in-

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tion. It integrates with the three major estimating systems—Audatex, CCC and Mitchell—and provides line-byline repair information. ALLDATA Collision Advantage can analyze an estimate and then display OEM procedures and alerts, vital repairs and manufacturer positioning statements. Mangat said that identifying the required repairs helps shops

save time as well as improve operations by ensuring the estimates are more accurate. In 2017, the ALLDATA Collision Advantage product received the SEMA New Products Showcase award in the Collision Repair and Refinish category. This year, the company received two innovation awards from PTEN magazine: one for ALLDATA Diagnostics in the Scan Tools category, and one for ALLDATA Collision Advantage in the Computers and Software category. Paul Marshall, senior product manager of ALLDATA Diagnostics, demonstrated a full vehicle scan during the 2018 SEMA Show. www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXb7B 4nnN5U&t=11s Mark Schaben, regional sales manager, collision sales, demonstrated ALLDATA’s Collision Advantage product. www.autobodynews .com/index.php/videos/item/16618-atsema-2018-mark-schaben-demonstrates -alldata-s-collision-advantage .html For more information, visit www .ALLDATA.com.

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New Car Technology May Lead to Sticker Shock at Auto Body Repair Shops by David Patch, Blade Staff Writer

Back-up cameras and lane-departure warnings may help people drive more safely, but they also drive up newer vehicles’ repair bills, the American Automobile Association reported in a recent study. And a driver need not have been in a crash to face a four-figure repair bill. Even something as innocuous as an unfortunately placed windshield chip can cost big money if it affects the performance of an on-board safety system, the auto club reported. “It’s just unbelievable,” said Steve Grabke, owner of Steve Grabke’s Body Shop on Angola Road in Holland, OH, about the complexity of repairing vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems. Grabke said he has spent thousands of dollars training his staff to work on such vehicles, and replacing parts is only one facet of such repairs. “You have to set up targets for calibration, and every vehicle is different,” said Gary Todd, the manager at Grabke’s shop.

And repair of some systems must be referred to dealer shops because it involves technology that is proprietary to the vehicle manufacturers.

Cortney Mann repairs and puts on a new door on a 2014 Cadillac XTS at Steve Grabke’s Body Shop on Dec. 19, 2018. Credit: The Blade, Amy E. Voigt

Todd said Grabke’s has lost about 10 percent of its work to such situations. “It is not unusual for windshields to get chipped or cracked, especially

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“This may be an eyesore, but when it falls in the line of sight of a camera or the driver, it becomes a safety issue that needs immediate attention by a facility qualified to work on these systems,” the report said. Cameras and radar and ultrasonic sensors built into bumpers, body panels and even side mirrors are also vulnerable. “While most drivers may not find themselves in a collision, these parts can easily be damaged when pulling out of a garage or bumping into objects,” the auto club’s report said. When a customer brings a vehicle to an independent repair shop and it has to refer some of the work to a dealer shop, that becomes a “sublet repair” that eats up most, if not all, of the profit, Kazmierczak said in the study. And when a particular repair is referred to a dealer, Todd said, “then they [customers] feel that you’re telling them you can’t fix their car.” Rick Lawrence, a co-manager at Smitty’s Automotive on Jackman Road, said calibration is the biggest obstacle for independent repair shops. “I can’t even fix most of these now because of the reprogramming requirements,” Lawrence said. “You can fix it, but you can’t make it work.” Vehicle owners should verify whether any repair facility can prop-

erly repair damaged systems and request proof of work once it’s complete, AAA said. “As technology continues to evolve, drivers need to be better educated and more aware of their vehicles’ capabilities,” Kazmierczak said. “This includes understanding how the vehicle systems work as well as how much repairs may cost if damaged.” With 1 in 3 Americans unable to afford even $500 in unexpected repairs, AAA strongly urges consumers to consider the potential repair costs of these advanced systems as well as to perform an insurance policy review, the auto club said. Les Breininger, the owner of Sylvania Auto Restyling & Glass, said insurance so far has covered all of his shop’s customers’ technologyrelated windshield replacements, but his customers are often still on the hook for their policies’ deductibles. “More and more cars are coming with other stuff on the windows besides the rear-view mirror,” Breininger said. Manufacturers specify that any cameras or sensors associated with replacement glass need to be recalibrated, at a cost typically ranging between $150 and $230, Breininger said, and windshields have become significantly more expensive than they used to be. In an article published during the summer, Consumer Reports also noted that road grime or winter’s ice and snow also can interfere with navigation systems’ performance, especially devices that rely on cameras. While auto manufacturers are developing “self-cleaning” features for those systems, they are far from universal. And like improper calibration, dirt, frost or other interference may render safety systems inoperative or inaccurate. AAA based its research on repair costs for “three top-selling models in popular categories,” including a small sport utility vehicle, a medium sedan, and a full-size pickup truck. It did not disclose the models, but it did identify the manufacturers as Ford, Toyota and Nissan. We thank The Blade for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

CREF Career Fairs Pair Eligible Graduates With Transportation Industry Positions The new and improved version of the Collision Repair Education Foundation career fairs is going strong. Businesses across the transportation industries, including collision repair, automotive services, heavy duty auto and diesel automotive, are meeting their matches, and new graduates are finding their happily-ever-after careers.

Ricky’s skill grow tremendously over a short period, and he is the embodiment of what this company is about—doing a proper repair while trying to WOW our customers.” What makes these career fairs new and improved isn’t just the addition of hiring industries outside of collision repair, but also CREF’s new

Gerber, and I jumped on it because it was a good learning opportunity.” Each career fair hosts upwards of 400 students and a variety of hiring businesses in the transportation industries. The goal is to pair the brightest new graduates with the most lucrative entry-level positions in the industries.

“I got a young and enthusiastic tech out of [the career fair]” — Aleksei Keller, General Manager at Gerber Collision.

Enrique Dorantes, a Gerber Collision technician, was hired at a CREF career fair last year

“I got a young and enthusiastic tech out of [the career fair]” said Aleksei Keller, general manager at Gerber Collision. “We have seen

partnerships with TechForce Foundation and S/P2. Working with these partners allows CREF to help high school and college students and graduates prepare for the interviews they dream of getting as a result of the fair, facilitate onsite interviews and play a more active role in employment presentations. “I had an idea of what opportunities were available to me in collision repair from school,” said Enrique Dorantes, a Gerber Collision technician hired at a CREF career fair last year. “At the fair, I learned about the technician development program at

GM To Double Resources for Electric, Autonomous Vehicles by Sam McEachern, GM Authority

General Motors recently announced that it is doubling the amount of resources it will allocate toward the development of electric and autonomous vehicles over the next two years. The announcement came as part of the promotion of former head of product at General Motors, Mark Reuss, to president of the company. “Reuss has also been leading the transformation of the company’s global product development workforce and processes to drive world-class levels of engineering in advanced technologies and improve quality and speed to market,” GM said in a prepared statement. “He is doubling the resources allocated to electric and autonomous vehicle programs in the next two years.” GM CEO Mary Barra said Reuss has also “played a critical role in leading the development of the company’s award-winning vehicles while transitioning his team to prepare for growing electrification and autonomous technologies.” While no official monetary figure was provided by GM, the automaker is dumping quite a significant amount of money into the development of 58

electric and autonomous vehicles. Late last year, the automaker announced it would invest $28 million in its battery development and test lab. It has also spent more than $1 billion to acquire and expand its self-driving car subsidiary, Cruise Automation. GM recently axed one of its plug-in hybrid vehicles, the Chevrolet Volt, in order to make way for more battery electric vehicles. It also got rid of other aging, slow-selling product in order to free up cash to invest in EVs and AVs. GM models set to be discontinued include the Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Impala, Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS sedan and Cadillac CT6 sedan. GM Canada is rumored to be killing off the Chevrolet Sonic as well—a move that GM will eventually copy, we (GM Authority) imagine. The American automaker recently passed the 200,000-EVs-sold milestone, which means its EV customers will no longer be eligible to receive the $7,500 tax credit. The government will phase out the tax credit system for GM over the next 15 months. We thank GM Authority for reprint permission.

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Dorantes said the opportunities he found in school all required more experience than his education provided, so prior to the career fair, he was looking at taking a low-paying job just to get his feet wet. “I needed more real-world experience. School was 80 percent textbook learning and 20 percent hands-on. Gerber offered me an opportunity to learn on the job and they provide tools, which isn’t something I could find just anywhere,” he said. Keller is ecstatic with Gerber’s hire just six months in. “Most young employees don’t ask a question, but

he is full of them on a daily basis [and] trying to expand his knowledge,” said Keller. “We were really impressed with his attitude.” Spring Career Fair Dates The Foundation is currently planning career fairs on the following dates next spring: • • • • • • • • • • •

Miami, FL (2/27) Tampa/Orlando, FL (2/28) San Antonio, TX (3/6) Phoenix, AZ (4/6) Atlanta, GA (TBD) Chicago, IL (TBD) Dallas, TX (TBD) Detroit, MI (TBD) Houston, TX (TBD) Northern VA (TBD) Northern and Southern CA (TBD)

Additional dates will be announced soon.

For more information on how to participate in a career fair or establish one in your community, contact Brandon Eckenrode, director of development, via phone at (312) 231-0258 or email at Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org

AMi To Host FCA Certified Collision Network Online Training The Automotive Management Institute (AMi) announced it has been chosen to host the FCA Certified Collision Network’s nontechnical training in conjunction with industry-leading consultant and Collision Advice owner Mike Anderson.

The goals of the training program are to improve the return on investment for the FCA certified network shop, support accurate and safe repairs, and improve the FCA customer experience. The online courses will be available through AMi’s learning portal and focus on specific topics such as the proper use of Tech Authority, how to leverage the FCA certification and more. The FCA online courses are designed for individuals involved in administrative, management,

estimating and repair planning roles. Based on the topic, online courses will start the year as highly recommended or recommended by FCA to participate in its Certified Collision Network. The online courses, though intended for FCA Collision Network shops, will be available to anyone in the industry. “It is an honor to have FCA as our first OEM partner, and [we] have tremendous appreciation for their determination to ensure the FCA customer has a great collision repair experience and receives a safe and proper repair. The AMi next generation project positioned AMi to support organizations interested in improving their customers’ satisfaction,” said Jeff Peevy, AMi president. “I also want to acknowledge the incredible leadership and work Mike Anderson has provided on this project. The positive impact this initiative will have on the FCA Certified Collision Network and its customers will be substantial.”

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CREF Benchmark Grant Applications Available to Collision Schools The application for the Collision Repair Education Foundation Benchmark Grant program, formerly the Ultimate Makeover Grant, is now available to schools teaching collision repair across the U.S. The grant program is in its 10th year. Instructors are advised to begin the application early, and industry professionals are encouraged to get involved with the Benchmark grant by working with their local school’s collision instructors to help them apply. The winning schools will be announced during the SEMA show in Las Vegas, NV, in November. Awards of up to $25,000 will be given. The school Benchmark Grant application is available online and is due by Friday, June 7, 2019. “Schools teaching the next generation of the collision industry’s workforce continue to face tremendous budgetary pressure. It is difficult for many to maintain their program at current capabilities, no less increase their abilities and improve the training they deliver to the industry’s future workforce,” said Melissa Marscin, director of operations/administration for the Foundation. “The Benchmark grant program is de-

signed to help collision schools get the much-needed tools, equipment and supplies to increase their capa-

bilities based upon industry-developed standards. Last year, every school that applied received some level of support through both grants and in-kind donations.” The Benchmark grant program incorporates the Foundation’s Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark that was launched in 2017. Under the program developed by the Foundation, schools are classified into three tiers: • Tier 1: Advanced • Tier 2: Proficient • Tier 3: Developing

The designation will be determined by the Foundation based upon information provided by schools about the capabilities of their program de-

tailed in the Collision Repair Education Foundation Benchmark grant application. The criteria for each level includes the number of hours of instruction and curriculum in place, along with what tools, equipment and supplies a school uses to prepare their students for employment in the collision industry.

line at: https://app.wizehive.com/app form/login/2019SchoolGrant The organization’s Board of Trustees Selection Committee will select the winners of the awards and determine which items off the wish lists each school will receive. Since 2009, schools have been able to apply for the grant to get much-needed tools, equipment and supplies. Over $4 million in cash and in-kind donations have been

If there is something that a school needs to advance to the next level, the Education Foundation’s grant application will allow a school to request that particular item. The goal is to help every school acquire the resources needed to eventually achieve a Tier 1: Advanced school designation. Schools at Tier 1 status can request support for items that further advance and expand their program. The application is available on-

given out to schools as a result of the grant, and more than 25,000 collision students have been impacted by the program. Collision repair facilities, insurance companies and suppliers interested in supporting school grants should contact Collision Repair Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation .org or (312) 231-0258.

“Last year, every school that applied received some level of support through both grants and in-kind donations.” — Melissa Marscin

Consumers Confused by Partially Automated Driving Features by David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com

We thank CarComplaints.com for reprint permission. https://www.car complaints.com/news/2018/consumers -confused-by-partially-automateddriving-features.shtml What’s in a name? When it comes to partially automated driving systems, apparently a lot. The latest research from AAA indicates that 40 percent of U.S. consumers believe partially automated driving systems can do all the driving—a scary proposition for all drivers on the roads. Names such as Autopilot, Pilot Assist and ProPILOT allegedly confuse some drivers who don’t pay attention to their surroundings because they believe the cars handle all the driving chores. In addition to the confusing names used by some automakers, researchers at AAA also tested multiple systems in four vehicles and determined they suffered from serious problems when dealing with stationary vehicles, poor lane markings and unusual traffic patterns. To research partially automated vehicle capabilities, AAA conducted tests on the closed surface streets of 60

the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. Additional tests were conducted on highways and limited-access freeways in the Los Angeles area.

Researchers used a 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, 2018 Nissan Rogue, 2017 Tesla Model S and 2019 Volvo XC40, all equipped with standard partially automated driving features. While driving on public roadways, the test vehicles had problems in moderate traffic, on curved roadways and when traveling streets with busy intersections. “Researchers noted many instances where the test vehicle experienced issues like lane departures, hugging lane markers, ‘ping-ponging’ within the lane, inadequate braking, unexpected speed changes and inappropriate following distances,”

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

stated AAA. According to researchers, the systems typically did best on open freeways and freeways with stop-andgo traffic. However, nearly 90 percent of events requiring driver intervention were caused by the inability of the test vehicle to maintain lane positions. Closed-track tests were conducted by using multiple driving conditions such as following an impaired driver and coming upon a tow truck or a vehicle that suddenly changed lanes to reveal a stopped vehicle was in the road. AAA said all the vehicles successfully maintained lane position and recognized and reacted to the presence of the tow truck with little to no difficulty. However, three of the four test vehicles required the drivers to intervene and take control to avoid an imminent crash when a lead vehicle changed lanes to reveal a stationary vehicle. Real-world examples exist, as drivers claimed they crashed due to believing their cars could take full control in all driving situations, even when the owners’ manuals clearly said otherwise. Within the past few months, Tesla

has been sued twice by drivers who crashed while not paying attention to the roads. In one crash, a Tesla Model S crashed into a stalled vehicle at 80 mph because the driver believed the car would stop on its own. A separate lawsuit alleges the driver was deceived by Tesla’s marketing of its Autopilot system, causing the driver to remove her hands from the wheel for 80 seconds just prior to the crash. AAA’s research isn’t the first to show how drivers can be confused by the different names used for similar features offered by various automakers. In a paper released by the Thatcham Research Center and the Association of British Insurers, researchers found consumers can easily fail to understand the differences between advanced driver assistance systems and fully automated driving technology. The confusion can cause drivers to ignore the reality of needing to stay fully alert to deal with all driving conditions. In addition, researchers said confused drivers can also lack the ability to understand that they may be completely legally responsible for any crashes that occur.

Regional Association Event Announcements: February 2019 by Chasidy Rae Sisk

See below for a list of regional automotive association events coming up in February: AASPI Annual Meeting To Feature Mike Anderson On Feb. 23, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Illinois (AASPI) will be hosting its 2019 Annual Meeting at the Diplomat West in Elmhurst, IL, from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The event will feature a keynote presentation by Mike Anderson of Collision Advice as well as a presentation delivered by Eric Newell of asTech, an AASPI Elite Provider member. According to AASPI Executive Director Mike Lane, “We have also extended an invitation to Senator Tom Cullerton (D-23) and Representative Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24), who have shown interest in working with AASPI in the introduction of legislation mandating all estimates be written using OEM repair procedures.” Anderson’s presentation is ti-

tled “Positioning Yourself in the Collision Repair Industry” and will focus on what the future holds for collision repair professionals. Some of the topics that Anderson will cover during AASPI’s Annual Meeting include how telematics and connected vehicles will impact the damage analysis process, how telematics and connected vehicles will impact FNOL and when it will happen, how to prepare for the fact that 36 percent of consumers want services outside a shop’s normal business hours, and preparing for the prediction that 70 percent of claims will be handled by photo or video inspection by 2020. Anderson will also provide an overview of Collision Advice’s “Who Pays for What?” surveys and an update on OEM certifications as well as other relevant industry topics. Newell will present “Why is Post-Repair Calibration So Important?” He will demonstrate why it is vital for collision repair facilities to understand which systems may be impacted by the repair process because calibrating the ADAS is vital

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to a properly and safely functioning vehicle. AASPI’s Annual Meeting will also include the election of officers and directors. Current President Bob Gottfred of Erie LaSalle Body Shops will be re-elected, as will Vice President Doug Fiala from Douglas Auto Body and Secretary/Treasurer Paul Mason of AutoNation. Mayers Collision Center’s Joe Mayer will continue to serve as a director for the association alongside newly elected directors Tom Stiefbold of O’Hare Auto Body and Tim Paap from Paap Auto Body. Additional information and registration for the event will be available on the association’s website at aaspi.org or by calling the AASPI office at 217-528-5230. YANG To Host 2 Meet-Ups in MI and LA The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) will host two Regional Meet-Ups in February. On Thursday, Feb. 7, YANG will meet up in Grand Rapids, MI, in conjunction with the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Tech Expo. This Meet-Up will be hosted by Auto Wares. On Wednesday, Feb. 27, YANG’s Meet -Up will be held in New Orleans, LA, in conjunction with the 2019 Women in Auto Care Leadership Conference. For more information about YANG and its scheduled events, visit autocare.org/what-wedo/professional-development/youngauto-care-network-group/ ASA-AZ Tucson Chapter To Host February Roundtable On Feb. 5, the Tucson Chapter of ASA-AZ will host an Automotive Roundtable from 6 p.m.–8:30 p.m. at El Corral Restaurant in Tucson, AZ. The goal of these meetings is to provide a platform for association members to share the challenges they face in their businesses and identify potential solutions. For more information on ASA-AZ, visit asaaz.org. HABA & ABAT To Host 2019 Collision Day The Houston Auto Body Association (HABA) scheduled a 2019 Collision Day for Feb. 12 in Austin, TX, at the State Capitol. This will be a joint effort in collaboration with the Auto

Body Association of Texas (ABAT). The purpose of the event is to put repairers and other industry representatives in direct contact with state leaders. The Texas collision repair industry is ready to stand up as a collective force for change emphasizing “Safety and Enforcement of the Texas Consumer Bill of Rights,” according to HABA Legislative Coordinator Larry Cernosek. For more information on HABA, visit haba online.org. AWAF To Host Fireside Chat The Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF) will host a Fireside Chat on Feb. 6 in a private residence, featuring Ms. Julie Martin, vice president of sales and marketing for HELLA USA. For more information on AWAF, visit awa foundation.org. ASA-OH To Host Repair Planning Workshop On Feb. 6, ASA-OH will host a workshop titled “Optimize Performance Through Repair Planning” presented by Robb Power, senior manager of business solutions for PPG’s Automotive Refinish division. Rescheduled from September due to a hurricane, the workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. at Ohio Auto Kolor in Columbus, OH. Power’s presentation will focus on explaining how shops have the potential to deliver improved performance by utilizing the repair planning process. It will include an explanation of the impact the traditional estimating process has on work flow, knowledge of the benefits to the business for those who can successfully implement repair planning, detailed instructions on the repair planning process, and an in-depth exploration of the things to do and avoid in order to successfully implement repair planning. The cost to attend this workshop is $45 for association members and $90 for non-members. For more information about ASAOH and its events, visit asaohio.org.

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autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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