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AUTOBODY CT / DE / ME / MD / MA / NH / NJ / NY / PA / RI / VT

CAA Lobbyist Discusses New CA Laws for 2019 by Ed Attanasio

Every year, hundreds of new laws are enacted that impact California’s automotive repair shops, both collision and mechanical. From huge MSOs to independent shops, these laws have the potential to influence collision repair centers everywhere if they don’t adapt and adhere to these new laws. Jack Molodanof, an attorney and lobbyist who has distinguished himself in areas of automotive legislative and regulatory law over the past 30 years, is the go-to lawyer/lobbyist in California for the automotive

repair industry and represents several statewide automotive associations, including the California Autobody Association (CAA), Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA) and the California Automotive Business Coalition (Cal-ABC). Molodanof also serves on the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Advisory Group, which provides input on BAR programs. Below is a short summary highlighting some key measures that take effect in 2019, unless otherwise noted. Minimum Wage Increase: Reminder See New CA Laws, Page 20

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 11 / 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 capability to eliminate human error on our roadways, making everyday modes See 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 30 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 26

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FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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CONTENTS ABAC Presents $10,000 to Connecticut Technical Education and Career System . . . 14 Buffalo, NY, Collision Repair Shop Owner Gives Back to Ormsby Educational Center . . 10 Dynasty Auto Body Refurbishes Donated Vehicle for NJ Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Harris Auto Body Prepares Worcester, MA, Firefighter’s Ladder 4 for Funeral Services . . 12 Lee’s Auto Body Owner, Lee Vetland, Passes Away in NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MA Body Shop Earns I-CAR Gold, Platinum Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 PA Collision Repair & Diesel Students Give School’s Bus a Makeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ultimate Auto Body Claims Ethos Auto Body Pirated Its Business in NY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Here’s How It Got That Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 CAA Lobbyist Discusses New California

Anderson - Automaker’s Increased Role in Claims Seems Just on the Horizon as Connectivity Happens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Attanasio - Eric Newell Is Not Afraid to Serve His Community in Different Ways . . . . . . . . 52 Ledoux - Early DRP Programs of the 1960s. . . 48 Phillips - ALLDATA Showcases Diagnostic Scan Tool and Collision Repair Product . . . . 70 Phillips - General Motors Collision Repair Network Starts off With Strong Response from Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Phillips - The Impact of Telematics and Connected Vehicles on the Collision Repair Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Phillips - TX Body Shop Invests in Community, Technology, OEM Certifications . . . . . . . . . . 58 Sisk - ASA Hosts RepairPal’s Jill Trotta for Webinar on Transparency and Trust . . . . . . . 42 Sisk - Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation Hosts Holiday Celebration . . . . . 50 Sisk - Dave Luehr’s December Elite Webinar Features Brad Mewes Discussing ‘Financing Growth’ . . . . . . . . . . 56 Sisk - Mike Anderson Presents ‘Using the Subaru Technical Information System – Part 2’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Catastrophe Claims Among Discussion at Recent CIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Class Action Filed Against Two Auto Dealerships in California Alleging Violation of Labor Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Collision P.R.E.P. Program To Return to NORTHEAST 2019. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Collision Works Utilizes Symach’s FixLine Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Consumers Confused by Partially Automated Driving Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 CREF Benchmark Grant Applications

AMi To Host FCA Certified Collision Network Online Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 ASA Appoints Ray Fisher to Serve as Executive Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 ASA Partners With Chevron to Provide Savings on Motor Oils, Lubricants for Shops. . . . . . . 28 asTech Renews Commitment to CIECA Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Brighter Headlights Cause Problems:

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Acura of Westchester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Launch Tech USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

AkzoNobel Coatings Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . 72

Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists, LLC. . . . . . . . 12

LKQ Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Atlantic Hyundai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Long Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Lynnes Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

AutobodyLaw.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Malouf Chevrolet-Cadillac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

AutoNation Collision Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Matrix Automotive Finishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 8

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 68

Bical Auto Mall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

McGovern Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram . . . . . 14

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 62-63

Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City. . . . . . . . . . . 57

Cadillac of Mahwah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington . . . . . . . 57

CCC Information Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Central Avenue Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram . . 20

Mercedes-Benz of West Chester . . . . . . . . . 57

Cherry Hill Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram . . . . . 38

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 71

Collision Equipment Consulting, Inc.. . . . . . . 30

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Colonial Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 72

Criswell Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram . . . . . . . 32

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . 44-45

Dent Fix Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

New Holland Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram . . . 28

Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealer . . . . . 70

Dominion Sure Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Northstar Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Eckler’s Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Nucar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Association to Affiliate with SCRS . . . . . . . . 38

Empire Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 66

Safelite Group Acquires Glasspro . . . . . . . . . . 68

Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

ProLine Tool & Supply, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Speakers at SCRS’ Ideas Collide Discuss

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

RBL Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Fred Beans Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

SATA Dan-Am Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Schultz Ford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

GYS Welding USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Security Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram . . . . . . . . 7

Healey Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 40-41

Steck Mfg. Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Hyundai Motor America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . 73

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 58

Tasca Automotive Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Derailing Self-Driving Cars, More . . . . . . . . . 4

Infiniti of Norwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 74

Up to $60 Million Is Available for Testing ADS . . 73

JiffyJump.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

VIP Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Waymo Plans to Build Self-Driving Plant in

Available to Collision Schools . . . . . . . . . . . 76

With Transportation Industry Positions . . . . . 68 Dave Luehr’s Elite Body Shop Academy Launches Operations Monthly LIVE . . . . . . . 28 Deer-Vehicle Collisions Continue Upward Trend in 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 FL Body Shop Worker Crashes Customer’s Audi S4, Shop Refuses to Pay for Repairs . . 15 Ford Recalls 953,000 Vehicles for Airbag Flying Shrapnel Threat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 GM To Double Resources for Electric, Autonomous Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 HABA Shoots the Breeze (and More!) With Sponsors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Industrial Finishes & Systems Names Vice Chairman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Looks Like More Than the U.S. Government Is Shut Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 New Car Technology May Lead to Sticker Shock at Body Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Regional Association Event Announcements: February 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 SAAR in Canada Becomes Newest

Their Visions for Industry’s Future . . . . . . . . . 1 Star of David Atop AZ Auto Body Shop Honors Jews of Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

NATIONAL

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Challenges of Processing Hail or Other

CREF Career Fairs Pair Eligible Graduates COLUMNISTS

AUTOBODY

Laws for 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

REGIONAL

Study Pours Cold Water on AI Driving Algorithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Tesla Owners Go Behind-the-Scenes at a Certified Tesla Repair Center . . . . . . . . . . 72 Unhappy AZ Residents Slash Waymo Tires,

Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 75

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . 77

Michigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Killer Tools & Equipment Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Westbury Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram-SRT . . 25

WIN Begins Sponsorship Campaign for 2019 . . 36

Kundert Volvo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

YesterWreck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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

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. 4

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.

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.

Continued from Cover

First Legislation

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 Representative Fischer and other legislators for bringing this issue forward to help make See First Legislation, Page 12

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

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.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

Ultimate Auto Body Claims Ethos Auto Body Pirated Its Business in NY by Bill Heltzel, Westfair Communications

A Bedford Hills, NY, auto body shop owner claims that two former employees, including his nephew, pirated his business. Gregory Beobide, owner of Ultimate Auto Body Inc., sued Ethos Auto Body LLC and co-owners Matthew Beobide and Dan Zimdahl for $1 million on Dec. 20, 2018, in Westchester Supreme Court. While Ethos’ co-owners still worked for Ultimate, they were misappropriating “as much confidential and proprietary information as possible,” Gregory Beobide said in an affidavit, to “minimize their own costs in developing their new shop.” Matthew Beobide declined to discuss the lawsuit and referred inquiries to Ronald G. Crispi, his attorney. Crispi was not available to comment. Matthew Beobide worked for Ultimate for 13 years and managed the Bedford Hills shop. Zimdahl worked for Ultimate for four years and managed the Mount Vernon shop. They continued to work for Ultimate until Oct. 6, when Gregory Beobide confronted them about their new business. Ethos was established

three months before and operated at 785 Bedford Rd., Bedford Hills, near Ultimate’s shop. Its website “history” states it has been providing auto body repair services “for over 30 years.” Gregory Beobide claims that his nephew contacted Assured Performance Network, a certification company, and represented his uncle as a co-owner of Ethos, according to the complaint, to transfer original equipment manufacturer certificates to the new business. Then he took the OEM plaques. His former employees hijacked Ultimate’s website, according to the complaint, replacing it with a “ghost” website that had no contact information and incorrect location information. He claims his nephew pirated Ultimate’s social media sites, listing his own cell phone number as the contact number on Google Business and Yelp and taking the Facebook page offline. Ethos recruited Ultimate employees, according to the complaint, and a painter, helper and body work man left to work for Ethos. Gregory Beobide also accuses his nephew of taking vendor contracts and a customer list and downloading professionally taken photographs of work being done in his shop. The pho-

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tos were then allegedly used on Ethos’ website and Facebook page and posted on the Katonah Chamber of Commerce website. He claims that his former employees sent email blasts to Ultimate’s customers, soliciting their business. An email announcing the new business was headlined, “Grand Opening Ultimate Auto Body, Formally,” implying, according to the complaint, that Ethos was a new location for Ultimate. Customers have been confused, the complaint states, “into believing that Ethos and Ultimate were the same entity.” The strength and net worth of an auto body shop, Gregory Beobide states in his affidavit, rests on its brand, services, image, reputation, pricing, employees and customer base. His former employees, he alleges, misappropriated confidential information and trade secrets, unjustly enriched themselves and breached their duty of good faith and loyalty. Ultimate is demanding $1 million and a court order barring Ethos from exploiting its proprietary information. Ultimate is represented by Patrick V. DeIorio of Rye Brook. We thank Westfair Communications for reprint permission.

Lee Vetland Passes Away in NJ

Lee Vetland passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, surrounded by his loving family and friends. He was 71 years old. Vetland was born in Rahway, NJ, and resided in Avenel, NJ, and Colonia his entire life. He owned and operated Lee’s Auto Body and Pine Top Service in Avenel for over 50 years, was a proud member and co-owner of the Colonia Country Club and was one of the founders and a board member of Auto Body Distributing. He was predeceased by his parents, Art and Ginny Vetland. Surviving are his daughter and best friend, Katie Vetland, and her husband, Alejandro Picado, and her mom, Maria Harriette Vetland; sister, Joann Vetland and her wife, Carol DiStefano; devoted partner, Linda Scapicchio, and many wonderful friends whom he thought of as family.

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autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

Dynasty Auto Body Refurbishes Donated Vehicle for NJ Marine by Jayed Rahman, Paterson Times

On Dec. 14, Christmas came early for Brian Youssef. The Garfield, NJ, resident, who served three tours with the Marines in Iraq, received a refurbished 2017 Chrysler Pacifica with 5,000 miles on the odometer from Dynasty Auto Body in Paterson, NJ. “I’m still in disbelief,” said Youssef, 33, standing in front of his new car at the Dynasty Auto Body on Pennsylvania Avenue. He was incredulous when his landlord told him about the Recycled Rides program, but he nonetheless submitted an application. Youssef, who has been struggling since returning from Iraq, has had a string of bad luck. He held a series of odd jobs, including digging holes for ventilation units. His most recent job was managing a pizzeria in Ridgewood. The pizzeria was sold, and the new owner decided to cut costs. He was laid off in early 2017. About six months ago, his car overheated and needed repairs. He did not have enough money to make the costly repairs. “It drove me crazy,” he said of

not having car. Lack of transportation made it difficult for him to attend his medical appointments, attend classes and go to job interviews. He was injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion during his second

Credit: PatersonTimes.com

tour in Iraq and has been receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. This didn’t stop him from returning for a third tour. “I went back. I couldn’t get enough,” said Youssef. “You go back for your friends. You don’t go back for yourself.” Youssef served his first tour from 2004–2005, second from 2006–

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

2007, and third from 2008–2009, he said. He left the Marines in 2012, he said. “My first year getting out was a big struggle,” he said. The unemployment rate was more than 8 percent in 2012. “I’d walk into a job interview; there would be 30 applicants waiting,” he said. Meanwhile, he attended trade school and earned an HVAC certification, he said. He is attending Bergen Community College and actively seeking employment. At one point, he sought to become a police officer, but could not because of his PTSD. Youssef is the seventh veteran to receive a donated car from Dynasty Auto Body, which participates in the Recycled Rides program run by the National Auto Body Council. Vehicles damaged in collisions are repaired and donated to people in need. “This cause is very close to our heart,” said Anne Kolea. She owns the shop with her husband, John

Hamdan. Insurance firm GEICO purchased the vehicle from an auto auction. Dynasty Auto Body refurbished it. Hamdan said the vehicle is valued at $36,000. His shop spent $10,000 to refurbish it, he said. “John grew up in Paterson. He started working at the age of 12. He didn’t have anything. Now that he is successful, he wants to give back,” said Kolea. Youssef was handed the vehicle, decorated with a green bow and patriotic balloons, at a celebration at the body shop on Dec. 14. The celebration featured the GEICO gecko, a color guard made up of first responders, and elected officials. “Brian proudly served our country, and this vehicle is a token of our community’s gratitude,” said Mayor Andre Sayegh. “We appreciate the generosity of Anne and Dynasty Auto Body, especially at this time of year. This gift will certainly lift Brian’s spirits and alleviate the burden of depending on public transportation.” We thank Paterson Times for reprint permission.

Collision P.R.E.P. Program To Return to NORTHEAST 2019

PA Collision Repair & Diesel Students Give School’s Bus a Makeover The Clearfield County Career & Technology Center (CCCTC) collision repair and diesel students in Clearfield, PA, spent the past few

months working to transform a CCCTC bus in need of a makeover. Darrin Dale, collision repair instructor, said that both his a.m. and p.m. students helped restore the bus by removing old stickers and sanding and prepping the bus for paint. Students then repainted the bus and tires with single-stage urethane. Along with collision repair students, students in the diesel equipment maintenance and repair program ran a safety check and performed needed

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

repairs on the bus. Reece Matthew, diesel instructor, explained that his p.m. students did a lot of maintenance on the bus, such as a service check and engine repair. The programs came together to give the CCCTC bus a muchneeded makeover. During their time at CCCTC, students have opportunities to take the skills they are learning in their program and put them to use in real life events.

On Dec. 16, AASP/NJ announced that the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association’s (WMABA’s) Collision Professional Repairer Education Program (Collision P.R.E.P.) will return to NORTHEAST® 2019. The event is scheduled to take place at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, from March 15–17, 2019. According to AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee, “WMABA does a great job with Collision P.R.E.P. Other than SEMA, it’s the only place to get this type of highlevel education.” After the success of the debut of WMABA’s Collision P.R.E.P. educational series during NORTHEAST 2018, AASP/NJ decided to again partner with the WMABA to provide informative seminars focused on the multitude of challenges impacting professional collision repairers in their daily business. Topics include technology, equipment, repair procedures, finding good team members and more. Many of last year’s favorites

To learn more about the opportunities for high school and adult students at the CCCTC, visit www.ccctc.edu

www.autobodynews.com

will return, including the OEM Representatives Panel Discussion, which explores the impact of technology on the future of repairs. Industry favorites will also appear on the agenda, including Mike Anderson of Collision Advice and many other national-level speakers. WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler noted, “There is a lot of work that goes into making this a valuable investment for everyone attending, from show owners to technicians. Working together with AASP/NJ to have Collision P.R.E.P. alongside the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show is a huge win for everyone—especially the attendees. They get quality education, can see new equipment from vendors and meet up with colleagues as well. It’s a weekend worth making the ride for; we promise that.” For more information on Collision P.R.E.P. and NORTHEAST, visit aaspnjnortheast.com. For more information on WMABA, visit wmaba.com. For more information on AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj .org.

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Buffalo, NY, Collision Repair Shop Owner Gives Back to Ormsby Educational Center The donation has been well received by both the students and A Lancaster, NY, man is giving back Drewery, who said a piece of equipto a program that he said helped him ment like this will not only allow the succeed. students to have more hands-on exFrank Todaro, owner of Colli- periences, but also save the program sion Masters, recently donated a thousands of dollars. piece of equipment to the students in “Using this equipment, it’s going the auto body repair program at Erie to allow us to make the process of 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES making repairs a lot simpler. And (the Wallace D. Ormsby Educational Cen- students) can actually learn, so when ter in East Aurora, NY. they go in the shop, they actually know “I attended the Erie 1-BOCES how to use that machine,” Drewery Harkness Career and Technical Cen- said. ter,” Todaro said. “The education I In addition to getting first-hand received there definitely helped me experience inside the classroom, his in my career and made me a strong students also have a chance to spend believer in the need for vocational a month interning at local body schools in our community.” shops. From there, they will go on to their capstone project, during which they will work in the auto field for three weeks as part of a paid internship. “We’re preparing the kids for the workforce,” Drewery said. “Some kids don’t want to go on to college, and with what they’re actually learning here, they really don’t need to further their education in this Erie 2 BOCES Associate Director Leo Fial talks with field.” teacher Rick Drewery and Frank Todaro, owner of Collision Masters, about the recent donation. Credit: One of those kids is Noah Kate Pelczynski Goetz, a senior from Eden. Todaro said he started talking to Goetz said he was planning on joinRick Drewery, the auto body in- ing the military after high school. structor at Ormsby, about a year ago. However, he is interested in auto The two started talking about new body repair as a back-up plan. technology in the industry, and To“I’ve done a lot of open houses daro ultimately offered to donate a here, talked to many students and frame machine he had in storage to parents about what we do in here, the school. Todaro said he no longer what they can learn and how it can needed the equipment, as he recently help them in the near future. Even upgraded to a machine that could with molding metal, you can make work with newer models of cars. your own gas tanks,” he said, adding “I said, ‘We’re not going to sell it; that he enjoys doing dent repairs on we’re going to give it back to someone vehicles. “From going in here, there’s that can use it,’” Todaro said. really no need to go to college beDrewery said he was stunned by cause you get so much experience.” the donation. The instruction Todaro re“I was speechless. I really didn’t ceived in the classroom is someknow what to expect, and for something to which he credits his success body to do something like that means in business. so much,” he said. “Bob Versao was my instrucThe frame machine being do- tor, and he’s still instructing there nated is a Car-O-Liner product, ac- today. He showed me beyond the knowledged within the collision repair scales of just repairing dings and industry as a premier manufacturer. It dents and painting—that there were was transported from Collision Mas- also management skills that are inters to The Ormsby Educational Cen- volved,” he said. Todaro said the need for skilled ter by No Limit Towing, located in Lancaster. trades workers is at an all-time high by Kate Pelczynski, East Aurora Bee

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

right now. While he has 49 employees working in two different shops, the majority of Todaro’s employees are 50 and older. “We do have a handful of young students now that are being mentored by these guys that are working for me, but it’s a work in progress. We’re really working hard to be where we need to be,” Todaro said.

your main concern right now as a business owner?’ [they say] it’s the help. To find the employee that can fit the mold and do that job, it’s very hard to find right now,” he said. “We’ve got young students who can do this.” However, Todaro said the majority of young people aren’t interested in this line of work. “It’s like they were scared to do it; they were told you don’t want to get your hands dirty,” he said. He said he hopes this donation will inspire more businesses to help the next generation of employees. “I hope this sparks an interest that people should think twice about if they have someThe Car-O-Liner frame machine sits on a pallet inside the thing at their facility. Instead auto body classroom at the Wallace D. Ormsby Educaof just throwing it out if it’s tional Center still functional, put it to use. He’s not alone when it comes to Ask around; see if another school needs it. Budgets are tight and it could the lack of skilled trades workers. “I know many business owners be useful somewhere else,” he said. in Buffalo, and the first thing [they We thank East Aurora Bee for say] when you ask them, ‘What is reprint permission.

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Continued from Page 4

First Legislation

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 See First Legislation, Page 61

Harris Auto Body Prepares Worcester, MA, Firefighter’s Ladder 4 for Funeral Services by Cyrus Moulton, Telegram & Gazette

For years, they watched from across the street as the trucks went in and out of the Park Avenue fire station in Worcester, MA, protecting the city and its residents. In December, Harris Auto Body returned the favor by giving two fire trucks a final detailing in preparation for Firefighter Christopher J. Roy’s funeral services. “This is the least we could do,” said John Joubert, an employee at the shop. “It humbles you, and it’s a good feeling—you’re helping these guys out in a time of need.” Firefighter Roy, 36, died Dec. 9 from injuries sustained while fighting an early-morning fire at 7 Lowell St. The tragedy hit the Worcester community and the firefighting community hard, and thousands were expected to pay their respects to the Roy family the weekend of Dec. 15– 16. A memorial fund was established by Worcester Firefighters IAFF Local 1009 in the name of Firefighter Roy’s daughter, Ava Roy. Checks may be made payable

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

to the Ava Roy Fund and mailed directly to the Worcester Fire Department Credit Union, 34 Glennie St., Worcester, MA 01605. Engine 5 and Ladder 4, from Firefighter Roy’s Webster Square fire station, were on display at the services: Engine 5 carried the casket; Ladder 4—the truck on which Firefighter Roy served—displayed funeral flowers. And both were in need of a spruce-up in preparation. “What we’re doing is kind of giving them a quick makeover,” said Mr. Joubert. Harris Auto Body shut down its collision center Dec. 12 and 13 to fulfill the task. A team of six employees pressure-washed the trucks, cleaning off grease and tarnish. The paint was touched up, the lights were polished, the chrome was cleaned, the wheels were refinished, and the trucks were buffed and waxed. “We’ve taken a week’s worth of detail work and put it into a dayand-a-half,” estimated Mr. Joubert on the afternoon of Dec. 13. And Engine 5 was still in process. “It’s been all hands on deck,”

said Doug Haddad, whose family owns the business. “Keep going, whatever it takes,” he urged employees as they power-washed Engine 5. The work was emotional. Mr. Joubert pointed out two seats in Ladder 4 that faced each other. “Imagine having your whole career looking at that firefighter, then having it empty [when] riding back to the station,” Mr. Joubert said. “Coming back and there’s one less guy— that’s got to be tough.” But the shop—which did similar work after the Cold Storage Fire in 1999 and for the funeral of Firefighter Jon Davies Sr. in 2011— was glad to volunteer and do it. “I’m pretty honored,” said Worcester Technical High School student Ezequiel Anaya, 17, who works part-time at the shop but had gotten the day off from school Dec. 13 to help out. “We’ve got to take care of them because they take care of us.” Reprinted with permission of the Telegram & Gazette.

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ABAC Presents $10,000 to Connecticut Technical Education and Career System

tative Kim Rose to celebrate the donation at Platt Technical High School in Milford. “Our organization is dedicated to improving the auto repair industry in Connecticut,” said Bob Amendola, president of ABAC. “Staying abreast of emerging technologies and keeping our customers happy depend on a highly skilled workforce, which the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System provides. ABAC is proud to support CTECS and the great work they do in training the repair technicians of tomorrow.” “The Connecticut Technical Education and Career (l to r) Platt Technical High School Principal David System is grateful for our Telesca, State Representative Kim Rose, Connecticut partnership with the Auto State Senator James Maroney, Milford Mayor Ben Body Association of ConBlake, students from Platt Technical High School, necticut,” said Jeff Wihbey, ABAC President Bob Amendola, and U.S. Senator superintendent of CTECS. Richard Blumenthal “The industry expertise they offered at eight technical high schools offer is invaluable to our staff. We look forward to continuing our close collabin Connecticut. CTECS leadership and students oration with ABAC and strengthening were joined by U.S. Senator Richard our collision repair program together.” ABAC provides support to CTECS Blumenthal, Milford Mayor Ben Blake, Connecticut State Senator by working with collision repair inJames Maroney and State Represen- structors on the program’s curriculum, On Friday, Jan. 11, the Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC) presented a $10,000 donation to the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS). The donation will help modernize CTECS’ automotive collision repair and refinishing program, which is

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

hosting department heads and teachers at ABAC membership meetings and attending school career nights to provide students and parents with insight on industry opportunities. The donation marks the second of its kind from ABAC. In 2016, the association matched $1,000 donations

from Kemperle Auto Body Paint & Equipment, Auto Body Supplies & Paint, Paint World, Paul Francis & Co. and West Springfield Auto Parts Plus. Each company once again agreed to participate in this year’s donation. “ABAC thanks our suppliers for their generous donations and their continued support of our local schools and future auto technicians of Connecticut,” said Amendola. The auto repair industry in Connecticut is facing workforce challenges. Auto body shops are seeking

qualified technicians familiar with the evolving technology, construction and safety features of modern vehicles. Post-secondary school enrollment is vital to filling these positions, which offer competitive wages, benefits and job security. Pete Standish, a former CTECS student and current repair technician in Wallingford, was also at the event. Standish began working at A&R Auto Body when he was a junior at Wilcox Technical High School in 2013. “I was always interested in a career in the auto industry. My training and hands-on experience were key to turning that interest into a reality. Since my graduation from Wilcox Tech, I have continued to hone my skills and have become a structural technician,” said Standish. “There are real growth opportunities with shops across Connecticut looking for skilled, passionate technicians. I would encourage any student with an interest in an auto repair career to learn more about the program.” For more information about the Auto Body Association of Connecticut, please visit abaconn.com or its Facebook page.

FL Body Shop Worker Crashes Customer’s Audi S4, Shop Refuses to Pay for Repairs by Michael Fira, TopSpeed

This article appeared in our January issue but a production error made it incomplete. We apologize and are rerunning the story here—the editor. All day, every day, we have to agree with forms online that are too long to be worth reading. Much in the same way, we often fail to read contracts in real life; however, this could have costly consequences. Take a man who brought his Audi S4 to a body shop for repairs only for an employee to wreck it and then refuse to pay for the damages. Apparently, the client had signed a contract that exempted the shop from having to pay for any damages that occurred while the car was in its care. However, the owner has since sought legal help as he aims to somehow get the body shop to pay for the gross negligence. It’s not the first time that we’ve heard about a customer handing his car over in good faith to an auto body repair shop thinking that he’ll get it back in better condition than it was in when he left it. Instead, through the carelessness—or utter recklessness in

this case—of the staff, the car ends up damaged or nigh on destroyed. Who is to blame if that happens? You’ll be quick to point fingers at the shop, but you may be in for a surprise. Vincent Hansen took his Audi S4 to Titan Motorsports in Orlando, FL, to have it upgraded with some aftermarket parts. Just a couple of days later, Hansen headed back to the shop to retrieve his prized possession. All seemed normal up until this point. Moments later, “the phone at the shop rang, and the news was, ‘Hey, we don’t really know how to tell you this, but your car was just in an accident around the corner from the shop,’ and I was like, ‘Is this a joke?’” Hansen said to WESH 2 News. “Accidents happen,” thought Hansen as he heard the news. After all, the employee was at fault for crashing into an oncoming car after making an illegal U-turn. He even received a ticket at the scene of the accident. Hansen’s universe shattered again moments later when he came to the realization that some paperwork that he’d signed prior to leaving the car at Titan Motorsports absolved the

body shop of any liability if something happened to the car while it was in its care. “It was, ‘Hey, you know, you have insurance for your car, and you should open up a claim under your policy,’ and that really didn’t make sense to me,” Hansen said. Apparently, Titan actually refused to send Hansen’s insurance company its insurance information, as “our terms and conditions clearly state who’s responsible for the damage,” according to Nero Deliwala, the owner of Titan Motorsports. A judge who was asked about the matter by WESH 2 News argued that the body shop wasn’t in the wrong. “The auto body shop can make the argument that they are not responsible to pay for those damages. Which really brings us to a consumer beware. Before you leave something at an auto body shop, be sure you know what you’re signing away,” the attorney said. Hansen’s view is that since the body shop’s employee was found at fault for the crash, the contract he signed should be considered null and void. According to information found

on freeadvice.com, the body shop’s insurance policy pays for damages unless the event that led to the car being damaged wasn’t random and impossible to predict by the staff. There’s also another scenario where the body shop is exempt from paying a dime, and that’s where Hansen’s story falls. It’s all about what you sign, and if you sign a hold harmless agreement, what you’re basically saying is that “you will not hold the auto repair shop liable for anything that happens to your car while it is there. Once signed, a hold harmless agreement, which can be as small as one or two sentences in fine print found at the bottom of a repair agreement, releases the auto repair shop from any liability.” For a court case against a reluctant body shop to stand, you must be able to prove that you didn’t sign the kind of agreement that Hansen did. So, in other words, his chances are slim at best. Let this be a warning to all of you out there who hush through paperwork without giving everything a second look. We thank TopSpeed for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

Deer-Vehicle Collisions Continue Upward Trend in 2018 by Sydney Kashiwagi, SILive.com

If you’re an Island driver, you might want to drive more cautiously around the borough because deer-vehicle collisions are on the rise. In 2018, the New York City Police Department recorded 103 deer-vehicle collisions around the Island—a 5 percent increase from the previous 98 collisions in 2017, and a 232 percent increase from 31 collisions in 2015. However, the Parks Department says that the number of collisions recorded by the NYPD includes collisions where vehicles come in direct contact with deer or crashes caused by deer. The agency said that as of Dec. 14, 2018, the number of crashes “exclusively involving motor vehicles hitting deer” stood at 67. The latest count comes as the city is just about finished with what has now become a $4.1 million, threeyear effort to curb the Island’s deer population by performing vasectomies on male deer.

While some injuries were reported, the NYPD said none of the deer strikes in 2018 caused motorist or passenger fatalities. And most of those strikes occurred in the 123 and 121 precincts.

As of Nov. 1, 2018, the Department of Sanitation removed 201 deer carcasses from the Island. Not just drivers, but auto body repair shops around the Island have

cidents onsite and in real time. City Hall claims that the uptick in deer strikes is the result of an increase in reporting the strikes and not an increase in actual collisions. “We have already seen an 8 percent decrease of the deer population on Staten Island— a testament to the ongoing success of the city’s deer impact management program. As we’ve raised awareness about deer, we have found that people are more likely to report deer vehicle collisions,” mayoral spokeswoman Jane Meyer said. “That’s a good thing—but it means that an Gerard Schofield of Prince’s Bay said a deer jumped over a mid-sized sedan and onto the hood of his SUV. uptick in collision numbers The animal shattered his window, broke off his side reflects an uptick in reporting mirror and climbed up to the roof of his vehicle before rather than an increase in acit ran into the woods tual collisions. Parks, NYPD told the Advance they have been fix- and DOT will continue to collaborate ing more and more vehicles in recent and use this information to ensure years that have crashed into deer. the safety of all Staten Islanders on One Mid-Island auto body shop the road.” said it received three different cars hit by deer in just a week’s time. The Effort To Cut Population Auto body shops said the price So far, the city has said the Island’s tag for repairing vehicles damaged by deer range anywhere from $5,000 to as high as $10,000 or more. To tackle the uptick in collisions, the city has been installing more deer vehicle crossing signs in high-risk areas and stepped up advertising to better educate New York City residents about how to safely coexist with animals like deer.

City Hall Says Uptick Is Increase in Reporting—Not Actual Collisions The city also said that the NYPD began “systematically” tracing deer strikes in 2016 and that a “deer” category was later added to vehicle accident reports for the agency to record those types of ac-

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vasectomy program has been a success. And despite rising costs, Mayor de Blasio has said he is willing to spend more on the program if needed. In April, the city announced the Island’s deer population dropped by 8 percent, from 2,053 in 2017 to 1,884 in 2018. But despite the drop, Islanders report seeing deer around the Island and in their backyards almost every day. The Parks Department says the Island’s deer population stands somewhere between 1,793 and 1,975 and that the city contractor performing the vasectomies needs to sterilize just 74 to 125 more deer to reach its goal of sterilizing 98 percent of Island bucks by the end of the three-year program. The next population estimate will be available in spring 2019, and the contractor expects to be finished with year three of the program sometime in January. We thank SILive.com for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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

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

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

$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.

MA Body Shop Earns ICAR Gold, Platinum Status

Centerville Auto Body, an auto body shop and collision repair specialist in Brockton, MA, recently earned a prestigious I-CAR Gold and Platinum certification for its excellent service. The team at Centerville Auto Body has been providing local collision repair services since 1968. Centerville Auto Body is a member of the Better Business Bureau and has a team of highly trained staff members who strive to provide every customer with the best collision repair in Brockton. The new Gold Class certificate of recognition was awarded to the company for achieving the collision repair industry standard for training that contributes to complete, safe and quality repairs. Centerville Auto Body has a team with years of experience and also uses the most modern equipment available. The team also has extensive knowledge of the industry’s latest processes and technology.

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Continued from Cover

New CA Laws

that effective Jan. 1, 2019, the minimum wage for employers with 26 or more employees increased to $12 per hour. The minimum wage for employers with 25 or fewer employees increased to $11 (SB 3 of 2017). Local minimum wages may be higher. Electronic Documentation and Authorization: These newly enacted regulations, among other things, allow for electronic estimate and authorization, transmission and storage of automotive repair documents. If a customer provides electronic authorization (a text, for example), the shop must properly record the authorization and maintain legible copies of all records for at least three years. The regulations also require that repair documents supplementing the estimate, including electronic communications, must be uniquely identified (e.g. invoice number) and properly maintained as part of the same transaction. All records (including 3rd party supplier/vendor) associated with the

repair transaction must have a unique identifier linking the records to that specific transaction. (16 CCR Sections 3303, 3352, 3353, 3353.1, 3354, 3355, 3356, 3357, 3358, 3359, 3371) “This law went into effect on Sept. 13, 2018, and it is a good thing because it will help consumers and body shops and make transactions easier and faster,” Molodanof said. “We are entering the 21st century with this law by using technology to streamline processes, but it also involves new procedures and ways of doing business. Prior to this, shops needed signatures in-person, which is less convenient for all of the parties involved. The BAR right now is working on an updated booklet that will describe the new rules associated with this law. Every form of communication requires a unique identifier, and all of the documents need to be tied together. It’s up to the shop to know this law, and there will obviously be a learning curve, but the BAR is playing an educational role on this one to help during the transition.” Towing and Storage: This new law, among other things, requires that all

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

towing and storage fees charged must be reasonable, and certain rates and fees are now deemed presumptively unreasonable. Towing and storage charges shall be deemed reasonable if fees are comparable to storage-re-

lated rates and fees charged by other facilities in the same locale. However, this does not preclude a rate or fee that is higher or lower if it is otherwise reasonable. (AB 2392) “This law was created to alleviate issues caused by rogue tow companies that were overcharging customers with towing and storage in the past,” Molodanof said. “Now, storage rates must be reasonable and based on fees charged by other facilities in the same

locale. If a shop wants to charge any ancillary fees, they will have to justify them, including things like dolly fees, service fees, load and unload fees, gate fees and pullout fees. This new law should provide further clarity for consumers, shops and insurers.” Preventative Maintenance Services/ Minor Services: A written estimate is not required for an auto repair dealer to perform “preventative maintenance services,” as defined, if the customer authorizes the service and either of the following occurs: 1.) The service is performed free of charge, or 2.) The total price for labor and parts necessary to perform the service is displayed in a place and manner conspicuous to the customer or is made available to and acknowledged by the customer at the shop facility where the service is performed. This new law also eliminated minor services exemption and requires that all currently unlicensed/unregistered maintenance service facilities register with the BAR. (AB 3141)

“This law pertains to body shops that also provide mechanical repair services,” Molodanof said. “It allows for verbal authorizations for preventative maintenance services and clarifies specific definitions. One result of this law is that any business that performs any form of minor mechanical repair, including oil changes, tire changes, installing spark plugs, etc., that was previously exempt from BAR oversight now will have to be registered by the BAR.”

BAR-97 Emission Inspection Systems: This new law updates BAR-97 equipment standards for smog check stations by: 1) removing dedicated analog phone line requirements, 2) requiring Low-Pressure Fuel Evaporative Test (LPFET) to communicate directly with BAR-97 and 3) updating minimum computer hardware and software standards. (16 CCR Sections 3340.17; 3340.41; 3340.45) Zero-Emission Assurance Project: The new law requires the Air Resources Board to create a new program to incentivize the purchase and use of used zero-emission vehicles

and the categories of third parties with which the information is shared. (AB 375)

(ZEVs) or near zero-emission vehicles (NZEVs). (AB 193)

Lithium-Ion Vehicle Batteries Advisory Group: Requires the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency to convene a research group to review and advise the legislature on policies pertaining to the recovery and recycling of lithiumion vehicle batteries sold with motor vehicles in the state. (AB 2832)

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training: Effective Jan.1, 2020, this new law requires any employer who employs five or more employees, including temporary or seasonal employees, to provide at least two hours of sexual harassment prevention training to all supervisory employees and at least one hour of such training to all nonsupervisory employees once every two years. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing is required to make available a one-hour and twohour online training course for employers to use for the prevention of sexual harassment along with informational posters and fact sheets on the department’s website. (SB 1343)

Fluorinated Refrigerants: This new law requires the California Air Resources Board to adopt provisions of the Federal EPA law through regulations, including provisions covering motor vehicle air conditioning. (SB 1013)

California Consumer Privacy Act: Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, this new law, in part, would grant a consumer the right to request a business to disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information that it collects about the consumer, the categories of sources from which that information is collected, the business purposes for collecting or selling information

Expanded Liability for Sexual Harassment: This new law makes numerous changes to existing law with regard to liability for alleged harassment, including but not limited to: Employers being potentially liable for any kind of unlawful harassment by nonemployees; employers being po-

tentially liable even where the harassment was a single instance or “stray remark” by a non-decision maker; and employers being prohibited from requiring a release of FEHA claims in exchange for a bonus, raise, employment or continued employment. (SB 1300)

Confidentiality Clauses in Sexual Harassment Settlements: This new law prohibits a provision in a settlement agreement that prevents the disclosure of factual information related to a civil or administrative action that includes claims of sexual assault, harassment or discrimination based on sex. (SB 820) Female Members on Boards of Directors: This new law requires that a foreign or domestic publicly held corporation whose principal executive offices are located in California must have a minimum number of female board members. (SB 826)

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Brighter Headlights Cause Problems: Here’s How It Got That Way by Frank Esposito, The Journal News

On a crisp December evening, your car rolls along the Taconic State Parkway, headed home. Hills rise and fall as a line of cars zips along the tree-lined roadway. But faces wince and heads turn away when a car crests the top of the opposite hill, its headlights dazzling. Increasingly, this is becoming a regular reaction by motorists from coast to coast, particularly older drivers, as they navigate dark roads. Leaps in lighting technology combined with confusing regulations and antiquated laws have coalesced into an everyday evening frustration, one that has had more than one driver asking themselves behind the wheel, “Why does that guy have his brights on?” Think again.

remained the same then, like a flash of technological lighting, lit up the night. Essentially the issue arose from the collision of three separate issues: Antiquated regulations, rapidly advancing technology and an aging population, all of which converged in the automotive lighting world.

Blinded by the Lights In New York—and particularly on the dark roads of the Hudson Valley—drivers are facing an onslaught of powerful headlight glare. From dark roads such as the Taconic State Parkway, to brighter interstates, like I-87, this new generation of lights can produce similar glaring effects during rush hour traffic in the dark. Jessica Kesselman is one of those drivers struggling on nighttime drives with exceedingly bright headlights. “I have a terrible time with them on the Palisades Parkway,” Kesselman said. Kesselman talked about experiencing what experts call discomfort glare, a feeling of annoyance caused by high luminance in their field of view. Whether drivers complain about the color or intensity, many blame themselves. While age plays a part, that’s only a piece of the puzzle. Longtime Piermont resident Ed Beach, who now lives in Tennessee, struggles in his new state with headlight brightness. “At 78, I’ve given up driving at night totally,” said the U.S. Air Force veteran. “Any oncoming light completely blinds me.”

Professor Lana Trick—a distracted driving expert from University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada—explained how an aging population in places such as the U.S., Canada and Europe causes part of the situation drivers face at night. Trick sees it as a two-part problem of aging. “As you get older, your pupils let in less light, which makes everything seem darker,” Trick said. That seemingly darker night effect creates a need for more light, Trick said—a need that compounds with another problem older drivers face. “Older drivers also have a longer recovery time for their vision to return to normal after experiencing glare,” Trick said. Rapid advances in bulb technology also altered the nightscape of the automotive world. Each leap produced much more light than previous generations of headlights. In the 1990s, high-Intensity discharge bulbs changed the fundamentals of how bulbs worked. HID bulbs use xenon—a gas—and electricity to produce light. Car manufacturers capitalized on the technology, then graduated from HIDs to light-emitting diodes in 2004. Following LEDs, automakers then started using laser lights in 2014. Meanwhile, the employment of these advancements has outpaced local regulations.

How the Lights Powered Up Automotive lighting for many years

The Law Leaves Many in the Dark Federal regulations limit headlight

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

brightness. Specifically, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) polices bulb makers. When HIDs were introduced in 2004, NHTSA had ordered 24 HID companies to either cancel sales or issue recalls by October of that year because the lights violated regulations. But federal regulations aren’t the only limits on headlight brightness. Many states have laws that limit their power as well. New York’s vehicle and traffic law limits the power of headlights to 32 candlepower, an obsolete unit of measurement for a light’s intensity. For comparison, one candlepower equals the light produced by a single candle. A typical lamp in someone’s home emits a candlepower of about 100 to 140—which means virtually every headlight on the road in New York potentially violates the law. Federal limits are orders of magnitude higher, and in a different measurement all together.

Depending on the lighting system of the vehicle, headlights are limited to about 20,000 to 75,000 candela, according to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108. Candela is a modern unit of light measurement, and one candlepower equates to about one candela. Even then, most aftermarket lights advertise their brightness in lumen, another unit of measurement for brightness. New York’s vehicle code was written in 2006, almost 58 years after the scientific community abandoned the term candlepower for candela. Antiquated measurement aside, New York’s drastically lower limit could pose possible problems for drivers if the state enforced it. Such low candlepower wouldn’t provide enough light to see more than a few inches at night. How bright is too bright? New York’s headlight limit is set by the legislature, and the Division of Motor Vehicles uses other agencies See Brighter Headlights, Page 33

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

HABA Shoots the Breeze (and More!) With Sponsors by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On Dec. 1, the Houston Auto Body Association (HABA) hosted a Sponsors Appreciation event at the Providence Plantation Ranch just outside of Houston, TX. According to HABA President John Kopriva, “Our main purpose was to let our sponsors know that we appreciate their continuing support. Without each one, we could not have accomplished the growth and changes that we made during 2018.

Attendees enjoyed a delicious meal of BBQ brisket, ribs, chicken and links as well as baked beans, potato salad, deviled eggs, coleslaw and more

“We had a great time, and everyone enjoyed the event. The event was well-attended, including spouses. This

was a great opportunity to mix, mingle, relax and enjoy the outdoors.” A delicious meal was prepared by one of HABA’s directors, David Kopriva, who was the “Pit Master” for the day. Food preparations began the night before, with BBQ brisket, ribs, chicken and links. The Pit Master cooked sides that included baked beans, potato salad, deviled eggs, coleslaw and more. John gave a brief history of the ranch, which comprised 6,000 acres and originated in the early 1800s. He shared, “The ranch was a sugar cane and cotton plantation, and the original plantation mansion was only taken down within the last year. Once cotton and sugar cane were harvested, they were transported utilizing the Brazos River, which adjoins the plantation. “History records that it was not unusual for the plantation to be frequently raided by marauding Indians. Today, the ranch is tranquil with towering 100-year-old oak trees and supports an abundance of white tail deer, wild hogs, quail and dove. Upon entering the ranch and driving towards the pavilion, everyone noticed two opposing 40-foot silos built and painted (one yellow, one green) to resemble

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two Remington shotgun shells. It turns out that these two structures are skeet towers that are two of eight competition skeet ranges.”

HABA hosted a Sponsors Appreciation event at the Providence Plantation Ranch on Dec. 1

One of the day’s highlights was a friendly competition between some of HABA’s directors and sponsors that brought their shotguns to the skeet and trap ranges. Guests were treated to some professional and accurate shooting. “Ronnie Brush of Westside Lexus challenged Mike Fatter of Enterprise Rent-A-Car to skeet shooting, which was a fun challenge to watch,” John recalled. “A lot of the guys were amazed by how close the ranch is to Houston—less than 30 minutes away. Several noted that they have to travel

six hours or more to south Texas to find trophy deer that are frequently spotted grazing onsite near the ranch pavilion.” In a short business update, Larry Cernosek, legislative coordinator for HABA, shared an update regarding the upcoming 2019 Collision Day scheduled for Feb.12 in Austin, TX, at the State Capitol. This will be a joint effort with the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT). The purpose of the trip to the Capitol is to put repairers and other industry representatives in direct contact with state leaders. John noted, “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.’” John wrapped up a fantastic day to explicitly thank an enthusiastic group of sponsors. “We have 26 devoted sponsors who each stand up for HABA to make these events and training meetings possible. We couldn’t be more grateful for their support,” he said. For more information about the Houston Auto Body Association, visit www .habaonline.org.

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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.”

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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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autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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.

ASA Partners With Chevron to Provide Savings on Motor Oils, Lubricants for Shops

Chevron has joined the Automotive Service Association as the association’s latest Sponsored Benefit Provider. Sponsored Benefit Provider companies of ASA provide special member services and products to member-shops to help offset their everyday business costs. Chevron national’s program paves the way for ASA members to receive average savings of 35 percent on Havoline Motor Oil and lubricants for their shops. “With Chevron Havoline Motor oils, you get a trusted national brand available nationwide with competitive pricing and tools that will help you improve your business,” said Ross Shircliffe, business development specialist for Chevron. Through this partnership with Chevron, ASA members will also receive: • A $250 signage allowance • Improved inventory management • Consumer promotions to help shops retain and attract customers • Product warranty on every gallon • Free PitPack Rack ($600 value) 28

• National promotions • Customer service • Product training and inventory management advisement

ASA Executive Director Ray Fisher is excited about the Chevron opportunity for ASA members. “Delivering world-class service and benefits to our membership is Job 1 at ASA,” Fisher said. “We are pleased to add Chevron to our list of outstanding Member Benefit Providers. In 2019, we will continue to make sure that our benefits portfolio is beneficial to the success of our members.” ASA Vice President Tony Molla added, “The most popular benefits ASA offers its members involve products and services they use every day. Oil is certainly one of them, and the savings offered by the Chevron program add even more return on investment for a shop’s ASA membership.” To take advantage of this special offer, shops must be members of ASA. To join, go to ASAshop.org or call (817) 514-2901.

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

“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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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.”

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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.

Class Action Filed Against Two Auto Dealerships in California Alleging Violation of Labor Laws A California law firm has filed suit against two dealership groups in class action complaint alleging that DC Auto, Inc. and Magnussen Imports failed to pay proper minimum wages and did not provide the legally required off-duty meal and rest breaks to their employees. The Riverside Labor law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed the class action lawsuit against DC Auto, Inc., alleging that the company failed to lawfully provide meal and rest periods and pay minimum wages to their California employees working for the company. The class action lawsuit against DC Auto, Inc., is currently pending in the San Bernadino County Superior Court, Case No. CIVDS1807525. The lawsuit filed against DC Auto, Inc., by labor law attorneys alleges the DEFENDANT’S meal period policies and practices were unlawful because PLAINTIFFS

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members were far too over-booked and overworked to take a timely off-duty thirty (30) minute meal period. The lawsuit further alleges that the failure of DC Auto, Inc., to provide the legally required meal and rest period is evidenced by the company’s business records. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that DC Auto, Inc., does not accurately record all missed meal and rest periods, and fails to pay minimum wages due for all hours worked. Under California law, every employer shall pay to each employee, on the established payday for the period involved, not less than the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked in the payroll period, whether the remuneration is measured by time, piece, commission, or otherwise. For more information about the class action lawsuit against DC Auto, Inc., call (858) 952-0354 to

speak to Attorney Nicholas De Blouw. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages,overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

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Brighter Headlights

to enforce it. “New York State Police and local law enforcement enforce the section of the vehicle and traffic law pertaining to lighting,” wrote DMV spokesperson Tim O’Brien. But how do the state police go about enforcing the law? State police spokesperson Beau Duffy explained the reality of the situation. “Troopers do not have a means to measure the candlepower of a headlamp,” Duffy said. “Or check every lamp for conformance with DMV/DOT standards.” But state troopers can stop people for other brightness-related violations. “Troopers enforce VTL 375 2(a)4(b) if, in the judgment of the Trooper, the headlamps are producing dangerous glare or dazzle, the operator will be ticketed,” Duffy said. But dangerous glare and dazzle is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. Many factors go into how hu-

mans react to light. The relative height of a driver’s car can impact how much light exposure the driver receives, among other things. And Trick said it’s not just brightness that can distract drivers.

Jimmy Macagna, general manager of Audi Nyack, sees customers enjoying the lighting systems for a variety of reasons. “Customers enjoy Audi’s lighting systems not only for their aes-

“Your eyes are drawn to brightness,” Trick said. “And the brighter and more focused the light, the more your eyes are drawn to look at it.”

thetics but for the function as well,” Macagna said. “I mean they look really great, but they’re also efficient.” Different from Audi’s Matrix system, BMW’s adaptive system uses high beams. BMW lighting engineer Mike Hernandez thinks it will kill two birds with one stone. “Adaptive high beam systems will shade a portion of the beam around other road users; other drivers will only see low beam light in their mirrors,” Hernandez said. “For older drivers, these will be a godsend.” Adaptive lighting systems potentially offer a solution to the com-

“Adaptive high beam systems will shade a portion of the beam around other road users; other drivers will only see low beam light in their mirrors, For older drivers, these will be a godsend.” — Mike Hernandez

Automotive World Talks Solution Headlight technology advances rapidly—faster than legislation can keep up. High-end car makers BMW and Audi, along with lighting specialists like Osram, think they’ve already innovated out of the lighting problems. Audi’s Matrix LED system adjusts its headlights’ brightness level to avoid discomforting other drivers.

pounding problems of aging drivers needing more light and their increased sensitivity to glare. The technology is already available in Europe; BMW is just waiting for NHTSA to adopt a proposed rule change. That change would allow the system to be put on cars in the United States. Like many things in the automotive world once high-end models pave the way, the technology will work its way down into mid-range vehicles. The engineers at Osram have taken adaptive lighting technology a step further. Its Eviyos system will not only shade the surrounding vehicles, but people as well. This will prevent pedestrians, like our Christmas tree revelers in Piermont, from being dazzled by car lights. Sarah Carlson, senior manager for communications at Osram, explained one of the key benefits of the company’s adaptive system. “It’s making the road safer,” Carlson said. We thank The Journal News for reprint permission.

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 34

$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

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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

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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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.”

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asTech Renews Commitment to CIECA Standards

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. ®

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.

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

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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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Star of David Atop AZ Auto Body Shop Honors Jews of Mexico by Nick Enquist, Jewish News

There’s no shortage of auto body repair shops in the downtown Phoenix, AZ, area; so much so that it’s difficult to distinguish one from another. That is, with the exception of Miguel’s Auto Body on 16th Street between Van Buren and Monroe streets. Atop the business is a 5-foot-tall Star of David. One patron who frequents the Circle K next door said the star has been there since he’s been in the area. He just assumed the owners were Jewish—as have many people, undoubtedly, who have noticed the star as they’ve driven past. But the body shop’s owner, Miguel Lopez, is actually Catholic. So how did a Star of David end up perched above Lopez’s store for more than 30 years? Lopez was born in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, and lived in Mexico City as a child. He grew up in an area called Tecamachalco, which has a large Jewish population. Lopez said he developed strong connections and became friends with many of his Jewish neighbors. In fact, he said those connec-

tions helped make him the man he is today—and he feels Jewish in his heart.

Credit: Nick Enquist

“I think that Jewish people are the hardest-working and smartest people I’ve met,” Lopez said. “I’ve tried to be like them as I’ve built my business.” Lopez was raised a Catholic, and he and his wife raised their children Catholic as well. But when Lopez first arrived in the U.S., he just didn’t feel as strong a connection to the Catholic community. “My father didn’t know anyone when he got here,” said Guillermo, Lopez’s son. “So he built the star as

a way to have a daily reminder of his Jewish connections.” The elder Lopez built the Star of David decoration himself using nothing more than seven pieces of long pine wood and some nails. He then wrapped it with white string lights so it could be lit at night. In the center of the Star of David is a flashing Chanukah ornament. “We never use it as a reason to attract anybody,” Guillermo said. “It’s not really something people comment on, either. In all the time I’ve worked here, maybe two or three people have noticed it. Although, we did have one Jewish customer who came to us because he heard about the star.” The star was originally mounted above the entrance to the auto body shop’s office, but it was later moved after heavy winds knocked it over. The elder Lopez has been in the auto body business since he was a teenager. He and his family moved to the United States in 1978, and that same year he opened up his auto

body repair shop in Phoenix. In 1982, he moved the shop to its current location at 101 N. 16th St. Since then, the Lopez family has expanded the auto body shop and now has multiple locations down the street. Guillermo joked that the only locations they couldn’t own are where a Jack in the Box and the Circle K sit. He said he wants to keep growing the business until all of 16th Street has Lopez auto body shops. When asked if they observed any Jewish traditions or holidays, Guillermo said they weren’t particularly religious and didn’t celebrate many Christian holidays, either. Both father and son said they are simply too busy to take any time off. “The store is my life; it’s my holiday,” Lopez said. “So I really want to spend my time on working on it.” We thank Jewish News for reprint permission.

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Lia Honda of Enfield Enfield

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Manchester Honda Manchester

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Schaller Honda New Britain

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Berlin City Honda South Portland

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Prime Honda Saco

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Criswell Honda Ger mantown

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Acura of Boston Brighton

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Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. MARYLAND

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800-893-3030 856-692-4449

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Berlin Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-Noon hondaparts@802cars.com

Ray Laks Honda We s t S e n e c a

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914-834-8887

888-832-8220 631-366-4114

877-860-3954 610-967-6500

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@smithtownacura.com

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Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kristen.powell@penskeautomotive.com

Elite Acura Maple Shade

856-722-9600 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 bmartinsen@group1auto.com

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Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 8-4; Sun 9-4 acura.parts@yahoo.com

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National Associations 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.

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

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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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 46

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

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

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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?

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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-

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

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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

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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 52

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

Associations Assembling with Chasidy Rae Sisk

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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Day Job/Night Job

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 49

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, 52

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

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

IN ENU

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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.”

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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

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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

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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National News with Chasidy Rae Sisk

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 61

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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:

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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

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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.

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-

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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Continued from Page 56

Elite Webinar

market for a loan, you want to think about all these things and be able to present a package to the lender that addresses all of these items and makes it easy for the lender to get behind you and see the same opportunity that you’re seeing.” After providing a brief description of the lenders that Supplement Advisory can connect shops with, Mewes defined the different types of small/medium business financing. Merchant cash advances (MCA) are similar to cash advances but are secured by the credit card receivables that the business generates. They also charge very high interest rates and often require daily repayments. An unsecured loan is a line of credit based on cash flow. They charge high interest rates, but assets are not used as leverage. An asset-backed loan uses equipment, real estate or secured working capital as collateral. A commercial loan comes in many varieties, and it’s critical to understand the different options. M&A

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 models’ for potential investors be-

cause it allows you to demonstrate the viability of the industry when going for a loan. Finance folks are risk-averse, so having a case study is good for obtaining funding when presented appropriately.” Mewes graciously offered a free 15-minute, one-on-one consultation to webinar attendees who were interested in signing up. For more information about Supplement Advisory, visit supp-co.com /growth.

Replays of this webinar and others are available for free by signing up at www.elitebodyshopsolutions.com /academy and clicking on the “Join the Elite Webinar Series” button.

Your leading source for NORTHEASTERN Collision Repair News! northeastern.autobodynews.com

Continued from Page 12

First Legislation

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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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. 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 for drivers who commute on a daily basis,” Bob Kazmierczak, AAA’s director of automotive services, said in the report. “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 64

dealer shop, that becomes a “sublet repair” that eats up most, if not all, of the profit, Kazmierczak said in the study.

hook for their policies’ deductibles. “More and more cars are coming with other stuff on the windows besides the rear-view mirror,”

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

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 properly 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

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Breininger said. Manufacturers specify that any cameras or sensors associated with replacement glass need to be recalibrated, at a cost typically ranging be-

tween $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.

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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 introduc-

tion 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 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 in-

rience 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.”

creasing 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 expe-

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

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

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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 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 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. 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 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).

Looks Like More Than the U.S. Government Is Shut Down by Emmariah Holcomb, glassBYTEs.com

When children argue, it usually doesn’t last long before they make up, but when adults argue, there’s no set time limit. This can be seen though the most recent government shutdown. The United States entered day 24 on Jan. 14, making it the longest government shutdown thus far. But what, if anything, does that mean for the industry? For starters, it means there are no new Department of Transportation (DOT) auto glass identification numbers available. Why? It’s simple: The DOT is funded by the government and is currently not getting the funding needed to produce and award companies with new numbers. But there’s more of an impact than just new DOT numbers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the agency will not (and has not) been doing testing for defective products since the shutdown began. This means there have not been any new recalls issued in nearly one month. “During a government shutdown, some key agency functions

will be discontinued until funding is restored … those funded by annual appropriations will be suspended, including safety defect investigations, field crash investigations, review of consumer complaints, and notification of new vehicle and equipment recalls,” a portion of the association’s statement reads. There could be numerous amounts of vehicles on the road with defects. This directly impacts your business because shop owners, like you, do not have the information needed to service their customers if they believe they might have a defective product. Although vehicle manufacturers are required to notify all affected customers of recalls, the NHTSA aids in spreading information about the latest recalls through its routine safety checks and by making the information available on its website. As a result, there are a number of things that have been put on hold since the shutdown began, and only time will tell how much it will end up impacting auto glass professionals. We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.

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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

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

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 68

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

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

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• Audi Part Professionals are experts on collision parts, replacement components and mechanical items. • Regardless of the age of your customer’s Audi, Audi dealers have access to over 200,000 part numbers and are supported by a nationwide network of distribution centers to help ensure non stocked parts are delivered the next day.

Helping you do business is our business. Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers. Maryland

Massachusetts

New Jersey

New York

Audi Bethesda

Audi Shrewsbury

Flemington Audi

Audi Albany

Bethesda 240.762.5636 301.718.1847 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am - 2pm

Shrewsbury 888.751.7214 508.581.5880 M-Th 7am-7pm Fri. 7am-6pm

Flemington 877.657-2787 908.782-1795 Fax M-F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 12pm www.njparts.com

Latham 518.783.5554 518.213.8182 M - Sat 7:30am - 6pm

Jack Daniels Audi of Upper Saddle River

Audi Brooklyn of Bram Wholesale Parts Network

Upper Saddle River 201.252.1500 x1511 M-Th 7:30am-8pm F 9am-6pm; Sat 8am-5pm

866.770.5999 718.392.6570 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm

Paul Miller Audi

Audi Buffalo

Parsippany 800.356.4553 973.575.7793 973.575.5911 Fax M-F 8am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm

Buffalo 716.683.3343 716.706.0449 Fax M 7:30am - 8pm Tu-F 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 4pm

rgreen@euromotorcars.com

ewiinikainen@mcgovernauto.com

Audi Silver Spring Silver Spring 301.890.3015 800.288.6982 301.890.3748 Fax M-F 7:30am-5pm wholesaless@mileone.com www.audisilverspring.com

Audi Hunt Valley Cockeysville 410.630.3174 410.628.6030 Fax M-F 8am-6pm Sat 8am - 3pm umbergers@autonation.com www.audihuntvalley.com

New Jersey Audi Meadowlands North Bergen 201.408.2085 201.223.7842 Fax M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-2pm jpooler@bbmcc.com

DCH Millburn Audi Maplewood 800.553.9250 973.762.2381 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am - 4pm ddipalma@dchusa.com www.dchmillburnaudi.com

www.paulmilleraudi.com Audiparts@paulmiller.com

audiparts@audialbany.com

parts@lexusofqueens.com

avwparts@towneauto.com

Audi Southampton Southampton 631.204.2565 Tue - Sat 8am - 5pm parts@audisouthampton.com www.audisouthampton.com

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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 70

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.

Genuine Nissan Parts

Genuine INFINITI Parts Call any of these following dealers.

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NISSAN

MARYLAND

Bob Bell Nissan

Herb Gordon Nissan

(410) 282-2432 (410) 285-1376 Fax M-F 7-7, Sat. 8-5 smelson@bobbell.com

(301) 679-4863 Fax M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 8-3 hgnissanparts@mileone.com

Baltimore

800-638-4967

Silver Spring

GENUINE SERVICE & PARTS

301-890-3055

Finish it like a Masterpiece THE DEALERS BELOW ARE MERCEDES-BENZ GENUINE PARTS SPECIALISTS.

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NEW JERSEY

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Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington Wilmington

Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge Goldens Bridge

Mercedes-Benz of Atlantic City Egg Harbor Township

Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington Fort Washington

800-800-1949 302-995-5030 Parts Direct 302-995-5033 Fax M-F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 2pm parts@mbofwilmington.com www.mbofwilmington.com

MARYLAND

Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis Annapolis

888-801-2369 443-875-0290 443-875-0315 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-1pm rhamilton@mileone.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Mercedes-Benz of Burlington Burlington 844-200-MBOB (6262)

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Mercedes-Benz of New Rochelle New Rochelle

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Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown St. James

631-265-5339 631-265-8146 Fax M-F 8am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm mlevantino@mbofsmithtown.com www.mbofsmithtown.com

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Mercedes-Benz of West Chester West Chester

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Mercedes-Benz of Paramus Paramus

888-30-PARTS 201-265-7808 201-483-2782 Fax M-Th 7:30am - 7:30pm F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 5pm parts@prestigemb.com

781-229-1600 617-275-2185 Fax M-F 7am-7pm Sat 8am-5pm parts@mbob.com www.mbob.com

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

Ford Recalls 953,000 Vehicles for Airbag Flying Shrapnel Threat 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

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.

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 lat72

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.

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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.

www.autobodynews.com

OEM Parts You Need and Trust.

All The Genuine Lexus Parts You

Genuine Mitsubishi Replacement Crash Parts are close at hand from the following quality dealerships:

Need For A Lexus Finish i

by Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press

Collision Works Utilizes Symach’s FixLine Process

The Dealers Below Are Genuine Lexus Parts Distributors:

MARYLAND LEXUS

ROCKVILLE

240-715-4435 ROCKVILLE MASSACHUSETTS

Courtesy Mitsubishi SOUTH ATTLEBORO

508-761-9700

(508) 761-0768 Fax www.courtesy-mitsu.com

301-315-0221 Fax

MON-FRI 6:30AM - 8PM; SAT 8AM - 6PM PARTS @ ROCKVILLELEXUS . COM

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.”

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

Think Genuine Subaru Parts.

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.

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.

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

Framingham (800) 982-2298 (508) 879-1212 Fax

Flemington Subaru

Long Automotive Group Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 tschube@longauto.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Belknap Subaru Tilton (800) 358-4029 (603) 729-1300 (603) 729-1301 Fax

Mon., Wed., Fri. 7:30-5 Tue., Thu. 7:30-7; Sat. 9-3 awright@belknapsubaru.com

Subaru of Keene

We’re focused on getting you the Genuine Subaru Parts you need — fast and competitively priced. Put us to the test on your next Subaru repair or service job.

Up to $60 Million Is Available for Testing ADS

Keene (866) 832-0013 (603) 757-0013 (603) 719-0932 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30; Sat 7:30-5 ztheodorou@fentonautosales.com

Flemington (877) 657-2787 (908) 782-1795 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 bseymour@flemington.com www.njparts.com

Liberty Subaru Emerson (888) 782-9493 (201) 261-3261 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6 parts@libertysubaru.com www.libertysubaru.com

Miller Subaru

Lumberton (609) 261-7844 (609) 261-7843 Fax

Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 dseward@millertransgroup.com

The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs. Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today! autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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 titled “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 to a properly and safely functioning vehicle. AASPI’s Annual Meeting will 74

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 represen-

FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tatives 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.

www.autobodynews.com

THESE DEALERS are GENUINE WHOLESALE PARTS SPECIALISTS.

Maine

Downeast Toyota / Scion 800-432-0220 BREWER

Massachusetts

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M-F 7am-5pm; Sat 7am-4pm partsdepartment@downeasttoyota.com www.downeasttoyota.com

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MARYLAND Bob Bell Kia

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M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-2pm www.northstarkiany.com

MASSACHUSETTS

(610) 562-9436 Fax

RHODE ISLAND

(718) 683-5300

*Genuine Kia replacement parts (except battery) sold by Authorized Kia Dealer under warranty are covered for the greater of (1) the duration of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty or (2) the first 12 months from the date of installation or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Labor charges not included when not installed by an Authorized Kia Dealer. Warranty is limited. See Kiaâ€™s Replacement Parts and Accessories Limited Warranty for further details.

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From headlights to tail lights, bumpers to fenders and hoods, there is no substitute for genuine. The only way to assure that you are getting Genuine Kia parts, backed by the Kia Warranty, is to order them from your local Authorized Kia Dealer. Contact your local Kia dealer for assistance and delivery of the parts you need.

Outten Kia

PENNSYLVANIA Brown Daub Kia Easton

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Kia of Coatesville Coatesville

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Berlin City Kia Williston

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Kia of West Chester West Chester

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8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat Alan@kiaofcoatesville.com www.kiaofwestchester.com

autobodynews.com / FEBRUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS

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 76

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.

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