Mitchell opens technical research center to address next-generation automotive industry needs

Mitchell, a leading provider of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Collision Repair industries, announced the opening of its new Technical Research Center (TRC), located in San Diego, Calif. The TRC further positions Mitchell as an industry pioneer by expanding on its heritage in data collection of vehicle dimension information to focus on the next generation of accurate, interactive vehicle data. Leveraging its 67-year heritage, Mitchell collects automotive frame measurements and chassis diagram data to provide to various industry constituents, including repair shops, collision and body shop centers. Mitchell is the only company in the collision repair industry that collects its own data. This ensures the flexibility and responsiveness demanded by customers who want more than yes-or-no answers to queries on specific repair procedures or parts. The new center, equipped with 3D scanning technology from FARO, the world’s most trusted source for 3D measurement technology, will provide Mitchell customers with the broadest set of dynamic data, rather than only static vehicle dimension data. “Today’s vehicles incorporate the newest technologies and require highly accurate information in order to repair them back to pre-accident condition. Repair shops recognize the importance of quality to insure a proper repair , and Mitchell’s accurate, up-to-date databases enable them to do this,” said John Bachman, manager, auto physical damage, at Mitchell. “Our new center now includes 3D scanners, which allows us to start building databases for the future. We’re the only company in the industry to leverage this next-gen technology and we’re excited about the potential it brings to the claims and repair process and beyond.” “We rely on Mitchell’s robust information in its TechAdvisor solution to ensure we accurately repair any car that comes into our shop. More than almost any other industry, customer service and reputation are the lifeblood of a shop’s growth and we need a partner who focuses on these values to ensure we’re able to keep our credibility high,” said Corky Deenik, Collision Repair Manager at BMW of Escondido. “We see the next-gen technology provided by the TRC as being the future of the industry. This data will enable us to repair cars and trucks to original condition, due to the accuracy provided to us by Mitchell.” In addition to providing 2D and 3D data to the repair industry, Mitchell’s proprietary database can be used for the following use cases: ·      Consumer-facing car buying sites – projects a 3D image of a car so an individual can look at a vehicle from all angles ·      Auction companies – provides the ability to validate whether a report on the status of the car is accurate or not ·      Accident reconstruction – gives the ability to scan parts or wreckage pieces to help law enforcement identify the make and model of a car ·      Infrastructure improvements – assists in improving the safety of roads by quickly giving highway patrol the average heights of cars in order to properly update guard rail heightsAbout Mitchell Mitchell empowers clients to achieve measurably better outcomes. Providing unparalleled breadth of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Collision Repair industries, Mitchell is uniquely able to simplify and accelerate the claims management and collision repair processes. As a leading provider of Property & Casualty claims technology solutions, Mitchell processes over 50 million transactions annually for over 300 insurance companies/claims payers and over 30,000 collision repair facilities throughout North America. Founded in 1946, Mitchell is headquartered in San Diego, California, and has 1,700 employees. The company is privately owned primarily by the Aurora Capital Group, a Los Angeles-based investment group. For more information about Mitchell, visit www.mitchell.com.