New steels, anti-collision systems will impact reparability and total losses
According to the presenters, repairers can expect to see more high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels, as well as aluminum, on higher production vehicle models.
New metals have already had an impact on collision repair, since most OEMs have introduced advanced steels into their vehicle frames. Repairers often don't know these metals are present until they encounter them during a repair.
"You don't know it's there, and then you don't know what to do with it once you've got it in front of you," Keith says. "You can't cut it or drill it, and heat can affect the strength of the steel. Many of these steels have no potential for reparability, and repairers are still struggling to find out where it's located."
Since OEMs recommend that repairs not be made on many of these new metals, that will mean more replacement of structural components. "If you look at something like the new Ford Fiesta, I'm not sure how much that car is valued at, but if you have to replace structural components to make it drivable we're going to look at more total losses," Keith says.
While OEs have made information on the placement of these metals available (in some cases, for a price) and the database vendors are doing a better job of providing information during the appraisal, Keith says it is the shop's responsibility to stay on top of these design changes.
"It's up to use from the repairer side to look at these vehicles and create a repair plan," he says. "How are we going to repair this thing correctly based on the OE specifications and procedures? You have to do that research before you ever start the job."
Crash avoidance technologies, like cameras and sensors mounted in the front and rear ends of the car, have pushed up repair prices and total losses, too."You get into the job, and you start encountering these cameras and sensors," Keith says. "There are high-end headlight systems where if you unplug them, they have to go back to the OE to have the codes cleared."
That also means there may be fewer collisions, which does not bode well for the industry. "You have to think about what that will do to us 10 or 20 years down the road," Keith says.
Some changes in vehicle design that are meant to improve survival rates in the event of a collision also have created challenges for repairers. "Honda has come up with a design that protects the occupants, but it's doing some strange things as far as creating secondary damage elsewhere in the vehicle," Keith says. "Some of these cars are designed to drive the damage completely through the vehicle."
That's why education is important; repairers have to be on top of new technologies, and be alert for unexpected secondary damage.
And there are even more changes coming. BMW hopes to develop a vehicle built with carbon fiber, for instance. Shops will need to make an investment in new tooling, scanning equipment and training to continue to provide reliable repairs.
"We need to have our folks out there consistently being trained on these new technologies," Keith says. "Because that's going to be a key element, not only to having the right tooling and equipment, but having that knowledge base to know where we are going with this stuff. The slightest misstep might affect airbag timing and who knows what else, the way some of these vehicles are designed."
