Detroit, Michigan — The CIECA CONNEX Annual Conference is happening this week in Detroit, and Collision Repair magazine is on the ground to bring you the industry-leading insights shared at this week’s event.
This year’s CONNEX theme is The Intersection of Data and Mobility, with topics in ADAS, autonomous vehicle technologies, EV and alternative fuel methods at the top of mind for attendees and speakers alike. Presenters on day one discussed technology trends, the customer experience and AI as well as cybersecurity, the transition to battery electric vehicles and more.
Greg Horn, chief innovation officer for Parts Trader, began the presentations with a Collision Industry Update: What You Need to Know. He explored how recent global and industry changes and future planned technologies will continue to impact the collision repair industry in North America and beyond. CIECA Executive Director Paul Barry followed up to inform attendees of the key role CIECA plays in helping the collision industry create a common language to efficiently communicate with each other.
A panel followed, where Mark Fincher, vice president of product management for CCC Intelligent Solutions; Abhijeet Gulati, head of AI and senior director of engineering for Mitchell; Bill Brower, senior vice president of North American claims and global industry relations at Solera and Gaurav (Rav) Mendiratta, CEO of SocioSquares and chief product officer at Propel discussed the role of AI in the customer experience. The group covered how AI can easily be integrated into customer communications and how future technologies are constantly being developed and improved in the name of providing the optimal customer experience.
Kevin Tierney, chief cybersecurity officer and vice president of General Motors, also spoke at the conference, where he offered an OEM perspective on the issue of cybersecurity. Considering the amount of data protected within customer vehicles, cybersecurity concerns are of utmost importance in the age of the modern car. Emil Nusbaum, vice president of strategy, government and regulatory affairs for the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) followed up to discuss the circular economy. He emphasized the possibilities of closing the loop with EVs and stressed current industry efforts to ensure a circular economy from the point an EV is manufactured through to end-of-life and back again.
A panel discussion continued to unpack Tierney’s conversation as Mark Allen, manager of collision, equipment and EV aftersales for Audi America; Jake Rodenroth, senior manager of Lucid Motors’ North American body repair program; Chris Wallace, collision and global brand protection manager for Ford and Devin Wilcox, collision certification manager for Subaru of America moderated a panel discussion on cybersecurity from the OEM perspective.
Richard Mueller, engineer manager for new technology, engineering standards and grid interconnections for DTE Energy took to the stage to address a question on many EV skeptics’ minds—what will EVs do to the power grid? Mueller discussed the implications of electrified transportation on the power grid and modernization efforts to ensure a seamless transition to EVs—one that doesn’t cause too much strain on the power grids that have been in existence for more than 100 years.
Before an evening reception, Harold Sears, head of the Auto Additive advisory council, along with Mario Dimovski, director of circular and repair innovation for Boyd Group and Brian Driehorst, chief revenue officer for Headlights.com discussed the use of 3D printing in collision repair.
CIECA CONNEX will continue on Wednesday, Sept. 25. In addition to a half-day of presentations, there will be a tour of the American Center for Mobility. Stay tuned to Collision Repair’s socials for real-time updates and check out our photos below.
