DO YOUR HOMEWORK
General Motors revised its Repairs and Inspections Required after a Collision document, and the company made some new distinctions between major and minor damage. One of the changes involves waiving other inspections and part replacements when there is a “minor outer body panel cosmetic distortion,” as long as the repairer performs the mandatory seven-step seat belt check. If the damages are major, then multiple safety operations are mandatory. John Eck, GM wholesale dealer channel collision manager, says that if damages are only on the outside of the vehicle then it is considered minor, but once repairs to the inside are required then it becomes major. “What we’re saying is, ‘hey, once we start peeling this vehicle back, and it’s only cosmetic, and it’s not anything structural like bumper bars, or pillars or a rocker panel, then the damage would be considered minor,” Eck said.
ALMOST ALL OEMS
Solera has announced that they have added Toyota and Lexus to their AudaVin service, which allows for customers to identify a vehicle’s build data from manufacturers and select the right parts, graphics and labour-relevant damage capturing. Now that Toyota and Lexus are added to AudaVin, 80 percent of the vehicles that are on the road in the U.S. are using the service. Evan Davies, chief technology officer at Solera, says that AudaVin provides a better estimating process for the customer and repair shops. “Solera’s goal has always been to provide its customers with a claims process that is simple, efficient, and accurate,” said Davies. “AudaVIN, is a oneof- a-kind solution that combines VIN look-up at the OEM-level with Solera-built data. Integrated into our Qapter claims workflow, AudaVIN renders a 3D image that enables Bodyshop’s to quickly capture vehicle damage and generate an accurate estimate.”
SPARE PARTS
Aston Martin released a car that is made out of spare parts they forgot they had, and the one of a kind car sells for millions of dollars. There just so happened to be a low-mileage carbon-fiber monocoque and V-12 engine from a One-77 prototype — which made its debut more than a decade ago — kicking around in storage, and Aston Martin’s Q division decided not to let it go to waste. Now one lucky customer has received a completely original Aston Martin Victor supercar. The resulting 12-cylinder improved on the One-77’s quite adequate 750 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque to a superior 836 hp and 614 lb-ft. It retains its 7.3-liter displacement and natural aspiration, but now the engine will be a six-speed manual transmission instead of the One-77’s six-speed automatic unit with paddle shifters. The car manufacturer isn’t planning on doing anything like this again in the near future, but who knows what the brands Q division team will uncover while going through their storage units next time.
TO REFINITY AND BEYOND
BASF’s Coatings division announced the launch of Refinity, a new, cloud-based digital platform for body shop customers all around the world. Refinity gives customers a more efficient digital experience in areas of colour, business, training and support solutions. Dirk Bremm, president of BASF’s Coatings division, says that Refinity will only allow for customers to have a more enjoyable experience and help them grow even more.“At BASF, we are committed to working together with our customers. We passionately share one vision towards digitalization which will see more and more smart digital solutions that make our customers’ lives easier and more efficient. With Refinity, we will take a big step forward in the collision repair industry by creating a seamless digital experience that will help our customers grow in the long term and become that body shop of the future,” said Bremm.
