Ontario fines Japanese car parts manufacturer $550,000 for bid rigging
By Tom Davis Ottawa, Ontario — December 14, 2017 — The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has fined Japanese car parts manufacturer NGK Spark Plug $550,000, after the company pleaded guilty to its role in an international bid rigging conspiracy. A Competition Bureau investigation determined that NGK entered into illegal agreements with another supplier of […]
General Motors to use carbon fibre in next generation of pickup trucks
By CRM Staff Detroit, Michigan — December 8, 2017 — The next generation of General Motors’ (GM) pickup trucks will use a mix of carbon fibre, aluminium, and steel, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. It is expected that the company’s higher-end versions of the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado trucks could […]
AV Report: GM to launch self-driving cars by 2019; Velodyne launches new LiDAR sensor for driverless cars
By Jeff Sanford Toronto, Ontario — December 3, 2017 — In this week’s Autonomous Report, General Motors makes a big announcement, the most popular LiDAR unit, a delay in the Uber/Waymo trial, and much, much more! General Motors held its highly anticipated investor presentation this past week. The future of the auto world came into […]
CCS Fall Network meeting focuses on insurance performance
By Tom Davis Woodbridge, Ontario — November 21, 2017 — No one plans ahead like the the people who work in insurance. Consolidated Collision Services (CCS) recently held its Fall Network Meeting at the Paramount EventSpace in Woodbridge, Ontario, with a focus on insurance, KPIs, and industry trends. Facilitated by Mike Beier, General Manager of CCS, […]
Kobe Steel falsified data for metals supplied to OEMs
By Tom Davis Tokyo, Japan — October 12, 2017 — Kobe Steel has announced that its aluminum and copper business has supplied thousands of tons of materials to OEMs that did not meet the required specifications. The company, which is based in Japan, said that data in inspection certificates had been “improperly rewritten” for 19,300 […]
GM to launch Collision Certification Program Only in US
Chicago, Illinois — July 31, 2017 — General Motors’ Customer Care and Aftersales division announced at NACE Automechanika Chicago that it will launch a new comprehensive collision certification program in 2018 in the US only. According to General Motors, there are currently no plans to expand the program to Canada, but that may change depending on […]
Friday Fun: Fancy pick-ups are more popular than ever, car thieves are targeting older models and why bumper cars need insurance
By Jeff Sanford Toronto, Ontario — December 22, 2016 — It’s time for another edition of Friday Fun, just in time for the holidays! This week we look at some of the naughty and nice news from around the industry, including the current popularity of high-end pick-up trucks, how a new directive in the European […]
The Autonomous Report: Google launches Waymo, GM starts testing and Ford looks into drones
By Jeff Sanford Toronto, Ontario — December 18, 2016 — The emergence of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is a hot and trendy topic these days. Collision Repair magazine provides a weekly look at some of the developments in the field, including Uber’s current battles with the state of California, GM’s CEO saying the company will […]
The Autonomous Report: Local Motors delivers an automated bus, Tesla will share its data and Rio Tinto uses driverless trucks
Toronto, Ontario — June 26, 2016 — A wealth of interesting news from the world of autonomous vehicles (AVs) this week, including potential improvements to Tesla’s autopilot feature, driverless mining trucks and China’s deep investment in the Internet of Cars. – Various new technologies, from 3D printing to automated vehicles, come together in this one […]
Will GM create a certified collision program?
By Jeff Sanford Toronto, Ontario — May 16, 2016 — The most recent Guild 21 teleconference featured presenter John Eck of General Motors. Eck is the Manager, Wholesale Dealer Channel for General Motors Customer Care & Aftersales. He is responsible for managing the collision business, including GM Dealer wholesale parts strategies, programs and industry relationships. […]
