ELECTRIC VEHICLES
ALARM BELLS According to the chair of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the sheer weight of EV battery packs makes the average EV weigh significantly more than many personal vehicles, particularly for electric SUVs and pickups. The increased weight may mean EVs protect their occupants well—which means the opposite for pedestrians, cyclists or drivers […]
TRAINING
PLASTIC SURGERY CARSTAR Canada welcomed its members to the company’s Hamilton, Ontario, headquarters in early February for an exclusive training session with Polyvance. The plastic repair training was conducted by John Wilburn, the head instructor of plastic repair and refinishing at Polyvance. The day began with a classroom learning portion, presented by Bill Davidge of […]
TECH TRENDS
DRIVE YOURSELF In a move that diverges from the path of fellow legacy automakers, Ford announced in late March that it has withdrawn its petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop Level 4 autonomous driving systems. This decision coincides with the shuttering of Argo AI, a joint Ford-Volkswagen AV development firm, […]
INDUSTRY
REFINISHING REPARATIONS Mike Anderson’s most recent “Who Pays for What” report has been released; this time with its sights set on the use of invoicing systems for material costs. This latest report from the CEO of Collision Advice builds off findings from a 2021 survey that found about half of bodyshops used a flat hourly […]
CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?!
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION Suburban parents looking for the latest in luxury combat cars can look forward to Rezvani’s Vengeance SUV, starting at US$285,000. The vehicle is best showcased in a viral video by Mobile Mama, a TikTok channel specializing in quick reviews of family vehicles. The video has clocked in 5.7 million views and showcases […]
TECH TRENDS
BOTS AND BUILDERS Tesla has expanded the use of automated assembly robots to its Fremont, California factory, following the City of Fremont granting Tesla a permit to install “power and structural anchorage to support two new robots required to automate fascia inspection.” According to a Drive Tesla Canada, this decision may have come from build […]
INDUSTRY
WELCOME ABOARD The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) has appointed Stuart Klein as the organization’s senior director of collision, a newly created position. According to AIA Canada, he will join the association’s senior leadership team, directing AIA Canada’s efforts in the collision sector of the industry. Klein brings more than 45 years of […]
TRAINING
OUTER PANEL PROWESS BETAG North America recently celebrated the first graduating class of its Outer Panel Repair Specialist (OPRS) program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, where participants fine-tuned their ability to perform top-notch panel repairs. Supported by the Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers, BETAG’s four-month OPRS program aims to equip participants with the skills to complete various […]
CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?!
CLOSEST OF CALLS A North Vancouver driver is grateful to be unharmed after a transport truck with an insecure load launched a large metal beam through the driver’s side of her windshield. On October 7 at the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge. Resident Susan Milne said, “everything happened so fast. I didn’t have a lot of […]
TRAINING
LEADING EDGE LEARNING The CWB Group has announced an exciting new collaboration alongside Volkswagen Group Canada–a dedicated OEM collision repair training centre to serve Audi and Volkswagen brands. The first-of-its-kind facility will be located at the CWB Group facility in Milton, Ontario. It will showcase an OEM training environment utilizing the latest equipment and developing […]
