Cruise and General Motors on Jan. 19 announced they have entered a long-term strategic relationship with Microsoft to accelerate the commercialization of self-driving vehicles.

C.A.R.Score, a division of Dealer Specialties, LLC, announced Jan. 22 its vehicle condition reports will now be available on the CARFAX Vehicle History Report.

Lucid Motors, which is setting new standards for sustainable mobility with its advanced luxury EVs, announced the opening of its newest retail location in South Florida, the Lucid Studio in West Palm Beach at Rosemary Square, on Jan. 23.

During the Jan. 12 virtual Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) board meeting, the organization’s Board of Trustees elected new officers for 2021 and announced the recipients of the 2020 CIECA Awards.

FY 2021 is in full swing and auto glass senior leadership and business owners have shared why they think this year is filled with optimism.

Ford and Mazda will soon recall vehicles to replace Takata airbag inflators after failing to convince the government there are no problems with safety.

The 17th annual Vincentric Best Value in America Awards were announced Jan. 19, with Toyota Motor Corporation winning 12 model-level awards and three brand-level awards between the Toyota and Lexus brands.

Chicago-based Crash Champions LLC, a chain of auto collision repair centers, announced it has purchased Gillette’s Collision Center in Waukesha, WI.

A recently formed subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd. has announced it will operate an electric vehicle motor manufacturing plant in Berea, KY, with plans to employ 200 people by 2023, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced. 

As we move into 2021, the insurance sector should expect continuing hard market conditions, according to Jim Bramblet, managing director-insurance lead for Accenture‘s North American operations, who explained the pandemic will shape pricing and coverage in the year to come.

German automaker Volkswagen has announced it ended production efforts of the widely-popular Golf hatchback, opening the door for the all-electric ID series in the U.S.

More people moved to, or were born in, Texas last year than in any other state, making it the fastest growing state in the nation.

Did you know you can read all five regional editions of Autobody News before they appear in print?

The car shopping experts at Edmunds say the auto industry is on track for greater stability and healthier sales this year, forecasting 15.5 million new cars will be sold in 2021.

The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021 and will be ramping up efforts to support high school and college collision programs, students and instructors nationwide.

The Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) introduces the newest Gold level sponsor, the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA.)

Crash Champions, LLC, one of the nation's largest independent collision repair MSOs with a leading presence in the greater Midwest and Southern California markets, announced Jan. 21 its successful rebrand of Fountain Valley Bodyworks.

Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings is adding two new products to its high-performance Imron® Elite coating solutions line in North America - Imron Elite ColorPLUS and Imron Elite Direct-to-Plastic basecoat.

Sure, traffic can be thick around major cities. Of course, potholes dot roadways just like most other midwestern cities. However, Indiana ranks high when it comes to the best states for driving.

While we’re only a couple of weeks into the new year, some 2021 vehicles might already be in your used-vehicle inventory---or at least soon will be.

President Joe Biden has wasted no time in following through on several campaign promises related to protecting the environment and addressing climate change. 

Members of the Virginia business community are voicing concern over legislation that would require small businesses to pay state income taxes on forgivable loans received by the federal government as they are trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic restrictions.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has continued a trend of giving back with a $5 million donation to Boston researchers who aim to create a COVID-19 vaccine and diagnostic tool.

The Mitchell 1 SocialCRM auto repair marketing service has added custom texting campaigns to its offerings, allowing auto repair shops to send personalized marketing messages directly to their customers’ phones.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has announced the officers and board members for the coming year, according to Tim Zilke, ASE president and CEO.

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Jan. 19 it has approved approximately 60,000 PPP loan applications submitted by nearly 3,000 lenders, for more than $5 billion, between the program’s re-opening Jan. 11 through Jan. 17.   

The classic car junk yard has got some fantastic classics.

Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) member shop owner Jason Boggs, of Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders in Woodbury, NJ, and his team believe in giving back and helping those in need.

The Boyd Group Inc. announced the acquisition of a collision repair center in Wyandotte, MI.

The coronavirus changed how people live and do business, and now as vaccines are becoming more available, the auto glass industry could find itself adapting yet again.

Tesla Service bills can now be paid through the company’s Smartphone application, which owners indicate after noticing changes in the app.

Tesla acceleration problems are caused by drivers pressing the accelerator pedals and causing alleged sudden unintended acceleration.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has completed a regulation permitting low volume motor vehicle manufacturers to begin selling replica cars that resemble vehicles produced at least 25 years ago.

Lucas Anstett grew up learning about car engines and auto glass repair from inside his father’s shop in Greenville, MI.

Under Gov. J.B. Pritzker's COVID-19 rules, the state's 11 regions were under four different classes of mitigations on Jan. 18, leading to some confusion among lawmakers and local officials.

A Toyota emissions settlement for $180 million has been reached between the automaker, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for emissions violations of the Clean Air Act.

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Source: Discovery

The auto industry appears ready to get off to a good start for the New Year---and could gain even more momentum if the Biden administration moves forward with new stimulus and infrastructure programs, a panel of industry analysts forecast.

The New Hampshire House of Representatives will be considering a bill in the new session that would reduce the state's business taxes incrementally over the next two years.

The federal deficit in the first three months of the budget year is 60.7% higher than over the same time period as last year, a record-breaking $572.9 billion.

New leadership is set to guide FordDirect beginning on Feb. 1.

Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, announced its 2021 Global Automotive Color of the Year---ElectroLight.

PPG announced Jan. 11 the appointment of Bhaskar Ramachandran as vice president and chief information officer (CIO.)

CLASSIC.COM on Jan. 18 released its 2020 statistics for the classic and collector car auction market.

The Automotive Content Professionals Network (ACPN), a community of the Auto Care Association, on Jan. 18 announced the winner of its annual ACPN Scholarship.

I-CAR was built because all six segments of the inter-industry recognized the need to put the safety of drivers first.

It was easy to spot teacher Colette Robitaille when she pulled into the parking lot at D.W. Webb Middle School in Tampa, FL.

In late 2009, longtime Livonia, MI, car dealer Kit Tennyson was counted out.

The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) issued its 2020 analysis of U.S. auto sales and the economy.

Rupert's Auto Body in Carson City, NV, has supported many causes through the years from youth sports and organizations, to children's programs and local schools.