A Ford class action lawsuit alleges 2021 Ford Expedition and 2021 Lincoln Navigator SUVs are too dangerous to drive after Ford reported at least 16 engine compartment fires.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testified before the Senate Finance Committee on June 7, where lawmakers grilled her on the rising federal debt, energy costs and soaring inflation.

A Canadian electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator said it will spend $3 million on a new charger manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, MI, in exchange for an $800,000 Michigan Business Development Program (MBDP) grant.

It’s not uncommon during discussions within the collision repair industry about the technician shortage for body shop representatives to point to what they see as the inadequate entry-level skills of students completing auto body training programs.

A national survey in April found auto body shops on average have a work backlog topping four weeks, and during the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS) Repairer Roundtable this spring, a panel was asked whether that “unique scenario” in the industry should play into a collision repair business’ decisions related to participation in direct repair programs.

Aaron Schulenburg of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) said he was surprised by one of the findings of the association’s survey earlier this year asking shops about what changes could have a positive impact on their business.

Ford is expanding the curriculum and adding locations to its premier training program designed to add more specially trained automotive technicians to a fast-growing field that now includes electric vehicles.

More than 10,000 Toyota drivers have signed a petition with more than 110,000 signatures urging the Japanese car maker to embrace electrification efforts and stop “lobbying to prevent electric vehicle mandates and clean air laws.”

Five automakers including Ford Motor Co., Volkswagen AG and Honda Motor Co. on June 7 backed efforts by President Joe Biden's administration to restore California's ability to set its own strict tailpipe and zero-emission vehicle standards.

 
CAWA, representing the automotive parts industry, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2022 scholarship awards.

Mercury Insurance announced a new web-based application to help policyholders file a claim digitally immediately following an accident with ease and security.

Collision repair industry leaders, along with a row of tow trucks, paraded outside the Massachusetts State House on May 18 to demand action on two proposed bills before lawmakers that would raise the state's lowest-in-the-nation reimbursement rates.

On June 7, U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco said Owen Diaz had two weeks to accept a $15 million payout for racial abuse at the Tesla Fremont Factory.

North Carolina Rep. Keith Kidwell, R-District 79, recently proposed a bill titled “Equitable Free Vehicle Fuel Stations,” setting its sights on electric vehicle charging stations. 

United Way of the Tri-Valley Area in Farmington, ME, has launched a new program, in alignment with the strategic goal to help the community become more mobile.

The Women's Industry Network (WIN) has named its 2022-23 Leadership Officers and Board of Directors.

Deeply involved in the community they serve, Fix Auto Escondido in California is helping prepare the future of the collision repair industry through its commitment to raising awareness of opportunities in the field. 

A man is suing 18 companies for causing him to contract Parkinson's disease.

An old auto shop building in New York City's Upper East Side, known for being the site of a 2021 murder, is set to be demolished to make way for a new development, according to newly filed plans.

Small businesses say they are worse off than they were at the same time last year, according to newly released polling data.

Gas prices hit a national average price of $4.92 a gallon June 7, according to AAA, the highest price for regular unleaded gas on record, marking yet another record-setting day for gas prices as the national average nears $5 per gallon.

The reliability of the public DC fast-charging stations is a crucial element of electrification and, according to a recent study, it's disappointing right now.

More than 18 months after Massachusetts voters soundly approved an update to the state’s “right to repair” law, the changes have yet to go into effect.

The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA), an independent non-profit standard-setting and certification organization for automotive crash parts, is pleased to announce that global automotive supplier HELLA is the first manufacturer to receive CAPA approval to participate in its Tier 1 Replacement Parts Verification Program.

While used car prices showed modest declines in early 2022, overall prices remain near all-time highs, at an average of $31,450, according to a new monthly report from CoPilot, a car shopping app.

Ford dealerships are starting to receive units of the all-electric F-150 Lightning and they are applying massive market adjustments, despite corporate’s stern orders not to do so.

The ASE Education Foundation has announced the agenda and keynote speakers for the upcoming ASE Instructor Training Conference.

More than 150 genuine Hunter user-replaceable parts conveniently available online at Shop Hunter Marketplace.

Autobody News recently sat down with Jim Huard to talk about what’s important to him and the current state of the collision repair industry.

Even after years of heightened warnings about car safety recalls, new CARFAX data shows more than 50 million vehicles on U.S. roads today are being driven with a known issue that should be repaired.

The automotive aftermarket continues to demonstrate its market strength with higher-than-expected sales in 2021 in the wake of a slow economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.

Crash Champions, LLC, announced June 7 it has named Daniel Briones as chief marketing officer.

CARSTAR, North America’s largest leading multi-store network of independently owned and operated collision repair facilities, announced the opening of two CARSTAR locations.

I’ve recently heard three people I respect in the collision repair industry each quote a different phrase that really resonated with me.

Sales of specialty-equipment parts reached a new high in 2021, increasing to $50.9 billion in retail sales for the first time in history---up from $47.9 billion in 2020.

As part of its ongoing effort to address workforce need for skilled transportation technicians, Universal Technical Institute is bringing its three-week Ignite program back to full capacity at its UTI campuses nationwide this summer.

Tesla may consider Texas its new home after establishing a Gigafactory in the state, but the EV maker is still getting the cold shoulder from the local auto market.

A new poll shows small businesses fear they will have to shut down within six months if inflation continues.  

Gas prices hit another new record to kick off the week June 6, continuing a steady stream of record-breaking days.

When deserving people get fully refurbished vehicles from auto body shops, whether MSOs or independents, it is always a major win-win for the industry and the community.

Twenty-five years ago, many auto manufacturers found they were experiencing similar non-competitive issues in the industry. George Gilbert from Ford and Rick Sherwood from Campbell & Co. suggested meeting to discuss these issues.

The NORTHEAST^® 2022 Automotive Services Show boasted three days of excitement for collision and automotive repair professionals as they perused aisles filled with the industry’s latest and greatest tools and equipment.

If you want to live a long and healthy life, consult Richard “Pinkey” Feest, the enigmatic owner of Pinkey’s Capital Auto Body in Milwaukee, WI.

Ford sold 154,461 vehicles in May, a 4.5% decrease from its May 2021 sales figures, but a 3.5% increase in the company's market share over this time a year ago---to 13.5%---despite the continued global industry semiconductor chip shortage.

Collision photography is an important element of documenting the repair, and it’s a valuable skill to be able to take the best photo to document the file.

After Tesla CEO Elon Musk reportedly sent an email to company executives stating the automaker may reduce its employee headcount by 10% due to a “super bad feeling” about the economy, he sent another email to all employees confirming the company is “overstaffed in many areas.”

California lawmakers want to send $10 billion in relief to California taxpayers and business owners using a portion of the state’s record budget, legislative leaders announced as part of their budget agreement June 1.

Car rental companies are beginning to shift to electric, though undergoing this dramatic transition is proving to be a monumental task.

The New York State Senate on June 1 passed a bill that aims to do away with a nearly 45-year-old auto insurance regulation.

Gas prices spiked 10 cents in just two days the first week of June, setting new records almost daily.