Agero and MOTER Technologies Partner on Connected Vehicle Claims
Agero, operating through Urgently, the digital roadside assistance company it has acquired, has struck a partnership with MOTER Technologies, a company that converts data pulled from connected vehicles into real-time insight on risk and claims. MOTER's vehicle-data analytics, claims-visualization tools, and risk-scoring technology will now link into Urgently's roadside operation, plus the service network Agero runs nationwide.
The idea is for a connected vehicle incident to set off roadside dispatch and accident support automatically, while MOTER assembles the data behind the claim at the same time, so insurers learn about a loss and can start triage sooner. Early testing of the claims visualization tool with a major personal auto insurer showed cycle times dropping by as much as three days.
"By combining Urgently's digital roadside assistance platform, Agero's nationwide network and accident management expertise, and MOTER's connected vehicle intelligence, we're helping insurers and automakers accelerate claims response, improve visibility into vehicle incidents, and deliver more proactive support when drivers need it most," said Harrison Russell, chief client officer, automotive at Agero.
Adrian Thompson, chief sales officer at MOTER, said the company picked Urgently and Agero for their scale and their capacity to support heavily customized embedded coverage and mobility offerings.
Agero's network spans more than 150 million vehicles and handles roughly 14 million roadside events a year, over 1 million of which are accidents, serving roughly two-thirds of North America's leading auto insurers.
VIVE Collision Expands Northeast Footprint With Jasmin Auto Body Acquisition
VIVE Collision, a multi-site operator (MSO) operating across the Northeast, acquired Jasmin Auto Body in White River Junction, Vermont, pushing its count to 81 locations and deepening its footprint in the state.
Jasmin Auto Body opened its doors in 1969 and has spent better than half a century building a reputation in the Upper Valley, growing from a neighborhood garage into a full-fledged collision repair business. The shop, now operating as Jasmin Auto Body Powered by VIVE, will gain access to VIVE's training, technology, and operational support.
"As VIVE continues to grow, we remain focused on building a strong, connected network that allows us to better serve our customers, teammates, and partners across the Northeast," said Vartan Jerian Jr., CEO and founder of VIVE Collision. "Jasmin Auto Body is an excellent addition to our Vermont operations, and we're excited to bring the strength of the VIVE brand, resources, and support to an established team in the Upper Valley."
VIVE Collision operates across New York, New Jersey, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Delaware.
SEMA's Second Annual ADAS Symposium Widens Industry Conversation
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) held its second annual ADAS Symposium this week, again partnering with the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Aftermarket Suppliers to pull in a wider mix of the industry than last year's inaugural event, which centered mainly on aftermarket service and calibration challenges. The gathering drew 63 people representing 47 organizations and companies for talks on ADAS calibration and how well the technology holds up over a vehicle's life.
Vehicle manufacturers joined the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, SAE International, the Equipment and Tool Institute, and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, plus companies working across ADAS diagnostics, testing, calibration hardware, repair software, technician training, and vehicle technology broadly.
Sessions ranged across how ADAS performs in real-world testing, how calibration and serviceability standards are evolving, and where software choices and regulatory policy are pushing the technology next, spread across eight structured workshop sessions.
"One of the clearest takeaways from this week's symposium was that the job doesn't end when a vehicle leaves the factory," said David Kidd, Ph.D., vice president of vehicle research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "We've done a great job encouraging the adoption of crash-avoidance technologies and educating consumers about their benefits, but we need to ensure these systems continue to perform as intended throughout a vehicle's life, even after repairs, modifications and ownership changes."
SEMA Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Eric Snyder updated attendees on federal legislative and policy developments, including the "ADAS Functionality and Integrity Act," a bipartisan bill that would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study how common vehicle modifications affect ADAS calibration and let the agency spell out which modifications preserve it. The bill has since been folded into the highway bill reauthorization the House Energy and Commerce Committee has already cleared, and SEMA counts it among its top priorities in Washington.
ASA's Reimagined NACE/CARS Returns Sept. 29 in San Antonio
The Automotive Service Association will host ASA's freshly rebooted NACE/CARS conference Sept. 29 at the Hilton Palacio del Rio in San Antonio, bringing together people from repair shops, OEM offices, and vendor and partner companies across the industry for eight small-group discussions built around roundtable-style conversation rather than lecture-style sessions.
The day's opening panel, titled "State of the Auto Collision and Repair Industry," features well-known collision-industry voice Kristen Felder and ASA's Washington, D.C., representative Robert Redding, with shop owners on hand to weigh in on how they're navigating insurance negotiations, the growing use of AI, and other pressures on their businesses.
That's followed by a presentation from John Wilson of CBL Training and Consulting titled "AI Under the Hood: Understanding and Using AI as a Business Force Multiplier." Additional sessions cover ADAS regulation and upcoming legislation, with Loren Stowe of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute set to moderate a discussion hosted by Hunter Engineering, and industry standards conversations facilitated by 3M's Jason Scharton. American Honda wholesale marketing manager Nicholas Walker rounds out the speaker lineup.
"Shop owners are navigating unprecedented change on both the collision and mechanical sides of the industry," said Dan Stander, chairman of ASA. "NACE/CARS is about bringing the right people together to talk openly about those challenges and, most importantly, identify solutions."
CIECA CONNEX runs alongside NACE/CARS from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 and adds its own draws, including a tour of Toyota's Texas manufacturing plant and its Experience Center (tour slots are capped and need separate sign-up), plus an NABC Recycled Rides vehicle gifting. ASA members can register for NACE/CARS at $395; the nonmember rate is $495.
Hunter Engineering Wins 2026 MOTOR Top 20 Award
Hunter Engineering won a 2026 MOTOR Top 20 Award for its autonomous Road Force WalkAway wheel balancer, the seventh win in six contests for the company.
An autonomous inflation arm handles the tire fill, then disconnects on its own and kicks off the balance spin, measuring Road Force with nobody standing at the machine.
Hunter estimates the automation saves about 10 minutes on a standard tire changer and 12 minutes on its own Maverick Pro. Paired with Hunter's autonomous Revolution tire changer as the full WalkAway System, the combination trims a four-tire changeover from 34 minutes down by 15, a 44 percent cut.
"It's always an honor to be recognized for innovative solutions in our industry, and we're grateful to MOTOR for the opportunity," said Greg Meyer, Hunter senior product manager.
NABC Recycled Rides Delivers Vehicles to Veterans in Texas and Minnesota
The National Auto Body Council's Recycled Rides program presented two refurbished vehicles to veterans this month, with a Sept. 2 handoff in Irving, Texas, and a Sept. 9 presentation in St. Paul, Minnesota. Air Force veteran Pamela Bradley, who is raising four children on her own and was nominated by the American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program, received a 2020 Ford Escape donated by Farmers Insurance; the team at Texas Collision Center of Irving handled the refurbishing.
"I can't believe this is happening and I'm really grateful to everyone who participated," Bradley said. "I always knew I wanted to serve others and be there for people, but I'm not used to being on the other end of the generosity."
In St. Paul, Army veteran Diquan Sanders, nominated by the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, received a 2021 Jeep Cherokee that Allstate donated and Raymond Auto Body's technicians refurbished, at an event hosted at the 3M Skills Development Center. The family had few resources when winter of 2025 brought them to Minnesota, and they spent time in emergency shelter housing before landing an apartment close to where their daughter goes to school.
"This vehicle is more for my family…they have shown hard work and dedication plus having the mindset and the willpower to overcome all life's obstacles," Sanders said.
NABC members have donated over 3,850 vehicles through Recycled Rides since the program began in 2007, worth close to $69 million combined.
Firehouse Subs Foundation and NABC F.R.E.E. Showcase Extrication Training in Tennessee
The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation showcased nearly $40,000 in extrication equipment it donated to the United Volunteer Fire Department, hosting a demonstration Sept. 2 at Morristown Fire Station Three in Morristown, Tennessee, backed by the National Auto Body Council's First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.) program, along with Allstate and HURST Jaws of Life.
The F.R.E.E. program gives first responders free, hands-on practice extricating crash victims from today's vehicles, working around reinforced steel bodies, modern airbag systems, and electric-vehicle systems, relying mostly on salvaged vehicles for the hands-on work.
"Up-to-date extrication equipment makes a critical difference when firefighters are working to free someone from a vehicle, and we're proud to support United Volunteer Fire Department with the tools they need to respond when every second matters," said Meghan Vargas, director of development at the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
