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NHTSA Tells Automakers Not To Comply With MA’s Right To Repair Law The National Highway and Transportation Safety Authority (NHTSA) on June 13 sent a letter to 22 automakers, telling them not to comply with a Right to Repair law recently enacted in Massachusetts, citing “significant safety concerns.”
to dealership service centers. It was first approved by Massachusetts voters in 2020, but delayed for years by a lawsuit brought by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing automakers.
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AUTOBODYNEWS.COM
Vol. 12 / Issue 10 / July 2023
REGIONAL NEWS
Midwest Collision Repair Trade Show Hosts Successful Second Annual Event By Cole Strandberg
Autobody News
The Midwest Collision Repair Trade Show was held May 19-20 in Kansas City, MO. Despite being only in its second year, the event expanded its trade show floor and attracted top industry speakers and regional shop operators. Hosted by several auto body associations, including the Missouri Auto Body Association, Kansas Auto Body Association, Nebraska Auto Body Association (NABA), South Dakota Auto Body Association and the Iowa Collision Repair Association (ICRA), the show offered valuable insights and information over the course of two days.
The energetic weekend started May 19 with Mike Anderson’s “Be Extraordinary” presentation, setting a positive tone. Panels covering various
Mike Anderson of Collision Advice presented “Be Extraordinary.”
topics such as EVs, estimating technology, marketing and culture received favorable feedback from l CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
REGIONAL NEWS
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“While NHTSA has stressed that it is important for consumers to continue to have the ability to choose where to have their vehicles serviced and repaired, consumers must be afforded choice in a manner that does not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety,” the NHTSA said in the letter. The law requires automakers to allow access to their vehicles’ data, so owners can get them fixed by independent repairers if they choose, rather than be forced to go
Finally, in March, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced she would begin enforcing the law June 1, despite the lack of a decision in the federal lawsuit. A last-minute motion to block the enforcement by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation was denied. The letter from the NHTSA claims the Massachusetts law is in conflict with and is therefore preempted by the Safety Act, which l CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
GM To Invest $1 Billion in Flint, MI, Manufacturing Facilities General Motors Co. announced June 5 plans to invest more than $1 billion in two of its Flint, MI, manufacturing sites—Flint Assembly and Flint Metal Center— to prepare those plants for production of the next-generation internal combustion engine (ICE) heavy-duty trucks. This investment will enable the company to strengthen its industry-leading full-size truck business. Product details and timing related to GM’s future HD
trucks are not being released at this time. The announcement brings GM’s U.S. manufacturing and parts distribution facility investment commitments to more than $30.5 billion since 2013. “Today we are announcing significant investments in Flint to strengthen our industryleading full-size pickup business by preparing two plants to build the next-generation ICE HD l CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 10
Columnist Mike Anderson: How to Create a Winning Customer
Experience
8
Columnist Abby Andrews: Mitchell Hosts High School Students to Show Career Opportunities in the Collision Repair Industry
4
Columnist Stacey Phillips: Solving the Tech Shortage: Providing Direction, Showing Vulnerability & Re-messaging the Collision Repair Job
16
Columnist John Yoswick: Auto Body Shop Owners Decide Where to Focus Attention, Resources in Near Future
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