NEK Collision Repair, a 30-year-old service center located in Lyndonville, Vermont, is preparing for a major expansion of its facilities. It is one of three crash centers in the northeastern part of the state.
The business currently operates out of an 8,000 square foot building. Permits filed with the city’s Development Review Board detailed plans to add an additional 4,725 square feet to the store. The new construction will also add advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) calibration technology to the facility. John Lin, owner of NEK Collision since 2019, told Autobody News that he intends to hire new employees “immediately” after construction is complete.
ADAS technology is designed to improve vehicle safety by automating or improving certain tasks, such as changing lanes, monitoring blind spots, and parallel parking. At our collision repair center, ADAS reconditioning maintains your new vehicle’s original safety features after an accident.
Image via Facebook.
But Lin said new technology has made crash repairs more difficult. Many small stores struggle to educate staff on technology investments and system recalibration. He also said technicians are having a hard time because manufacturers lack transparency regarding repair procedures.
“Car technology has become so advanced that many smaller body shops don’t want to make the ongoing investments needed to keep up with (new car) technology,” Lin says. “Many of the owners have been in business for 40, 50 years and know they’re nearing retirement. They haven’t made these investments and are closing early.”
Mr. Lin explained specific examples in detail. NEK Collision Repair is currently repairing a 2020 Toyota Tundra pickup that jackknifed while towing a trailer. The pickup needed repair to the rear quarter panel. Lin said he did not touch the blind spot monitor during the repair, but the vehicle’s dashboard displays a safety technology repair warning.
“Where’s the problem?” asked Rin. He said that despite best efforts, repairs could result in the car being sent back to the Toyota dealership.
Car insurance premiums have soared 16.3% over the past year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. Nationally, auto insurance inflation is higher than every other category measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the same period, economy-wide inflation rose by just 2.4%.
The high costs prompted local regulators to take action. The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) has asked collision repair companies to complete a study in hopes of curbing growing costs in the state.
But Lin said car repairs will remain expensive if automakers continue to introduce expensive safety technology. After recent investments, he said, his shop will be equipped for expensive repairs.
“There are no such things as quick fixes anymore,” he says. “Especially for smaller community body shops, it’s going to be very difficult to continue to educate and learn the differences between these technologies.”
