OEM technology advancements will be aimed at accident avoidance

Jan. 1, 2020
New vehicles equipped with the latest OEM technology that are involved in accidents likely will be deemed total losses.
Greg Horn OEM technology accident avoidance total losses "My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there," an eloquent quote by Charles Kettering, is relevant on so many levels – especially when it comes to the automotive industry.

Some of Kettering's pivotal inventions, namely the electric self-starter that he is most famous for, have profoundly changed the automobile industry, particularly its transformation of the extremely dangerous and near 10-step process of hand cranking a car into the effortless task that we do today. Trailblazers like Kettering have indeed contributed to easier-to-operate and safer automobiles. Like Kettering's inventions, future automotive innovations, particularly accident avoidance and accident survival – the two most important goals of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act (FMVSA) – will undoubtedly impact the collision repair industry.

Technological advances coming in the next decade will be aimed at accident avoidance, which in turn will reduce the number of repairable vehicles collision repair shops will see. While improved safety is a great benefit for drivers, unfortunately for collision repairers, vehicles equipped with the latest technology that are involved in accidents likely will be deemed total losses.

For a glimpse of this type of technology, consider the mandated electronic stability control (ESC) that the U.S. government is requiring as standard equipment on all vehicles sold in the United States beginning in the 2012 model year. As impressive as ESC may be, the future of accident avoidance lies in the ability that vehicles soon will have to electronically communicate with external infrastructure, like other vehicles on the road.

Vehicle-to-vehicle technology (V2V) allows vehicles to brake automatically and avoid accidents, also warning drivers of approaching emergency vehicles and other vehicles approaching at dangerous speeds. V2V technology, developed by General Motors, enables vehicles to anticipate and react to changing driving situations and then instantly warns drivers with chimes, visual icons and seat vibrations. If the driver doesn't respond to the alerts, the car can bring itself to a safe stop, avoiding a collision.

While some luxury vehicles like Volvo and Mercedes use a sonar system for automatic braking, advanced avoidance technology for V2V and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication requires technology similar to the wireless networks used with computers. Dedicated short range communications (DSRC) is based on wireless, local area network (WLAN) technology. To avoid interference from existing wireless computer and other communications, the FCC has dedicated the 5.9 gigahertz frequency exclusively for transportation-related communications that can transmit data over distances of up to 3,280 feet between vehicles and with roadside units.

Communicating with the roads we drive on is another possibility, also thanks to wireless communication. Confusing interchanges and dangerous intersections could be made safer by using small transponders under the road surface to warn cars to slow down or inform drivers of the color of a traffic light from a greater distance. Reducing common but often deadly accidents like rear-end collisions also could be possible by equipping traffic lights with the ability to give "warnings" or status reports to a vehicle's telematic system.

How and when this will affect the number of accidents, and in turn the number of collision repair jobs, requires us to look back at the accident chronology in the United States, specifically when significant technology improvements became standard on the majority of vehicles. In 1966 when the FMVSA became law, there were 94 million vehicles registered in the United States. Today there are 254 million vehicles – more than 2.5 times the number in 1966, offsetting the lower frequency by sheer volume.

Here are two key takeaways so that you can continue to get your share of work: 1) Be educated and competent in repairing vehicles with advanced accident avoidance technology so that you are prepared to take on all repair jobs; and 2) market that skill set to insurers and vehicle owners.

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