Chicago, Illinois — July 31, 2017 — General Motors’ Customer Care and Aftersales division announced at NACE Automechanika Chicago that it will launch a new comprehensive collision certification program in 2018 in the US only. According to General Motors, there are currently no plans to expand the program to Canada, but that may change depending on the results of the US program.
“Today’s certification programs have to evolve to keep up with the rapid-fire pace of technological innovation in the auto industry, especially in areas like safety systems,” said John Eck, Collision Manager, GM Customer Care and Aftersales. “Our new program is being designed to measure critical behaviours and procedures that will help ensure every collision repair is done to the highest standards, whether the work is done at a dealership, an independent bodyshop or by a multi-shop operator.”
The new GM collision certification program will build on current training and tools-focused programs, but it is much more comprehensive, adding standards for pre- and post-repair scanning, calibration, and overall repair. In the development of the certification program, GM Customer Care and Aftersales is working closely with companies like Mitchell International and Enterprise Holdings, who share common goals of ensuring proper and quality repairs are taking place.
Last year, GM issued a position statement that all vehicles being assessed for collision damage repairs must be tested for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) during the repair estimation. Additionally, the vehicle must be retested after all repairs are complete in order to verify that faults have been repaired and new faults have not been introduced during the course of repairs.
GM is also looking at ways to incorporate other technologies into the process, such as providing drivers with information on qualified collision repair facilities based on vehicle location and crash severity.
“With Automatic Crash Response, OnStar is typically the first to know an incident has occurred,” said Brian Hoglund, OnStar Commercial Experience director for GM. “Depending on the vehicle’s repair needs and driver’s well-being, OnStar has the ability to help streamline the repair process while making the experience more convenient for our customers.”
All of GM’s position statements can be downloaded at genuinegmparts.com/for-professionals/position-statements.
