OEM NEWS

April 4, 2023

GONE TOO SOON

Tesla has been talking big about its in-house insurance platform recently, but some recent reporting from Reuters has found that far too many of the electric automaker’s vehicles are turning up as salvage prematurely. In a compilation of 120 Model Y vehicles found on salvage auction listings, Reuters found that a “vast majority” of the listed vehicles had less than 10,000 miles (approx. 160,000 km.) on the odometer, according to data obtained from Copart and IAA.

ALUMINUM EXCLUSIVITY

BMW North American has restricted more than 100 aluminum structural parts for its vehicles “due to complexity of repair and the requirement of highly specialized tools, training, and repair procedures.” Going forward, parts on the list can only be ordered by facilities with technicians who have completed the required BMW paint and body training courses, including instruction on the OEM’s specific list of approved frame benches, belt sanders, glue cartridge gun, riveting tools, welders, oscillating tools and saw blades. The automaker wrote in its bulletin that it “will be restricting certain aluminum structural parts to ensure the correct repair process is followed and crash performance is not compromised.” The bulletin states that, to be considered eligible to order from the restricted parts list, the technician completing the repair must have completed the BMW Bonding and Riveting Techniques online course (OL5510) and the in-class Aluminum Structural Repair course (SB061), or the BMWi Body Repair Level 2 and 3 courses (SB026E), which are no longer offered but are still recognized.

OE CLARITY

General Motors has issued an updated position statement on its standards for aftermarket glass replacements, hammering home the opinion that non-OEM glass could compromise the safety standards of their vehicles. The legacy automaker asserts that any glass but its own will cause problems with sensor systems that are housed within the windshield. “With the safety of our customers at the center of everything we do, it is critical a service point calibration/learn to be performed whenever a front view windshield camera or sensor is removed and reinstalled or replaced, or when a windshield is removed and reinstalled or replaced,” the statement said.

BODY WATCH

A new patent secured by Ford aims to record and report vehicle body damage instantaneously from the point of impact for immediate communication directly to partners such as insurance and rental companies, according to reporting from Ford Authority. Filed on October 6, 2020, published on January 24, 2023, and assigned serial number 11562570, this latest patent from the Ford Motor Company describes a system that uses cameras integrated into a vehicle’s body to capture damage, from a large collision to a small parking lot door ding. In this way, it will both open immediate dialogue with insurers and emergency services in the case of larger collisions, but also alert drivers to smaller damage they may not have otherwise noticed.