Mechanicsville, Virginia, October 14, 2021 – The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) announces the final details of the 2021 OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit (Summit), taking place on Thursday, November 4 during the 2021 SEMA Show.

To register to attend the Summit, visit www.scrs.com/2021rde. Tickets can also be secured onsite, outside the education classrooms (rooms S229 – S233) in the Upper Level of the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit, Session III: ADAS and Safety
Thursday, November 4, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Passenger safety and advancements in automotive technology that provide increased safety assurances to vehicle owners and occupants continues to garner increased attention in both the collision repair space as well as the broader automotive sector. From safety provisions being assessed and passed at a governmental level to increased integration of crash avoidance features and safety tech, the development of safety and ADAS in vehicle design is only accelerating in pace. Understanding the big picture of what that means for the industry is as important as understanding the vehicle-specific integrations of the technology, especially for collision repairers. While these technologies are effective, they do not fully eliminate the crashes and resulting damage they are designed to prevent. The safety benefits of crash avoidance technologies can only continue to be realized by consumers when they are fully restored in the repair process after a collision.

The session will start with a presentation from Abey Abraham, Managing Director of Automotive and Materials at Ducker and Scott Ulnick, Managing Principal at Ducker. Scott and Abey will provide the audience with a market-based overview on the nuances of ADAS, and a practical view on key existing technology and developments we can expect in vehicles (e.g., “What does sensor fusion even mean?!”) Not all ADAS are created equal, and operations are far from what the marketing labels imply as capabilities. Suppliers are critical and their roles evolve, especially as OEMs aim to further enhance their unique value proposition for their customers. Their presentation will transition to a panel of automakers, who will then discuss their vehicle platforms, the technology that exists today and the unique considerations the collision repair industry should know.
Join the following contributors:

Scott Ulnick – Ducker, Managing Principal

Abey Abraham – Ducker, Managing Director of Automotive and Materials

Ted Hicks – Subaru of America, Regional Technical Training Manager

Scott Kaboos – American Honda Motor Co., National Assistant Manager of Collision Repair Training and Technology

Frank Phillips – RIVIAN, Manager, Collision Repair Program

Taylor Jozwiak – RIVIAN, Collision R&D Workshop Manager

“This Summit has always been about how we help the industry understand the ways in which the sophisticated advancements in automotive technology are going to reshape how we approach collision repair,” states SCRS Chairman, Bruce Halcro. “This session continues to build on the other programs we’ve delivered to highlight both the trends and the specific automotive developments we are seeing in today’s vehicles. There is no one in the collision repair space who wouldn’t benefit from increased understanding of the systems designed for occupant protection, and the ways in which we can be good stewards of that technology in the repair process.”

Other OEM Summit sessions being held on Thursday, November 4 include:

OEM Session I: Electric Vehicles
9:00am – 10:30am

The session will explore the unique vehicle platforms each of the participating manufacturers have developed, and how their EV offering differs from other more traditional vehicles. From construction to repairs, characteristics and means in which the collision repair industry will need to adapt, panelists will thoroughly explore considerations and opportunities afforded to the industry by EV.

Featuring:

Jennifer Goforth – General Motors, Director – Global Aftersales Mechanical Engineering

John Eck – General Motors, Collision Manager – Customer Care & Aftersales

Andy McDonald – Lucid Motors, Global Body Repair Program Senior Manager

Andy Hall – Lucid Motors, Head of Vehicle Safety

Kelly Logan – Rivian, Senior Manager, Collision Repair Program

Dan Black – Rivian, Manager, Service Engineering

OEM Session II: Vehicle Research & Trends – Data Acceleration
11:00am – 12:30pm

This session will provide insights into the driver behavior and loss analysis telematics provides. Presenter Ryan McMahon will review the many use cases different industries have to leverage telematics data collected from connected vehicles, smartphones, and IoT devices.
Featuring:

Ryan McMahon – Cambridge Mobile Telematics, Vice President of Insurance and Government Affairs

Summit sessions can be selected individually, or as part of the Full Series Pass at www.scrs.com/rde.

The 2021 OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit is made possible with support from BASF, CCC, Enterprise, Reliable Automotive Equipment, Toyota Wholesale Parts and SEMA.

To learn more about SCRS’ education series at the SEMA Show visit www.scrs.com/2021RDE.