Thanks to rapidly evolving technologies, like advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), modern repairers need to know as much about fixing the brain of a vehicle as they do about fixing the body. This has seen collision workshops become increasingly high-tech, requiring expensive diagnostic tools, software and advanced equipment.

The revolution has only just begun. The impact of ADAS is likely to pale in comparison to the impact of telematics, which uses GPS and onboard diagnostics to track vehicles and ensure their efficient maintenance and repair.

What is telematics?

Telematics is really a data hub, a bit like a black box on a plane, that monitors and collects information about things like how quickly you drive and brake, where you go, and whether you’re a safe driver. It also collects data on fuel use, tyre pressure, faults and other important maintenance indicators. This is particularly useful for managing fleets, where the technology has been embraced, but it’s coming for all vehicles and all drivers as car manufacturers and insurers alike realise the potential.

Where can telematics be used?

The potential uses of telematics include improving productivity by using GPS tracking, trip reporting, route guidance and dispatching tools. This is great for fleet management, as is the ability to identify and schedule maintenance early using remote diagnostics, and to improve fuel management based on idling data and other factors.

Road safety is the big area where telematics may play a large role in the future. In-vehicle driver coaching, risk and behaviour reporting, collision notifications and even the ability to track a stolen vehicle all offer huge benefits—not least to insurance companies, who are keen to raise or lower a customer’s premium based on their risky driving behaviour.

Telematics can also be used to ensure compliance with regulations, improve sustainability (e.g., monitoring and reducing carbon emissions), and in collaboration with other onboard systems (e.g., camera technology) to create completely new applications.

What impact could this have on collision repairers?

As vehicles become more advanced, so do their repairs and the tools required to make those repairs. Kitting up to be able to make those repairs, and training your technicians, is likely to be expensive. The cost of repairs to your customers is also likely to increase significantly, thanks to the high cost of replacing and calibrating sensors. A study by the American Automobile Association last year found ADAS alone adds up to 37.6 per cent to the total repair cost after a crash.

But all those sensors and all that technology could also help ensure the best possible repair. Advanced imaging and scanning capabilities will allow repairers to identify hidden damage and create a truly comprehensive repair plan, even including the most efficient repair plan and a list of parts required.

While all this data might seem intimidating, harnessed properly it will allow us to do our jobs more effectively, precisely and efficiently, making sure the vehicle that goes back out onto the road is as safe and as near-new as possible. That’s good for the customer, good for the insurer, and good for the repairer.