News Briefs
I-CAR Expands UPCR Data
The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) is adding 24 new procedures and valuable information from new sources to the April 1998 issue of Uniform Procedures for Collision Repair (UPCR). Procedures have been added to the following content areas: moveable glass, stationary glass, drivetrain, fuel, instrument panel, exhaust, lamps, trim and hardware.
In addition, I-CAR has adopted the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) Collision Repair Industry Standards for Recycled Parts into this UPCR issue. The ARA-developed standards allow for universally understood and more-detailed descriptions of recycled parts that will aid auto recyclers, repair shops, insurance companies and even individuals on the Internet to communicate more efficiently and facilitate increased sales and use of recycled parts.
Air Bag Safety Campaign Extended to Year 2000
According to the Air Bag Safety Campaign, drivers who don't buckle up are far less likely to make sure children are buckled. That conclusion is based on mounting evidence from recent seat-belt use studies in 11 states and by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The most recent National Occupant Protection Use Survey by NHTSA reports that when the driver is buckled, restraint use for toddlers (ages 1-4) is 86 percent. However, when the driver is unbuckled, restraint use for toddlers drops dramatically to 23 percent.
An observational study conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation found that when the driver is buckled, belt use for children (ages 4-15) is 72 percent; however, when the driver is unbuckled, seat-belt use for children drops dangerously to 11 percent.
Michelin Offers Zero-Pressure Tire
Michelin has introduced the X-One ZP tire, the first zero-pressure tire available in sizes to fit minivans and that can travel safely for 50 miles at 55 mph or up to 200 miles in city-driving conditions after a total loss of air pressure. This gives drivers the opportunity to get to a convenient, safe location for assistance.
The tire has reinforcements in its sidewall designed to provide the vertical stiffness needed to support the weight of the vehicle, as well as the lateral handling a driver must have to maintain control of the vehicle if a tire suddenly loses air.
In addition, a specially designed tire bead helps keep the tire on the wheel after total air loss.
A pressure-monitoring system mounted inside the wheel is used to alert the driver when the tire pressure falls below a predetermined level.
Study Shows SUVs Resemble Traditional Vehicles
According to a study by consulting and research firms Strategic Vision and AutoPacific Inc., America's growing fascination with sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and light trucks is primarily a return to traditional vehicle values - good visibility, chair-like seating, easy entry and exit, and ample interior room ground clearance.
"Today's SUVs offer functionality that most cars have forgotten how to deliver, and that's why buyers have switched," said AutoPacific President George Peterson.
I-CAR Education Foundation Releases New Props Directory
The I-CAR Education Foundation has released a new product intended to introduce the collision industry to the large variety of props that are available to demonstrate various repair procedures.
Sponsored by U.S. Chemicals and Plastics and available on CD-ROM, Props for Collision Repair Training includes a description of nearly 400 props that can be used to demonstrate collision repair procedures.
It was primarily designed for use in a vocational technical education setting, but the product has plenty of application for I-CAR instructors as well. It also has some application for shop owners who may want to use a prop to demonstrate a procedure to a customer.
Tulsa Tech Wins National Award
Tulsa Technology Center's Automotive Program won first place in the Industry Planning Council's (IPC's) 1997 Award for Excellence in Automotive Training. Tulsa Tech was recognized at the American Vocational Association's annual meeting in Las Vegas, Dec. 11-14, 1997.
Tulsa Tech's program offers internship training through two school-to-work initiatives, Transportation 2000 (T-2000) and Automotive Youth Education Systems (AYES). Local Automotive Service Association (ASA) chapters, independent repair shops and dealerships as well as Ford, Chrysler, General Motors and other manufacturers have combined forces with Tulsa Tech to provide quality, up-to-date training for automotive students. The programs are designed to offer paid work-site training situations under the guidance of a trained mentor.
ASA Completes Safety I/M Analysis || Dealerships Compete for Independents' Customers || Timely Tips for Time Savings in the Paint Shop || Everything You Didn't Want to Know About Running a Profitable Body Shop || Guest Editorial: I've Been Ripped Off! || Tech to Tech || Tech Tips || News Briefs || Taking the Hill || Around ASA || Shop Profile || Net Worth || Stat Corner || Chairman's Message
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLVI, April 1998 (http://www.asashop.org)