Sanford, North Carolina — Earlier this year, CIECA launched a new committee for electric vehicle education, designed to inform and prepare the aftermarket for vehicle electrification. Meetings are held on a monthly basis, where members of the industry are invited to discuss topics like safe repair of EVs, EV estimates, finding correct parts, data security and other subjects surrounding the electrification of the North American vehicle fleet.
The goal, says CIECA’s EV Committee, is to “identify, prioritize, develop and maintain messaging, data-sharing standards and codes to help all segments of the collision industry get access to and share data that enables commerce, communications and connectivity between segments.”
Responsibilities of the committee include identifying new data sources, access and sharing requirements, in addition to new connectivity methodologies, new terminology and new data requirements to “help drive the adoption and implementation of these new technologies into all collision industry segments.”
Committee chairs are Frank Phillips, senior manager for Rivian’s North American collision certified network; Jake Rodenroth, North American body repair program operations manager for Lucid Motors; and Ginny Whelan of the Automotive Recyclers Association.
During the committee’s first meeting on March 1, 2023, the group defined the connected car and covered how its lifecycle differs from a traditional vehicle, including transfer of sale to total loss handling. How to find repair procedures, recycling industry intake processes and recycler battery safety were also discussed, among many other topics.
“[Intake] is a big problem in our industry—how to take in a vehicle that’s been damaged from a collision. We need to define the intake process and no manufacturer has a definition to take in a compromised EV after an accident,” said one participant. Another pointed out that the CIC Committee is working on a definition.
The second meeting in April kicked off with conversations on battery disposal, battery transport, specialized tools, safety, education and general recycling. In May, the group discussed how the supply chain is impacting EV adoption across the continent.
Meeting minutes can be accessed by joining the committee at CIECA.com.
Monthly meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month at 12 p.m. CST; the next meeting will be held on June 7—readers should note that CIECA has the workflow for the intake process of an EV and more on the meeting docket.
Click here for more information CIECA’s EV Standards Committee.
