Mitchell has released its Industry Trends report for the fourth quarter of this year.
Penned by top executives of the company, the report is divided into two segments, the Auto Physical Damage edition and the Casualty edition. Through this report the company has touched upon subjects such as the impact and challenges of emotion AI on claims and collision repair, performing safe windshield repairs and the importance of data and analytics for claims managers.
Targeted at the collision repair industry, the Auto Physical Damage edition of the report contains interesting insights. Mitchell Vice President of Sales and Service Jack Rozint has authored the report 2020 Vision: A Look at Proper and Safe Glass Repair. Since the glass repair industry is rapidly changing and evolving, performing efficient and safe glass repair has become a challenge today. Rozint discusses the necessary tools and technology that glass repair business will require to tackle these increasing complexities.
“For those vehicles that have front lane departure systems where the camera points through the front glass, the replacement of a windshield takes on completely new levels of complexity,” states Rozint in the report. He further adds, “It is not uncommon for a specific make and model to have 20 or more possible different windshield SKUs,” that reflect a growing number of available parts.
Rozint notes, “Glass repair businesses will require new tools and new technologies to remain successful in the competitive marketplace, and these tools must have the capability to connect all systems and data throughout the repair process. Integrated systems can deliver the functionality and data access for glass repair today, along with compliance with OEM standards and recalibration of vehicle safety systems.”
In his report, The Future of Humane Automation in Property & Casualty Claims and Collision Repair: Emotion AI, Mitchell President and CEO discusses the future of claims automation. Sun states, “As the technology becomes more prevalent, there are three key ways I see emotion AI impacting the Property & Casualty industry and collision repair facilities. First, emotion AI has applications in both vehicles and in the workplace that could prevent accidents and injuries. Second, it has practical applications in claims automation and claims processes, and third, it may be useful in helping return people to their pre-injury state.”
Looking into the not so distant future, Director, Performance Consulting at Mitchell International Ryan Mandell discusses the Top Five Automotive Trends for 2020. According to him, the industry can expect the following:
- Continuing growth of electrification
- The growing presence of startup car companies
- New and improved digital platforms
- Expanded level 3 automation
- Increasing utilization of carbon fibre in vehicle construction
Additionally, the Auto Physical Damage section also provides industry data as gathered in the third quarter of 2019 on the latest Average Length of Rental for Repairable Vehicles and Current Used Vehicle Market Conditions.
