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Bills that would ban assignment-of-benefits (AOB) agreements for auto glass repair, replacement, and calibration and re-calibration are swiftly making their way through the committee process in both the Florida House and Senate. With both measures, HB 541 and SB 1002, … Continue reading
A hearing was held Wednesday, Feb. 15, on a bill by New Hampshire Rep. Tim McGough that would require auto glass repair and replacement facilities to tell customers calibrations are necessary for their vehicles prior to work being done. Rep. … Continue reading
The winners of the Windshield Repair Competition (WRO), Auto Glass Technician Competition (AGTO), Calibration Competition and the Customer Service (CSR) Competition were announced Friday night at Auto Glass Week™ 2022 in San Antonio. Congratulations to all winners! Windshield Repair Competition … Continue reading
San Antonio is the place to be this week for those working in the automotive glass and glazing industry. Auto Glass Week (AGW) is returning to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Sept. 14-16. AGW is a prominent industry event … Continue reading
Crown Collision Solutions in Massachusetts recently used a “unique” procedure complete with specific floor targets to perform a 360 degree camera calibration on a Mazda CX-9 with a passenger-side mirror replacement. Operations manager Tom Johnson expects such procedures to increase … Continue reading
On June 30, Tom Feeney will retire from Safelite after a 35-year career with the auto glass company. Feeny previously served as president and CEO for 14 years, and was credited for the company’s significant growth during that time. Feeney … Continue reading
Hoodoos are geological formations in the southwest United States. “Hoodoos stand out not only geologically, and we want to be a company that stands out,” Sean Dodson says of opening Hoodoo Glass LLC of Farmington, N.M. on June 1. His … Continue reading
The secrets to success are different for each business. But, one thing is certain for these auto glass retailers: revenues continue to grow lightning fast as they put the COVID-19 pandemic in their rearview mirrors. AGRR takes an in-depth look … Continue reading
In today’s digital world, it can be difficult to know which websites to trust. GlassBYTEs.com and AGRR™ magazine encourages you to only use Auto Glass Week’s official site when booking a hotel room for this year’s event. Event management cannot … Continue reading
Mike Williams manages three franchise locations in B.C., in Vancouver, Aldergrove, and South Surrey. He has found that working in glass is a community-minded, people-first profession, one that has turned out to be—clearly—the right fit. Click here to read more. … Continue reading
The secrets to success are different for each business. But, one thing is certain for five auto glass retailers: revenues continue to grow lightning fast as they put the COVID-19 pandemic in their rearview mirrors. AGRR takes an in-depth look … Continue reading
Today, glassBYTEs.com takes a look at top auto glass retailers this year compared to AGRR’s 2020 list. Who remains on top? Were there any major changes? In the number one spot this year and in 2022, Belron and Safelite remain … Continue reading
Winter is over and summer is around the corner, but auto glass shops continue to struggle with the same challenges the new year presented in January. Costs of materials, availability of glass and the price of gasoline impact business. Patricia … Continue reading
Auto Windscreens joined the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign, the world’s largest and fastest growing group of companies aligning to help halve global emissions by 2030. According to a company statement, Auto Windscreens is committed to the Science Based Targets … Continue reading
After Ford’s announcement last week of its Certified Glass Network, technicians and auto glass shop owners are assessing the pros and cons of the program. Ford Certified Glass Network provides certification with certain requirements to auto glass technicians to install … Continue reading
In celebration of National Small Business Week, glassBYTEs.com spoke with small business owners about why they got into auto glass, why they stay and what they think of the industry’s future. Innovation and Calibration Intermountain Auto Glass opened in Boise, … Continue reading
ADAS services are set to experience at least a 17 percent increase through 2030. Click here to read more.
Humans do not have crystal balls to foresee the future, but more and more auto glass industry members see a future of more, not less, auto technology. “ADAS technology will over time lead to fewer auto accidents and vehicles needing … Continue reading
Ford is introducing its own “Ford Certified Glass Network” (FCGN) for auto glass businesses that work on Ford vehicles. The automaker’s website says the program will help prepare technicians “to meet the highest quality standards for every Ford and Lincoln … Continue reading
The key word for Driven Brands Holdings Inc. (DBHI) in 2022 is growth. And auto glass services are part of that growth. In a conference call discussing quarterly results last Wednesday, president and CEO Jonathan Fitzpatrick said 2022’s growth will … Continue reading
While currently an optional role for achieving Gold Class recognition, individuals who proceed with this career path will contribute to accurate system diagnostics, repairs and calibrations in addition to potentially creating a new revenue stream for shops that can capture … Continue reading
AirPro Diagnostics announces Fred Iantorno as vice president of strategic solutions. Iantorno will assist the company in technology integration opportunities and market awareness of the company’s calibration system, the AirPro Auggie. “We are excited to welcome Fred to the team … Continue reading
Auto Windscreens, a leading provider of auto glass services in the United Kingdom, secured a two-year contract with Haven Insurance to provide auto glass repair, replacement and ADAS calibration services to the insurance company’s customers. Haven Insurance, an independent and … Continue reading
Three weeks before the United States went into lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Mygrant Glass held an open house in Albuquerque, N.M. Last Saturday, the company opened its doors in Spokane once again. “We do these because … Continue reading
Auto glass safety regulations in accordance with the Automotive Glass Safety Replacement Standard (AGRSS Standard) have been adopted by the State of Maryland. The state regulations were promulgated by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) and became effective on March … Continue reading
Bill Knight Automotive is a car dealership with Ford dealerships in Tulsa and Stillwater, Okla., Lincoln and Volvo dealerships in Tulsa, and collision repair centers in Tulsa, Stillwater, Broken Arrow, and Owasso, Okla. The company employs more than 320 people … Continue reading
A new report by CCC Intelligent Solutions found that the line-item charge for calibrating ADAS devices at a car dealer’s shop ranged from $46 for transporting the vehicle to the dealership to $12,058 for a “dealer sublet and calibration.” Click here … Continue reading
Uniban Canada hosted a new store orientation training at its technical training center in Hamilton, Ontario. Uniban, part of the Driven Brands family, provides auto glass repair, replacement and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) calibration services. According to a company … Continue reading
What do the carmakers say about pre- and post-calibration scans? While many do not address glass replacement directly, they do have positions on the necessity of performing scans when calibration or recalibration has been performed. Here’s what the manufacturers say, … Continue reading
NOVUS Glass North Shore has opened for business in North Shore, British Columbia. It will service North and West Vancouver and the North Shore areas of British Columbia. The new franchise is owned by Armin Ojani and Neil Steenkamp. “We pride … Continue reading
National Windscreens’ first super centre is scheduled to open in Slough, United Kingdom in April. It will showcase a series of new initiatives on continual improvement of customer experience and adapting to rapid changes in the automotive market, a company … Continue reading
The Arizona Senate unanimously passed SB 1410 as introduced by State Commerce Committee Chair J.D. Mesnard. SB 1410 specifies requirements for an auto glass repair or replacement facility that conducts glass repair, replacement or recalibration on a vehicle that is … Continue reading
GlassBYTEs.com’s series discussing the cost of calibration in different U.S. regions concludes this week with the South Gulf area, which includes Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. Thirty year-old Venable Glass Services operates locations in Brandon and … Continue reading
GlassBYTEs.com’s series discussing the cost of calibration in different U.S. regions continues this week with the North Central area. John and Beth Earl own Earl’s Auto Glass in Cozad, Neb. “I would agree with that,” Beth Earl says of the … Continue reading
The question of whether or not windshield breaks can be repaired in the camera sweep area of vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) may soon be answered with a “yes.” NOVUS Glass Inc. is awaiting a patent of a … Continue reading
In part 3 of our look at the cost of calibration in the U.S., we go to the South Atlantic. In the automotive industry since 2004, Kris Griffin founded Calibrators of the Carolinas in 2019 in the Charlotte metro area … Continue reading
United Kingdom insurance broker Brightside has appointed Auto Windscreens a preferred provider for auto glass repair, replacement and ADAS calibration. Auto Windscreens maintains auto service centres across the United Kingdom, as well as mobile units. “We’re proud to be working … Continue reading
In part 2 of our five-part series on the cost of calibration across the U.S., we look at the perspective of shops out west. Rick Valentine owns Intermountain Auto Glass in Boise, Idaho, where set pricing is in place for … Continue reading
As technology advances in automobiles, the necessity for calibrating Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) after repair or replacement of a windshield is growing. But, who should pay for calibration? In a five-part series, glassBYTEs.com explores the cost in different regions … Continue reading
The board of directors of the Auto Glass Safety Council, along with its committees, met last week for its winter meetings. Among the committees meeting were the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS) and Repair of Laminated Auto Glass 2 … Continue reading
Driven Brands Holdings Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., acquired Auto Glass Now’s more than 75 company-operated locations in the U.S. on Dec. 30. Auto Glass Now joins Driven Brands with more than 20 years of auto glass repair, replacement and … Continue reading
Aaron Bradford and James Chapman met at Auto Glass Week 2021 in June as competitors in the Auto Glass Technician Olympics. Chapman, from Zanesville, Ohio, won third place, while Bradford placed fourth. “He beat me by one point,” Bradford says. … Continue reading
When it comes to large windshields, replacement is more expensive, but repair is not impossible. Steven Maples, owner of Fix-A-Crack Windshield Repair & Replacement in McAllen, Texas, says that whether replacing is better than repairing depends on the situation. “Repairs … Continue reading
AirPro Diagnostics, a provider of remote diagnostics, scanning, programming and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) calibration solutions, announced a strategic partnership agreement with Vehicle Services Group (VSG) / Chief Automotive, naming AirPro as a provider of services for its Mosaic … Continue reading
LYNX sent an email to participants requesting they update recalibration services information in METRYX. Participants are asked to respond “yes or no” to whether they are certified to perform recalibrations and “yes or no” to whether or not they will … Continue reading
FedEx on Wednesday launched a new initiative that will test autonomous truck routes between Dallas and Houston. Click here to read more.
Chinese autonomous driving start-up WeRide has partnered with a top carmaker and delivery company to launch a self-driving cargo van. Click here to read more.
AirPro Diagnostics, a provider of remote diagnostics, scanning, programming and ADAS calibration solutions, announced the addition of two industry veterans to its leadership team—Thomas Deacon as national sales director and Brian Evces as national director of strategic accounts. Deacon is … Continue reading
For Barry Lintner, owner and partner of Lloyd’s Glass & Correct Calibration Services in Pensacola, Fla., calibration has always been important “but none of us knew it,” he says. Lintner’s company, which he owns with his son, performs 100 calibrations … Continue reading
The importance of calibration was highlighted in a panel discussion in early June at Auto Glass Week 2021, and audience members heard it straight from the source in “Learning from Auto Glass Shops that Offer Calibration Services.” “So we’ve heard … Continue reading
Auto Windscreens, a United Kingdom windscreen repair and replacement company, has reported a 145% increase in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) calibrations since 2019. Auto Windscreens says it has completed the highest rate of ADAS calibrations ever, with 14% of … Continue reading
A recent webinar highlighted the importance of crash testing and how minimum drive-away time (MDAT) relates to calibration. The webinar featured Mike Rea, a senior product engineer for SIKA Corporation (Sika), the webinar’s sponsor. Rea began the Crash Testing in … Continue reading
“You need to take this [factors to consider for ADAS calibrations] seriously and perfect your CRAFFT,” said David DeBoer, Burke Porter Group president and CEO, during an industry meeting. DeBoer defined CRAFFT as: Calibrated gage – ensuring the gage is … Continue reading
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) recently hosted a webinar for service technicians titled, ADAS Calibration – Do It Right and Document What You Do! The webinar was presented by Brent Johnson, Vehicle Service Group global product management … Continue reading
“There are several things that come to mind when you think about all of the factors that can cause a calibration to fail, especially when you can work with [vehicle] systems that won’t always indicate that there is an issue,” … Continue reading
A bill that aims to “[make] it an unfair insurance practice for an insurance company, agent, or adjuster to knowingly fail to pay a claim to the claimant or repairer to the extent the claimant’s vehicle is repaired in conformance … Continue reading
“Once a float glass process line begins it stays online between 10-15 years, and a lot of glass is moving through these lines – about 6,000 kilometers annually,” Erica Clouse, Pilkington North America business development manager, said at this year’s … Continue reading
Auto glass industry experts from around the world are gathered in Indianapolis for this year’s Auto Glass Week where attendees have the opportunity to view product displays, watch competitors compete for the ultimate title, and learn current industry trends and … Continue reading
Advanced Tire & Auto Center in Keyport, N.J., changed its name and will now focus on “the next generation of vehicle repair.” Owners Jason and Janet Bigelow, announced they’ve decided to focus on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Their business … Continue reading
Now in its second year, the Auto Glass Calibration Competition, sponsored by Opti-Aim™, is a premier international competition designed to find and honor the auto glass technician who completes the best auto glass calibration. The competition will take place during … Continue reading
A bill in the New York state legislature outlines guidelines for the use of original equipment materials and procedures (OEM) in collision repair shops. The bill, also known as A8050, was introduced in the Assembly and was sponsored by Assemblyman … Continue reading
Representatives from Allstate Insurance and Safelite spoke at the Rhode Island Committee on Corporations hearing last week to voice concerns over vague language in proposed legislation regarding calibration. The two pieces of legislation referenced throughout the hearing were House Bill … Continue reading
Honda recently released new language for its requirements for minimum diagnostic scans, inspections and calibrations done on vehicles following a collision. A main highlight featured the need to calibrate vehicles with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). “In addition, these … Continue reading
Thatcham Research, a ‘not for profit’ insurer-funded research center, has released the results of its study on the need for calibrations if Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensors or parts that are in proximity to ADAS sensors are included in … Continue reading
Autel is joining Auto Glass Week™ once again as a Bronze-level sponsor. The company can be found in the exhibition hall at the Indiana Convention Center, to be held September 4-6 in Indianapolis, Ind. Autel offers diagnostic tools and ADAS … Continue reading
Equalizer will be joining Auto Glass Week™ (AGW) September 4-6 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis as a Silver-level sponsor. Auto Glass Week is the only event dedicated exclusively to the original equipment (OE) and aftermarket auto glass repair … Continue reading
Calibration was a very popular topic during this year’s Auto Glass Week. There were several seminars that discussed not only the need for calibration, but also how much it has increased throughout the past few years and what that means … Continue reading
Auto Glass Week continues with a keynote talk detailing cars of the future, data on glass claims and roundtables that allow attendees to share ideas. We also feature sponsor products and talk to a father/daughter duo competing here in San Antonio. … Continue reading
Dozens of Auto Glass Safety Council™ (AGSC) members filled a conference room yesterday to kick off this year’s Auto Glass Week™ in San Antonio. Wednesday’s AGSC meeting, led by Peter Brown of Tiny & Sons Glass in Pembroke, Mass., highlighted … Continue reading
Representatives of some OEMS shared their views on a variety of auto glass issues yesterday with attendees of Automotive Glazing USA, part of the 4th International CTI Conference. A few representatives mentioned that many regulations in place today are not functional … Continue reading
When it comes to repairing or replacing glass on a vehicle equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), what does an auto glass shop technician need to prepare for when performing a calibration? Repair University Live discussed this recently with … Continue reading
In a room so packed that it literally had to be expanded twice, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) was the topic of the day—and the overriding topic at the conference. “If AGRR companies are late to the table learning how … Continue reading
National Windscreens has opened an Advanced Driver Assistance System calibration center in Inverness, U.K. Continue reading
“Do you have questions about how to recalibrate Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) after a windshield replacement? Auto Glass Week™ 2016 in San Antonio, Texas, is just the place to find answers.” —Jenna Reed Continue reading
Following several months of a pilot program, National Windscreens has launched a United Kingdom-based calibration service for windshield-mounted cameras, which are an integral part of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Continue reading
Belron faces declining market conditions in many countries, though, a second strong winter in the United States in 2015 helped to bolster business, says Gary Lubner, CEO of Belron, in D’Ieteren’s annual 2015 report. Continue reading
“I read with interest the article recently printed in Automotive News and linked on glassBYTEs.com™ “Automatic Braking Standard: ‘New Model’ or ‘Safety Sellout’?” The article outlines the debate between having regulatory mandated braking systems in new vehicles versus a voluntary buy-in by carmakers. Either way, this change is coming and the automotive glass industry needs to be prepared.” —Bob Beranek Continue reading
United Kingdom-based National Windscreens is investing $1.08 million USD (€1 million in Euros) to meet the growing demand for camera and sensor calibration for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Continue reading
“It is that time of year again when the college football bowl season begins and the NFL starts their road to the Super Bowl. During the season, our teams raise our hopes through inspired plays and then deflate some of those hopes with bad performances (with the possible except of the Carolina Panthers). We have cheered when our teams played well and cried when they fumbled the ball. We understand that wins and losses are part of the game.” —Bob Beranek Continue reading
“All cars now are going to have these Advanced Driver Assistance Systems [ADAS] and if you don’t get the calibration right, it has pretty serious consequences and so we are obviously speaking to insurance companies around the world. We are now equipped worldwide to be able to deliver ADAS calibration,” said Gary Lubner, CEO of Belron during an investor day conference for D’Ieteren held last week in London. D’Ieteren is parent company to Belron and United States-based Safelite. Continue reading
“Since I returned from the Auto Glass Week™, I keep thinking about the seminars given on Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS). Although I have addressed this subject in the past, it is becoming obvious that the questions are not going away. ADAS will continue to be a problem until we know what to do for ourselves and our customers. This technology is so new that many dealerships don’t know what to do.” —Bob Beranek Continue reading
United Kingdom-based Autoglass® has launched a solution to replace and recalibrate windshields equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The program is in the piloting process and will be soon rolled-out throughout the country. Continue reading
“Since the introduction of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), the need for aftermarket glass replacement companies to use OEM glass has increased substantially. Of course, auto dealers have claimed for years that OEM glass was necessary for the proper operation of the many electronic systems that utilize the glass for mounting or delivery. Is this true?” —Bob Beranek Continue reading
Learn from the best at Auto Glass Week™ 2015 this September 30 – October 2. The three-day automotive glass industry event will be held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nev. Join us to … Continue reading
AGSC Offers AGRSS Standard Draft for Review and Comment
The Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) is releasing a review draft of its updated Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standard ™ (AGRSS) before it goes to the American National Standards Institute Inc. (ANSI) for final approval. The standard addresses six areas … Continue reading →