Did you miss SEMA? Were you too busy buying stuff and ogling cars to keep up with the news? Did your post-show attempt to get caught up on your inevitable mountain of emails lead you to delete all of our newsletters.

Don’t sweat it. We’ve got you covered.

Here’s our SEMA Week coverage to date — and more is still on the way — including some of the previews we did of the Repairer Driven Education speakers.

Certification news

“GM to require certified shops to use Mitchell”: General Motors will require its certified collision repair facilities to use program administrator Mitchell for estimating, a mandate the OEM says will allow it to track shop performance and give repairers an easy way to look up up-to-date repair procedures.

“Volvo to demand 100% OEM parts from network, restrict some components”: Volvo Certified Collision Program manager Kenneth Park on Thursday said the OEM would in 2019 require its network to only use new OEM parts.

“GM: Nearly 1,000 shops done with or undergoing certified collision network enrollment”: General Motors announced Tuesday that it had racked up nearly 1,000 dealerships and other collision repairers for its certified Collision Repair Network.

Collision Industry Conference

“CIC hears calls for definition of parts classifications like ‘Opt-OE’”: Following two California agencies’ declaration that state rules don’t support nebulous parts categories like “Opt-OE,” a parts importer and the CEO of Assured Performance urged Collision Industry Conference action on defining such terms.

“CREF warns collision trade schools nearly in ‘crisis mode,’ need your help”: Collision Repair Education Foundation development director Brandon Eckenrode on Tuesday said his organization is receiving more calls from quality trade programs facing shutdown if collision enrollment doesn’t grow.

Society of Collision Repair Specialists

“BodyShop Business, CIECA, I-CAR, NABC, ASA, AMI, SCRS present 2018 honors (see gallery)”: Collision repairers and other industry leaders received some of the sector’s most prestigious awards and the AMI presented diplomas to Class of 2018 graduates on Wednesday during the Collision Repair Red Carpet Awards Breakfast.

“‘Collisionista’ Petra Schroeder wins 2nd SCRS March Taylor Kina’ole Award”: The Society of Collision Repair Specialists on Wednesday named industry veteran Petra Schroeder the second March Taylor Kina’ole honoree.

“Mississippi State reveals autonomous, electric off-road ‘Halo Project’ SUV at SCRS SEMA booth”: With a full field of competitors vying to develop self-driving cars for city streets, Mississippi State University’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Studies decided to carve out its own autonomous niche. It unveiled the result Tuesday in the Society of Collision Repair Specialists booth at SEMA: “Halo Project,” a 2014 Subaru Forester modified to be fully electrified and able to drive itself off-road.

Repairer Driven Education, IDEAS Collide previews

“Expert says autonomous cars could get radical crash design changes”

“Decisely: Collective small-biz health plans could be ‘fundamental change’”

“Small businesses can more easily band together for cheaper 401(k)s under Labor Dept. plan”

“NABR: Setting right labor rates keeps customers safe, allows body shop to meet future costs”

“Smith: Post-repair inspections can be tool to improve one’s shop”

“Consultant: 60 percent of collision labor on late-model vehicles with ADAS to involve electronics”

“PPG: Matching color in aftermarket might be different process than what’s seen on car”

“SCRS electronics liability panel to feature Tracy; moderator suggests documentation for shops”

“PPG ‘seeing just more difficult colors’ (but Lexus Structural Blue isn’t one of them)”

“Instructor: Collision repairers should do homework before negotiations”

“NuGen IT: Using OEM repair procedures crucial, but so is retaining proof you did”

“McDonnell: Photo estimate app can get customers in body shop’s door”

“Insurer: Tire retreading industry has lessons for body shops on avoiding liability”

Images:

A view of the SEMA North Hall, which houses the collision vendors, on Nov. 2, 2018. (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)

Ken Weiss, director of business development for SSF Imported Parts, on Oct. 30, 2018, urged the Collision Industry Conference to work on definitions for parts classifications. California regulators have blocked terms like “Opt-OE.” (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)

Lidar sensors can be found on the top and sides of the front bumper on the Mississippi State University Center for Advanced Vehicular Studies “Halo Project” autonomous Subaru Forester. (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)

The PPG booth at SEMA 2018 is shown. (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)