The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) is teaming up with Honda and Acura’s Certified Collision Network in a partnership the organizations say will better equip the OEMs’ technicians to perform certified repairs.

In a joint announcement on March 9, I-CAR said it would deliver 10 required courses online for collision repair facilities within the automaker’s network.

I-CAR said the transition to its learning management system will help streamline training for technicians while making lessons easily accessible within a single platform, where all I-CAR courses live.

The initiative also enables repair facilities with Gold Class training subscriptions to finish Honda’s training requirements without any extra costs.

“We are eager to provide the Honda/Acura network locations with the opportunity to receive accessible and relevant education that fulfills their network requirements while training towards I-CAR’s highest industry credentials,” said Greg Ross, I-CAR’s vice president of sales and marketing.

This isn’t the first time the organizations have partnered.

Last October, for example, I-CAR and Honda created two new online courses specifically focused on the repair of the 2022 Honda HR-V crossover.

At the time, Bud Center, I-CAR’s director of technical products and curriculum development, said the courses include “strategic knowledge checks in each learning module and also include a post-test to confirm understanding and retention.”

He said the need for vehicle-specific training has been elevated by “the onslaught of technical advancements in the automotive industry, which vary by make and model.” 

I-CAR has previously partnered with other OEMs to offer vehicle-specific classes. Center said the organization’s Vehicle and Technology Specific Training (VTST) portfolio, which includes 80 online courses, “was developed to keep pace with OEM vehicle changes and advancing technologies that impact collision repair professionals.

“I-CAR continues to partner with vehicle makers and suppliers to address those changes and develop educational programming that contributes to a complete, safe and quality repair for the ultimate benefit of the consumer,” he said. “I-CAR was founded to support all segments in the collision repair ecosystem and develop partnerships like this to prepare every person in the inter-industry. The new courses added to our Vehicle and Technology Specific Training portfolio is another example of that, as well as the 50 vehicle-specific courses available in I-CAR’s full course catalog.”

While hands-on training is “very important for our industry” and will continue to be used, the online presentation lets learners access information anytime after the course has been completed, and helps fulfill I-CAR’s mission to “deliver training that is accessible and on-demand.”

Dane Rounkles, wholesale parts marketing manager for American Honda Motor Company, said the expanded partnership reflects Honda’s commitment to proving customers with high-level service.

“Our recent achievement of having 96% in I-CAR’s Gold Class program within our network is a testament to this commitment,” Rounkles said. “We are proud to have a knowledgeable and educated network and will continue to strive for excellence in everything we do.” 

The online courses are available at I-CAR.com for both the Honda and Acura Certified Collision Networks, which includes 1,800 repair centers, and all collision repairers.

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Featured image: I-CAR logo provided by I-CAR