I-CAR

What Is I-CAR?
I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference On Auto Collision Repair, is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to training the collision industry. I-CAR's "Outward Vision" is to be an industry resource, ally, and partner to all segments of the collision industry to help the industry reach the ultimate goal of providing complete and safe repairs to the consumer.

Who Belongs To I-CAR?
I-CAR is an inter-industry organization with strong representation from:

Collision repair businesses.
Insurance companies.
Domestic and import vehicle makers.
Tool, equipment, and supply manufacturers.
Providers of technical education, training, and research.

Suppliers of related industry services, such as independent appraisers, technical publishers, and recyclers.
How Does I-CAR Accomplish Its Goals?
I-CAR conducts extensive collision repair research. Using this research, I-CAR develops and delivers technical training programs to professionals in the collision industry. In addition, I-CAR provides a communication forum for anyone interested in proper collision repair. I-CAR’s primary funding is derived from student tuition and services. This assures that I-CAR can remain unbiased in developing programs and services on an industry-wide basis.

Who Benefits... And How?
I-CAR reaches a broad base of students who learn the latest methods of efficient, high-quality repair. The benefits of I-CAR training extend beyond the people who take our classes:

The Collision Repair Industry – Collision repair business owners, managers, and technicians learn the latest collision repair technology. This promotes better communication with customers and insurers, and more productive relationships among all collision industry personnel. Superior training also helps increase the number of technicians who can make quality repairs with fewer repeated repairs and reduced liability exposure.

The Insurance Industry – Insurance personnel, from executives to claims personnel and estimators, benefit by understanding the latest collision repair technology. I-CAR courses provide insurance personnel with the foundation they need to better understand, communicate with, and work with the collision repair industry. These benefits lead to the most consistent, efficient, and high-quality collision repairs.

Related Industries – Quality training benefits other industries related to collision repair. By understanding the challenge of collision repair today, recyclers, glass installers, vendors, suppliers, and others can work with collision repair businesses and insurance companies to benefit the consumer.

The Consumer – The ultimate beneficiary is the consumer who wants a collision-damaged vehicle properly repaired in the quickest and most skillful manner possible. An effective repair corrects all the damage, maintains long-term durability, keeps the vehicle running and handling properly, and restores appearance to pre-accident condition.

ASE

ASE Profile
Until the early 1970s, consumers had no way to distinguish between incompetent and competent mechanics. In response to this need, the independent, non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) was established in 1972.

ASE's mission is to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service through the testing and certification of repair and service professionals.

At present, about 420,000 professionals hold current certifications. They work in every segment of the automotive service industry: car and truck dealerships, independent garages, fleets, service stations, franchises, and more.

Here's how ASE certification works: Prospective candidates register for and take one or more of ASE's 40-plus exams. The tests are grouped into specialties for automobile, medium/heavy truck, truck equipment, school bus, and collision repair technicians as well as engine machinists, alternate fuels technicians, parts specialists, auto service consultants, and collision damage estimators.

Upon passing at least one exam and after providing proof of two years of relevant work experience, the test taker becomes ASE certified. Certification, however, is not for life. To remain certified, those with ASE credentials must be retested every five years.

Paper/Pencil tests are conducted twice a year at over 750 locations around the country and are administered by ACT, known for its academic and occupational testing programs. In addition, selected tests are offered in a computer-based testing (CBT) format at 200 sites for two five-week periods each year. The exams stress knowledge of job-related skills. The tests are no cinch to pass; approximately one out of three test takers fails.

Motorists benefit from ASE certification. It is a valuable yardstick by which to measure the knowledge and skills of individual technicians as well as the commitment to quality of the repair facility employing ASE-Certified professionals.