Not that long ago, repairing a car after a crash was pretty straightforward: Replace damaged parts, pound bent metal back into shape, touch up the paint and send the driver on their way in a vehicle that looks new. But today’s autos are so loaded with technology and built with such specialized materials that repairing even a minor fender bender can be a tedious and expensive exercise in both computer science and engineering.
“It’s the complexity of vehicles these days,” says Ben Clymer, who co-owns a chain of body shops in Southern California. “Repairing a base model Kia is nothing like it was just a few years ago. It might have 10 different computers and all kinds of sensors.” All that complexity, combined with rising prices for parts, Clymer says, “really creates the perfect storm for higher repair costs.” It’s driving up auto insurance rates at the fastest pace in almost a half-century.
