Thatcham Standard for Crash Repair Methods

Following closely after the launch of a Kitemark standard for Crash Repair, insurer funded research centre Thatcham, has announced its intention to formulate a standard for crash repair methods. The new standard will ensure vehicle repair methods are comprehensive, easy to use and widely available and accessible at vehicle launch.

With vehicle design becoming ever more complex, model specific repair methods are seen as vital if cars are repaired back to pre-accident condition with the original construction integrity and safety features reinstated and ready to protect occupants in the event of a second accident.

Manufacturers have to answer many questions when they launch a new vehicle design; it must be attractive to the motorist, whilst addressing environmental issues and the consumer’s requirement for advanced occupant safety as driven by Euro NCAP. These requirements have led to the use of a mix of construction techniques and materials which in turn demand specific repair methods and specialised equipment and skills.

Currently methods are produced in a variety of formats which would be more effective if formulated in one recognised industry standard, encompassing all aspects of crash repair whether cosmetic or structural.

Thatcham’s CE Peter Roberts expands on this new initiative “While crash repair methods exist for the majority of vehicles, at Thatcham we are becoming increasingly concerned at the efficacy of these methods which in some cases are inadequate and not comprehensive in their coverage of specific repair techniques.”

Responding to the crash repair industries demand for methods the centre, that has been producing crash data for over 35 years, will be concentrating its vast expertise in this area to produce a standard to which all methods are constructed.

Euro NCAP Secretary General Adrian Hobbs welcomed this initiative. “Vehicle designers are reacting to the demands of the consumer for safety and sustainability as driven by Euro NCAP’s test programme. However, we are as interested in the continued safety performance of a repaired vehicle equalling our original test performance. Therefore we welcome this move by our member Thatcham, to drive standardisation of repair methods.”

Thatcham plan to communicate and have accepted by the motor industry a defined criteria, process and audit mechanism for the delivery of in house and third party generated crash repair methods for UK volume selling passenger cars by end of 2007.