The Expert Podcast

Vehicles have always increased the technology that they've used from manufacturers. In fact, even in the late '80s and early '90s, there were cars that talked to you. They would tell you if your door was open or your battery was low. But now, technology is creating another evolution of the automotive profession, and that has to do with repairs. Many vehicles now do not need a mechanic to diagnose the vehicle. There are computers, chips, and sensors scattered throughout the vehicle that will give a diagnosis of what might be happening.

This goes beyond just plugging into a diagnostic port that most vehicles have had for 20 years. This is very advanced technology. In fact, some of these new technologies don't even require a mechanic to fix them. Repairs can be done with software, upgrades, and downloads to a system's computer programming. As we get more into electric vehicles, the mechanical components will be less likely to be what's wrong with the car. With an internal combustion engine, you're going to find that most of the things that break are mechanical: valve train lifters, rods, internally lubricated parts, and transmissions. These are the things that break a lot of times, or they're accessories like O2 sensors or EGR valves.

With EVs (electric vehicles), the moving parts—the components that drive the vehicle, like the electric motors—are much more reliable. They don't have as many violent motions inside the engine that make it break. An internal combustion engine is literally what it sounds like: it's combustion internally to that engine. There are explosions and metal moving back and forth very quickly. In an electric motor, it's very smooth. It's not quite as violent of a vibration energy.

So, what happens to the car mechanic? Will there even be auto mechanics? And is it going to be better or worse for a vehicle owner? One of the things that could be worse is how long you have to wait for a repair. Without a need for constant maintenance and repairs, there may not be as much availability of replacement parts. With internal combustion engines, you've got to have a lot of parts laying around because you know you're going to need them. With electric vehicles, there aren't as many parts. Think about your cell phone. When's the last time your cell phone broke where somebody could actually fix it? Maybe the screen—you can replace the screen—but other than that, there aren't many repairs you can make to a cell phone. Usually, when your cell phone stops working, what do you do? You get a new cell phone. Is that going to be how vehicles are done in the future?

In addition to that, what about collision repair, meaning body repair? Currently, on a vehicle, if you get in an accident (God forbid), you bring it to a body shop or collision repair shop. They pull off the dented panels, straighten the frame, put on new panels, repaint it, and send you on your way. With electric vehicles—or even vehicles that are still gasoline but computerized—if you get in an accident that damages the vehicle substantially, it may not be possible to fix that vehicle in a way that's safe for the road.

For electric vehicles, the battery is an integral component of the chassis. It's literally the floor pan of the car—all battery. So if the car is hit and that floor pan is dented, the battery may become breached or damaged. You saw what happened to batteries that were damaged in the Florida hurricane—they caught on fire. These vehicles may not be repairable. You may also find that the electronics and sensors in the vehicle are worth more than the body.

If you crash a car, insurance companies might look at it like this: if they can recover all the electronics and motors, it might be cheaper to just total the car, take out the motors and electronics, sell them for parts, and give the person money for a new car. This conversion to electric vehicles, electronics, and computers might actually completely change the way automotive repairs are done—both on the mechanical side and the collision side.

Let us know what you think in the comments about the future of automotive repairs. And if you're in the business, what are you already seeing for fixing newer vehicles?