By Charles Aubry

In the collision industry, OEM certification is no longer a competitive advantage — it’s become a critical starting point. Once perceived as a distinction reserved for some elite shops, it now represents a mere minimum for ensuring quality, trust and safety.

Trust as a central issue

The real challenge now is that of trust. Do all the shops in the same network have the same level of qualification, equipment and rigour? Clearly not. If each shop reached the standards required to obtain certification from a manufacturer, the market would benefit from a minimum of consistency and transparency.

A significant economic impact

One striking statistic illustrates the economic impact: insurers estimate that they could save over $400 million if all vehicles were repaired in certified shops rather than reported as a total loss. Certified shops know, can and want to repair complex vehicles, even those affected by major disasters.

The challenges for manufacturers

But beyond insurers, it is also an issue for manufacturers. The dealer is delighted to sell a new vehicle, of course, but the manufacturer is relying on the second and third life of the vehicle. The second owner buys from the dealer; the third, often a handyman, will buy parts. By declaring too many total losses, we artificially shorten the useful life of vehicles, harming the entire ecosystem.

So, OEM certification is not an end in itself — it’s the foundation of the future of our industry.