Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Automotive body repair still relies mostly on people. Technicians “prime and paint repaired surfaces” with spray guns ^[1], and use hand tools to straighten metal or reshape plastic panels. In factories, robots now handle auto painting and part alignment, but collision shops rarely have those expensive systems.

Industry experts note that some carmakers employ AI and augmented reality to assess and fix cars, but most repair shops remain “unfamiliar with” those high-tech methods ^[2]. Modern cars are also becoming “computer[s] on wheels” with many sensors ^[3], which can complicate work. Some shops are trying digital helpers – for example, apps that estimate damage from photos – but the final cost estimates are still reviewed by humans.

In short, AI and robots are starting to help with parts of the job (high-volume painting is easiest to automate), but hands-on tasks like removing dents, heating and reshaping plastic, or fitting glass still need a skilled person behind the tool ^{[1] [2]}. Even trained eyes are key for fine details, so these manual steps have seen little full automation so far.

High costs and specialized skills make AI use in body shops cautious. Many repair shops are small businesses, so buying a robot blender or AR headset is a big investment. Widespread use of AI-driven tools also depends on clear benefits.

Insurers are already using AI to streamline claims, but shops must often meet safety and maker-certified standards. As Wired reports, shops without expensive automaker training sometimes just send a car to one that does ^[3], showing how complex new vehicles are. Meanwhile, the industry faces a labor squeeze: many veteran technicians are retiring and shops struggle to hire enough helpers ^{[2] [3]}.

This shortage could push owners to use any tool that makes work easier, but it also means human skills stay crucial. In fact, experts caution that automation might shift some work but not erase the need for trained people ^[2]. In other words, AI tools may speed up estimates or help diagnose damage, but the creative problem-solving and hands-on craftsmanship of a repairer remain very valuable and hard to replace.