Thatcham Research is shining a light on the growing need to repair rather than replace damaged vehicle headlamp units and has written a best practice guide to highlight repair options and encourage a more sustainable approach.
In some cases, the cost of a replacement can amount to 8% of the total vehicle value when new, and costs are expected to increase further as more tech is incorporated into lighting units.
To offset this, Thatcham Research has analysed vehicle headlamp specifications, complexities, technologies, and typical damage to identify potential repair strategies.
The organisation’s engineers have collated this research data and written a best practice guide that vehicle repairers can use to accurately reinstate an existing lighting unit, rather than replacing it – to mitigate rising insurance costs and total losses.
Darren Bright, Thatcham Research’s principal engineer for automotive repair, said: “The days of a motorist or mechanic being able to repair a damaged headlight on the driveway are long gone. Today’s lighting units are sophisticated components that contain complex, advanced technologies and often have coding requirements to maintain their ‘connected’ status within the vehicle.
“Our repair guidance highlights best practice in the market and gives Vehicle Damage Assessors the information they need to embrace sustainable repair methods, rather than sending a defunct lighting unit straight to landfill.”
See the May issue of Bodyshop magazine for more information.
