The Obama administration recently pledged that all new automobiles would soon be required to have vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology that allows cars to "talk" to each other. The hope is that the move will cut down on the number of vehicle accidents and deaths that continue to plague the industry every year.

Google has also been making serious advances toward the development of a "self-driving" car.

The closer these science fiction-borne concepts come to reality, the more individuals within the car industry — from collision and repair technicians to automotive salespeople — will need to be aware of the numerous changes to every aspect of the automotive world.

ITS development

In February, President Barack Obama's administration made the strongest statement yet about its dedication to the advancement of intelligent transportation systems technology in automobiles. According to Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, the administration plans to propose a final rule sometime before 2017, when the administration closes its doors.

V2V gives cars the ability to communicate and exchange safety data such as speed and position. The vehicles do this by repeatedly sending short-range, wireless signals to surrounding vehicles, so as to physically interact safely within the same space.

For example, if an adjacent car cuts into another's lane, the cars will alert each other to each other's presence, hopefully avoiding collision.

Similar ITS-centric technologies are being developed elsewhere. Google, for example, has been testing its driverless car project around California. At least 10 cars have been tested on San Francisco's Lombard Street, as well as the famed Golden Gate Bridge and around Lake Tahoe.

Google's self-driving technology uses a laser radar system to analyze and create a detailed 3-D map the surrounding environment. The car then uses the maps to safely traverse the streets, in theory, without accident or incident.

The reason behind the government's recent push toward this technology is safety. Each year, there are approximately 30,000 vehicle deaths in the United States. It is this statistic that the Obama administration has wished to address.

Collision, service shops

In a scene from the 1993 science fiction action film "Demolition Man," the lead character played by the inimitable Sylvester Stallone — a time-traveling transplant to the future from 1996 — finds himself taking the ride of a lifetime when his vehicle, upon command, switches from manual to a self-driving mode, bobbing in-and-out of traffic and avoiding all cars within close proximity.

The speed of V2V development will catch many auto industry workers by surprise, and much like Stallone's character, they may be unable to adapt if not properly prepared.

In an interview with Fender Bender, Tim Ronak, senior services consultant for AkzoNobel Automotive and Aerospace Coatings, said: "The use of fully automated vehicles will pose dramatic changes to the collision repair industry that shop owners should pay attention to now. … Cars will be more computerized than ever before, which will drive changes in necessary training and knowledge for technicians, and cause shop owners to diversify their business initiatives in preparation."

Ronak noted that there will be multiple avenues and opportunities for shop owners and technicians who wish to take advantage. For one, everyone may not want to buy a new car, but they may still want the technology. Therefore, there's the possibility that car owners will want their used cars retrofitted with the new technology, and technicians must be prepared to comply.

Owners of cars with pre-existing collision avoidance systems, such as electric steering, may be especially open to having their cars "upgraded." This means that a lot of new business may subsequently flood the market. Awareness and preparation will be key.

"There’s going to be a whole new industry opening up in the retrofit of this technology," Ronak said.

Another opportunity for auto technicians will be sensor system maintenance. Intelligent vehicles, no matter the type, will include technology that will require periodic maintenance, adjustment, recalibration and repair. If collision and repair shops are to stay afloat in technology's coming evolutionary wave of change, they must be prepared to adapt.

Selling new technology

Auto dealerships will have other issues to address — mainly, selling intelligent cars in an era of privacy paranoia.

According to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), during a Manhattan news conference, smart-car technology — which includes V2V communication technology, self-driving automobiles, as well as innovations to monitor speed and location — while intended to prevent accidents and subsequent deaths, could ultimately serve to make personal data.

According to a report Schumer cited, 90 percent of carmakers and technology-development companies involved in the study share the information culled from vehicles with third-party companies.

People today are aware and concerned about who is privy to their personal information. With automobiles becoming a part of the fabled "Internet of Things," car dealers will have to meet buyers eye-to-eye with a capable and contemporary understanding of today's technological advancements. They will also need to alleviate any fears and paranoia surrounding the idea of buying a car that, for all intents and purposes, could be recording every move a driver makes.

Selling cars with new technology can be challenging as it requires a salesperson who is not only up to date with new tech developments, but who is also acclimated enough to discuss them with fluency.

Intelligent car technology will probably not be the easiest thing to explain. According to Ben Stark, an automobile dealership Internet director, younger salespeople are a great way of combating this issue.

Younger salespeople tend to be more adept when it comes to discussing new and "cool" advancements in technology, said Stark. This is not meant to dismiss more seasoned salespeople. Instead, if there is a lesson to be learned, it is that information and education will be paramount when it comes time to unveil these new "smart cars" to a public that may still see them as science fiction.

Auto repair technicians, collision technicians and auto dealerships are going to have to adjust how they do business to accommodate these changing times. And with 2017 fast approaching, they may want to start adjusting sooner rather than later.