Increased car tech drives ‘changing crash repairs’

The growing amount of technology used in new cars is changing vehicle repairs, with fixing a car now not simply about replacing parts.

Research from AA Accident Assist reveals that wiring looms were the most repaired part of a car following a crash over the past year.

Having repaired more than 14,500 vehicles during that time, 99% required new wiring looms to help get them back on the road.

Wires are used to connect, power and run systems such as parking sensors, rear-facing cameras and adaptive cruise control.

As well as the physical repair, such technology has to be recalibrated to ensure it is safe to use. 

Around three fifths of repairs needed new bumper units (58%), while a third required new front bumpers (32%).

Other bodywork parts such as front doors (7%) and lighting units (3%) made the top 10 list of most fixed items (see below).

Tim Rankin, managing director of AA Accident Assist, said: “Fixing a car is more advanced than just replacing parts. With every evolution of vehicle technology comes more sophisticated and high-tech repairs.

“Wiring looms might seem innocuous, but the wires do more than just carry power around the car.

“The wires help run fundamental safety features around the car, such as images, speed data and radar technology.”

Top 10 repairs following a collision, 2024/25

1.     Wiring looms – 99%

2.     Bumper units – 58%

3.     Rear bumper crash beams and fixings – 57%

4.     Front bumper crash beams and fixings – 32%

5.     Door locks, trims and seals – 12%

6.     Roof – 12%

7.     Hinges for bonnets and doors – 7%

8.     Front doors – 7%

9.     Rear doors – 5%

10.  Lighting units – 3%

Source: AA Assist

Rankin continued: “With more semi-autonomous driving assistance packages being placed on cars as standard, repairers are being tasked to fix and calibrate, as opposed to simply replace and fit.”

To gauge understanding from the motoring public, AA Accident Assist asked more than 10,000 drivers to identify what they believed to be the most repaired item following a crash.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, more than a third (36%) felt that bumper units were the top repair, closely followed by front and rear bumper crash beams and fixings (27% and 18% respectively). Just 1% correctly identified wiring looms as the most repaired item.