Autel partners with CREF for donations to Collision School Programs

Oct. 16, 2023
The donation, valued at $162,000, aims to ensure proper up-to-date equipment is being used by the collision school programs that Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) works with.

Autel has partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) to donate an Autel advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) calibration package to eight U.S. collision repair school programs that they deem "standouts."

The package includes an IA800 ADAS Optical Positioning Frame System, LDW targets and patterns for 20 vehicle brands, a MaxiSYS MS909 tablet with ADAS calibration software, a VCI/J2534 pass-thru programming device, and a full-color, 244-page Autel Academy ADAS training manual. 

"Autel is proud to partner with CREF, an organization dedicated to ensuring that the schools it represents have the best tools, equipment, and supplies the industry offers, giving students the skills they need to face the challenges of servicing today's sophisticated vehicles," said Chloe Hung, Autel CEO. "It is estimated that by 2043, 95 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S. will be equipped with most ADAS including rear parking sensors, rearview camera, LDW, and blind spot warning. The importance of correctly calibrating these systems cannot be overstated; It's truly a matter life and death. Our tools are designed for the skilled technician dedicated to providing exceptional diagnostic and repair services to their customers. And we are grateful to CREF for allowing Autel through our tools to be part of the learning process for these future technicians."

The donation is the collaboration's first prong in its just-launched, three-prong campaign to enable automotive vocational schools, colleges, and universities to develop curriculums using software and equipment that offers ADAS vehicle and safety system coverage based on OE specifications. CREF will gift an additional Autel-donated IA800 LDW Calibration Package at a CREF webinar titled "The Importance of Adding ADAS To Your Curriculum" in November. 

"On behalf of the collision school programs that CREF works to support, I would like to thank and recognize Autel for this incredible ADAS equipment donation," said Brandon Eckenrode, CREF executive director. "As instructors face challenging program budgets, it's through our industry partners that we are able to help invest in their programs and ensure that these schools have up-to-date equipment and technology for their students' technical education. We look forward to this collaboration with Autel and connecting them with their collision instructors so that students are better trained and prepared for employment within the industry."

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