workshop

Too much electronics. It was one of the usual criticism when electronics began to take the controls of cars mechanics and it became difficult to know what was failing without a diagnostic machine. Since then, the weight of electronics has not stopped growing but in the last five years its weight is so great that facing a breakdown compromises any pocket. And there is data. 60%. That is what has grown up for repairing a vehicle in the last five years, according to A study by Valuepenguin.comspecialized in personal finance, collected by Automotive News. The data is problematic because this is united an extra cost in the price of insurance and, therefore, a general increase in the maintenance of the vehicle. The data refers to the US market where they indicate that the average cost of having a new vehicle was $ 12,297 per year in 2024, experiencing a increase in $ 115 compared to 2023. Here you take into account the price of paid monthly payment, insurance, fuel … Less accidents but more expensive. The study ensures that the evolution of the systems have helped to report 25% less notices to insurance but, also, an increase in them because repairing the technology of a new car is extremely expensive and complex. Thus, the average cost of insurance in the United States is $ 2.101 a year. In Motorpasion They collect that these repairs are extremely expensive when we go to the most advanced security and driving help systems. Repair or replace the digital mirrors of a Audi e-tron It costs between 800 and 1,500 euros. Parking sensors (exposed if you park on the street) may have a cost of between 275 and 900 euros if they have to replace them, according to 20 minutes. And the prices of the rear view camera are around and exceed 1,000 euros. Too complex systems. The biggest problem facing who has had an accident with a new car is that the number of establishments where you can repair your car are scarce. They point out in Automotive News that manufacturers force the workshops to start an extremely exhaustive protocol to calibrate the systems. And it has logic because “a misaligned sensor in a single grade can divert its operation between 1.68 and 91 meters,” according to Hami Ebrahimi, commercial headquarters commercial for Calliber Collisionspecialists in the repair of safety systems for the vehicle. They ensure in the middle that adapting the facilities to be able to carry out these repairs can have a cost of between 600,000 and 1 million dollars per workshop. That are also not used. The paradox is that it is not entirely clear to what extent these systems are being used. According to JD Powerthe reports of unhappy customers because they do not fully understand how to activate driving aid functions or have problems with them have shot themselves in recent years. This leads customers to omit their use. Cars have been filled with a very expensive technology, Little used And that, in addition, it is extremely expensive to repair. And it is important to do these repairs because, as they point out in Automotive Newsthe interconnection of systems means that if, for example, we do not repair the sensors of a bumper we will be disabled by emergency braking functions, an aid that is only visible when you need it most. And that are mandatory. At least in Europe, where institutions force our New cars arrive as standard With the following security assistants: Reverse camera with cross traffic alert Emergency braking Lane output alert Smart Speed ​​Assistant Fatigue and drowsiness detector Black box Belt alert in the rear seats Systems to install an breathalyzer Increasingly complicated. All this results in maintaining a car is increasingly complicated. First because these systems have helped a Increase the vehicle of departure but also to a rise in insurance that In Spain they are marking records In 2025. To this we must add the fuel price increase. Issues that especially affect the low range and the prices of second -hand cars. The first because the floor of the price of the car has risen with systems that, According to brands like Daciathe client turns off just get on them. The second because the increase in the new car Raise the used price And, in addition, it makes it difficult to The client passes through any workshop to solve the possible problems that arise over the years. Photo | Maxim Hopman In Xataka | The purchase of a new car is now very expensive. And the industry knows that it can’t hold it