The denial leaves in place lower court finding Ford’s design patents for the F-150 are valid and enforceable. The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday denied a petition by the Automotive Body Parts Association to hear its appeal of lower court rulings that found design patents covering a hood and headlamp for the Ford F-150 were valid […]
Automotive Body Parts Association Announces Annual Meeting April 28-May 1
The 2020 Annual Meeting & Trade show of the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) will be held April 28-May 1, at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach located in Newport Beach, Calif. The event is a gathering of aftermarket parts manufacturers, distributors, insurance industry executives, and collision repair companies. In addition to the ABPA’s organizational business […]
Coalition Seeks Federal Solution to Establish Vehicle Data Access Rights
Independent repair associations join with insurers, parts suppliers, fleet operators and consumer groups to call for data access guarantees in federal legislation. In comments to U.S. House and Senate committees considering autonomous vehicle legislation, the U.S. Vehicle Data Access Coalition, a broad based and growing group of automotive repair and supplier association and businesses, last […]
Federal Appeals Court Rules Against ABPA in Ford Collision Repair Part Design Patent Suit
Upholds lower court finding that Ford’s design patents for the F-150 are valid and enforceable. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on July 23 published its public opinion rejecting arguments by the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) that design patents covering a hood and headlamp for the Ford F-150 are invalid. […]
ABPA Voices Concern Over State Legislation on OEM Collision Repair Procedures
The Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA), that represents the non-OEM collision repair parts industry, is expressing concern over the introduction of legislation that seeks to require OEM repair procedure in multiple states that are including language on the exclusive use of OEM parts. “The current wave of OE Repair Procedure legislation many times contains imbedded […]
ABPA Convention Early Bird Pricing Deadline February 16
Early bird pricing discounts for the Automotive Body Parts Association Annual Meeting and Convention expire on February 16. The event is being held April 30 – May 3 at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. More information on the 2019 ABPA event and registration packages is available online. The convention will […]
Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing on Impact of Tariffs on the U.S. Auto Industry
The U.S. Senate Finance Committee yesterday held a hearing to examine the impact of tariffs on the automobile industry in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has been critical of the Trump Administration’s expanding use of tariffs. In May, In Hatch called the Department of Commerce Section 232 investigation into imports of […]
OEM and Aftermarket Parts Suppliers Testify at U.S. Commerce Department Hearing
Representatives from Auto Care Association, Automotive Body Parts Association, Certified Automotive Parts Association and the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association testify against imposing broad-based tariffs on imported automobiles and parts. Among a full day of testimony by executives from more than 40 auto industry businesses and associations, representatives of both OEM and aftermarket parts testified […]
Federal Court Rejects ABPA Effort to Invalidate Ford Collision Repair Body Parts Design Patent
Judge declines ABPA motion to rule Ford F-150 body part design patents invalid and unenforceable. In a decision issued February 20, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan declined a motion for summary judgement by the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) to invalidate two of Ford’s design patents covering patents for body […]
Registration for 2018 ABPA San Diego Convention Now Open
Registration is now open for the 2018 ABPA Annual Meeting and Convention, which will be held on April 24–27, 2018 at the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa in San Diego, Calif. The event is a gathering of aftermarket parts manufacturers, distributors, insurance industry executives, and collision repair companies. Additional details about the ABPA event […]