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IATR Technology & Innovation Committee Meeting

Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 02:00 PM ET / 11:00 am PT

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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you are interested in attending and/or joining the Technology & Innovation Committee, please email Kim at info@iatr.global by EOD Monday, February 23, 2026. Please note this meeting is open to all REGULATOR & ASSOCIATE MEMBERS.

Image: Repairer Driven News

A South Dakota bill would ban insurance companies from declaring a motor vehicle a total loss unless the cost of repairs meets or exceeds 75% of the actual cash value before it was damaged. 

SB 2271 would allow insurers to declare a total loss only with a written request from the vehicle owner. 

Pete Stemper, executive director of the South Dakota Auto Body Association, said this is one of five issues that his association decided needed to be changed in the state. 

“I know people assume it is about profiting the body shops, but it is absolutely the opposite,” Stemper said. “It is 100% about giving those individuals who don’t have the cash flow to replace that vehicle the opportunity to at least say yes or no.” 

Consumers may have to pay more out of pocket and could have trouble finding a replacement vehicle, he said. 

“It is a consumer-driven attempt by the body shops because we are the people who physically have to see these people sitting across from us and see what they are going through, and it is disheartening for us,” Stemper said. 

Source: Repairer Driven News

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John Peracchio

The IATR would like to congratulate John Peracchio on his recent appointment to the Michigan State Transportation Committee by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

John earned his Bachelor of Arts in economics and history from Brown University and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School and is a member of both the New York and Michigan bars, starting his legal career at Breed Abbott & Morgan in New York City. He has been the CEO for two family-owned automotive suppliers and the senior operating executive at Harman International Industries. From February 2017 to April 2020, he served as chair of the Michigan Council on Future Mobility, serving under two of Michigan’s governors.

John delivers strategic consulting expertise in the field of intelligent transportation systems, concentrating on the implementation of mobility solutions across multiple transportation modes. His work particularly emphasizes initiatives involving connected and highly automated vehicles, as well as advancements in transaction management and payment processing.

John is a member of the American Public Transportation Association, the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association, ITS Canada, and the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council. He also serves as the regional director of the Naval War College Foundation for Michigan and the Great Lakes.

As former President and current member of the Board of Directors for Feonix – Mobility Rising, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the transportation needs of underserved and underprivileged communities, John is dedicated to ensuring that mobility is not a barrier for those seeking social support, health care, employment, and battling hunger.

We look forward to working with John as he embarks on this new appointment supporting multimodal transportation for all those in Michigan and beyond.

Click Here to Learn More about Feonix – Mobility Rising

Gaslit at the Pump: Many New York Drivers Pay Premium but Get Regular

When New Yorkers choose a premium grade of octane at their local gas station, there’s a good chance they may not be getting the fuel they’re paying for. An analysis of city Department of Consumer and Worker Protection inspection data by the NYCity News Service found that almost all gas stations in the city failed at least one inspection in the last two years — mostly for not selling the grade of octane advertised at the pump. 

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What Is ‘Teledriving’? Remote-Controlled Cars Could Come to Austin Roads

Teledriving is a type of vehicle technology that allows a human driver to operate a car in real time using a live video feed, but from a remote location. Austin Transportation and Public Works, or ATPW, staff plan to brief the city’s mobility committee Thursday on the potential for the remote-driving technology to make its debut in Austin, and how the city plans to approach it.

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Tesla Trademarks 'Cybercar' & 'Cybervehicle' Names to Avoid Taxi Laws

When Tesla officially unveiled its dedicated 2-seater Robotaxi, the name Cybercab felt like a perfect fit. Recently, Tesla submitted two new trademark filings for "Cybercar" and "Cybervehicle," and it's not because it intends to change its name. As Elon Musk noted during the 2025 Q4 Earnings Call, these two new names are more than just for brand protection; they are tools designed to bypass municipal taxi laws.

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AIA Canada Presses Ottawa for National Right to Repair Framework

AIA Canada members gathered recently in Ottawa to meet with federal policymakers for the association’s annual Hill Day on Parliament Hill to press for a national right to repair framework for the auto care sector. The discussions from Feb. 5 focused on securing a clear and enforceable right to repair at the federal level that guarantees access to vehicle repair data, tools and parts.

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Evolve E-Bike Share Rolls into West Vancouver

West Vancouver residents and visitors now have a new way to get around the North Shore, as BCAA’s Evolve E-Bike Share program has officially expanded into the District, adding 16 parking stations to the growing regional network. The expansion makes West Vancouver the latest municipality to join the North Shore E-Bike Share Program, alongside the City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, Squamish Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh Nation, the press release noted.

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Quebec Auto Board Sorry for Online Platform Boondoggle, Aims to Regain Public Trust

Quebec's Treasury Board president said Tuesday the government will consider all legal and disciplinary recourse against those responsible in the automobile insurance board's botched rollout of its online platform. France-Élaine Duranceau told a news conference Tuesday they will aim to hold people accountable for the lack of transparency and financial mismanagement.

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Edinburgh Taxi Trade Launches ‘If It’s Not Booked, Don’t Get In’ Safety Drive

Edinburgh’s taxi trade has launched a new public safety campaign urging passengers to avoid entering vehicles that have not been properly booked, following concerns over illegal pick-ups, overcharging and reports of serious incidents.   

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London PH Drivers Hold Motorcade Protest Demanding TfL Regulation of Uber and Similar Operators

On Saturday evening, 14 February, drivers working for platforms including Uber and Bolt logged off their apps from 5pm and assembled their vehicles for a slow-moving motorcade through central London. The protest was organised by members of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) to demand that Transport for London introduce stronger regulation of ride-hailing companies.

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Transport-Related Emissions Continue to Rise in Europe

Transport-related emissions continue to rise in Europe, even as other sectors have reported ‘substantial reductions’, a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) has found. According to the report, Sustainability of Europe’s mobility systems 2025, the transport sector accounted for around a third of the EU’s total GHG emissions in 2023, with pollutants ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) showing persistent levels.

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Navigation Apps Can Help Level the Playing Field for Ride-Hail Drivers

Technology is making the ride-hail industry more accessible than ever, according to new research published in the Strategic Management Journal. The study, conducted by academics at the National University of Singapore (NUS), shows that navigation apps are not just a convenience—they're a game-changer for many drivers, especially those with less experience behind the wheel.

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Use Ride-Hailing Apps in Saudi? Know about This Verification Mechanism

Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority (TGA) has approved the implementation of facial biometric verification for ride-hailing application drivers, reinforcing regulatory oversight as demand for app-based transport continues to accelerate across the kingdom.

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Santa Cruz de Tenerife Taxis Set for Major Technological Upgrade

Taxis in Santa Cruz de Tenerife will undergo one of their largest technological upgrades this year. Starting in October, booking or requesting a vehicle will become easier through a new mobile application and a single WhatsApp number. These tools will be available at no cost to both users and professionals in the sector.

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Image: John Penney

A new report flags how the shortfall of wheelchair-accessible vehicles from the app-based ride-hailing giants subjects New Yorkers with disabilities to longer wait times.

The “Left Behind Across New York” report from New York Lawyers for the Public Interest notes that just 7% of nearly 106,000 for-hire vehicles licensed by the city’s Taxi & Limousine Commission are wheelchair accessible — a figure they say highlights disparities faced by customers with limited mobility who book rides through Uber and Lyft.

“It honestly feels disrespectful,” said Stefan Henry, a quadriplegic customer who uses a large powered wheelchair. “It just feels like they don’t think that people with disabilities need to go to work.”

Meanwhile, the city’s yellow taxi fleet last summer met a years-overdue legal mandate to make 50% of the in-service cabs wheelchair-accessible by equipping vehicles with ramps. It came years after the city blew a 2020 deadline that came about as part of a landmark settlement of a class-action lawsuit approved in 2014.

TLC data shows that of the 10,694 licensed yellow taxis in service in November, 56% were wheelchair accessible.

Source: The City

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