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Automotive Body and Related Repairers

filing, grinding, sanding and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, positioning dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents and reviewing damage reports. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: filing, grinding, sanding and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

What shifts is reviewing damage reports, prepare or reviewing repair cost estimates and planning work: the overhead at the edges, not the middle you trained for.

Your week, as this page understands it

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames. The job title says “automotive body” or “related repairers”: officially one job, two names. The real job is the part underneath: filing, grinding, sanding and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But automotive body and related repairers is not one task. It is 25 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is filing, grinding, sanding and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI
0%
changing shape
4%
staying human
96%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 5 out of 100 (3–9 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 25 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for automotive body and related repairers is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

Shifting to AI

0 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.

Changing shape

1 task

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

  • Reviewing damage reports, prepare or reviewing repair cost estimates and planning work

    The software now makes the first pass at damage reports, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Estimating repair cost from damage reports is document and pricing work that software already drafts well.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

24 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

  • Filing, grinding, sanding and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools

    This work happens in the physical world: smooth, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 5 · Core
    Source: “File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Smoothing filled panels means hands on power tools against real metal, which software cannot do.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Following supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take

    This work happens in the physical world: supervisors' instructions, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 21 out of 100 (14–28 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Deciding repair-or-replace and timings can be drafted from records, but the call happens on the shop floor.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Inspecting repaired vehicles for proper functioning

    This work happens in the physical world: repaired vehicles, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Checking fit, finish and handling means walking round the car and driving it yourself.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Sanding body areas to be painted and cover bumpers

    This work happens in the physical world: body areas, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Sanding panels and masking glass and trim is physical preparation nobody can do remotely.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Fitting and welding replacement parts into place

    This work happens in the physical world: replacement parts, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Welding parts in and grinding the seams flat is skilled work done by hand.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Priming and painting repaired surfaces

    This work happens in the physical world: repaired surfaces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Spraying primer and paint onto a repaired panel is entirely a hands-on job.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Positioning dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents

    This work happens in the physical world: blocks against surfaces of dented areas, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Beating out dents with hammers and dollies is pure hand skill.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Removing upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment and trimming to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders

    This work happens in the physical world: upholstery, accessories, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Remove upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment, and trim to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Stripping out trim, seats and electrics to reach the body is physical dismantling.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Mixing polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas

    This work happens in the physical world: polyester resins, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Mixing resin and hardener to the right consistency happens with the tubs in front of you.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

Show the other 15 tasks

  • Reading specifications or conferring with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles

    staying human

    The value here is that a specific person handles specifications and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.

    importance 4 · Supplemental
    Source: “Read specifications or confer with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.

    The rating behind it: Reading a custom spec is easy for software, but agreeing the look with a customer is a conversation.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Removing damaged panels and identifying the family and properties of the plastic used on a vehicle

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: damaged panels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Remove damaged panels, and identify the family and properties of the plastic used on a vehicle.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 13 out of 100 (6–20 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Identifying the plastic type is a lookup, but stripping the damaged panel is hands-on.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Removing damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: damaged sections of vehicles, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Cutting out damaged sections and fitting replacements needs tools in your hands at the car.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Cutting and taping plastic separating film to outside repair areas to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure and removing tape and washing surfaces after repairs are complete

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: plastic separating film, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Cut and tape plastic separating film to outside repair areas to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure and remove tape and wash surfaces after repairs are complete.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Cutting and taping protective film onto a car body is manual work at the vehicle.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Chaining or clamping frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: frames, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Clamping a damaged shell into a frame machine takes strength and hands in the bay.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Filling small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: small dents, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Fill small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Filling small dents with body filler or solder is done by hand at the panel.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Removing small pits and dimples in body metal

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: small pits, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Remove small pits and dimples in body metal, using pick hammers and punches.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Working out small pits with pick hammers is delicate hand work.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Cleaning work areas, using air hoses

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: work areas, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Clean work areas, using air hoses, to remove damaged material and discarded fiberglass strips used in repair procedures.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Blowing down the bay to clear debris and fiberglass scraps is physical cleaning.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Adjusting or aligning headlights, wheels and brake systems

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: headlights, wheels and brake systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Adjust or align headlights, wheels, and brake systems.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Adjusting headlights, wheels and brakes is mechanical setting work at the vehicle.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Applying heat to plastic panels

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: heat, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Apply heat to plastic panels, using hot-air welding guns or immersion in hot water, and press the softened panels back into shape by hand.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Heating a plastic panel and pressing it back into shape by hand is manual work.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Soaking fiberglass matting in resin mixtures and applying layers of matting over repair areas to specified thicknesses

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: fiberglass, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Soak fiberglass matting in resin mixtures and apply layers of matting over repair areas to specified thicknesses.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Soaking matting in resin and laying it over a repair is entirely hands-on.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Cutting openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: openings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 3 · Supplemental
    Source: “Cut openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows, using templates and power shears or chisels.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Cutting new openings in a car body with shears or chisels is skilled hand work.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Fitting and securing windows, vinyl roofs and metal trim to vehicle bodies

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: windows, vinyl roofs and metal trim, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Fit and secure windows, vinyl roofs, and metal trim to vehicle bodies, using caulking guns, adhesive brushes, and mallets.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Fitting glass, roofs and trim is done by hand with adhesives and tools.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Replacing damaged glass on vehicles

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: damaged glass, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 4 · Core
    Source: “Replace damaged glass on vehicles.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Removing and refitting vehicle glass is careful physical work with the car in the bay.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Measuring and marking vinyl material and cutting material to size for roof installation

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: vinyl material, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 3 · Supplemental
    Source: “Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears.” (O*NET task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Measuring, marking and shearing vinyl to size is done by hand on the bench.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay
$54,890a year, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.bls-oews, 2025 · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
How we know this

Source: bls-oews

Reference period: May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)

Rounding: Shown as published.

People doing this job
149,310in the US, 2025.bls-oews · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: damage reports in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: reviewing damage reports. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where smooth gets done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: filing, grinding, sanding and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 0% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 4% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 96% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 25 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Reviewing damage reports, prepare or reviewing repair cost estimates and planning work is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to damage reports, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding
a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes
ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether supervisors' instructions are in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no license needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near reviewing damage reports, prepare or reviewing repair cost estimates and planning work. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, use CareerOneStop - Find local training. It is free, it is the Labor Department's own service, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest US occupations to automotive body and related repairers (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was automotive glass installers and repairers: only about 7% of its durable work is work you already do, it pays 13.2% less and there are far fewer of those jobs than of yours. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 5/100 here, with only 0% of the task list in the top band, and “file, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools…” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 830 US occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

  • Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

    Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already replace damaged glass on vehicles, and their equivalent is to install replacement glass in vehicles. Across both published task lists that is about 7% of the durable work in that job.

    Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 7% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. It is a pay cut, in those words: $47,630 against your $54,890, 13.2% less (OEWS May 2025 (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice. And it is a narrow door: about 20,310 of those jobs against 149,310 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 14% as many seats.

    Look at that job’s page anyway →

  • Engine and Other Machine Assemblers

    Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already file, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and…, and their equivalent is to remove rough spots and smooth surfaces to fit, trim, or clean parts, using…. Across both published task lists that is about 4% of the durable work in that job.

    Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 4% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. And it is a narrow door: about 34,000 of those jobs against 149,310 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 23% as many seats.

    Look at that job’s page anyway →

  • Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

    Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to…, and their equivalent is to review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost…. Across both published task lists that is about 4% of the durable work in that job.

    Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 4% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. I will not move you off one melting floe onto another: 59% of its own task list already scores in the top exposure band (60/100 in this release), so the same software is eating it. And it is a narrow door: about 11,560 of those jobs against 149,310 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 8% as many seats.

    Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

  • The headline number you read somewhere

    The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 0% of its task weight, across 25 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.

  • The headlines about your trade disappearing

    They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like filing, grinding, sanding and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.

  • Retraining out of a job that is holding up

    On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.

  • The “obvious” next job everyone suggests

    I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United States figures

The United Kingdom splits this work across more than one official group, of which Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United Kingdom page →partial match

The other groups this work is counted across:

In UK official statistics this job is counted as Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians, Vehicle body builders and repairers, Tyre, exhaust and windscreen fitters and Sheet metal workers. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

Why there is no community here

Collab365, who build this site, run paid Spaces for a small number of subjects, and none of them is built for this job. We are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

So the free services listed on this page are the whole answer, and it is the same answer we would give a friend.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for automotive body / related repairers launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for automotive body / related repairers yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for automotive body / related repairers existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for automotive body / related repairers launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Automotive Body and Related Repairers?
Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 25 official task statements scored for Automotive Body and Related Repairers (United States, SOC 49-3021), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 5 out of 100 (range 3–9, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Automotive Body and Related Repairers” can AI already do?
The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed” (56/100, partial); “Read specifications or confer with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles” (26/100, low); “Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take” (21/100, low). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Automotive Body and Related Repairers” stay human?
About 96% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to e…” (0/100, minimal); “Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears” (0/100, minimal); “Replace damaged glass on vehicles” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Automotive Body and Related Repairers” do about AI?
Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 96% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Automotive Body and Related Repairers calculated?
Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 25 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

Worth knowing about these figures

  • The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
  • 3 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
  • Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
Task statements
onet-dbProcessing: catalogue-bridge → onet-im-rt-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights
onet-db (im-rt)
Scores
Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-04.
Pay and employment
bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

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Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published . Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.