AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 49-3021.00

Will AI replace Automotive Body and Related Repairers?

Automotive Body and Related Repairers: AI can already handle 1 of 25 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs an efficient-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 25 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Automotive Body and Related Repairers, from most to least exposed. 1 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed. 65 Estimated Efficient 4.1
File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.5
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. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.4
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. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Soak fiberglass matting in resin mixtures and apply layers of matting over repair areas to specified thicknesses. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.6
Cut openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows, using templates and power shears or chisels. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.4
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. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Fill small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Remove small pits and dimples in body metal, using pick hammers and punches. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Remove upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment, and trim to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Fit and secure windows, vinyl roofs, and metal trim to vehicle bodies, using caulking guns, adhesive brushes, and mallets. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Adjust or align headlights, wheels, and brake systems. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Replace damaged glass on vehicles. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Remove damaged panels, and identify the family and properties of the plastic used on a vehicle. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
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. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Read specifications or confer with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Clean work areas, using air hoses, to remove damaged material and discarded fiberglass strips used in repair procedures. 12 Estimated No tier 3.9

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 25 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 25 of 25. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 36% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 36% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 64% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
149,310
Median annual wage
$54,890
Middle half of earners
$45,750 to $69,200
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+1.6%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Automotive Body and Related Repairers and AI

Will AI replace Automotive Body and Related Repairers?

AI already handles 1 of the 25 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 19 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +1.6% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Automotive Body and Related Repairers?

19 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 25 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 25 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Automotive Body and Related Repairers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 36% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 64% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Automotive Body and Related Repairers, and what do they earn?

149,310 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $54,890 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +1.6% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Automotive Body and Related Repairers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/automotive-body-and-related-repairers

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