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🇬🇧 UKSOC 5232· Skilled Metal, Electrical and Electronic Trades

Vehicle body builders and repairers

Vehicle body builders and repairers construct and repair the bodies of road vehicles, and fit interior and exterior fittings to vehicle bodies.

Bodyshop technicianCar body repairerCoach builderPanel beaterRestoration technician (vehicles)Vehicle builder
£34,848
median salary
£29,432 – £39,715
22,400
currently employed
26,717
projected 2035
Declining
6 tasks scored1 AI Assists5 Human-Led

Task Bundle Breakdown

How AI interacts with this occupation's task bundle

17%
83%
0%
AI automates
17%
AI assists
83%
Human-led

Task-by-Task Breakdown

Every task scored individually — sorted highest to lowest AI exposure

44

diagnoses job requirements or ascertains work specifications from drawings or instructions

AI Assists

AI-powered diagnostic tools and repair estimation software (e.g., Audatex, Mitchell) can analyse damage photos and cross-reference repair manuals to suggest job specifications, but a skilled technician must validate and adapt these to the actual vehicle condition.

22

selects, cuts, shapes and assembles materials to form parts of vehicle underframe, framework and body

Human-Led

This task requires hands-on physical manipulation of materials using specialist tools; AI can assist with design planning or material selection guidance via CAD software, but the cutting, shaping and assembly is entirely manual craft work.

22

hammers out dents in bodywork, fills in small depressions or corroded areas in solder, plastic or other filler compound and replaces body panels using hand and power tools

Human-Led

AI-powered imaging tools (e.g., Tractable) can assess and estimate dent and panel damage from photos, but the physical hammering, filling, and panel replacement requires skilled manual dexterity that AI cannot replicate.

22

installs and repairs interior fittings including seats, seatbelts and fascia in cars, sinks and special features in caravans and mobile shops

Human-Led

Installing and repairing interior fittings is a hands-on physical task requiring spatial judgement and dexterity; AI might assist with parts lookup or installation sequence guidance via digital manuals, but cannot perform the work.

22

positions, secures and repairs external fittings including windows, doors, door handles, catches and roof attachments

Human-Led

Fitting and repairing external components like windows and doors requires precise physical manipulation and real-time adjustment; AI can support with parts identification or torque specifications but plays no direct role in the fitting process.

11

repairs damage to chassis and engine mountings using hydraulic rams, jacks and jigs

Human-Led

Operating hydraulic rams, jacks and jigs to repair chassis damage is a physically demanding, precision hands-on task that AI cannot perform; AI has virtually no role beyond potentially advising on repair sequences.

ROI Calculator

Vehicle body builders and repairers

4.1hrs
saved per week
195hrs
per year ≈ 5.2 weeks
£3,775
salary-equivalent capacity freed per year

This is not a pay rise — it's 195 hours of productive capacity that AI could return to you, valued at your current rate.

£5,808
value at risk — 17% of role exposed to AI

The portion of your current salary tied to tasks AI can automate or augment. Not a prediction of job loss — a signal of where your role is changing fastest.

How is this calculated?▾

Task weights — each task is weighted by its O*NET frequency rating. Where frequency data is absent, equal weighting is applied.

AI time reduction — tasks scored as "AI Automates" assume 80% time saving; "AI Assists" assumes 40%; "Human-Led" assumes 5%.

Salary equivalent — annual hours saved × (salary ÷ 1,800 working hours/year).

Value at risk — salary × share of role time in AI-automate or AI-assist tasks.

Figures are indicative estimates for planning purposes, not guarantees of productivity gain or job loss risk.