(AOL Autos) -- Have you ever heard of someone having their car "totaled"? While the word might conjure images of a massive car accident, replete with broken glass and the Jaws of Life, the reality is sometimes far removed.





Ford's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck.





In fact, there are many accidents that produce structural damage such that the vehicle's frame is bent, even though the exterior of the car might even look drivable.





Typically these cars are "totaled," which might give buyers the peace of mind knowing they will get a replacement vehicle. But, overall this produces much higher insurance rates for all drivers.





Car companies and insurers are working hard to try and reduce the cost of auto repairs and insurance premiums for consumers and some of the development is breathtaking in its innovation





This effort has already led to many new developments in the design of various auto parts and components -- which have indeed led to a reduction in repair costs for various auto parts, components and structures.





And more advances are on the way: some carmakers have recently ramped up their operations in this area, which should result in greater cost savings in coming years.





One recent development in this area is the Ford Motor Company's new $650,000 Paint and Body Technology Center in Inkster, Michigan, about 20 minutes from the company's Dearborn world headquarters. The new center was created by merging operations with the company's Safety Crash Test Analysis department.





Other car companies have their own versions of this kind of operation, including Ford's crosstown rivals, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.





The new Ford center represents an advancement over its previous paint and body tech operation in that it's larger, closer to the company's HQ, and now works more closely with design engineers and auto insurers -- and gets insurers involved earlier in the design process. AOL Autos: Cut your insurance in half





The goal is to identify potential repair issues and then use that info to refine designs -- which in turn helps cut the cost of repairs at dealerships and independent repair shops. Plus, this effort allows repair techs to more effectively restore the vehicles to their pre-accident condition.





To that end, engineers gather data earlier in the vehicle development process so it can be then analyzed during crash and durability testing. AOL Autos: How to choose a repair shop





For Ford, the closer integration of these functions began when the carmaker's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck.





During the vehicle's early development period, these engineers realized that new materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel and boron -- helped make the new truck safer, but also could make it more expensive to repair after a collision. AOL Autos: Minor damages, major repair costs





"The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new, specific procedures and repair recommendations," said Gerry Bonanni, Ford's collision repair senior engineer.





So, Ford engineers designed and developed new front and rear-frame-section kits -- which means one single section of the frame can now be repaired / replaced after a crash, instead of having to replace the entire frame.





"Partial-frame repairs cost at least $2,000 less than full-frame replacements," says Bonanni -- and will prevent some vehicles from being "totaled," which would have previously been the case under repair laws in some states.





The success of the collaboration on the F-150 prompted the decision to open the new paint and body tech center. A more recent example was the work done on the 2010 Mustang.





"Previously, we had no real procedure for sectioning off the rear-frame rails," says Bonanni. "But, by collaborating with repair technicians and the insurance companies, we developed a procedure, which we then documented for the repair techs in our dealers.





"That allows them to repair just a short section of the rear-frame rails, instead of replacing the entire frame-rail system
Where have there been many new developments? What helps make vehicles safer?
design of various auto parts and components ultra-high-strength steel and boron
question: Where have there been many new developments?, answer: design of various auto parts and components | question: What helps make vehicles safer?, answer: ultra-high-strength steel and boron