A one-part, storage-stable, air-dryable, latex-coatable waterborne film-forming coating composition has dispersed therein sufficient conductive material to provide an autoweldable hardened shop primer layer when applied to metal components. The thus- primed components may be welded together using automated arc welding equipment without having to remove the coating composition at the weld site. The conductive material desirably causes little or no airborne emission of unsafe quantities of heavy metals or other harmful substances when the primer is volatilized or combusted during welding.
