What is ADAS, and how do I know my systems are calibrated after repair?
How Repair Shops Need to Handle this New Technology
ADAS is now part of almost every car and truck sold today. With the aftermarket repair industry inundated with types of repairs that didn’t exist 20 years ago, it’s a new segment that needs to be treated carefully.
Without the correct calibration equipment, technical knowhow and qualified technicians, the re-calibration of ADAS devices may not be performed correctly. Luckily at Gladney Automotive Solutions, we have a new separate re-calibration center that can handle all kinds of specialist tasks. Let’s explore different ADAS modules and how Gladney Automotive Solutions has the tools and experience to fix them.
ADAS stands for Advanced Driver Assist Systems and can be in the form of radar, lidar, camera equipment, sensors and more. Modules are used to process the incoming data from all of these sensors to inform the driver and respond to any immediate dangers.
If ADAS equipment is not correctly calibrated, the car may incorrectly identify threats, not have time to react and therefore cause an accident.
Despite 45% of ADAS features being deactivated by users, they still provide a vital role in the safety of occupants and other road users. ADAS has proven to provide a 20% reduction in crashes. This includes a 42% reduction in reversing crashes (thanks to rear camera systems), 46% reduction in collisions using Auto Emergency Braking and lane change crashes are reduced by one fifth thanks to Lane Keep Assist.
The whole aim of ADAS is to prevent unnecessary collisions, reduce your insurance premiums, gather data on crashes and therefore improve the overall safety on roads worldwide.
1. Forward Collision Warning
Forward Collision Warning exists to aid drivers in sudden environmental changes. Where a car ahead suddenly approaches, or a cyclist or pedestrian appears in front of you. It is designed specifically to help prevent rear-end collisions which tend to be one of the most common vehicle accidents. Forward Collision Warning is a great feature for all drivers, but specifically for drivers that might get distracted more often. Teen drivers and families with small children benefit most from this safety feature.
With sensors that use radar or vision systems, Forward Collision Warning (FCW) alerts drivers of hazards ahead including cars, people, bikers, animals, and anything else that might be in front of your vehicle. A warning message and sound is played to alert you of imminent danger.
2. Adaptive Headlights
Have you ever driven on a really dark road at night in the middle of nowhere? Standard headlights often don’t help provide enough visibility for these types of settings.
For these types of driving conditions, Adaptive Headlights are a perfect safety feature for customers that drive long commutes late night or early in the morning. Adaptive headlights use sensors based on the driver’s steering activity. Measuring steering angle and speed, the headlights move to provide a better view of where you’re going. When you’re taking a turn, you’ll be more likely to see where you’re headed, instead of illuminating the side of the road.
3. Blind Spot Detection
Not knowing where a vehicle is when changing lanes or turning is dangerous. Vehicles now come equipped with a blind spot monitor, which is a flashing alert that drivers can see in their door mirrors. Sometimes steering and brakes are automatically activated to prevent drivers from side swiping other vehicles.
Blind Spot Detection works by utilizing radar or ultrasonic sensors on the rear bumper. Blind spot sensors are needed in both sides and are sometimes housed in the vehicle’s mirrors.
4. Lane Departure Warning
Drivers sometimes get distracted for a split second and veer outside a lane, causing an accident. A lane departure warning system keeps you in check and ensures you do not change lanes dangerously. It uses cameras to detect lines and alerts drivers if they exit the lane without indicating.
Alerts are usually a sound, warning message on the dashboard, or by vibrating the steering wheel or seats.
5. Automatic Emergency Braking
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is similar to Forward Collision Warning but takes it a step further by applying the brakes to reduce the likelihood of a crash. AEB applies similar technology to Forward Collision Warning which includes sensors and cameras.
AEB systems take over the braking systems on vehicles and are very effective in slowing the car down. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates these systems will prevent 28,000 crashes by 2025. These systems are not mandatory at the moment, but the technology appears on most new cars today and will undoubtedly come into play in the near future.
6. 360 Degree Camera
Automakers are now taking camera technology even further with 360-degree cameras. By combining the view from multiple cameras into a single screen, these systems can make parallel parking or navigating a busy parking lot much easier.
This is ideal when hitching up a caravan or trailer, parking in tight spaces, or navigating narrow roads. Car brands use different naming conventions for this type of technology including all-round camera, surround view systems, birds-eye view, and multi-angle view.
Repair shops do not always have the necessary equipment to recalibrate ADAS sensors and modules. With only 30% of workshops able to perform ADAS calibration. A 2022 study from the University of Michigan stated that 90% of ADAS work that technicians need to do are outsourced, often to specialist like Gladney Automotive Solutions.
With an expected 17% CAGR through 2030, ADAS is a technology that needs to be treated carefully in the aftermarket scene. Currently, technicians are concerned the work is too difficult, they fear there is no demand for ADAS calibration and believe it is too expensive to obtain all the equipment and perform the calibration themselves.
In Illinois, the recent house bill 5409 was proposed as a “ADAS Repair Act”. Intended for glass repair or mechanics workshops to perform a recalibration on ADAS cameras, sensors and vision systems when performing a windshield replacement. Stating that owners need to be informed that their vehicle has ADAS features. Where repair shops can either calibrate the system themselves or inform the vehicle owner that the calibration has not been performed and therefore will not function.
This also ties in with aftermarket glass being used in repairs and the ADAS calibration process. Ford, Honda, Subaru, and Volvo are examples of a few brands that do not accept aftermarket glass in their repairs, stating that ADAS calibration will not be performed if non-OEM glass is used.
This act is comparable to the Utah legislation act in 2020, where calibrations need to meet or exceed manufacturers procedures or specifications. Whilst also allowing repairers to use non-OEM tools, glass, and parts in the calibration work.
At Gladney Automotive Solutions, we have been performing ADAS calibrations with OE equipment and following OE procedures since 2006. Repairing most ADAS features and performing the calibration as required by the OEM.
History of Gladney Autos and ADAS Repairs
Owner of Gladney Autos, Kirk Holland, and mobile manager David Hofstetter both are ASE Subject Matter Experts on ADAS. This means they have both been on the technical committee that helped write the ASE ADAS test procedure and calibration methods needed for aftermarket repair shops.
They have both trained our six calibration technicians on all aspects of ADAS features. Including the different modules fitted to each vehicle brand and how to calibrate them.
As a result, we now have six dedicated ADAS calibration service technicians who are OEM factory trained, Advanced Level ASE Master Certified, and I-CAR certified in all aspects of ADAS and electrical repairs.
Acting as a standalone facility, we at Gladney Automotive Solutions have added a new building where all our ADAS equipment and calibrations are performed. Including recent additions of a new alignment machine (taking our total up to 3). This was built alongside our dedicated wheel repair center too.
There are so many repair facilities, dealerships, collision facilities and glass repair shops that have incorrect information and use non-approved aftermarket overseas calibration equipment. Unfortunately, the incorrect information and possible inaccurate safety critical calibrations are then pass on to their trusting customers. We are always transparent with every customer that walks into our shop. Telling them that if their vehicle repair is part of an ADAS module, it will need calibrating. Here at Gladney we have invested and use the OE vehicle specific calibration equipment to ensure our clients ADAS systems help keep them safe on the road.
Conclusion
Gladney Automotive Solutions collision centers and external repair businesses can now use our new calibration center for ADAS calibrations and collision vehicle repairs. Knowing that it is a dedicated workshop with trained technicians who are experts with Advanced Level ASE Master, and I-CAR certification in all aspects of ADAS and electrical repairs and use only the OE approved calibration equipment.
If you need your ADAS calibrated after a repair then head to Gladney Automotive Solutions today!