Get Comfortable with ADAS Sensor Calibration and Repair

By Chris Bonneau | May 13, 2021

Operating a modern collision repair facility successfully means keeping up with advancements in vehicle manufacturing and related technology. From high-tech body materials to vehicle Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), your shop needs the most accurate and reliable OEM collision repair information. Does your collision facility know how to calibrate a collision sensor, replace a rear camera, and other common ADAS repairs?

SUN® Collision Repair Information helps your body shop perform these types of  repairs safely and efficiently, including ADAS sensor calibration, repair, and diagnosis. So why are ADAS collision repair procedures such a big deal? Read on to find out, and how your collision repair shop can use the latest information to meet the challenges of ADAS technology and more.

What is ADAS?

Most vehicle accidents can be attributed to driver error, rather than a mechanical or computerized failure in a vehicle. ADAS is a term used to describe a set of features designed to not only keep vehicles (and their occupants) safe in the event of an accident, but more important to help prevent them. From pedestrian detection and avoidance to lane departure warnings, using the latest vehicle technology ADAS helps reduce the number of accidents and their severity.

From cameras to sensors and other detection technology, ADAS gives drivers a comprehensive safety net. But because ADAS relies on a network of advanced components that are interconnected, even a seemingly minor accident can lead to extensive and complicated repairs and ADAS sensor calibration. That’s why your collision repair shop needs the latest OEM information and other resources to perform safe and accurate repairs.

ADAS Sensor Calibration in Collision Repair

Whether you are a large collision repair company with several locations, or a small local shop, having access to the most up-to-date and in-depth vehicle repair solutions is critical. But how do you keep up with the rapid developments in vehicle technology, much less the information you need to diagnose and repair that technology? You invest in collision repair software that is as advanced as the vehicles you repair.

Here are some of the most critical ADAS components your body shop has likely encountered already. These components require accurate diagnosis, detailed repair knowledge, and precise sensor calibrations using the most up-to-date OEM information and other resources:

• Forward collision warning (FCW) is an ADAS feature that relies heavily on a range of sensors and cameras. The component uses visual, audible, and other alerts to warn drivers of a potential collision with a car or object in the vehicle’s path. Some FCW systems even let drivers customize the timing of the warning to their preferences.

• Blind spot detection systems use a variety of sensors to alert drivers to those all-too-dangerous blind spots that can contribute to so many accidents. Many of these systems sound an alarm when they identify an obstacle in a driver’s blind spot, such as another vehicle, object, or pedestrian.

• Automatic emergency braking uses advanced sensors to detect potential impacts. The technology measures the distance of other vehicles and objects, the speed of the vehicle, and takes other critical measurements to prevent an accident. Some automatic braking systems not only warn drivers, but also lock down seat belts, decelerate the vehicle, and employ adaptive steering to reduce the risk of an accident.

While these three ADAS features are some of the most important to a driver’s safety, there are many more components that are interconnected, such as:

• Lane-keeping assistance
• Rear cross-traffic warning
• Parking assist/self-parking
• Headlights that automatically align with a vehicle’s direction of travel
• Vehicles equipped with LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)

If your body shop hasn’t adopted the technology available with collision repair software, your shop could be falling behind. That’s because the technology used in ADAS and other vehicle systems is becoming more complex with each model year — and that means repairing those systems will require specialized knowledge and skills. Collision shops that aren’t prepared to work on current ADAS technology will continue to fall further behind because of newer technologies constantly being developed.

If you’re not familiar with LIDAR, this high-tech light-sensing technology uses ranging and imaging capabilities that outperform the cameras and sensors found in most modern ADAS. As the research and development of LIDAR in ADAS advances, it’s only a matter of time before the technology is cost-efficient enough to become a standard feature in many vehicles. That means now is the time for your body shop to put the advanced technology of collision repair software to work.

Advanced Sensor Calibrations Require Advanced Collision Repair Technology

As we discussed earlier, ADAS sensor calibration, diagnosis, and repair present unique challenges. If your shop doesn’t have the up-to-date information to tackle the sophisticated repairs of ADAS, labor costs, cycle times, in-house repairs, and ultimately, profit, are all impacted.

Worse, not having sufficient resources to work on these systems could result in ADAS repairs that are unsafe and unreliable, putting drivers and your shop’s future in danger. Because different ADAS components require specific diagnostics, collision repair procedures, and recalibration, there’s a lot to know — and the right collision repair software can give you that knowledge.

 Here are just some of the many sensors, cameras, and other components that could need sensor calibrations after they are repaired or replaced:

 Front-facing cameras and sensors

Many vehicles with ADAS have front-facing cameras and sensors that are interconnected to multiple systems. These sensors are critical components for automatic emergency braking, lane departure alerts, lane-keeping assistance, and even automatic high- and low-beam activation.

360-degree camera systems

The current technology of ADAS relies heavily on cameras that monitor the vehicle’s surroundings, measure critical data, and activate safety alerts. 360-degree camera systems are an integrated network of cameras that work together to create a safety “cocoon” for drivers. These cameras can be found on rear view mirror assemblies, bumpers, side mirrors, tailgates, and other areas.

Steering angle sensors

Lane departure warnings, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive headlights, electronic stability, and adaptive suspensions rely on information from steering angle sensors to work properly. These sensors are typically found on steering columns and monitor the degree of steering wheel angles, sending the data to other ADAS components.

Windshield Sensors

Many forward-facing ADAS cameras are mounted to the windshield glass near the rearview mirror. While the traditional repairs and replacement of windshields in older vehicles are fairly straightforward and cost-effective, working on windshields in vehicles with ADAS can be more complex and costly. A recent Consumer Reports article can fill you in on the details and help your body shop explain the potential extra costs and other related issues to customers who need windshield repair or replacement.

Know How to Calibrate a Collision Sensor

Getting ADAS sensor calibration and other collision procedures right is critical for your shop’s success and profitability. The technology shops face today, and the inevitable advancements to come, make collision repair software a tool you can’t survive without.

So, how can collision repair software keep your body shop in the know for ADAS sensor calibration, diagnosis, and repair? By putting the latest and most comprehensive OEM information and other resources at your fingertips. Each OEM requires specific diagnostics, tools, and repair guidelines and even which repairs require recalibration.

Instead of tracking down the sensor calibrations and repair information every time you repair a different make and model of vehicle, SUN gives you the most updated information you need, when you need it. We make it easy to plug in the YMM and other criteria and get the most comprehensive collision procedures and recalibration instructions — and a lot more. From interactive wiring diagrams to real-world fixes, collision repair software helps your shop perform accurate and safe repairs today and in the future.

Why risk getting ADAS sensor calibration wrong when SUN Collision puts the most up-to-date ADAS information front and center to help you keep up with the technology? With a click on the software system’s Quick Link button, you get a big-picture-view and specific details of auto-calibration sensors, cameras, and more from a single resource.

Wrapping Up

When you choose SUN, you’re investing in your collision shop’s future, your customers’ safety, and your business’s bottom line. You not only get the latest OEM repair and diagnostic guides with user-friendly graphical layouts, but you also get our full support and training to get your system up and running in no time. Whether you need installation and operating support or specific, in-depth 1-on-1 live training, we’re here when you need us.

Get a free demo and see for yourself how SUN Collision and on-demand OEM information can increase efficiency, safety, and profitability. Want to learn more about advanced collision repair solutions right away? Call 877-840-1973 and we’ll show you how we can help you put the latest, easy-to-use collision repair technology to work for your shop.