ADAS Calibration After Collision Repair: What Drivers Should Know

A few decades ago, a car owner did not have to worry about advanced driver-assist technologies when they got their car repaired after an accident. The focus was on restoring the car’s body to its original specifications, with minimal impact on the car’s structural integrity. Today, however, most of the cars on the road are equipped with an emerging set of advanced driver-assist technologies that need to be recalibrated after most collision repairs.

That is why understanding the importance of ADAS calibration after collision repair is so critically important. This is especially true for cars equipped with automatic emergency braking because the calibration process ensures that the car will function as designed. The ADAS calibration process covers a variety of functions, including camera-based systems, sensors, and other mechanisms needed to support the driver-assist technologies.

What is ADAS Calibration?

There are a variety of driver-assist technologies available in modern cars. The term ADAS refers to a wide range of car features that are meant to increase the safety of the car and its passengers. Most of these features were unavailable in cars a decade ago. Some of the most common examples include automatic emergency braking, smart parking sensors, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping systems, among others.

Each ADAS feature is equipped with a network of sensors, video cameras, and sometimes radar sensors. All of these sensors must be calibrated to factory specifications in order to function correctly. In order for a car’s forward camera to correctly identify the distance between the car and the potential obstacles in front of it, its angle must be precisely matched to the factory specifications.

ADAS Calibration After Collision Repair

Many people are surprised to learn that car accidents of any size have the potential to impact the functionality of a car’s ADAS features, especially sensors. The slightest misalignment of a position sensor during windshield or bumper repair can compromise the sensor’s accuracy. Even when the car looks good and the ADAS system appears to function correctly after the repairs, the misaligned sensors can cause problems. In short, it is impossible to tell if the recalibration of a car’s ADAS system was performed correctly after bodywork or collision repair.

Unfortunately, the car owner has to be especially wary that a collision repair shop was honest and competent enough when it came to recalibrating the car’s sensors after the accident. The ADAS systems in modern cars are critically important for safety, which is why they need to be handled with care.

Types of Calibration Services

Most manufacturers only offer two types of calibration services: static and dynamic.

Static calibration is performed by a certified technician inside the repair shop. In order to perform the calibration, a technician has to mount several calibration targets at specific distances from the vehicle and complete the calibration process using the special calibration equipment required to complete this task.

On the other hand, a dynamic calibration process requires the car to be driven on the road at specific speeds in order to complete the calibration process. The calibration equipment is used throughout the calibration process to ensure that the dynamic calibration was completed successfully.

Why Calibration After Collision Repair Requires Specialized Equipment and Training

Calibration after collision repair is not something that any collision repair shop can handle. The static calibration, in particular, requires the use of special equipment to ensure that the target is placed at the exact distance from the car. The equipment and the special workspace required to perform a static calibration can cost tens of thousands of dollars. In addition, the dynamic calibration requires advanced knowledge and experience, as the technician has to know what speeds to use and what conditions are suitable for the dynamic calibration process.

This is why ADAS calibration Thousand Oaks drivers ask about has become such a hot topic after collision repair. Drivers are now more aware of the importance of ensuring that their ADAS features are restored to factory specifications after their car was damaged in an accident.

What Questions Should Drivers Ask?

Several important questions should be asked prior to authorizing collision repair services:

• Will ADAS calibration after collision repair be necessary based on the damage to my car?
• Does your shop perform the calibration services in-house, or do I have to take my car to another facility?
• What equipment do you use for ADAS calibration?
• Are you going to provide me with documentation confirming that the calibration process was completed successfully?

A reputable and trustworthy repair shop will be able to provide satisfactory answers to these questions and will deliver the necessary documentation after the calibration process is completed.

Insurance Companies and ADAS Calibration After Collision Repair

Insurance companies are obligated to provide drivers with the necessary information on ADAS calibration after collision repair services. Remember that ADAS calibration after collision repair is a necessary expense in most cases. If you suspect that your ADAS calibration was not completed successfully, you should bring this issue to the attention of your car insurer.

Premier Coach has the equipment and expertise to handle all aspects of car repair, including ADAS calibration after collision repair for your Volvo car. We can ensure that all of the car’s sensors are recalibrated correctly, which helps to maximise the level of safety after the accident. This attention to detail is what sets us apart from the competition, which is why drivers in Thousand Oaks and surrounding communities trust us with their Volvo collision repair needs.