Repairs getting more complicated
New camera-based technology has improved safety – but many are unaware it requires special recalibration when windscreens are repaired.
As a result specialist automotive glass repairer, Smith & Smith, has rolled out a network of 13 specialised facilities across New Zealand.
ADAS is an industry term for the forward-facing camera technology that enables active-safety features like autonomous emergency braking, lanedeparture warning and steering assistance on many modern cars.
However, what’s not widely known is that when a windscreen is broken on an ADAS-equipped car, the system has to be recalibrated to ensure it’s operating correctly. This is because glass replacement involves removing the cameras/ sensors and remounting them.
The same can apply to wheel alignment or even tyre replacement, depending on manufacturer recommendations.
Recalibration work can also be done at official service centres for specific car brands. But having the same technology means that support industries can be a one stop shop. However, each brand/model is different and Smith & Smith says it can still only handle about 75 per cent of ADASequipped new cars currently on the market. ADAS technology is by no means widespread in the Kiwi vehicle fleet... yet.
But it’ll become commonplace over the next few years as the vehicle fleet evolves. ADAS is now essential for a top score in crash testing: 95 per cent of vehicles tested by EuroNcap in 2015 had some form of camera-based safety tech fitted.
Smith & Smith says its roll out is the culmination of a two-year, multimilliondollar development project around the world, via a partnership with Bosch, using software specific to NZ.
There are three possible types of recalibration, depending on the vehicle.
‘‘Static’’ recalibration requires a controlled environment with a levelled floor and is completed using specialist target boards.
A ‘‘dynamic’’ recalibration involves driving the vehicle with a hand-held device plugged in to the diagnostic port on the vehicle. Vehicle manufacturers are often prescriptive over the types of roads that must be used, or the distance and speed travelled, to allow the system to confirm it has viewed and recognised certain road features. Third is ‘‘combination’’ recalibration, where both a static and a dynamic test needs to be undertaken.
Generally, the specification for which recalibration process is required is consistent within a vehicle manufacturers’ range of models: for example, Ford prescribes dynamic recalibration for all its models.