Demystifying ADAS

ADAS has been talked and written about so much in recent years — and so much of it underlining the business and technical challenges, not all of it accurate — that by now people may be forgiven for simply tuning it out. ADAS? Whatever. Sounds messy. Not going to bother with all that.

It doesn't have to be that way. ADAS is indeed highly sophisticated technology that requires a level of care and responsibility when working with it. But in the automotive service industry, what doesn't?

At bottom, ADAS can and should be approached the same as any other service a shop would perform: practically. Learn about it. Start small. Gain experience. Increase expertise. Expand your capabilities. Build your business.

Because it's time to get into ADAS.

We believe that ADAS service separates into three levels of competence:

• Minimum. Dynamic resets. Most or all shops are already routinely performing these services with scan tools. No additional space or special expertise is required. This can be considered the "spring training" of the ADAS business.
• Advanced. The next level up is adding static calibrations to existing dynamic capabilities. It's the logical step from alignments, which most shops are already doing. This will require a static fixture and targets. The vast majority of static ADAS calibrations involve forward-facing cameras and radar, which will require a static fixture and targets, but rarely if ever additional space.
• Cutting-edge. This is ADAS mastery, where a shop now has the experience and ROI to justify a solid investment. At this level, a shop is fully equipped, able to mix and match target sets as needed, actively selling calibration services and considering options for increasing space.

Seen in a vacuum, the idea of taking on ADAS calibrations can seem imposing to a business. Seen as a sensible progression through levels of expertise – like any other new service that eventually becomes routine -- it's a much different story. ADAS is complicated.

ADAS calibrations are not. Equipment and training are available. If you run a successful service shop now, in time you can also run a successful calibration services shop.

This article first appeared in Brake & Front End magazine. Courtesy Babcox Media.