23 Aug ADAS Calibration: What Are The Facts & Service Requirements?
If you own a newer car, you may have heard about ADAS calibration. But do you know what it is and what the service requirements are? Most modern vehicles use the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) to improve driver safety. ADAS works through a complex network of sensors, cameras, and data processing software. Over time, these components can become misaligned – reducing the effectiveness of the entire system. ADAS calibration corrects misaligned sensors and cameras, restores the accuracy of your vehicle’s advanced driver assistance systems, and improves driver safety.
What Is ADAS?
Many auto manufacturers started adding additional safety features, called Advanced Driver Assistance System, to high-end luxury vehicles in the 2000s. Today, most vehicles include one or more forms of ADAS technology across all makes and models. Motorists now expect top-notch safety features built into every automobile, not just the premium option. the technology has evolved to be more accurate, easier to use, and safer. Let’s review a few of the most common types:
ADAS Types
Modern vehicles utilize several types of Advanced Driver Assistance System technologies. Each type addresses and assists motorists with specific driving challenges:
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): More advanced than simple cruise control, ACC automatically adjusts your vehicle’s speed to keep a safe distance from the automobile in front of you. This feature provides a safer, more comfortable driving experience, especially on long drives like road trips.
- Adaptive Headlights: Adaptive headlights automatically adapt to changing conditions like environmental lighting, road conditions, and vehicle position.
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): The ABE detects potential collisions and automatically employs the brakes if the motorist fails to respond quickly. This system helps reduce the severity and frequency of auto collisions.
- Blind Spot Monitoring/Warning (BSM) or (BSW): Depending on your vehicle, this system can be a dashboard indicator light or side-view mirrors icon light. BSM and BSW systems help identify risks and warn the motorist via a visual or audible alert. Some warning systems may include a driver’s seat or steering wheel vibration.
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW): The FCW alerts the motorist with a sound or vibration in the steering wheel to an impending collision with an obstacle in front of the vehicle. This system gives the driver additional time to react and helps avoid accidents.
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW): This technology monitors lane markings on the roadway and alerts the driver when the vehicle drifts out of its lane without signaling. The LDW system helps motorists prevent accidental swerving and unintended lane changes.
How Does ADAS Work?
ADAS enhances a motorist’s capabilities and provides accurate data and feedback to improve decision-making while driving. It uses an elaborate network of sensors, cameras, and software to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings in real-time. It helps detect potential hazards and can take actions to avoid collisions to increase driver safety.
ADAS Cameras & Sensors
These cameras and sensors play a critical role in the functionality and accuracy of the Advanced Driver Assistance System. To operate correctly, they require precise, factory-specified calibration. Routine maintenance and calibration ensure the ADAS operates as intended, providing safety and convenience to the driver.
- Steering Angle Sensors: Steering angle sensors detect the orientation of the steering wheel, influencing functionalities like adaptive headlights and blind spot detection. Vehicle structural changes or airbag deployment require an ADAS calibration service.
- Front-Facing Camera: The front-facing cameras, mounted near the windshield, are vital for the automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning systems. A calibration is necessary after windshield replacement or front-end repairs.
- Rear-Facing Camera: The location of the rear-facing cameras (sometimes called Back-Up Camera) varies based on your vehicle’s make and model. A calibration is necessary after rear window replacement or rear-end repairs.
- Forward Radar Sensors: These sensors, located at the front of the vehicle, are crucial for adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning systems. They require calibration after any front bumper or collision repairs.
- Rear Radar Sensors: Rear radar sensors help with blind spot warnings and rear cross-traffic alerts. They require calibration after any rear bumper removal and collision repairs.
- Lidar Sensors: Lidar sensors (Light Detection and Ranging) provide a 3D representation of the vehicle’s surroundings, which is crucial for detecting objects and their distances. Schedule a calibration service when lidar units are disturbed, damaged, or replaced.
- Ultrasonic Sensors: These sensors assist with parking and maneuvering in tight spaces by detecting nearby objects.
- Wheel Speed Sensors: Part of your vehicle’s anti-lock braking system, these ADAS sensors monitor the speed of each wheel. They usually need calibration after brake or wheel hub work.
- Yaw Rate Sensors: These sensors measure a vehicle’s rotation around its vertical axis, aiding ADAS’s stability control and cornering functions. They require calibration after significant suspension or chassis work.
ADAS Calibration Service Requirements
An ADAS calibration service is a highly technical process used to maintain the functionality and accuracy of your vehicle’s Advanced Driver Assistance System. It’s vital to orient the many sensors and cameras that process the data in the environment around your auto and provide the appropriate alerts. While some vehicles may notify drivers of ADAS issues via a dashboard warning light, not every automobile does this. Knowing when a minor fender bender, auto repair, or vehicle maintenance may impact the ADAS is important.
Auto Repairs & Part Replacements
Certain auto repairs and part replacements (i.e., brakes, suspension, windshields, bumpers) can knock vital advanced driver assistance system sensors out of alignment. An ADAS calibration service ensures that all the cameras, sensors, and other components adhere to the factory specifications. Only properly calibrated cameras and sensors can provide the reliable data necessary for the vehicle’s safety systems. Ask your service technician or read your owner’s manual to determine which auto repairs may require this calibration service.
Maintenance & Software Updates
ADAS calibration must adhere to strict industry standards. These standards ensure that each camera and sensor is precisely positioned and calibrated according to the factory specifications to provide accurate readings. The ADAS features must function correctly for driver safety. A minor misalignment or outdated software can significantly impact your vehicle’s ADAS effectiveness. Most of the time, ADAS software updates happen automatically via over-the-air (OTA) technologies. However, corrupted data or invasive malware in the ADAS software can require an automotive service center’s assistance.
ADAS Calibration in Corpus Christi, TX
Family-owned and operated, Performance Auto Tech provides top-quality automotive services in Corpus Christi, TX, and the surrounding area. Our ASE-certified technicians use the latest ADAS calibration equipment to realign your vehicle’s sensors and cameras for improved driver safety.
Make An Appointment
Call us at (361) 852-2496 or visit our website to schedule a service appointment for your advanced driver assistance system.