HGS: ADAS recalibration vital to repair and service

Hella Guttmann Solutions (HGS), a joint venture company with renowned original equipment component and systems supplier Hella, is the leading provider for camera and radar calibration tools, products that are needed to service today’s vehicles. HGS is not only committed to providing the diagnostic equipment to the aftermarket, but also educating and assisting other companies on the challenges that advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) present.

Around 86 per cent of new vehicles on the market today require some form of system calibration following a repair or service, and hundreds of thousands of ADAS-fitted vehicles are already on the road. ADAS requires precise calibration, thus the recalibration of the cameras and radar sensors used by these complex systems is vital when undertaking common workshop repairs such as accident repair, windscreen replacement, steering and suspension replacement and even the adjustment of the vehicle’s tracking or wheel alignment.

Failure to calibrate ADAS cameras or sensors can lead to inaccurate information being fed back to the electronic control unit (ECU), causing these vital safety features to operate incorrectly. All technicians, therefore, need to be up to speed with these latest developments, especially in relation to tyre-related work – a small service for technicians to perform but vital in regards to ADAS technology.

As HGS is at the forefront of recalibration system tools for the aftermarket, with businesses such as independent research centre Thatcham Research using the company’s CSC tool to carry out specific tests to establish the correct safety procedures when repairing vehicles. Thatcham recently issued an ‘ADAS Glazing Code of Practice’, which gives clear guidance on the recalibration of ADAS systems during the replacement or refit of windscreens, providing the benchmark for professional and correct standards for repairing and servicing modern ADAS vehicles.

Tyre professionals and Fast-Fit centres also face similar issues regarding ADAS equipped vehicles and need to be aware of the added expectations and duty of care when faced with these systems.

“Camera and radar recalibration is an issue that affects the whole of the service and repair industry,” comments Neil Hilton, head of business development at HGS. “By providing a genuine all-makes solution for the entire aftermarket, HGS is at the forefront of enabling the independent sector to remain not only relevant, but competitive.”