The ADAS Calibration Conundrum and The Big OEM Predicament

ADAS calibration,  the process of making sure a car’s safety sensors work correctly, is under fresh scrutiny after a new study revealed massive gaps in technician training across America.Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) include features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and pedestrian detection. These systems rely on cameras, radar, and sensors that must be precisely calibrated after crashes, windshield replacements, suspension work, wheel alignments, or even minor body repairs.If calibration is done incorrectly, these features can fail silently, and the driver may never know until the moment they rely on them.A new University of North Florida (UNF) study highlights just how unprepared many repair shops are for the fast-growing demand. Researchers Dr. Pingying Zhang and Dr. Debbie Wang of the (UNF) studied 304 collision repair business practices across the United States.

A Distinct Lack of ADAS Technicians

They found that only 72 of those businesses reported having dedicated ADAS technicians on staff. What’s more sobering: among those 72 businesses with ADAS calibration staff, only 42 admitted their technicians had formal OEM training.

Such major revelations should raise the alarm for car buyers, vehicle retailers, and ADAS calibration companies. A shortage of ADAS technicians is upon us, with grave consequences for driver safety, vehicle quality control, and pricing.

The Growing Skills Gap

This situation raises a pertinent question about the role independent shop owners play in the ADAS calibration market, not least in a market with a fast-growing skills gap. The question is: do original engine manufacturers want to outsource this technical expertise? The answer is “yes,” but it’s complicated.

As many calibration and collision shop proprietors know, OEM-level ADAS calibration equipment is pricey. Of course, it depends on which brand of vehicle one chooses to focus on, and also how many cars are coming through the business.

The OEM Issue

What’s more, OEMs are crucial to top-quality ADAS calibration, which can be necessary for maintenance or post-accident service. Even changing one’s windshield might put ADAS features out of alignment. Put simply, ADAS architecture is sensitive to changes in a car’s performance and might need constant tweaking.

Joel Adcock of Aftermarket Matters just published an article on the costs of providing OEM-level calibration services. For instance, anyone considering this idea must first understand the space required for static ADAS calibrations.

Going All-In

“Many OEM recommendations state that floorspace must be at a minimum 30×50 feet,” he says, adding that modifications alone can require serious front-end investment. Many of the costs come before the equipment is even addressed.

Adcock lists a basic setup requiring a $15,000-$25,000 up-front investment, while most major brands can be serviced with a $25,000-$50,000 outlay. The bad news for top-end specialists: “going all-in on ADAS” may need up to $100,000 of equipment for luxury and specialty vehicles.

Add this information to the fact that return on investment (ROI) lies at the center of any business’s needs. Darren X posted on the ADAS Depot platform about when upfront investment for ADAS calibration equipment makes sense.

Worth the Investment

“An important question to ask for anyone looking to get into ADAS calibrations is whether the investment is worth it,” he begins. He has devised a formula coming from years of working with clients asking the same questions.

The equation is based on ADAS revenue being the number of monthly vehicles multiplied by the percentage needing ADAS calibration. This amount is then multiplied by the number of systems calibrated, which is further multiplied by an average price per calibration.

For example, a shop bringing in 80 cars per month, with 30% of those needing ADAS calibrations at a cost of $300 per calibration, would bring in just over $9,000 per month. His example leads to a 314% ROI in Year One for this hypothetical case.

Finding the Right People

However, success all depends on the brand and type of vehicles a company caters to, and how many customers they have. ADAS calibration done right means that the ROI can be great for anyone setting up a static (or mobile) ADAS calibration unit.

However, while buying the kit is one thing, finding reputable technicians trained on this equipment is another. The UNF survey also indicated that almost 70% of the surveyed firms revealed something that is key to the entire issue.

Of all the owners surveyed, 70% said it was “not possible for a single technician to effectively service ADAS systems across 30 different vehicle brands.” This range represents a realistic reflection of the United States automotive market. Until this part of the problem can be solved, the conundrum will likely continue.

The Cost of Not Calibrating Well

The 1Source ADAS calibration webpage resource lists the hidden costs of getting calibration wrong. Mentioned in its guide are shops facing legal hurdles after not documenting their ADAS procedures correctly.

Another incident involves a collision shop neglecting a front bumper replacement, which led to the forward collision warning system malfunctioning. The result was a costly refund to the driver, and while nobody was injured, this scenario might have been life-altering for the car owner and the firm’s reputation.

“Most shops underestimate how much time their techs spend manually researching procedures,” reads the article. “If each calibration adds 30-plus minutes of research, documentation, and rechecking, that’s hours of lost productivity every week—multiplied across locations.”

Doing One’s Homework

There are other issues for shop owners selling ADAS services: keeping one’s reputation intact while dealing with complex ADAS issues that swallow work hours can also be a problem affecting one’s bottom line.

It remains to be seen what will happen as the demand for ADAS calibration services increases. There may not be a one-step solution for this highly complicated ADAS calibration issue, but drivers can still be ready.

At the very least, for drivers seeking quality ADAS calibration services, doing some homework on the company’s ADAS setup will help. Falling victim to inefficient calibration should be in nobody’s plans; choosing the right ADAS calibration service provider has never been more important.