What ADAS calibration is, and when a windshield or bumper repair needs it
The cameras and sensors behind your safety features have to be aimed correctly to do their job.
Alonso's Auto Repair
What ADAS means
ADAS stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. On many newer cars that includes lane keeping, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and parking sensors. Each one depends on cameras, radar or other sensors that read the road around the car.
When a feature engages, it may light a symbol on the dash, sound an alert or briefly take control of the steering or brakes. That only helps if the sensors are aimed exactly where the car expects. A camera that is off by a small angle can misjudge where the lane is or how far away the car ahead is.
How to tell what your car has
Not every car has every feature, and the same feature can go by different names from one maker to the next. Your owner's manual lists the driver assistance systems your car carries and where their cameras and sensors sit. A camera housing at the top of the windshield, small round sensors in the bumper corners and a flat panel in the grille are common clues. If you are not sure, we can look at the car with you.
What calibration does
Calibration tells the car where its sensors are pointed. Depending on the car, it is done in the shop with targets set up at measured distances in front of the vehicle, on the road during a drive, or both. The car compares what the sensors see with what they should see and sets itself to match.
When a windshield needs it
The forward camera on most cars sits at the top of the windshield, behind the mirror. A new windshield changes its view slightly, even when the glass is installed well, because the new glass and its mounting are never exactly the same as the old. Many manufacturers call for calibration after a windshield replacement. If your glass shop did not mention it, ask.
When a bumper or collision repair needs it
Radar for adaptive cruise and emergency braking often sits behind the front bumper cover or grille. Blind spot and parking sensors live in the rear bumper and corners. If a bumper is replaced, repainted or knocked out of place, those sensors can end up aimed a little differently. After a collision, even a minor one, it is worth having the systems checked.
Other times to think about it
- After a wheel alignment or suspension work, since the car's idea of straight ahead can change
- When a driver assistance warning light comes on
- When lane keeping or cruise control acts unpredictably, such as steering against you or braking for nothing
- After a camera or sensor is replaced
Do not rely on the absence of a warning light. A sensor that is slightly off can still pass the car's own checks while reading the road wrong. If any of the work above was done, calibration is worth asking about.
How it works at Alonso's
- Consultation and assessment. We look at your car's systems and what it needs calibrated.
- Calibration. Our technicians calibrate the cameras and sensors to specification.
- Explanation. We walk you through what we did and why.
- Test drive. We confirm the systems respond the way they should on the road.
Because alignment and calibration are so closely linked, we offer them together, which is often what the car needs. As with any work here, you get a written estimate and give your OK first.
Read about ADAS calibration at Alonso's or book a time.