A recent Forbes article written by the President of ADAS Solutions at Ascential Technologies says education and training, regulatory oversight, and consumer awareness are needed to address the threat of improper collision repairs on vehicles that require calibrations. 

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are in 90% of new vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) has finalized a new mandate to require automatic emergency breaking in all vehicles by 2029, Brunno Moretti writes in the article. 

Moretti notes that NHSTA claims the mandate will save 360 lives a year and prevent at least 24,000 injuries. 

“However, a concerning trend has emerged where vehicles that get into accidents and need repair aren’t having their sensors properly calibrated based on OEM standards, or even worse, not calibrated at all,” the article says. “This oversight can have a profound impact on the effectiveness of these features and poses a substantial risk to drivers, passengers and pedestrians.”

According to a 2020 adasThink study, 88% of ADAS calibrations were missed in repairs, Moretti adds. 

“This major oversight stems from a lack of education and legislation about the critical nature of ADAS features and their calibration needs after repair,” Moretti says. “Moreover, even in the small percentage of the vehicles that do get calibrated, there are some service providers that don’t follow the OEM procedures, neglecting important environmental controls like flat flooring, lighting conditions, and target locations.” 

Moretti says that sensors, such as cameras and radars, are calibrated to millimeter accuracy and that any deviation can lead to malfunction or reduced effectiveness. He points to an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study that shows a 0.6-degree camera misalignment can reduce braking by 60%, or 1.5 seconds to 0.9 seconds. He notes the reduction caused the vehicle to collide with the target in the study. 

Moretti writes that improperly repaired ADAS can increase accident risk, give drivers a false sense of security, and create liability concerns for repair shops and vehicle owners. 

“Insurance companies undoubtedly face higher costs when it comes to calibrating ADAS systems, especially considering most of the vehicles today that need calibration don’t get it,” the article says. “However, there’s a major financial benefit for them to properly calibrate ADAS systems.” 

Moretti references a study from the Highway Loss Data Institute which shows AEB reduces property damage liability and bodily injury claims by 14.4% and 23.6%, respectively.

“By preventing these types of crashes, properly calibrated ADAS reduces the overall claims insurers have to pay out, but more importantly, they help save lives,” the article says. “This is a worthwhile trade-off for fewer and less severe accidents in the long term, underscoring the critical nature of proper ADAS calibrations.”

Technicians, body shop owners, and insurance companies need to continue ongoing training on calibrations, he says. 

Moretti also says regulation is needed to mandate ADAS recalibration after a collision. He adds that calibration also needs to follow a defined standard. 

Third, consumers need to be informed about ADAS calibration and its importance after a collision, he says. 

“Road safety greatly benefits from the advancements of ADAS technology but that’s contingent on properly functioning systems that have been calibrated to function as intended,” Moretti concludes in the article. “ADAS recalibration isn’t a technical formality and poses a major safety risk if not done properly. By adhering to OEM standards and ensuring recalibration is done correctly, we can uphold the integrity of these lifesaving technologies and ensure a safer future for all road users.” 

Moretti was brought on board at Ascential Technologies in November 2024 to leverage his ADAS experience to lead Burke Porter’s ADAS Solutions business which includes supporting the rapidly expanding Sentric ADAS Calibration Labs. Sentric provides precision calibration of ADAS-equipped vehicles that meet the highest standards by using factory methods and tools to ensure vehicles are calibrated to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications.

In a 2023 OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit Session on the Research and Validation of Calibration Solutions, Doug Kelly, then-president of automotive aftermarket at Burke Porter Group, discussed the evolution of providing calibration solutions and ADAS verification at OEM factories around the world. He specifically spoke to how lessons learned from OEM integration have helped to identify opportunities to serve the collision market, and meet unique challenges faced on the shop floor, different from those in the factory.

Many of the concerns and recommendations addressed by Moretti are also presented in a YouTube video recently uploaded by Mike Reynolds, Mobile Automotive Services Solutions president. 

Reynolds calls for state regulation in his video. He mentions legislation that possibly requires ASE-certified ADAS technicians onsite for all calibrations.

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