Friday, July 19, 2019

Why Should Sensor Calibration Be Done After Windshield Replacement?

ADAS windshield replacement calibration

Spending more on windshield replacement upfront helps avoid bigger problems later.

Don't want to pay a lot for windshield replacement?

Then we suggest not buying a new-model vehicle. As with all technological advances, new innovations bring new costs.

Your windshield may seem like just a large piece of glass, but on new vehicles this glass is equipped with advanced technology.

In this article we explain why, and by the end you will understand that the extra cost is normal.

What is Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)?

The ADAS system is an advanced driver support system that becomes more capable with each new model release.

The ADAS system uses radar, lidar, cameras, computer vision, sensors, networking, and other devices to create a safer driving experience.

ADAS refers to any kind of automated assistance for the driver.

This includes something as simple as automatic headlights or rain-sensing wipers. ADAS can help drivers using night vision technology and by detecting vehicles in blind spots.

Vehicles with ADAS, in their most advanced form, are cars with lane change sensors, adaptive cruise control, collision prevention systems, automatic parking, and other features that let the driver lean back, relax, and enjoy driving.

Self-driving vehicles

This technology is not entirely new. Self-driving cars have been tested since the mid-1980s, and ADAS features have spread widely since the early 2010s.

Thanks to the race among Tesla, Google, Apple, and Uber to build the first truly autonomous vehicles, ADAS has developed faster.

Recently this system has sparked road safety debate and the question of how these features can prevent crashes.

Saving lives is not a bad thing.

Let's face it: a large percentage of drivers on the road are genuinely poor drivers.

You probably experienced this on your commute this morning, or maybe you had to speed to work before your boss noticed you were late.

Mercedes F015 self-driving concept vehicle

In Turkey in 2018, 428,074 traffic accidents killed 3,373 people and injured 310,109.

In the United States, more than 2 million people are injured or disabled and more than 35,000 die in traffic accidents each year.

Globally, these figures are even higher.

ADAS can help considerably in this area.

According to some industry professionals, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication alone could prevent more than 600,000 accidents per year!

That means countless lives, limbs, money, and saved insurance costs. Combine V2V communication with other high-end ADAS systems and you get a much safer vehicle.

Tesla is a leader in using ADAS technology

Windshield replacement time

If you do not already have a vehicle with ADAS features, you will likely own one in the future as more vehicles include these systems as standard.

Despite the latest and greatest technology, accidents still happen and windshields still break.

Heavy objects can fall on the vehicle, or a stone can hit your windshield at high speed on the highway.

When it is time to replace the windshield on a vehicle with ADAS, you will discover something new: the vehicle's computer system will probably need to be recalibrated.

Road construction areas cause increased windshield damage rates.

Windshield replacement calibration can vary from vehicle to vehicle.

It may require complex steps such as resetting the vehicle computer, setting up lasers, taking measurements, and making manual adjustments.

After windshield replacement, this ADAS calibration requires special, expensive equipment and extended training.

Extra costs vary according to the complexity of recalibration.

For example, in 2018 an authorized service center charged 3,750 TRY for automatic parking system sensor calibration on a Fiat Egea.

That is only automatic parking brake calibration.

When you consider life-critical sensors and systems, and compare the cost to saving a family of four from an accident and post-crash expenses, proper windshield replacement calibration is absolutely worth the price.

Windshield Replacement Calibration

You may wonder why a car needs to be recalibrated, or why windshield replacement causes problems.

The reason is that windshields are actually highly advanced technology — what you think is just glass is not just glass.

Even when you cannot always see them, there are built-in sensors, specially positioned color tones, heaters, noise-reduction layers, and more.

If these sensors shift by just a millimeter or a degree, they can disable the entire system.

That is one reason recalibration is required after windshield replacement.

More advanced systems that use cameras for lane departure warning and similar functions usually have special areas on the windshield that the glass must "see" through.

It is a very sensitive zone, so great care must be taken during installation to ensure everything is aligned.

Like other sensors, cameras are very sensitive to change and will likely need recalibration after a new installation.

New technology, new equipment

ADAS calibration devices have been developed so this new technology works flawlessly and can be calibrated when needed. Although not yet widespread in every market, demand will inevitably grow over time.

Rain sensor calibration, road radar calibration, lane change system calibration, blind spot sensor calibration and all other ADAS sensor calibrations can be performed with the Autel Maxisys ADAS device.

Nitro Bilişim supplies and sells the Autel Maxisys ADAS system as an ADAS solution for you. If you want to enter this new sector by keeping pace with new technology, please contact us.

For detailed information, please call us;
0850 755 02 30

Autel