ADAS CALIBRATION Properly aligned screen-mounted cameras can contribute significantly to road safety - National Windscreens
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T H E B U S I N E S S O F . . .
ADAS CALIBRATION
Properly aligned screen-mounted cameras can contribute significantly to road safety
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THE BUSINESS OF: ADAS CALIBRATION
AEB FITMENT VARIES
ACFO supports AEB installation in all
MORE ADAS SYSTEMS
vehicles, across all ranges. There are
wide variations between manufacturers
and models that have it as standard.
NEED TO BE STANDARD
Corporate fleet big hitters like Ford
and Vauxhall have the lowest standard
fitment percentage out of all
manufacturers in the UK (7% and 14% of
Fleet and insurance bodies campaign for additional safety technologies all models respectively), according to
research by Thatcham.
to be part of the car’s spec. They may cost more, but are worth the extra All Volvo and Land Rover models have
AEB as standard, Toyota (53%) and
Mercedes-Benz (88%) are the only two
manufacturers in the UK top 10 by
registration volume to have more than
half of their range with AEB.
Pryor says: “All available evidence
points to its life- and injury-saving
potential and whether occupying an
executive car or a city car there should
be no discrimination in terms of the
F
leet replacement cycles often value of an individual’s life.”
mean the company car market A spokesperson for insurance provider
is at the forefront when it Aviva says Euro NCAP research showing
comes to experiencing the systems like AEB can reduce rear-end
latest safety systems available. crashes by 38% are supported by its
These advanced driver own findings.
assistance systems (ADAS) are a stepping stone The Aviva spokesperson says: “We
on the way to fully autonomous vehicles and fleets want to support the uptake of this
are using the technology to cut incident rates and technology, so Aviva provides discounts
protect their drivers behind the wheel. to vehicles where AEB is fitted.
The first ADAS widely offered on the market “Customers will also see premiums
was electronic stability control (ESC) in the early benefits as they see their claims
2000s, before it was made mandatory in 2012. incidents reduce.”
New models on sale today feature a wide range Thatcham is also pushing for AEB to
of technologies like autonomous emergency be standard on every make and model.
braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane and reduces the effects of vehicle impact by auto- The technology is now required in order
departure warning (LDW) and lane-keeping matically applying the brakes. to get a five star Euro NCAP rating and it
assist systems (LKAS). Then there are overtaking sensors and ACC, has to be a sophisticated system that
All are supported by a range of sophisticated which automatically speeds or slows a vehicle to works at speeds of up to 60-70kph
sensors, cameras, radars and lidars (systems safely match the speed of vehicles in front. These (37-43mph).
that use light to measure things like distance). are available on 42.1% and 36.2% of new cars
These ADAS systems are already having a respectively.
tangible impact with a 38% reduction in rear-end The number of vehicles available with collision WHAT’S NEXT?
collisions, according to safety assessors Euro warning systems is also up 20% on the previous “A culture should exist within organisations that, particularly as systems have to be recalibrated tions at the same appointment. ADAS is closely linked to a vehicle’s Euro
NCAP (the European New Car Assessment year. if drivers require additional advice or training with (see page 6), its view is that the benefits from Teo says: “Our network sits at the centre of a NCAP star rating and as new technology
Programme). Matthew Avery, Thatcham director of insurance regards to an ADAS feature, they should feel reduced collisions outweigh the costs. partner programme that includes preventative is developed, Thatcham looks for these
The Volvo XC90, which featured blind-spot research, says forward-facing collision detection comfortable in making that request.” Aviva is working to establish the benefits of maintenance to identify glass damage early, often systems on the latest models to help
detection on the first generation model and AEB is generally available with either radar-based or Crashes involving vehicles potentially result in other ADAS, but currently AEB is the stand-out allowing repair to be undertaken rather than secure that important five star rating.
as standard on the second generation vehicle, camera-based technology. death or injury to occupants and other road users. feature which reduces collisions. replacement and calibration. The next thing Matthew Avery wants
stands out for its safety record, according to Thatcham’s view is that a combination of the two In addition, they are costly in terms of ‘bent The Aviva spokesperson says: “Our experience “Our Partscheck process identifies the glass to see is the increased sophistication
insurance research centre Thatcham. Of the is the best way forward and that is being reflected metal’ and can have a major impact on business shows ADAS (and other aftermarket fit safety type required right first time, with more than with which the latest ADAS can sense
50,000-plus XC90s on the road the in UK not one by manufacturers’ latest approach to safety efficiency and administration for fleets. solutions) are most beneficial when fleet 99.5% accuracy and the service is provided obstacles coming from a junction. For
has been involved in a recorded fatality (at the systems. Additionally, reducing expensive vehicle off-road managers and drivers are engaged with the tech- throughout Europe.” example, if a car is at a T-junction, the
time of writing). John Pryor, ACFO chairman, says his organisa- time is a continual focus for fleets. nology and understand the uses and parameters; Around 15-18% of all National Windscreens’ driver is looking one way and a car is
Volvo now has 100% of its models with AEB as tion and fleet operators have always welcomed Pryor says: “ADAS have a key role to play in not this can then lead to improved driver behaviour fleet customers have some kind of ADAS tech- coming from the opposite direction, the
standard and is pushing towards having no the new breed of active safety systems, with many only keeping vehicles on the road and all road and reduced claims incidents.” nology fitted and that has doubled in the past 12 “turn across path” technology would
fatalities or serious injuries in one of its vehicles fleets mandating safety features and Euro NCAP users – including employees – safe, but in fleet National Windscreens managing director Jan months. It is expecting that pace of change to stop the car from pulling out into a
by 2020. ratings as part of company car choice lists. cost reduction in numerous areas. Teo advises fleet managers to put an ADAS continue in 2019. potential T-bone collision.
Two-thirds of new vehicles (66.8%) now come However, he says, wholelife costs and a vehicle’s “Nevertheless, vehicle repair costs are acceler- strategy in place to best realise the full benefits Pryor says it is important for fleets to strike the This technology will be worked into the
with at least one form of self-activating safety fitness for purpose continue to underpin how ating due, in part, to vehicles increasingly being of the technology and the impact it has on areas right balance between specifying new technology Euro NCAP testing and will need to be
system, as standard or as an optional extra, vehicles are chosen. fitted with sophisticated features used for a range like repair costs and windscreens. to reduce the risk of an incident and the cost of present by 2020 to secure a five star
according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers Pryor says: “The increasing sophistication of of ADAS technology. The cost of more sophisti- She says: “This requires a partner with the proven repair if that system is involved in a collision. rating.
and Traders (SMMT) and Jato Dynamics. today’s range of company cars means the vehicle cated replacement parts and more complex repair capability to deliver best practice in all aspects of He says fleets must always ensure that repairs Avery says these new technologies are
The SMMT report says a range of new tech- handover process is critical and drivers should be methodology is driving the increase.” glass repair, replacement and calibration.” are carried out correctly in accordance with all working towards vehicles having 360
nologies is optionally available on 53.1% of cars. shown how the technology functions and be Insurer Aviva says that while there is increased National Windscreens has a network of 108 manufacturer recommendations and corners are sensors to be aware of their entire
These technologies include AEB, which avoids comfortable in their use. windscreen repair costs involved with ADAS, locations able to fit glass and perform recalibra- not cut to save money. surroundings at all times.
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ADAS TECHNOLOGY
EXPLAINED
A guide to how some of the latest safety systems work and their impact
LANE DEPARTURE/KEEPING AEB TRAFFIC SIGN RECOGNITION
Most lane departure warning (LDW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) has These systems use forward-facing cameras
lane-keep assist systems (LKAS) use a now been available for more than 10 years. that scan the road ahead for traffic signs, in
forward-facing camera mounted inside the It works to consider traffic conditions ahead effect offering drivers a second pair of eyes.
windscreen by the rear view mirror to and will automatically brake a vehicle if the The camera can detect speed limits,
identify road lane markings and whether driver fails to respond to the conditions. overtaking restrictions and road works
they are being crossed. AEB systems can use lidar (sensors that before drivers encounter them. Some
When a LDW system is activated typical use light), radar, camera or a fusion of all systems will even suggest optimum speeds
warnings include a flashing symbol on the three technologies and this affects the speed for wet weather driving.
dashboard display or audible alert. If the range over which the system can effectively The system works by connecting the
indicators are used before changing lanes, operate, as well as the types of hazard that forward-facing camera to the vehicle’s
the warnings are deactivated. the vehicle is able to identify and avoid. recognition software and this matches the
LKAS builds on the LDW system and Low speed systems are often named ‘city’, traffic sign the camera is seeing to a library
steers the vehicle to keep a central position there are also higher speed ‘inter urban’ to cross reference, match and then display
between lane markings. AEB systems, as well as more sophisticated to the driver on their dash display or
If the car starts to unintentionally cross systems that can detect pedestrians and instrument panel.
lanes, steering and/or braking is cyclists. The information stays there until any
automatically applied to return the car to the The latest AEB systems also work when change occurs, so if a driver is unsure of the
centre of the lane and a warning is sounded. the car is reversing. AEB can apply the current speed limit all they have to do is
On tighter bends, if lane markings are poor brakes to avoid reversing into objects or check the information that the car has noted.
or the driver takes their hand off the steering people and other AEB systems can detect The display will change automatically as the
wheel, LKAS automatically suspends itself. vulnerable road users like pedestrians and vehicle moves between new speed limit
Latest iterations of the technology include cyclists. areas or if there is a new sign the camera
Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot. It uses LDW and Having standard-fit AEB on your car can has detected.
LKAS to help vehicles keep within a lane and reduce insurance group ratings by three to The system will recognise traffic signs
automatically change lanes without requiring five groups (the higher the group rating – up whether they are at the side of the road, or
driver input. It can also transition from one to 50 – the greater the likelihood of a higher above it and it will also be able to recognise
motorway to another, exiting onto a slip road. insurance premium). temporary signs that have been put up, as
Volvo’s Pilot Assist system can provide Different manufacturers use a range of well as any permanent ones.
steering assistance and help drivers terms and specific trade names to describe Traffic sign recognition can also work in
maintain the distance to the vehicle in front their AEB systems. These include City Safety tandem with a vehicle’s speed limiter to keep
of them. The steering assistance is still (Volvo), Smart City Brake Support (Mazda), vehicles within legal limits.
limited though, so drivers need to use the Active City Stop (Ford) and City Emergency The system is common on German-made
steering wheel to execute sharper turns. Braking (Volkswagen). executive cars, but others make it optional.
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THE BUSINESS OF: ADAS CALIBRATION
THE IMPORTANCE Recalibration is required
OF ACCURATE
when the windscreen on
an ADAS-assisted car is
replaced. But the screen
WINDSCREEN
does not have to be damaged
for realignment to be
necessary. Just going
through a big pothole could
CALIBRATION
adversely affect cameras
Many safety features rely on accurate information from
screen-mounted cameras which must be properly aligned
A
s vehicle safety technology The price National Windscreens charges for
continues to develop rapidly, a windscreens will vary from model to model, but
well maintained windscreen has there is a flat rate charged for recalibration,
become a vital part of keeping regardless of manufacturer or model.
ADAS (advanced driver assis- Carlton says: “If you take your car in for a
tance systems) functioning. recalibration at a dealership, the cost is going to
The latest vehicles come with sensors, cameras be different between Audi or BMW. A flat rate
and radars and these are all set up to work in helps fleet managers with budgeting if they know
cooperation with the windscreen. the fixed costs involved.
If a vehicle has been involved in an incident, “Being able to fit glass and recalibrate at the
whether that’s a minor bump, alloy damage from same appointment also means we can limit any
a pothole or something more major, these downtime and that’s really important for fleets.”
systems can be knocked out of alignment. Autoglass parent company Belron has now
Smaller stone chip glass repairs can be done carried out more than 700,000 ADAS calibrations
without recalibration as long as the chip isn’t in a globally and it will do in excess of 70,000 calibra-
camera’s field of view. tions this year in the UK.
According to the National Body Repair Associa- Neil Atherton, Autoglass sales and marketing
tion (NBRA), close to a quarter (24%) of new director, says: “We can calibrate around 90% of
vehicle windscreens have ADAS capability. This makes and models on the road today.
has gone up from 4% just two years ago. “For those few we can’t, we will make an
When a windscreen is replaced, ADAS has to appointment for the customer somewhere that
be recalibrated to restore 100% functionality. can.”
However, there is disagreement across the ADAS recalibrations were done on 14% of all
industry about the best way to do this. One party windscreens in 2018 and Atherton believes this
believes manufacturer-approved glass needs to will increase to 20% in 2019 and then to 30% by
be used and only a franchised dealership can 2030. research on the subject to be released next year. director, is passionate about educating fleet debate of approved versus aftermarket solution
restore ADAS systems the way the manufacturer Billyeald says: “We’re working to update what managers and drivers about how important depends on the individual stance of the insurer.
intended. Not everyone agrees. STATIC VS DYNAMIC CALIBRATION If you take your was the code of practice to try to agree some approved repairs are when it comes to ADAS. Armitage says price isn’t the main sticking point
There are also aftermarket solutions offered by
companies like National Windscreens and Auto-
There are two methods for windscreen recalibra-
tion, static and dynamic. Static accounts for
car in for a guidance across the industry for ADAS repair and
calibration.
He wants the industry to be regulated as he
believes non-genuine parts and non-approved
for fleets or insurers to choose the approved option
versus aftermarket, it’s the amount of downtime.
glass, who contend that their systems are also around 65% of all the recalibrations National recalibration at a “As you can imagine, trying to get the whole methods of repair are a threat to safety. He says: “Fleets and insurers want to limit the
capable of restoring the majority of ADAS systems
on the market to 100% functionality.
Windscreens carries out.
The difference between the two is that the
dealership, the industry to agree is easier said than done.
“There are a lot of agendas out there. There are
Auto Windscreens only offers repairs to wind-
screens and recalibrations using the vehicle
downtime of the vehicle so they want a one-stop
shop approach.
The aftermarket method means there is only dynamic calibration involves taking a car out for cost is going to be aftermarket systems that can in most cases manufacturer’s approved parts and approved “We have lost business over the past two years
one appointment that takes around two hours,
rather than having to make separate visits to fit
a drive for a specific amount of time, usually up to
40mph to check systems. Static tests can be done different between restore 100% capability, but there will be situa-
tions where it can’t. In those situations, they can
method through franchised dealers.
Aftermarket solutions are available and fleets
as a result of only doing manufacturer-approved
recalibrations, but we are sticking to our guns
the glass and another appointment to go to the on the spot. Audi or BMW. A subscribe to a manufacturer’s method, or they are using them, but Armitage says they are infe- because we think getting that manufacturer
dealership for recalibration.
Thatcham, the automotive insurance research
Carlton says: “The split has been pretty similar
since ADAS systems started coming out and flat rate helps fleet can be referred to the franchised network.
“Our stance also isn’t to ignore what the manu-
rior as they are not to a manufacturer’s standard.
Armitage says that of Auto Windscreens total
stamp of approval is the right way to do things.”
Armitage says awareness of the issue will vary
centre, is supportive of both methods. there’s no relation to them being static or dynamic managers with facturers are saying. But we want to look at the work, ADAS recalibration has gone from 1% of from fleet to fleet. Those that outsource manage-
Alistair Carlton, National Windscreens technical
manager, says: “The aftermarket solution is just
based on how recent the technology is.
“It just depends on what method each manu- budgeting if they evidence and present the facts.”
Darren Bedford, Covea Insurance claims motor
total work in January 2017 to 12% today.
He estimates this will increase to 20% of all jobs
ment of their fleet may have no idea, while those
with transport managers who are very close to
as good and will do the same job as any dealer facturer takes for each model. We have seen a know the fixed engineer manager, says his company supports in the next 12 months. the vehicles that are operating on the ground may
tools. This will recalibrate to 100% functionality
and will do exactly the same job as a dealer
slight shift towards static recalibrations, but it’s
remained pretty similar over the past few years.” costs involved both aftermarket and manufacturer-approved
methods of repair.
Armitage acknowledges that aftermarket solu-
tions can recalibrate “some ADAS elements” but
know more detail.
One thing Auto Windscreens will be doing to
recalibration.” He says the business has not had any problems he says: “The fact remains that you would be help awareness is to launch an online portal in
Carlton says the insurers his company works UPDATED GUIDANCE on repairs done with an aftermarket method. getting a recalibration that is not manufacturer February that will help identify what ADAS tech-
with are on-board with an aftermarket approach. Richard Billyeald, Thatcham chief technical ALISTAIR CARLTON, Bedford says: “At the moment, I don’t see the approved. nology is fitted to each vehicle.
He also says warranty for the windscreen trans- officer, says the position around aftermarket NATIONAL WINDSCREENS evidence from the manufacturer side that an “For me, it’s irresponsible not to offer an Fleet managers and drivers will be able to use
fers to National Windscreens’ responsibility after methods versus manufacturer-approved comes aftermarket approach is detrimental to ADAS approved method with OEM glass. The buck has the portal to look up specific models and learn
it has carried out a replacement. The company down to what is safe. functionality.” to stop somewhere.” about which ADAS systems it has and how this
has 108 centres able to fit glass and recalibrate. Thatcham is currently putting together detailed Rupert Armitage, Auto Windscreens managing Armitage says the view from insurers on the plays in to the repair process.
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...serving you faster
Realising the full benefits of ADAS
108 purpose designed buildings dedicated to ADAS
calibration and glass replacement means
glass replacement and calibration in one visit.
For even more reasons why you should upgrade
to National Windscreens, please get in touch
nationalwindscreens.co.uk
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