ADAS Calibration

ADAS Calibration

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS for short, is the collective name given to describe a growing range of vehicle features that help boost car and driver safety. ADAS checks things such as braking, speed and steering tasks, then either automatically takes action or sends an alert to the driver.

These systems include, but are not limited to, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Road Sign Detection, all of which use a series of cameras to detect the position of the vehicle and other road obstacles. ADAS systems require recalibration after certain vehicle maintenance and repairs are carried out in order to continue to work effectively.

ADAS Calibration at Kwik Fit

Kwik Fit are proud to be able to offer ADAS calibration service at selected centres, where our equipment is capable of calibrating vehicles fitted with LiDAR/RADAR and Camera detection. If you require ADAS calibration please contact your local centre to check if your vehicle is suitable.

Which Kwik Fit centres can carry out ADAS calibration?

If your vehicle requires dynamic ADAS calibration, this can be completed at any Kwik Fit centre with Hunter alignment equipment installed. Check our centre locator for our Hunter alignment centres.
If you require a static ADAS calibration, the following list of centres currently have the specialist equipment installed to complete this.

Kwik Fit - Amesbury
Unit 7 & 8 Helix Trade Park Sun Rise Way
Amesbury SP4 7EY
01980 880887
Kwik Fit - Aylesbury
Wynne Jones Centre Walton Road
Aylesbury HP21 7RL
01296 435051
Kwik Fit Plus - Bicester
Kings End
Bicester OX26 2AD
01869 322444
Kwik Fit Plus - Birkenhead - Prenton
318 Woodchurch Road
Birkenhead CH42 8PQ
0151 608 4821
Kwik Fit Plus - Birmingham - Holloway Head
67 Holloway Head
Birmingham B1 1NG
0121 643 2078
Kwik Fit Plus - Brentwood
134 London Road
Brentwood CM14 4NS
01277 227602
Kwik Fit Plus - Bristol - Cheltenham Road
156-164 Cheltenham Road
Bristol BS6 5RE
0117 942 7443
Kwik Fit Plus - Chelmsford
103 New London Road
Chelmsford CM2 0PP
01245 491688
Kwik Fit Plus - Chester
Nicholas Street
Chester CH1 2NX
01244 311677
Kwik Fit Plus - Chichester - St Pancras
151 St. Pancras
Chichester PO19 7SH
01243 784010
Kwik Fit Plus - Coventry
Foleshill Road Off Cash's Lane
Coventry CV1 4NN
024 7625 1747
Kwik Fit - Edinburgh - Dundee Street
109 Dundee Street
Edinburgh EH11 1AW
0131 229 9878
Kwik Fit - Grantham
Watergate
Grantham NG31 6NS
01476 590880
Kwik Fit Plus - Guildford
Slyfield Ind Est. Moorfield Road
Guildford Surrey GU1 1RU
01483 452359
Kwik Fit - Halifax - Pellon Lane
Pellon Lane
Halifax HX1 5QN
01422 359326
Kwik Fit Plus - Hanley
109 Marsh Street North
Hanley ST1 5QZ
01782 283471
Kwik Fit - Hull - Springbank
103-105 Springbank
Hull HU3 1BH
01482 217596
Kwik Fit - Leeds - Gelderd Road
147 Gelderd Road
Leeds West Yorkshire LS12 6BR
0113 203 5949
Kwik Fit - Liverpool - Walton Vale
Rice Lane Walton Vale
Liverpool L9 2BN
0151 521 5550
Kwik Fit - Luton - Cosgrove Way
32 Cosgrove Way
Luton LU1 1XL
01582 877 066
Kwik Fit Plus - Milton Keynes - Bletchley
Saxon Street
Bletchley MK2 2JP
01908 375581
Kwik Fit - Newport
41-60 Clarence Place
Newport NP19 7AB
01633 254936
Kwik Fit Plus - Northampton
123-133 Bridge Street
Northampton NN1 1QF
01604 633485
Kwik Fit - Reading - Richfield Avenue
Richfield Avenue 1 Tessa Road
Reading RG1 8EQ
01189 568012
Kwik Fit Plus - Slough - Bath Road
1 Bath Road
Slough SL1 3UA
01753 528414
Kwik Fit Plus - Stafford
Lichfield Road
Stafford ST17 4JZ
01785 241501
Kwik Fit - Stockport - Heaton Lane
179 Heaton Lane
Stockport SK4 1AR
0161 474 7568
Kwik Fit - Stowmarket
Block A Atex Business Park
Stowmarket IP14 5XE
01449 700784
Kwik Fit - Stratford-Upon-Avon
Guild Street Warwick Road
Stratford Upon Avon CV37 6RP
01789 415855
Kwik Fit - Swindon - Lynton Road
Unit 3 Lynton Road Cheney Manor Industrial Estate
Swindon SN2 2QJ
01793 685805
Kwik Fit Plus - Telford
Stafford Park 4
Telford TF3 3BA
01952 291900
Kwik Fit - Wakefield - Ings Road
24 Ings Road
Wakefield WF1 1DZ
01924 374758
Kwik Fit - Worcester - City Walls
Carden Street
Worcester WR1 2AT
01905 24171


Kwik fit technician using ADAS calibrator

What is ADAS?

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) combine a multitude of individual sensors and software systems, partnered with steering, suspension, braking and powertrain systems to create a safety blanket around your vehicle.

ADAS equipped vehicles have long and short ranging detection systems by use of LiDAR (Light Detection and ranging) and RADAR (radio detection and ranging) as well as cameras so any object, moving or stationary, can be ‘seen’ by the vehicle as it travels along the road. Specialist software designed for these vehicles enables all these detection systems to be used seamlessly giving the driver assistance features that identify hazards on their journey, either by warning the driver or by taking automatic action to prevent an incident.

What are the different ADAS systems?

ADAS covers a wide range of driver assistance systems. Each type of ADAS may have a slightly different name depending on the manufacturer, but some of the key types include:

Adaptive Cruise Control

Despite cruise control being first introduced as early as the 1940’s it has seen some high-tech advantages in recent years. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) can sustain a set speed, like traditional cruise control, but can adjust this speed based on traffic movement, too. Cars fitted with ACC will use radar, or sometimes cameras, to detect obstacles and other vehicles nearby and automatically accelerate or decelerate accordingly.

Autonomous Emergency Braking

As with ACC, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) works via sensors that scour the road ahead for obstacles. ACC and AEB will often share the same sensors, although some systems include cameras that can see cyclists and pedestrians at the edge of the road. The AEB system will then warn of the approaching hazard with dashboard lights and an alarm, before operating all-out braking force if you don’t react.

Forward Collision Warning

Like Autonomous Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning or FCW detect potential obstacles in the road ahead and alert you with a warning on the dashboard. Some FCW systems also assist the driver such as by boosting the braking input to increase the likelihood of avoiding an accident. The main difference between the two systems is that the driver has to take initial action and respond to the warning with FCW whereas AEB systems take action automatically.

ADAS sensor tracks pedestrian

Lane Departure Warning

This technology is already fitted in many newer vehicles. However, it is being further improved to make sure that cars aren’t steered out of the lane they’re in. In some situations, an alert (i.e. a pulse through the steering wheel) is given to the driver and in other instances; the vehicle will lightly steer to keep the car in the lane. This is known as Lane Keep Assist Systems or LKAS. This is especially useful on dual carriageways and motorways where driving can become monotonous.

Blind Spot Detection

Blind spot detection is already accessible in various forms. This can be as straightforward as a light on the wing mirror that shows that a vehicle is sitting in your blind spot. Other blind spot detection features stop you from driving into another lane if there’s a chance you’ll hit a vehicle you can’t see. This is especially beneficial for drivers with limited mobility who can’t physically turn around to check their blind spots.

Road Sign Detection

A road sign detection system has a forward-facing camera which searches the road ahead for road signs. This camera is hooked up to character recognition software which reads any changes illustrated by the sign. It then relays this on to the vehicle’s instrument panel. The data stays there until any changes occur.

So, if you’re uncertain of the speed limit, all you have to do is look at the information that the car observes. This might seem quite basic, but the technology might stop you from inadvertently speeding and encourages you to keep your eyes on the road.

Park Assist

This was once a feature only seen with ‘premium’ brand cars, but park assist, or automatic parking, is increasingly being made available to all manufacturers. We have all faced parking challenges, and parallel parking, in particular, can cause a lot of stress! Self-Parking technology goes one step ahead of technology such as parking sensors by discovering spaces, and then—with some help from the driver—parking your vehicle into that space for you.


What is ADAS Calibration and why is it important?

There are two main types of ADAS calibrations, they are Static Calibration and Dynamic Calibration.

Static ADAS calibrations can be completed within the workshop using specialist equipment and starts by establishing the vehicle thrust line by checking the wheel alignment and making any necessary adjustments. Special aiming targets are then positioned relative to the thrust vector of the vehicle. The vehicle’s sensors are then calibrated to the correct position using diagnostic tools. In some cases these vehicles may require a confirmatory road test or Dynamic follow-up calibration to ensure the sensors are operating correctly.

Dynamic ADAS calibrations are carried out on the road by trained technicians where the vehicle is driven, usually between 15-30 minutes, on relatively straight roads whilst maintaining an average speed until the vehicle calibration is complete.

“Whenever a sensor, or the vehicle parts it’s fitted to, is replaced there is a risk that the sensor may no longer be calibrated. That may lead to improper operation of the systems by the vehicle. This may be a minor irritation, such as the headlights no longer dipping when they ought, or the windscreen wipers failing to detect rain, through to inappropriate function – or lack of function – of safety-critical systems.”

The Institute of the Motor Industry

Kwik Fit technician using Bosch KTS350 to calibrate ADAS


Why Use ADAS?

Over the years, vehicles have been designed to be increasingly safe in the event of an accident. Passive safety features have been added, from seat belts and airbags able to protect passengers in the case of an accident, as well as active safety systems such as ABS and stability control helping to avoid incidents if the driver is alert.

Unfortunately, accidents do still occur and in most of these situations human error is to blame. A 2017 study by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents found that human error is a factor in 95% of all road accidents.

This is where ADAS can play a crucial role, not only can this offer convenience and added comfort for the driver but it can also assist the driver in certain situations to reduce fatigue and lower the risk of accidents that would occur through human error. It is important, however, to remember that these systems are in place to assist the driver, not to take control. It is vital as a driver that you keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road at all times.


What does ADAS mean for Car Maintenance?

The increase in complexity does come with additional maintenance for vehicles fitted with ADAS. The advanced systems use hardware such as radar, ultrasonic sensors, cameras or in some cases a combination, which will all require calibration after certain work or repairs have been performed. Examples of work that will require ADAS calibration include:

It is also vital that whenever ADAS is calibrated then four wheel alignment must also be checked and corrected if necessary. If the wheels aren’t aligned correctly then the vehicle will not be travelling where the electronics think it should be which could cause a fault light or even for the system to fail to operate when needed.



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