Industry experts and manufacturing leaders discussed the state of the industry regarding ADAS, autonomous vehicles, and the implications of aftermarket service during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo on Thursday, November 7 in Las Vegas. Panelists of the forum included: Bob Augustine, vice president of business development, Opus IVS; Scott Brown, owner of Connie & Dick's Service Center; Chris Chesney, senior director of customer training, Advanced Auto Parts; Chris Gardner, senior vice president of Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association; Frank Leutz, COO of Desert Car Care; Dave Milne, president of ASE; and Douglas A. Brooks, Ph.D., PMP, manager of Perception Systems at Southwest Research Institute.
The conversation revolved around calibration: liability on accidents after service, standardization of calibration practices, and the equipment and software utilized for service.
A major hurdle the industry faces is the timetable of regulation versus the number of ADAS-equipped vehicles entering the shops.
When will safety system calibrations be mandated in the United States? Will the technicians be able to service every vehicle once sweeping regulations are instituted? These are some of the pressing questions that were raised, yet only time will tell on how the actuation of regulatory service will impact this technological, rising segment in the industry as it pertains to service professionals.
For now, technicians and shops can brace for the wave of ADAS regulations through discipline and documentation. Documenting ADAS calibrations and logging service histories are an effective way to present due diligence in servicing efforts and may become particularly effective should litigation arise following calibration services.
Education was also emphasized during the forum; informing the vehicle owners on what the ADAS systems can do and informing the technicians on the interconnected aspects of the vehicle (where a wheel alignment can require a sensor calibration on the vehicle’s sensors).
