The ADAS system calibration

What is an ADAS system?

ADAS refers to Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems, a term that many drivers are unfamiliar with, as it's mainly used by specialists. These systems incorporate electronic components such as radars, sensors, and cameras, which provide drivers with information about their driving environment. Although they add to driver comfort, their primary purpose is safety. It's crucial to ensure their proper functioning regularly, which is why Sekurit Partner systematically recalibrates them every time a windshield or rear window is repaired or replaced. Often, these glasses support many ADAS devices.

What ADAS systems are on your car?

ADAS systems are becoming increasingly common in both passenger and utility vehicles, with public authorities promoting their use to enhance driver safety and reduce accidents. Since 2022, the European Union has mandated various electronic tools in new private vehicles, including an intelligent speed adaptation system, a driver drowsiness and distraction warning system, and a reverse gear detector.

Car manufacturers have been interested in these assistance tools for a long time, equipping their models with technologies associated with cameras and radars installed in strategic locations on the vehicle, including windshields and rear windows. These devices detect key signals in the environment, which are analyzed and then transmitted through sound or visual alerts to assist drivers in decision-making related to driving on the road.

ADAS systems are particularly useful in situations where visibility is reduced or distorted, such as nighttime driving or reverse gear. They prevent drivers from missing important details during delicate maneuvers, misinterpreting road signs and traffic flow, or experiencing a brief moment of inattention, thereby distorting their assessment of overtaking, lane keeping, and compliance with regulatory braking distances between two vehicles.

ADAS technologies installed on windshields are typically located on the inside of the glass, sheltered from external aggression and adverse weather conditions. For example, devices coupled with an emergency autonomous braking system (AEB), sign recognition systems, or a lane departure assistant can be found in this area. The rain sensor is also usually located at the level of the central rearview mirror, using infrared radiation or ultrasound to activate the windshield wiper motor as soon as the windshield receives its first drops.

The types of ADAS calibrations performed by Sekurit Partner

Calibrating ADAS tools is a sophisticated process that requires suitable equipment and high-precision techniques. Automobile cameras and sensors are sensitive electronic tools that don't tolerate any approximation. Even a tiny calibration error can render them inoperative, endangering the driver. A faulty camera or sensor can deprive drivers of critical visual and sound data necessary for everyone's safety.

To ensure your ADAS' perfect reliability, Sekurit Partner technicians perform static or dynamic calibration, and sometimes both (referred to as universal calibration). These operations are systematically carried out after repairing or installing a new windshield.

Static calibration occurs in the workshop, where the vehicle is immobilized and aligned in front of a target with reference points to precisely adjust the camera's orientation and viewing angle. This technical procedure follows the manufacturer's technical recommendations and employs specific software and laser beams to achieve millimeter-accurate results.

Dynamic calibration takes place outdoors on an adapted track, where the vehicle undergoes a series of tests in real-life conditions. Equipped with markings, a measuring device connected to the automobile's OBD port analyzes its ADAS performance and adjusts them under traffic and meteorological conditions that comply with the manufacturer's recommendations.

After calibration analyses, Sekurit Partner provides the vehicle owner with a certificate attesting to the proper functioning of the driver assistance systems. Once you visit our workshops, you can confidently hit the road with a properly calibrated ADAS.