ADAS Calibration
Professional calibration for your vehicle's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Advanced Driver Assistance System Calibration
Modern vehicles are equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that use cameras, sensors, and radars to enhance safety on the road. When your windshield is replaced, these critical safety systems often require precise calibration to ensure they function correctly.
At ShowTime Auto Glass, our certified technicians are trained to perform factory-spec ADAS calibrations for all major vehicle brands. Using state-of-the-art equipment, we ensure your vehicle's safety systems—like lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking—operate exactly as the manufacturer intended.
Proper ADAS calibration isn't just about convenience; it's about your safety and the safety of others on the road. Trust our expertise to keep your vehicle's sophisticated safety systems working correctly after any glass replacement.
Understanding ADAS Technology
What is ADAS?
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are electronic systems designed to help the driver in the driving process. These systems use automated technology, such as sensors and cameras, to detect nearby obstacles or driver errors, and respond accordingly.
Many of these systems are built for safety purposes, using cameras mounted on your windshield or sensors embedded elsewhere in your vehicle. When your windshield is replaced, these cameras and sensors must be precisely recalibrated to ensure they detect and interpret road conditions correctly.
Common ADAS Features Include:
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Alerts you when you're too close to a vehicle ahead
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
Applies brakes automatically to prevent collisions
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Alerts when you're drifting out of your lane
- Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
Automatically steers to keep you in your lane
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Maintains distance from vehicles ahead while cruising
- Pedestrian Detection
Identifies and alerts you to pedestrians in your path
Why Calibration Matters
When your windshield is replaced, the camera and sensor positions can shift by even a fraction of a millimeter. This tiny change can cause your ADAS systems to miscalculate distances, misidentify obstacles, or fail to detect dangers entirely. Proper calibration ensures these systems work as designed, providing the protection you and your passengers depend on.
Types of ADAS Calibration
Static Calibration
Static calibration is performed in a controlled environment, typically inside our service center. It requires specific lighting conditions, precise measurements, and specialized targets placed at exact distances and angles from your vehicle.
This type of calibration is common for forward-facing cameras that control systems like lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic high beams. The process ensures your vehicle's cameras can accurately detect lane markings, road signs, and obstacles.
Dynamic Calibration
Dynamic calibration requires driving the vehicle under specific conditions. Our technician will connect a diagnostic tool to your vehicle and guide you through a calibration drive that follows manufacturer-specified parameters.
This calibration is typically needed for systems that rely on radar sensors, such as adaptive cruise control. The process requires driving at certain speeds on roads with clear lane markings to allow the system to properly calibrate while in motion.
Combination Calibration
Many newer vehicles require both static and dynamic calibration to fully restore all ADAS functionality. Our technicians will determine which systems in your vehicle need calibration and perform all necessary procedures.
We follow manufacturer-specific protocols to ensure all systems are properly calibrated and working together seamlessly, providing you with the same level of protection as before your windshield replacement.
System Verification
After calibration is complete, our technicians perform comprehensive system testing to verify that all ADAS features are functioning properly. This includes diagnostic checks and real-world testing to ensure your safety systems respond correctly.
We provide detailed documentation of all calibration procedures performed, which can be important for insurance claims, warranty purposes, and your peace of mind knowing that your vehicle's safety systems are working as designed.
When ADAS Calibration is Required
After Windshield Replacement
When your windshield is replaced, the camera mounting position can change slightly, even with the most careful installation. Since these cameras need to be accurate within millimeters, calibration is essential after any windshield replacement on vehicles with ADAS features.
Following Body Work or Collision Repair
After accidents or body repairs that affect camera or sensor mounting areas, recalibration is necessary. Even minor fender benders can misalign these sensitive components, requiring calibration to restore proper functionality.
When Suspension Components Are Changed
Suspension modifications or even a simple wheel alignment can change your vehicle's ride height and angle, affecting how the cameras perceive the road. After such changes, calibration ensures your ADAS systems maintain proper functionality.
When Warning Lights Appear
If you notice any ADAS-related warning lights on your dashboard, or if features like lane keeping assist or automatic emergency braking aren't working properly, calibration may be needed to restore these systems to normal operation.
After Camera or Sensor Replacement
If any ADAS component like a camera, radar unit, or sensor has been replaced, calibration is necessary to teach the new component how to properly interpret what it's seeing and coordinate with other systems in your vehicle.
Following Manufacturer Guidelines
Vehicle manufacturers specify when calibration is required, and we follow these guidelines exactly. Some manufacturers recommend calibration after certain mileage intervals or when specific components have been serviced.
Safety Warning
Driving with improperly calibrated ADAS systems can be dangerous. These systems may fail to warn you of impending collisions, misinterpret lane markings, or incorrectly apply brakes. Always ensure proper calibration after windshield replacement or other services that might affect these critical safety systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does ADAS calibration take?
The time required varies based on your vehicle make and model, and which systems need calibration. Static calibration typically takes 1-3 hours, while dynamic calibration may require additional drive time. Our technicians will provide a specific time estimate for your vehicle.
How much does ADAS calibration cost?
Calibration costs vary depending on the vehicle make, model, year, and which systems require calibration. When performed as part of windshield replacement, most insurance companies cover the calibration cost along with the replacement. We can provide a specific quote for your vehicle.
How do I know if my vehicle has ADAS features that need calibration?
Most vehicles manufactured after 2016 have some form of ADAS. If your vehicle has features like lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, or a forward collision warning system, it has ADAS that may require calibration. Our technicians can also verify this based on your vehicle's VIN.
Will my insurance cover ADAS calibration?
Most insurance companies recognize that proper calibration is essential for vehicle safety and will cover the cost when it's part of a covered windshield replacement. We work directly with insurance companies to handle claims and minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.
Can I drive my car without calibration?
While your vehicle will still operate without calibration, driving without properly calibrated ADAS systems creates potential safety risks. Your safety features may not work as designed, potentially failing to warn you of dangers or inappropriately activating in safe situations. We strongly recommend completing calibration before extended driving.
Ensure Your Vehicle's Safety Systems Work Properly
Schedule your professional ADAS calibration today with our certified technicians.