ADAS (Advanced Driver Assisted Systems)
Advanced driver-assistance systems are electronic systems that assist drivers in driving and parking functions. Through a safe human-machine interface, ADAS increase car and road safety. – Wikipedia
ADAS systems such as adaptive lighting, automatic distance control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and other camera-based safety systems is no longer only found on premium models and now becoming a common feature of many mid-size and compact cars. Now almost every car that leaves the factory has some sort of autonomous driving (AD) system.
The term ADAS has only just started being thrown around amongst the automotive world and even when you search the internet the term ADAS is barely used post 2015. The fact is that ADAS has been around since the 70s in the form of ABS (anti-lock braking system) followed by Bosch’s ESC (electronic stability control) system in 1995. Technology has come a long way since then and with the advancement of radar, lidar and camera technology not only have we been able to start talking about autonomous cars they exist.
So, when did the term ADAS start being used? The question we cannot give a definitive answer to, we conclude it is down to the congregation of ADAS systems now out there, from ABS and ESP to ACC and NVA (Night vison assist) this family of smart electronic systems needed a name.
The sensors and cameras required by these systems have to be precisely calibrated. Following even relatively simple procedures including wheel alignment/geometry checks and windscreen replacement, the sensors and cameras required by these systems have to be calibrated and adjusted with the utmost precision.
We have been involved in calibrating ADAS camera & radar equipment for around 5 years now and from knowledge of being connected through the Bosch car service network we where probably in a handful of the first independent garages to be able to perform these types of ADAS calibration.
In the early days we faced mainly what we like to call the first-generation radars. They are a little square box with a dome shaped on top with manual adjusters for vertical and horizontal movement. These radars would control ACC (Adaptive cruise control) and/or AEB (automatic emergency braking) and we would only really be seeing these systems on cars from the VAG group VW, Seat, Audi and so on. Fast forward to current times and most cars 2017> it is rare to see a car without a camera or radar.
In today’s modern workshops the headlamp test must be digital. In order to meet a growing demand, we have again invested in the very latest ADAS alignment technology which will allow us to adjust and calibrate the very latest in headlamp systems, including halogen, xenon, bi-xenon, led and adaptive matrix led systems. The new Bosch HTD815 is an intelligent digital CMOS-camera headlight tester for the inspection, adjustment and calibration of all the above systems. This equipment will work in conjunction with our existing state of the art 3D image alignment and ADAS calibration equipment, enabling us to adjust and calibrate adaptive lighting systems for most major manufactures.
