Quantcast
Jump to content

8 Things You Don't Know About ADAS


Recommended Posts

Our experience with ADAS has been a truly amazing learning journey. Our learning journey is making us wonder what the direction of the industry is with ADAS and more importantly... how service center goals for growth and profit align with maintaining customer satisfaction while performing precise services with a skilled workforce that is in decline. If you're thinking about ADAS... you should read this first.

Another acronym being thrown around is ADAS, short for Advanced Driver Assist Systems. I think everyone is stuck staring at those four letters without understanding the liability that those 4 letters represent for the future of the automotive industry, regardless of how much safer they make vehicles on the road. As one of the first facilities in NJ to purchase and utilize the ADAS calibration system from Autel, we have some really unique experience with it and want to pass on some information you should be aware of when considering whether or not you want to jump in.

  1. Facility Is Too Small - Size matters, A LOT with ADAS calibrations and if you have less than 2500 sf of space with a booming business... chances are you don't have the room to perform calibrations. Your exact business configuration will help determine this, but you ideally need a location where you can pick up 10 feet of open space all around a vehicle for most calibrations, but some calibrations may require 20 feet or more.
  2. Floor Isn't Level - If your floor is uneven, you can't perform ADAS calibrations, period.
  3. Can't Program? - If you are not experienced with programming modules or updating vehicle modules, you will not be able to perform a fair amount ADAS calibrations.
  4. Can't Diagnose? - If you don't have a team that can efficiently and accurately troubleshoot the vehicles already coming into your shop, ADAS isn't going to be any easier, it's going to be significantly harder.
  5. Who Needs OE Information, I have "X"! - Replace X with All Data or Mitchell or even the instructions in your scan tool. What happens when the manufacturer updated the information on the procedures yesterday and they didn't share that information with anyone yet? We've already encountered steps missing from the Autel scan tool...
  6. Minimum Insurance Policy Is More Than Enough - We have more than double the minimum and we are worried it's not enough. With lawsuits that settle into the tens of millions of dollars, we're not sure what enough is anymore.
  7. Don't Document Your Process? - This is where a lot of people will scoff. Who has the time? Save pictures and files, where am I supposed to do that? Who's gonna pay for this? We've figured this out and more importantly... we get paid for documenting. Do you?
  8. Mobile Calibrations? - Besides the fact that you're trying to transport $20,000 of equipment needed for calibrations in a van, this one is so serious... we couldn't give you a 2 sentence paragraph, read below.

How are mobile glass services, like Safelite, performing calibrations on the go? We don't know, but we have A LOT of questions surrounding this. A recent calibration of a 2019 Toyota C-HR, after a windshield replacement, has some really interesting requirements. Requirements which we are used to, but we want to know... how is a mobile tech handling this? These are the requirements that must be met prior to starting a calibration:

It is our experience that once a windshield has been replaced, the vehicle should not be moved for a period of at least 2 hours (weather dependent) in order to allow the glue to harden properly. So, what's going on? Is the mobile glass tech filling up the vehicle prior to replacing the windshield? How many of you had a windshield replaced and a vehicle calibrated with a fuel tank that was not full? We don't know how many corners are being cut and where they are being cut... but what we do know is that the above requirements have been there in every vehicle we have calibrated at this facility thus far.

Lastly, pay particular attention to this requirement in this photo...

*Calibration should be performed in a window-less environment with no bright lights or reflective materials. Ensure no other black and white patterns similar to the calibration pattern should be behind the calibration pattern.

In a world where reducing liability is at the forefront of most public discussions, there are sure a lot of companies undermining their insurance policy in the field.


View full article

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      I recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
      Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
      Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
      Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
      Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
  • Similar Topics

    • By Joe Marconi

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

    • By carmcapriotto
      The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.
      Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo:https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/
      Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
      If you would like to join their private Facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind
       
      In this podcast episode, Coach Chris Cotton from Auto Fix Auto Shop Coaching talks with Josh Then of Unified Automotive about Josh's transition from working in his family's auto repair business to starting his own shop.
      They discuss the difficulties of succession planning, generational differences, and the challenges of modernizing a family business. Josh shares his personal struggles with work-life balance and the toxic work environment created by his father's resistance to change. Despite good pay, Josh felt compelled to leave and set up his own garage, facing the hardships of establishing a new business and a strained relationship with his father.
      He also highlights the support he received from industry groups and the importance of utilizing resources like Facebook groups and YouTube for guidance. The episode emphasizes the value of seeking help and the continuous learning necessary for success in the auto repair industry.
       
      Introduction (00:00:00) Setting up the podcast and introducing the topic of succession planning in a family auto repair business. Background and Early Work Experience (00:02:08) Josh's early experience in the family auto repair business, starting from a young age and progressing through high school and college. Generational Differences in Work Ethic (00:09:29) Discussion about the generational differences in work ethic and work-life balance, comparing the speaker's experience with his father's dedication to work. Motivation for Succession Planning (00:12:52) Josh's motivation for pushing the succession plan, focusing on the impact of having a daughter and the desire for a better work-life balance. Challenges in Implementing Changes (00:16:25) The challenges faced by Josh in implementing changes and improvements in the family business, including resistance from his father. Lack of Formal Succession Plan (00:18:45) The absence of a formal succession plan and the difficulties faced in getting his father to agree to a plan, leading to the speaker considering other business opportunities. Succession Plan Backing Out (00:21:50) Josh discusses the shop owner backing out of their succession plan, leading to his decision to leave. Starting a Business (00:23:22) Josh explains how he started working on his own business in the background while still at his father's shop. Leaving the Father's Shop (00:26:59) Josh describes the process of leaving his father's shop and starting his own business in his garage. Father-Son Relationship (00:28:40) Josh discusses the evolving relationship with his father after leaving the shop and the tension between them. Conflict with Father (00:31:12) Josh recounts the conflict with his father after starting his own business and the subsequent fallout. Working with Family (00:33:11) Josh reflects on the challenges of working with a stubborn family member and offers advice for others in similar situations. Regrets and Lessons (00:37:07) Josh discusses what he could have done differently and the lessons he learned from the experience. Influence of Support Groups (00:39:14) Josh shares the impact of support groups like ASA and Shop Marketing Pros on his business decisions and growth. The helpful auto repair group (00:43:41) Discussion about a helpful online group for auto repair business owners and the value of their services. The abundance of industry resources (00:44:15) The availability of resources for auto repair shop owners on the internet and the continuous growth of information. Starting the journey to seek help (00:45:00) The frustration that led to seeking help online and the positive impact of reaching out for assistance. Reaching out for advice and support (00:47:38) The realization of being in a bubble and the value of seeking perspectives from others in the industry. Concluding the podcast (00:48:38): I thank the guest for the conversation and acknowledge the sponsors of the podcast.  
      Connect with Chris:
       
      [email protected]
      Phone: 940.400.1008
      www.autoshopcoaching.com
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
      AutoFixAutoShopCoachingYoutube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae
       
      #autofixautoshopcoaching #autofixbeautofixing #autoshopprofits #autoshopprofit #autoshopprofitsfirst #autoshopleadership #autoshopmanagement #autorepairshopcoaching #autorepairshopconsulting #autorepairshoptraining #autorepairshop #autorepair #serviceadvisor #serviceadvisorefficiency #autorepairshopmarketing #theweeklyblitz #autofix #shopmarketingpros #autofixautoshopcoachingbook
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • By Joe Marconi

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

    • By Changing The Industry
      Episode 153 - Murray Voth on Thriving in the Automotive Industry
    • By Joe Marconi

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.



  • Similar Tagged Content

  • Our Sponsors

×
×
  • Create New...