Don't cut cost corners with ADAS calibration targets

Everything is top dollar. A quick check on the CPI Inflation Calculator on the Bureau of Labor Statistics site shows a $100 bill in 2021 has the purchasing power of $89 in today's wallet. Shops are now cutting here and there to make up for the deficit.

ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) equipment is no exception, nor is the number of technicians who are manufacturing their own ADAS stands and targets. I can't think of a more dangerous assumption that these garage-produced calibration items are dead-on accurate. Neither should you.

But those builders believe otherwise.

So, last month I started out to bust the myth that these devices are not as reliable as one might be led to believe, taking technicians down the wrong path.

Using those internet-prescribed elements such as wood, PVC — and even iron rods/steel piping — a small group of us recreated those online ADAS tools and placed them in a shop.

The difference between our locally produced product and the ones shown across the web? The devices we created are experimental only, never to be used as actual ADAS stands.

Our group plans to unveil our findings within 90 days with detailed results, showing "why" these items have specific chemistries, metallurgies and design parameters set by the OEMs.

The organizers of the THEA V2V/V2x project in Florida recently released their stats regarding their accumulative safety report:

• 21 potential pedestrian crashes prevented;
• 19 red light warnings delivered;
• 17 vehicle collisions prevented; and
• 14 wrong-way drivers alerted.

Those associated with the Tampa-based program said that they issued more than 20,000 safety advisories to project-connected drivers.

In the beginning, approximately 1,100 area vehicles — including one of our own fleet pickup trucks — were equipped with antennae, a connected module, unique rear-view mirror and wiring that tapped into specific body-control module (BCM) items.

This is how it works: The onboard system would monitor the car or truck for an emergency braking event and alert drivers of equally equipped vehicles to the quick stop ahead via an icon and audible beep on their aftermarket-THEA-installed mirror. At this point, the driver takes action to avoid a collision. That's V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle).

And awhile back, an event was being held downtown — within the tracking area — and the pedestrians were "everywhere." A group crossed in front of a vehicle's path in a programmed crosswalk. Per design, the mirror pinged, alerting us of potential collision. The system worked.

Now, the aftermarket program is in partnership with several automotive manufacturers, including Honda Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Group and Toyota Motor Corp.

Another THEA program you may not recognize is the Yunex Traffic platform. Its RSU2X platform is made to communicate with select Tier 1 cars and light trucks.

It also communicates red light notices and wrong-way drivers by viewing connected vehicles' velocity. Yunex boasts that it is capable of handling approximately 4,000 communication verifications and 130 messages per second (DRSC); redundancy errors not published.

The company reports it has handled over 3 billion messages from 1,000 vehicles accurately.