ADAS presents challenges, opportunities for aftermarket

LAS VEGAS — Every decade or so the automotive aftermarket must learn and become proficient in servicing a game-changing vehicle technology.

Today, the sea change comes in the form of collision-avoidance systems known collectively as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

"Disc brakes. TPMS. ADAS. We got through the first two, we'll get through this one," Chris Chesney, senior director of customer training at Advance Auto Parts, said during a panel discussion at the recent AAPEX in Las Vegas.

It's only a matter of time before independent auto repair shops and tire dealerships have to deal with ADAS as nearly all newer vehicles are equipped with at least one ADAS feature, he said, whether it's collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assistance, blind spot monitoring, etc.

• This article appears in the Dec. 9 print edition of Tire Business.

The systems only operate correctly if the sensors and cameras are calibrated and aligned correctly. A collision or part replacement could jar the sensor or camera out of alignment and that effect may not be noticed until the driver complains of a malfunction.

"One of the problems we face right now, with everyone in every shop, is that every technician out there needs to know (about ADAS), even if they're not working on this technology," David Milne, president of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Training Managers Council, said during the panel discussion.

"They need to know how the things they are doing on that car can affect the performance of these systems. Very simple procedures can end up affecting that right now. There are so many folks that don't recognize that.

"As an industry we need to focus immediately on making everyone aware what kind of ramifications their actions have (on ADAS)," he said.

While auto repair shops may not work on ADAS now, they should start educating themselves on the systems so they can be a credible source for their customers, who likewise may not be familiar with ADAS or how the various systems work, according to the panel.

Independent repair shops can attract customers away from car dealerships by establishing themselves as authorities on ADAS and sources for customers to learn about how their vehicles' systems work.

"That will establish a higher level of credibility. You'll become a trusted source," said panelist Scott Brown, president of Diagnostic Network, who suggested shops offer training and seminars for customers

Frank Leutz, COO of Desert Car Care Center in Chandler, Ariz., and host of Wrench Nation Car Talk Radio, echoed that battle cry.

He suggested shops can start explaining ADAS to their customers at the front counter, in emails and on their websites and social media platforms.

"We may not have the big budgets, but we do have the time to think about that creatively because we don't need them to go to the dealerships," he said.

Mr. Leutz also encouraged shops to promote the "Your Car. Your Data. Your Choice." campaign launched by the Auto Care Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association to educate the public about the amount of data their cars collect and who has access to it (see story below).

"People will question that and that's an open engagement to conversation that should be ADAS," he said. "And what does that do in the end? It makes us the expert. It makes us the concierge."

Mr. Chesney agreed, saying, "We have to talk about ADAS today with our customers. We have to help them understand what's on board their vehicles. And we have to help our industry from the perspective of training shop owners, training technicians about the awareness of ADAS. … What to do, whether to do it in-house or ship it to a technical center. You have to find a solution to take care of your customer.

"Independent shop owners have a tremendous opportunity of connecting with their customers with respect to ADAS, ... he added. "You have the opportunity to recognize that your customer bought a new car that is equipped with that new technology and have a conversation with them and show them what that technology does, what it means. … That's how we win the ADAS battle."

Mr. Leutz also suggested that independent shops could act like a concierge at a hotel, arranging services for the customer. If a shop cannot provide ADAS calibration or service, sublet the work to another shop that can.

"You need to concierge every bit of that service. You might not have the GP you wanted on that particular sublet, but think of the lifetime value of that customer," he said.

The ASE's Mr. Milne noted that in the future, technicians are going to need a credential issued by an independent third-party that validates their knowledge of the skills required to work on ADAS.

The ASE will be conducting a job analysis and talking with technicians about the tasks that are involved in addressing ADAS, he said. The study will become a roadmap for developing a test, which the certification organization expects to introduce as early as January 2021.

The problem with this project, he admitted, is that technology is always changing. "This is going to be a very fluid project for us," he said.

"If you have technicians that can analyze and solve problems like 'CAN bus,' then they can solve problems on an ADAS component," Advance Auto Parts' Mr. Chesney said. "We see as many network issues with ADAS vehicles at the research center as we do with calibration issues."

He noted that techs need to appreciate the fragile nature of the sensors.

"You've got to be able to have someone on staff that can solve those problems and, if you are already dealing with CAN bus network issues, you can do this.

"Calibration is not a high-tech skill job set. It's really simply based on repetition, experience and the ability to read and follow directions," Mr. Chesney said, adding, "Reading with purpose is probably the least used skill and the most necessary skill for calibrating vehicles.

"So you can take somebody from a vocational school and put them in the service bay that you've equipped properly and you can onboard them and mentor them to be an effective ADAS calibration technician in a short period of time," he said.

"We have been testing technicians on their ability to diagnose and repair," Mr. Milne said, "and suddenly we're going to have to test technicians on their ability to follow directions. ...

"There is no way to shortcut this. You've got to follow every step, every bit of directions, or you're not going to get a good result. There are a lot of folks not willing to do that. … There's no way to flat-rate that (ADAS) calibration but with a set of instructions."

Mr. Brown said the best information on how a vehicle's ADAS operates can be found in the vehicle owner's manual, especially in the troubleshooting section.

He noted that the manual will caution that sensors don't always detect obstructions in certain situations, which is important to remember when a customer complains about a perceived malfunction.

Since most technicians don't drive cars with all the ADAS features, Mr. Brown recommended that shops rent vehicles fully loaded with ADAS so technicians can get some "seat" time.

"You don't want to have a technician get assigned to address an (ADAS) complaint and have no familiarity with how any of these systems work," he said. "So the more seat time, the more awareness they have on what to expect as far as behavior goes, and the better off you're going to be and more efficient."