How many times have you come across changes with steering-suspension alignment or ADAS calibration-recalibration values? It is not due to Betelgeuse illumination deviation over the course of several years which, in fact, is quite exciting if you are an astrophysicist.
This hits a little closer to home, as ADAS technology is in its infancy, and manufacturers are continuously redefining their sensor to target (dynamic or static) focus. At the base is body to chassis to sensor-fusion alignment. Let's emphasize what we can manipulate in the bay; steering gear/suspension alignment to ADAS alignment are dead-on when corrected.
Using triangulation to form the three component angles of basic vehicle alignment — camber, caster, toe with cousin thrust angle making sure everyone is on the straight and narrow — manufacturers and sensor data scientists still are trying to figure out which point on the road works best when it comes to sensor or camera focus for navigation safety. The process is going to be a long haul for all.
And the road to autonomy is going to be difficult to navigate. Many updates and bulletins (TSB) might not make sense to the automotive professional in the bay when it comes to calibration-recalibration changes. There's no conformity.
For example: "Why does one manufacturer list that the vehicle must have a full tank of fuel pre-calibration/recalibration while others do not?"
Another favorite I hear from technicians: "You don't have to have it 'dead-on.' You can get it close, and it will (ADAS) calibrate."
Not anymore. From conformal cyclic to quantum fluctuation theories, the universe that built solar systems is like ADAS as both are full of surprises but still follow the rules of physics and math that guide motion. It is a finite number.
So, when it comes to calibration-recalibration for future ADAS normality, the tighter tolerances allow the outliers go into "outer space."
In other words: Green is not good enough, anymore. We need to be dead-on point — again, thrust angle at 0.00-degrees. No excuses. Because the programming process is counting on the tech in the bay to help the technology standards go from a heavy-Level 2 to Level 5 autonomy via getting those numbers in-line.
It is all about the original equipment manufacturer uploading information, digesting it and downloading the update. This ever-changing code modifies the millimeters between a target and sensor. Defining the sweet spot where manufacturers want the sensor(s) to "focus" is based on body, alignment and ADAS, because keeping tabs on areas surrounding the car or light truck is of the utmost importance.
And what is that perfect number between vehicle to sensor? 400-millimeters? 550-millimeters?
Maybe the manufacturer revised the distance last week and the scanner data is now out of date? How is a technician performing a calibration-recalibration to know? Easy!
1) Check for manufacturer TSBs and CAL-ID updates before performing any alignment to ADAS calibration-recalibration.
This is an all-too-common mistake when it comes to calibration-recalibration of any ADAS system.
The matrix is ever changing, and the manufacturer gives the aftermarket a "heads-up" via the bulletins. Not researching before any — dynamic or static — calibration-recalibration and performing the assignment may lead to incorrect sensor(s) programming or even creating high-voltage battery (permanent) damage on electrified vehicles, in some cases.
2) Keeping shop diagnostic-aligner to ADAS equipment updated.
So easy to say, so easy to forget: "I'll do it later," when it comes to keeping equipment updated with the latest manufacturer software. A good rule of thumb?
After you turn on the shop lights in the morning, turn on all diagnostic and equipment capable of receiving OTA updates from their respective manufacturers. Then, make the coffee before the doors open for another productive day at the auto center.
You have heard me preach again and again how we have quadrillions upon quadrillions of machine learning (ML) data before the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) needed to advance transportation to Level 5 (autonomous vehicle).
Translation: The OE is going to change the processes continually — the values from vehicle to target (dynamic/static) — to zone into that sweet spot that works for each year/make/model (YMM).
And the catalysis between Level 2 to Level 5 lies within the thousands of shop bays — everywhere. The tighter the tolerance, the more precise data we give the manufacturers to upload for data review and reprocess.
In other words: wash, rinse, repeat until we get the clean data needed for autonomy. And it's going to take time.
