Hunter has taken all the guesswork out of performing ADAS calibrations correctly.

Today’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are so complex and so sophisticated that automotive technicians need to be sure that they’re performing each and every ADAS calibration to OE spec, without skipping a step or accidentally cutting corners.

With that goal in mind, Hunter Engineering has designed all their alignment equipment to ensure that technicians follow procedures exactly as specified by vehicle manufacturers, thereby assuring that ADAS technologies work just as well after the vehicle is fixed or serviced, as they did prior to any repairs.

Flattening the learning curve

Training is the key to proper ADAS calibrations, and Hunter Engineering has gone to great lengths to bring today’s automotive techs up-to-speed on new equipment, without forcing them to re-learn the basics, every time their shop invests in a new piece of equipment.

To flatten the learning curve wherever possible, Hunter Engineering keeps certain standards in place with every new generation or iteration of their alignment equipment.

“Take, for example, our navigations soft keys,” says Ross Iacobellis, Technical Sales and Training Manager, Hunter Engineering Canada. “Just like any typical keyboard, we have our function keys, K1 through K4, and we’ve always used the same four keys for the same screens on all our equipment, allow technicians to navigate to whichever function or feature then need, without having to re-learn what each key does.”

Detailed documentation

While conducting ADAS calibrations properly is critical, so is the need for proper documentation throughout the process. By logging each step in the calibration process as it’s completed, and recording the fact that each step was completed to OE standards, shops can make sure that they have the paperwork necessary to invoice for services rendered.

Moreover, if the vehicle were to ever be involved in a collision in the future, the documentation serves as proof that the shop calibrated all ADAS technologies correctly, and therefore cannot be held liable for any damages.

“Each calibration process starts with the technician scanning the vehicle into the machine, or by typing the VIN into the machine,” Iacobellis explains. “This will then pre-load any ADAS technologies that need to be calibrated. As each ADAS technology is calibrated, we document that every step in the process has been completed correctly.”

All key data points are recorded, Iacobellis adds, including the day and time of each calibration, target placement information, the measurements that were taken, along with proof that the calibration was completed successfully.

“We can even attach photos to each step in the calibration,” Iacobellis says.

Custom solutions

Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all solution isn’t the answer in our modern world, Hunter Engineering offers tailored solutions and insights for each type of automotive business. After all, tire retailers, collision repair facilities, dealerships and aftermarket repair facilities all have different needs, and all need access to job-specific information. That’s why Hunter has a solution for each type of business (see sidebar for link to more information).

ADAS technologies are the new normal in our industry, and these systems are only going to become more complex with time. Fortunately, Hunter Engineering has taken all the guesswork out of performing ADAS calibrations, assuring that automotive techs always have the tools to they need to complete each job correctly.