Independent garages that currently offer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) servicing could be priced out of the market as more workshops begin to offer the service.
This could see some businesses drop their offering entirely as the gap between cost and profit shrinks, warns Repairify.
However, the automotive technology provider says canny businesses will be able to specialise while also continuing to rely on external support where necessary as the segment matures.
Phil Peace, international managing director at Repairify, told CAT: “There are a lot of providers doing ADAS in-house already. As this number grows, this will lead to lower pricing, which will mean it's not actually cost effective for everybody.”
Peace believes many workshops are likely to move away from ADAS, enabling others to become ADAS hubs in their local area. Repairify is already supporting the sector through its offering, which includes Repairify Remote Services.
“This puts workshops in control of jobs that traditionally would have been booked into a main dealer or that would require a sub-contractor to arrive on site,” said Peace. This is backed up by the company’s ADAS portfolio.
“The asTech Digital ADAS calibration system includes everything a repairer needs to get started with ADAS camera, radar, and lidar calibrations,” said Peace. “Then there is the asTech All-in-One tablet, which enables users to access Repairify Remote Services over the air, as well as the asTech 8, which can generate health reports and clear fault codes. Meanwhile asTech Link device enables workshops to access Repairify services via the OBDII port.”
The future is up for grabs around ADAS, but one factor that could change the dynamic is the MOT. “The MOT test must evolve to remain relevant and effective,” Peace pointed out, “and incorporating ADAS calibrations is the next logical step. Service centres will then need to invest in both staff training and the right diagnostic tools to carry out the work accurately. This will require an upfront capital investment in skills development and technology.”
"Garages need to be in control"
Matt Robinson, business-to-business trading director at LKQ UK & Ireland says workshops should be able to take on the majority of ADAS servicing themselves: “Garages need to be in control of the end-to-end process. Relying on third-party providers introduces risk to both efficiency and customer service. We see many garages investing in equipment to handle up to 90% of calibrations in-house, outsourcing only rare or complex jobs.
“For garages investing in ADAS capability, there is value to be gained from remote support with complex diagnostics. Through LKQ Remote Diagnostic, garages can access real-time assistance for a wide range of electronic procedures including ADAS calibrations, provided they have the necessary hardware, as well as supporting essential pre-calibration steps like coding and programming replacement components.”
Training is vital here: “Through the LKQ Academy,” noted Robinson, “we offer IMI-accredited AOM230 ADAS courses from £599 +VAT. All of our training sites are also equipped with the Autel IA900 – a dual-revenue tool that integrates wheel alignment and ADAS calibration into a single seamless workflow – giving technicians hands-on experience with the very equipment they’ll be using on the job.”
Game-changer
Mark Bristow, Product & Marketing Manager ISN Europe, observed that while investing in ADAS equipment for your workshop could be expensive, the business will soon see a healthy return: “Digital ADAS system prices range from £10,000 to £30,000. Even if you base the cost of the unit at the top end of the scale, and you base the price of the calibration at the bottom of the scale, circa £150, payback would be within a year if you undertake four calibrations a week. Charge £300 and payback could be significantly faster.”
Explaining ISN Europe’s ADAS offering, Bristow said: “The Digital ADAS system available from ISN Garage Assist has been the most technologically advanced, quickest and easiest to use on the market for some time, but the real game changer is the introduction of ADAS 2. This is now available as an upgrade on existing digital ADAS machines supplied by ISN Garage Assist and which has now become our standard digital ADAS calibration solution.”
He added: “We offer a Remote Pro support tool option too, providing direct access to industry experts and the very latest manufacturer data that’s not yet available to the aftermarket.”
Profit opportunities
According to Jason Smith, Sales and Marketing Manager UK & Ireland at MAHLE, outsourcing ADAS over a prolonged period could prove to be a false economy: “Set up costs for ADAS equipment are very high. However, outsourced costs can build up when factoring in course prices and workflow disruptions.”
Space is often a concern though: “Garages may not be able to facilitate ADAS equipment simply because they’re already working at full capacity without the room to take on the extra tools. Portable ADAS kits are available for those looking for a less invasive option but may limit the depth of training offered to technicians.”
Smith added: “Garages with no ADAS capabilities in-house could be missing substantial profit opportunities and experience a loss of customer retention, losing out to competitors who have the facilities to conduct diagnostics tests.“
A smarter option
Flexibility is key according to Thinkcar UK owner Alex Gillbanks: “If you’re only seeing a handful of ADAS-equipped vehicles each month or just don’t have the physical space to house static calibration equipment, then outsourcing is a practical solution, but there’s a downside; outsourcing may mean delays.
”For garages seeing regular volumes of ADAS-equipped vehicles, bringing ADAS in-house is becoming the smarter option. It offers full control over quality and turnaround time and removes the dependency on external providers.”
You don’t always need a special area though: “A static rig typically needs a dedicated bay and trained technicians, which for many independent workshops just isn’t realistic in terms of cost or space.
Gillbanks said this makes portable options such as Thinkcar’s very own Mobile ADAS the ideal solution: “The system is fully flexible as it can be moved between sites, shared across teams, or even used for mobile call-outs, opening up new revenue streams for garage businesses ready to go that extra mile. We also include the Think car Euro 195 diagnostic tool with each Mobile ADAS system for even more added value. Additionally, this tool provides access to our live remote programming network, where ADAS-qualified technicians are available to assist with OEM-level programming.”
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