In the eight years since advanced driver assistance systems became a frequent feature of new cars, there is concern the repair industry has not kept pace.
Now that cameras, sensors and the complex coding associated with them are almost standard in modern vehicles, there is a sense of urgency that repair workshops are equipped and skilled to complete this work safely.
The Australian government is proposing to have an Automated Vehicle Safety Law complete by 2026, opening the door for higher levels of ADAS in vehicles operational on our roads.
But as far back as 2017, when the National Transport Commission began work on its analysis for the regulatory framework for an automated vehicle law, it was already flagging the significance of liability and repairs.
In 2022, the NTC’s policy paper on the regulatory framework for the government noted the potential impacts of repair work.
“Modifications or repairs to the non-Automated Driver System elements of an automated vehicle (the vehicle hardware) may adversely affect the operation of the ADS – for example, by obstructing sensors,” the report states.
“This obstruction could be caused deliberately or inadvertently, and by a private individual or a licensed vehicle repair/modification business.”
It notes that state laws regulate the repair and modification of conventional vehicles, and it suggested these laws would continue to apply, closely interacting with a new Automated Vehicle Safety Law.
“As part of this work, states and territories may need to consider whether it is necessary to amend their laws to prohibit vehicle hardware repairs or modifications that have an adverse impact on the operation of an automated driver system. (They) should also consider whether any regulatory amendments and/or guidance is needed to ensure modifications and repairs to vehicle hardware do not adversely impact the safety of ADSs.”
The knowledge gap
The pace of technology is such that the automated systems are already in many vehicles presenting in repair workshops in 2024 and their correct repair is requiring more sophisticated and expensive diagnoses and calibration. The issues arise when a workshop is not ready for these tasks.
One experienced industry expert who has voiced his concern at this lag in knowledge and training for new automotive technology is ADAS Solutions director Adrian Parkes.
Appearing at NCR’s Symposium24 panel on future technology, he stressed that for the sake of safety and viability, the repair industry could not act like it was ‘business as usual’ and needed to take the lead in meeting the upskilling challenge.
“I think the industry has muddled along for a while, just doing stuff that it’s been doing for the last 50 years,” Parkes says. “I’m not going to say snuck up on them, because the change has been coming for a while now, but they’ve not really paid enough attention to it. Now they find themselves in a position where we’ve got ADAS, and multiple different sorts of emerging propulsion technologies whether it’s hybrid, whether it’s EV, hybrid or hydrogen.
“There’s been a lot of change in the last five to 10 years in the industry, as far as technology goes, along with other developments too in body electrics and lighting. These are technologies that are pushing the boundaries, and yet we have some in the industry still thinking, that it’s just a headlight and we can just easily replace it.”
But he says the sophistication of modern cars means without the right tools and skills, repairers could effectively be shut out of the vehicle undermining their ability to repair them and their business’ profitability.
“As we get more and more connected vehicles, we’re going to get more and more security gateways. We’re going to get manufacturers trying to shut the aftermarket out. The only way around that is to use genuine manufacturers’ software to be able to overcome security gateways and to be able to code and program control units that historically have never needed to be coded and programmed.”
He says that while twenty years ago high value parts were protected with coding and programming was limited to a few luxury makes from Europe, the practice is now on most brands.
“And that is catching a lot of repairers out.”
Training Dilemma
Parkes says the solution to repairs with ever-improving technology, including ADAS, lies in the readiness to upskill and embrace ongoing training.
“Unless you’re working in a dealership and you’re getting factory training, the dealer training from the manufacturer at their training centre, it’s not happening.”
He says while the TAFE model has served the industry well in delivering trained apprentices, a graduating qualification at the start of a career is not enough when technology is changing so quickly. It now requires a new training model where skills are updated regularly.
“What about in five years’ time when I need to be updated? What about in eight years’ time when I need some more training on that new technology? It’s just not there.”
He says the key problems lie with availability of the training and recognition of industry standards. While ADAS Solutions has partnered with MTA Queensland and MTA SA/NT for industry training courses, one of the issues is around industry confusion about whether it is recognised as an industry qualification.
“We’re talking about updating, about high-end, cutting-edge industry training – but it’s not readily available.”
Parkes would like to see an industry-led unified approach to the training gap, whether it was run by the MTAs or a national body like the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association. He refers to a model in the UK where the Institute of the Motoring Industry takes a national approach to technology training with accredited courses.
“We need somebody like that to stand up for the industry, from a training perspective and updating on new technology, and roll it all into one. I think there’s a desperate, desperate need for it.”
Parkes’ fear is a lack of action on training could lead to poorly completed repairs that compromise ADAS device safety and even further accidents.
“In the US, the NHTSA are starting to monitor fatal accidents in this light. If it fits within a certain sort of classification, then they’ll investigate it further to try and ascertain what the cause was and why it happened, and if it could be attributed to an ADAS system not functioning correctly.”
But Parkes’ concern is this data is not yet being collated in Australia, so it is difficult to measure the impact of poorly executed or incomplete calibrations. He says while many workshops are looking seriously at the space and equipment they need to invest in, he describes some as having a makeshift approach that appears reckless. He has seen approaches to calibration in workshops, he describes as the ‘wild west’.
As a way forward for the industry, he refers to a UK model, a code of practice set up by the Thatcham Research Institute with six compulsory steps for the correct repair of any vehicle with ADAS. These guidelines are endorsed and required by 31 major international insurers in the UK.
“Thatcham have a code of practice that they developed five to six years ago, for this exact scenario. And that code of practice is probably the best in the world, and something that we need to adopt as an industry and a country. And if you are going to turn up and do this work, it’s a correctly trained person who does the work and provides the correct documentation and evidence.”
His advice for small businesses is the pressure of the technological change means they need to make critical business decisions to adapt to new vehicles and ensure they get repaired correctly. He says one of the biggest limitations for smaller businesses is establishing the correct environment for calibrations in the workshop and this requires space.
“You need to sit down and work out what you’re going to do. Are you going to invest what could amount to $200,000 in a new location, premises and other equipment? If you’re not going to do that, then just don’t do it. Outsource it and get it done properly.”
Parkes says given the potential costs and delays of outsourcing ADAS calibrations, even for something relatively common like a windscreen replacement involving a camera, it means business will have to look hard at their profitability and he urges them to learn as much as possible from repair models all over the world.
“Start to do your due diligence and start to look at what the landscape looks like from an equipment and a potential future investment versus return scenario.,” Parkes says.
What ‘s next
But Parkes reiterates the rate of change is being driven by the automotive manufacturing industry and the consumer appetite for technology.
“Industry always has, and always will be, one of pushing the boundaries of technology and pushing that into a sales scenario. We’re now seeing manufacturers getting more and more creative and adding more functionality around this technology.”
He sees driver and road condition monitoring as just the start of these developments.
“As we push into level three, and the vehicle has a higher level of autonomy, then obviously the vehicle needs to perceive its surroundings even more accurately than it does today. We’ll see microphones on cars, cameras in the passenger compartment and precipitation sensors.
“We’ll also see a more enhanced GPS location system.”
Parkes stresses innovation is shaping the car parc through customer demand and the repair industry must be ready to meet the change.
“They’re just a few things that we’re going to see in the next 12 to 24, months on vehicles that are being sold out of showrooms.
“That’s not a lot of time.”