Massachusetts, United States — The issue of ADAS calibration received some mainstream media attention recently, as Repairify CEO Chris Chesney was quoted in a recent article from the Boston Globe, speaking to the need for customers to insist on proper calibrations from their repairers.
Chesney, among several other auto repair experts, were making the case that some form of advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) is present on nearly every vehicle on the road, and yet many shops still do not take the time to carry out the calibrations that ensure these systems function properly.
He pointed out that the need for a calibration can be required following something “as simple as removing the bumper cover to replace a water pump on a vehicle,” but if customers are unaware of it, then repairers are far less likely to complete it, especially given Massachusetts’ exceptionally low labour rate of USD$40 per hour for collision repair technicians—the lowest rate in the country.
Kevin Gallerani, owner of Cape Auto Body in Plymouth, Mass. and president of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP-MA), confirmed this notion, saying “I think the majority of the shops are definitely not doing it.”
“I hate to say this. I’m probably going to get murdered for this article, but there needs to be a wakeup call,” he said.
Another owner, Mike Johnson of Crown Collision Solutions in Bridgewater, Mass., said finances remain a barrier for many shops in the state, who would like to be properly equipped, but are fighting just to stay in business.
“The shops cannot keep up with the technology and invest enough time and money in their people and equipment. They’re in survival mode.”
On our side of the border, collision repair banners like CARSTAR are taking proactive steps to educate its member shops on the latest advancements in ADAS calibration through company-wide workshops at its Hamilton, Ont. training centre.
The Boston Globe’s full article on ADAS calibration can be found here.
