Modern cars are becoming more technologically advanced. Either through competition or regulation, vehicles on sales today feature a range of programmes designed to make driving both easier, and safer.

All of these aids come under the banner of ADAS. Standing for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, they all utilise similar technologies to work. This may be sensors in the front grill, cameras, or LiDAR. Their reliance on this means that when entering a workshop, technicians need to understand what is going on, and be ready to deal with ADAS.

From simple things such as anti-lock braking, to more complex ADAS such as adaptive cruise control or even remote parking, there are dozens of systems in vehicles today reliant on precise calibration and working sensors.

“Around 70% of new cars on sale today have ADAS fitted, and the technology has featured on mainstream cars since 2013,” commented Iain Molloy, Director at A1 ADAS Solutions. “It is not a new technology, and it is now starting to filter into the aftermarket much more.”

Huge numbers for ADAS

The average age of a car in the UK at present is 9.5 years, according to the SMMT. But interestingly, 53.3% of the 36.1 million passenger cars on the road are between three and 12-years-old. With a vehicle more likely to enter an independent workshop around the time of its first MOT, this means that there are around 19.3 million units registered between 2013 and 2022.

With ADAS hitting the mainstream market in 2013, this equates to a huge amount of cars running with the systems today, that could enter independent workshops.

But it does appear that technicians are not ready to deal with ADAS. While a majority of vehicle work may not touch on the systems, there is likely to be an increasing level of everyday jobs that could require calibration. And if not served correctly, there could be safety implications.

“These systems are designed to help you break in an emergency, keep you in a straight line, and more,” added Molloy. “So they are critical safety systems, and understanding how they work, and what influences them, I think is vital.

“It is no different to any other system on a car. Once you understand how it works, and the principles of it, then it is pretty straightforward to work on. But make sure you get properly trained on it, go to a proper, reputable trainer who understands ADAS themselves.”

Industry shortfall

Despite the rise in ADAS-equipped cars, there is a skills shortage around the technology. According to an IMI TechSafe report in April, a total of 1,953 ADAS certifications were presented in 2024. But this means the total number of technicians trained to work on the technology stands at 6,000. This is just 2% of the total UK workforce in the industry.

Meanwhile, the report suggests that vehicles with SAE Level 2 autonomy could reach 57% of the UK car parc by 2027. These are systems beyond the basic safety areas such as anti-lock braking, instead representing when a vehicle can control both steering and acceleration, or deceleration, together. An example of this, is adaptive cruise control.

“What we are seeing is as the number of vehicles with ADAS technologies on them increases, the skills gap is getting larger,” highlighted Lindsey Mitchell, Director of Development, Quality and Compliance at the IMI.

“The reason that the skills gap probably has not kept up is it could be that people are just used to these being part of their daily life, and it is not as easy to spot vehicles with ADAS compared to, for example, electric vehicles, which come with a lot of stigma around repairing them.”

Return on investment

It is not just the training that is crucial. For workshops, having the right equipment to allow for proper ADAS calibration will be important.

“There’s a great opportunity in terms of revenue generation,” stated Julian Goulding, Head of Garage Equipment at Hella Guttmann. “People look and think it is an expensive outlay, but in terms of payback time, it can be relatively quick.

If garages are doing an average of three calibrations a week, at a recommended rate of £300, the equipment could be paid back inside six months. With no so many people able to carry out calibrations at present, those that can will also face less competition, with work referred to them.”

Yet while investing in equipment is one thing, there are other routes to ensuring that your business can offer ADAS support.

“You can either invest in equipment yourself and you can make sure you are adequately covered to handle it,” added Molloy. “I would say that buying the right equipment is quite important because there’s various different things out on the market. Other than that, you can also team up with a mobile provider, who can offer the same service and come to you in your workshop.”