April 2021

APRIL 2021 AFTERMARKET 41 www.aftermarketonline.net conditions which may not be immediately visible to drivers. This could improve safety significantly, with vehicles communicating with one another and with road traffic objects such as traffic lights, to reduce accidents.” Another area of DENSO research is in advanced parking assist systems, an optimised Level Three autonomous function. “In the next few years,” said Fatiha, “technology that allows cars to park themselves in crowded urban streets is expected to become commonplace, while boundaries will be pushed even further at Level Four, with the driver able to travel safely and legally from their starting point to destination, without making a single input into the vehicle’s controls. While several DENSO technologies are yet to reach the mainstream automotive market, they are playing an integral role in testing the feasibility of new autonomous vehicle programmes as standardised ADAS systems reach market maturity.” Fatiha added: “For the independent aftermarket, ADAS is a technology that is already reaching workshops far and wide and one that will inevitably become more commonplace in the next few years. By investing in the right equipment and training, there’s no reason why independent technicians can’t turn these systems into a major source of revenue.” Things that make you go IRR As we have seen, the ADAS insurance industry requirements (IIR) establish the key steps repairers must follow to ensure that ADAS continue to function as they did prior to needing adjustment. According to Rob Hawker, Area Sales Manager UK & Ireland at MAHLE Service Solutions, MAHLE’s ADAS offering can help garages stay on the right side of the new rules: “All of MAHLE’s Digital ADAS are fully compliant with the strict requirements of IIR. As one of the very first in the UK to achieve this as a result of being tested for a number of key parameters, garages can guarantee they meet the rules. The key features of MAHLE’s ADAS that has made its system IIR compliant include following manufacturers’ ADAS repair and recalibration procedures by providing clear step-by- step instructions to guide a technician through making a perfectly repeatable calibration. This enables them to achieve a deep diagnostic scan of a vehicle, both before and after an event, to show and prove a calibration has been completed correctly. Plus, MAHLE’s digital technology allows for accurate results and achieves calibration to a perfect zero. The detailed audit trail that is produced for each completed event is saved as a report that can be emailed as a PDF for each job/task completed. The intuitive, easy-to-use offering from MAHLE is controlled by its powerful diagnostic system to ensure MAHLE ADAS is fast and highly accurate.” Training Training is going to be crucial as ADAS rolls out across the car parc, necessitating a higher degree of knowledge in garages than is currently the case. Rob commented on how MAHLE is looking to help: “To meet the need for additional ADAS training, MAHLE has launched a UK programme to help new digital ADAS technicians receive the very best training. This involves an independent two-day IMI course aimed at giving technicians a deep understanding of ADAS architecture inside the latest cars and how they are diagnosed, repaired and re-calibrated.” On what other support is available, in terms of helping garages make the most of the opportunity, Rob observed: “MAHLE’s diagnostic platform is connected to its servers through the cloud for two-way communication, ensuring the customer always has the very latest diagnostic update and vehicle database running. All of MAHLE’s ADAS new releases are free to subscription members and are available immediately. MAHLE Digital ADAS systems come with the capability for guided diagnostics inbuilt into the control interface, capable of far more than resetting service lights and reading trouble codes. Research reveals the main causes of failed or poor ADAS recalibrations is from a lack of understanding, or an inability to see a fault deep inside a vehicle, which might prevent a successful calibration. MAHLE provides fault code identification, wiring diagrams, component failure confirmation and even spare part number identification, all inside the diagnostic tool that comes with MAHLE’s ADAS system. When issues occur, technicians can simply upload vehicle information logs straight from the diagnostic tool to the MAHLE factory support team for advice and guidance.” The IIR, its full accompanying guidance and more information can be found at: https://www.thatcham.org/insurance -industry-requirements/