Technical 46 www.aftermarketonline.net SEPTEMBER 2024 On the long road ahead to autonomous driving becoming common-place, Martin Pinnell-Brown asks where this leaves the aftermarket? The thought of fully autonomous cars is a mouth-watering proposition for manufacturers and consumers alike but if we are being honest with ourselves, we are still a long way from it being a reality. In 2024, we are currently sitting at level three on the vehicle autonomy scale, which can be described as the middle ground when it comes to vehicle autonomy. This is because self-driving is limited since the vehicle is only in full control in some situations and it monitors the road and traffic and informs the driver when they need to take control of the vehicle. The way this is achieved is through the help of ADAS systems, which are now standard on vehicles that come off the production line. An example of this is Ford’s BlueCruise system, which is available in the Mustang Mach-E electric car. This system mixes the traditional use of sensors and cameras that keep the vehicle in its lane and at the correct speed through the reading of the road signs and a driver monitoring system that ensures the driver has eyes on the road. If not, a warning is heard to grab the attention of the driver. These systems are compact and are not seen on the vehicle because they are integrated into the car’s panels, windscreen and dashboard. There are however some limitations to systems like BlueCruise and this is highlighted by the fact it can only be used on certain pre-mapped sections of motorway, which include the M25, M40, M5 and M1. So, before we go fully autonomous, we must have the infrastructure in place to be able to provide autonomous vehicles with all the data they need. Even with all the technology on board vehicles, there is always the possibility of them being involved in incidents and because the technology is integrated in various parts of the vehicle, it will mean if cameras and sensors are replaced they will need to be calibrated correctly to meet the manufacturer’s requirements. This means that it is now more important than ever for shops to have access to the right tools and services as well as knowledge and skills to do the work. Having the correct equipment on site means that businesses will be able to run diagnostics and calibrations inhouse, which reduces repair times. In addition, it opens new sales avenues for them because the additional technology on the vehicle will lead to an increase in the amount of work to ensure these systems are calibrated correctly. Overall car makers are determined to get autonomous vehicles on the road, which could be 2035 or earlier depending on what you read, so ADAS equipment will continue to evolve meaning a person does not need to operate the vehicle. This will result in technicians needing to know about the technology inside the vehicle because if they do not, they will not be able to work on them. In addition, the qualifications from organisations such as the IMI will need to expand to meet the growing complexity of the technology — so that the people undertaking them have the necessary skills to do the work and complete right first-time calibrations. Ford’s BlueCruise system. Photo: Ford Get in lane now for the self-driving era Before going fully autonomous, we must have the infrastructure in place to provide autonomous vehicles with the data needed
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