{"id":6893,"date":"2022-08-30T19:48:14","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T02:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mitchell11.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/shopconnection\/preventing-unintended-consequences-from-routine-service-on-adas-equipped-commercial-vehicles\/"},"modified":"2024-12-30T08:57:35","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T16:57:35","slug":"preventing-unintended-consequences-from-routine-service-on-adas-equipped-commercial-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"shopconnection","link":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/shopconnection\/preventing-unintended-consequences-from-routine-service-on-adas-equipped-commercial-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"Preventing Unintended Consequences From Routine Service on ADAS-Equipped Commercial Vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Editor\u2019s Note: <\/em><\/strong>The following article appeared in the August issue of Fleet Equipment Magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n

Technology can be a wonderful thing \u2013 when it works!\u00a0 When it doesn\u2019t, that same wondrous technology can lead to unintended consequences, including complete mechanical failure.<\/p>\n

Keeping pace with technology throughout our homes and workplaces can be quite a challenge \u2013 our smartphones, smart watches, smart lighting and other gadgets as they become smarter than ever. But having deeper level of understanding how the pieces work together can help us navigate more effectively around all those devices to deliver the benefits we had hoped to achieve.<\/p>\n

The same can be said about commercial vehicles.\u00a0 New and improved technologies have been arriving on commercial vehicles at breakneck speeds, And, as fleets become more complex, so does repairing them!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The ADAS revolution<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Among the fastest growing, transformative technology is ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) \u2013 a complex suite of cameras, radar systems, sensors and control modules. When working properly, ADAS improves situational awareness and initiates countermeasures to keep drivers safe.<\/p>\n

ADAS components can be found in many of today\u2019s commercial vehicles, including backup cameras and sensors, adaptive headlights and more. The cameras and radar assemblies on these vehicles are literally the \u201ceyes\u201d of the truck.\u00a0 For these systems to work properly, they need to have 20\/20 eyesight and be looking in the right direction.<\/p>\n

ADAS countermeasures can be passive \u2013 providing a warning or some other form of alert to the driver, or active \u2013 where the system can actually take corrective action (think emergency braking).\u00a0 Making all this work properly requires a suite of cameras, sensors, radar\/lidar units located around the vehicle.<\/p>\n

Keeping on track with calibration<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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To keep things on track, the systems rely on precise calibration to perform correctly; the vehicle\u2019s computer systems must accurately determine \u201cwhere\u201d the vehicle is related to other objects around it.\u00a0 The problem is that these systems are vulnerable because they are installed on the periphery of the vehicle, and oftentimes they have to be moved out of the way during maintenance. Even a slight nudge or shift to a sensor or camera can create havoc if not recalibrated properly.<\/p>\n

Therefore, these devices need to be regularly tested and\/or calibrated to ensure they are programmed properly. Especially concerning is that the driver may be unaware that the system isn\u2019t operating as designed until an actual safety issue occurs. \u00a0In most cases, there will be no initial indication that a vehicle was not properly calibrated \u2013 no MIL illuminated, etc. But while the vehicle is driving, the \u201cfield of view\u201d can be slightly shifted and cause safety issues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Consider something as routine as wheel alignment. The thrust line should\u00a0always line up with the vehicle’s geometric centerline, but if isn\u2019t aligned properly due to miscalibration \u2013 even by a 2-degree alteration \u2013 the forward -facing camera will be looking in the direction of the thrust line and cause the vehicle to act abnormally. This miscalculation could potentially lead to catastrophic results.<\/p>\n

In one case, for instance, an improperly calibrated camera misinterpreted an overpass as an obstruction on the side of the road, such as an oncoming vehicle. The camera\u2019s sensors indicated an imminent collision and enacted warnings and emergency braking \u2013 a hazard that could have been avoided.<\/p>\n

When these events occur, the driver may lose confidence and disable the system altogether, which defeats the purpose of ADAS. What these examples point out is that working on the ADAS system components themselves is a skill that must be learned.<\/p>\n

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Diving deeper into calibration<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Performing routine maintenance on a truck equipped with these systems in a fleet shop or outside service source requires basic knowledge of how to service\/recalibrate them properly before putting the vehicle back in service<\/p>\n

Calibration routines can vary widely by manufacturer, but they fall into two basic categories: Static calibration and Dynamic calibration. The OEM will indicate which method should be used as well as specific parameters that should be used during testing and calibration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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