ADAS ROCKS UP IN SOUTH AFRICA
The EU27 and UK as well as the U.S. have made some aspects of advance driver assistance systems (‘ADAS’) mandatory, with the latest iteration featuring driver monitoring. As the fitment volumes increase, so the cost of the systems falls. Now, it may well be a few Rand to include some of these systems than leave them off.
The effect for collision repair is the customer knows the sounds the vehicle makes and will use features such as blind spot alert as well as adaptive cruise control/autonomous braking. So, if the vehicle arrives back with the customer with one or more systems not working, there will be a phone call …
Looking ahead
Between the windscreen and the rear-view mirror there is a camera. This offers a range of services depending on the technology deployed, from obstacle recognition (is it a bird, is it a plane, is it a broken taxi broken down in daylight?’) through to road sign speed alert and even reduction of the vehicle speed in line with prevailing speed limits.
To do this the camera has to be aimed along the vehicle centre line, and the vehicle has to track properly too. Calibration is required every time the windscreen is replaced – leaving the camera dangling on the harness will not fool the system. Calibrations fall into two groups – a small initial adjustment followed by driving (‘dynamic’) or a ‘static’ process.
Here is part of a static calibration document from a 2020 Toyota HiLux windscreen mounted camera, complete with workshop floor flatness check. The whole calibration process covers 20 pages of A4 – including how to make the target board, how to set it up, the type of workshop space that’s required and more:
Of course, this relies on using the diagnostic tool to complete the process.
In a similar way, here is part of the dynamic calibration instruction for a Hyundai Tucson NX4. Hyundai offer static or dynamic calibration processes for this model. Again, use of the diagnostics tool is core to the process:
Coming to a stop, autonomously
At the front of the car, fitted to the bumper beam or the bumper skin itself, there can be a RADAR unit. This is for detecting obstacles in the 10 m to 250 m range, regardless of light conditions. During daylight the windscreen camera works with the RADAR module to offer a number of services depending on the technology deployed, from impending impact alert through to autonomous braking (i.e., the vehicle comes to a stop without driver input). The RADAR module has to be aimed so that it aligns with the vehicle centre line, and the vehicle has to track correctly as well.
Why? The longer the range of the device, the bigger the effect of mis-alignment. If not correctly aligned it could check out rocks beside the road instead of that broken down taxi with no lights.
Here is an example of setting up the Hyundai Tucson NX4 front bumper RADAR module for calibration – as static process. The ’target’ is a RADAR reflector. Sometimes the reflective surface is included in the target boards sold by manufacturers and sometimes it is a small cone type device:
These are not stand-alone systems. Rather, they are linked to and work with a variety of different systems across the vehicle. To make these features work …
Autonomous braking:
- The RADAR module detects how far ahead the obstacle is – depending on the windscreen camera technology, this can assist in this process, but primarily tracks the same obstacle. In this way it can decide if the obstacle is fixed, or moving.
- The two systems calculate in real time if and when the brakes should be applied, using the ABS module.
- The engine power is reduced, and the transmission is prepared as well (yes, with works with automatic, CVT and dual clutch automated manual transmissions as well as BEVs) – in other words, the system takes command of the powertrain.
- Ahead of the potential impact, the system alerts the driver.
- If the driver does nothing, the system will take over.
- In more advanced systems the steering electric assistance is used to help steer around the obstacle to avoid impact or reduce impact severity.
- Note: This will occasionally result in no impact but usually, a reduced impact speed.
Lane keeping assist:
- One of the more annoying EU27 mandated devices, the windscreen camera tracks the position of the vehicle in a lane. If the vehicle gets too close to the edge of that lane, the system will alert the driver.
- In more advanced systems the steering electric assistance will take over and correct the vehicle position.
Road sign recognition:
- The windscreen camera can recognise speed limit signs.
- Some systems simply alert the driver if the vehicle speed exceeds the limit.
- Other systems take control of the powertrain to reduce the vehicle speed.
- Similarly, ‘geo-fencing’ is used to switch off internal combustion engines in low or ultra-low emission zones, so that hybrid or plug-in hybrid only uses electric drive. Systems will permit engine re-start if the traction battery energy is used up while still inside the ‘zone’.
Alive!
This is a mere taste of the interconnected technology that is coming to South Africa. The key skills include how to use the diagnostic system to access calibration processes (static or dynamic) and training to know where to find the information as well as how to use it. The most basic systems have an advanced windscreen camera, while more elaborate systems integrate up to three RADAR modules at the front, two RADAR at the rear, four vision camera and around 12 ultrasonic sensors. That’s not to forget a camera aimed at the driver, or a head-up display.
Each system requires some form of calibration, which is additional work for repairers.
Story by Andrew Marsh
