According to Car Fix Solutions, workshops are increasingly outsourcing ADAS calibration and diagnostics to specialist providers amid growing pressure over liability, insurer compliance and key-to-key times.
The Evesham-based repairer, which works predominantly with insurance companies, says the complexity of modern vehicles and the need to meet strict BSI and insurer requirements has made specialist support essential rather than optional.
Owner, Ivan Zimparev, relies on mobile ADAS calibration support from Autocalibration Ltd, part of A1 ADAS Group, alongside remote diagnostic services from A1 Remote Diagnostics, with both now integrated into the bodyshop’s daily workflow.
Ivan said: “Autocalibration and A1 Remote Diagnostics work hand in hand with our everyday operations. Their support has probably had the single biggest impact on the business. They have a very high first-time fix rate, they’re fast, and we’ve never come across anything they can’t do, fix or solve, and that gives us the confidence to take on any job that comes through the door.
“As a bodyshop working to exacting insurance company requirements, compliance and liability are huge parts of what we do,” he added.
“When it comes to ADAS, the responsibility sits with us, so we made a conscious decision to outsource that work to specialists we trust completely. Our safety and liability reputation is in Autocalibration’s hands, and that’s exactly where we want it because they do this work all day, every day.”
He added the rise in vehicle technology has changed the type of work coming through the workshop, with more electric and hybrid vehicles, secure gateways and higher levels of electronic complexity now the norm.
He said: “Five years ago, you might only see this level of technology on premium brands, but now it’s everywhere, including newer Chinese models.
“Modern vehicles are like computers. They have to be safe, and the calibration must be right, so you need people who really know what they’re doing.”
In addition to using Autocalibration’s mobile technicians for daily ADAS work, the business has invested in an A1 Remote Diagnostics interface, allowing its own technicians to connect directly to A1’s remote specialists without sending vehicles to main dealers.
According to Ivan, the change has reduced key-to-key times from weeks to hours: “We used to send cars to dealers for programming or diagnostics and could lose three weeks, which puts you under huge pressure with insurance Service Level Agreements.
“Now we plug in the interface, an A1 technician answers within seconds, and the work is done while the car stays in our workshop. That’s taken our turnaround from weeks to 48 hours at most, and it means we stay in control of the job.
“Every extra day the vehicle is away costs money, so keeping everything in-house but supported by experts makes a huge difference to profitability.”
Ant Yates of Autocalibration Ltd, part of A1 ADAS Group, said more repairers are choosing to use specialist support where the work carries significant responsibility.
He said: “ADAS calibration is not just another repair step; it’s a safety-critical procedure, and the liability sits with the bodyshop carrying out the work.
“We’re seeing more businesses decide that the best approach is to use specialists who do this work every day, because that gives them confidence the calibration has been carried out correctly and that they have the evidence to prove it if the job is ever questioned.
“Remote diagnostics also means bodyshops don’t have to rely on dealers for programming or secure gateway access, helping them keep control of key-to-key times and maintain repair flow within insurer requirements.”
