Every ADAS system on every modern car.

The front camera — mounted behind the rear-view mirror, looking out through the windscreen — is the workhorse of most ADAS setups. It feeds lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, traffic-sign recognition, automatic high-beam control, and (on most makes) the visual side of autonomous emergency braking.

When it needs calibration: every time the windscreen is replaced, every time the camera itself is replaced, after any front-end impact, and after any work that involves removing the camera or the mirror assembly.

Static calibration with proper target boards is required on most VW Group, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo and Volkswagen vehicles. We use the Autel IA600 system to set targets at the precise distances and angles specified by each manufacturer's documentation.

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) uses the front-facing radar — usually mounted behind the grille or in the lower bumper — to maintain a set distance from the car in front. On most modern cars, it also pulls data from the front camera for confirmation.

When it needs calibration: any front-end collision (even minor), any work involving bumper removal, any grille replacement, and any work that touches the radar bracket. Radar is unusually sensitive to alignment because it's a beam — a few degrees of misalignment changes where the system "sees" the car in front entirely.

Calibration is done static, with the car sitting square on a level surface, against a manufacturer-specified reflector target. We pre-scan to read the existing radar offset, calibrate, then post-scan to verify alignment is within OE tolerance.

Lane Keep Assist (LKA) actively steers the car back into its lane if you start to drift; Lane Departure Warning (LDW) just warns you. Both rely on the forward camera reading lane markings on the road.

When it needs calibration: alongside front camera calibration in almost every case — it's the same camera. If you've had a windscreen replacement or any work to the camera assembly, this needs to be done.

Typically calibrated as part of the front camera job; pricing is included in the front camera calibration price for the same job.

AEB watches for an imminent collision with the car or pedestrian in front and applies the brakes harder than you can. Most systems combine radar (for distance) with the forward camera (for visual classification of what the obstacle is). Some premium systems add lidar.

When it needs calibration: after any front-end impact, any work that touches the radar or camera, and any windscreen replacement. AEB calibration is mandatory under General Safety Regulation 2 for all new cars sold since July 2024.

AEB calibration is part of a multi-system job — we calibrate the radar and camera together to ensure both are aligned and reporting consistent data.

Blind Spot Detection uses short-range radar sensors in the rear corners of the car (usually behind the bumper) to flag vehicles sitting in your blind spot. The same sensors usually drive rear cross-traffic alert when you're reversing.

When it needs calibration: after any rear bumper removal, rear-end impact, or replacement of the rear corner radar sensors. Also after suspension work that changes the angle of the rear of the car.

Calibration is mostly static, against specified reflectors at known angles. Some makes use a self-calibration cycle that we initiate via the OBD port and verify with a post-scan.

Surround view (also called 360°, bird's-eye, or AVM depending on the make) stitches together the feeds from four cameras — front, rear, left mirror, right mirror — into a top-down view shown on the dashboard. To stitch correctly, each camera needs to know exactly where it's pointing relative to the car's centre line.

When it needs calibration: after any camera replacement (including a wing mirror replacement that contains a camera), bumper work, or windscreen replacement (on cars where the front 360 camera lives at the top of the windscreen).

Calibration is static using a ground-laid pattern around the entire car — usually a checked floor mat with specific dimensions. The car drives onto the mat, we run the calibration routine, and the system learns where each camera is.

The rear-view camera mounted in the boot lid or above the rear bumper does more than just show you what's behind. On modern cars, it feeds reverse AEB, dynamic guidelines that bend with your steering, and (on cars with surround view) one quarter of the 360° image.

When it needs calibration: after any tailgate replacement, any rear-end impact, any boot-handle work that involves the camera mount.

Calibration is straightforward — a static routine that aligns the camera's reference point to the car. Usually a quick job, often bundled with surround view if other cameras need doing too.

Traffic Sign Recognition uses the front-facing camera (sometimes with help from satellite-nav data) to read road signs and display the current speed limit on your dash. On some cars it'll also auto-set your speed limiter or adaptive cruise to match.

When it needs calibration: alongside any front camera calibration. It's the same camera, so if the camera is calibrated correctly, TSR works correctly. The thing that goes wrong with TSR after a bad calibration is misreading signs — flashing up 60mph when you're in a 30, for instance.

Bundled into front camera calibration pricing.

Night Vision (infrared camera, used by BMW, Mercedes, Audi and a handful of others) detects pedestrians, animals and obstacles in the dark beyond your headlights' range. Lidar (laser-based ranging, now on a growing number of premium cars including high-spec Audis, Volvos and some Chinese imports) feeds the most advanced active-safety systems.

When it needs calibration: after replacement, any front-end impact, or any work involving the sensor housing. These are precision optics; a few degrees of misalignment renders them effectively useless.

Calibration is static, using manufacturer-specific targets. Premium-system calibration takes longer than a standard camera job — usually 2 hours plus — and the pricing reflects that. We quote on a per-vehicle basis.

Calibration is half the job. The other half — often required alongside — is ECU programming and coding. When you replace a camera module, radar module, headlight control unit, airbag module or any other electronic component, the replacement often arrives blank and needs to be told what car it's in.

When it's needed: after replacement of any electronic control unit. Most commonly: camera modules (after windscreen-side damage), radar modules (after collision), airbag modules (after deployment), steering rack modules (after rack replacement), and headlight modules (after headlamp replacement on cars with adaptive lights).

We do programming, coding and configuration for all major UK and European OEMs. Often this is bundled with the calibration job itself — if you've replaced a camera module, it needs coding to the car and calibrating, and we do both in one visit.