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Your shop is likely already dealing with ADAS cameras, radars, LiDAR, and infrared that need calibrating, but thermal cameras are the next to enter your bay, and these ones change the rules.
OEMs are adding thermal cameras to cover the blind spots of traditional sensors and are increasingly on the road with widespread adoption likely to hit soon.
Collision shops will be the first to feel the impact of this, so preparing your shop is vital. The question isn’t if you’ll see thermal, it’s whether you’ll be ready to calibrate it when you do. This guide walks you through everything you need to know to prepare for the impact of thermal ADAS on the collision industry.
Why OEMs are beginning to use thermal cameras
By detecting heat signatures of pedestrians or animals, thermal cameras are the solution to the low-light problem experienced by cameras and LiDAR. The dark fur of an animal or a soft dark coat can be easily detected by thermal cameras at night.
Extreme weather is also a challenge to cameras and LiDAR sensors. Whether some OEMs may ditch older sensors for thermals or some may add as a complement, thermal cameras give ADAS a performance advantage in extreme darkness, thick fog, heavy rain, and high glare.
Regulation is also accelerating adoption. OEMs are turning to thermal cameras to fall in line with the recently passed FMVSS 127 regulation, which mandates that all new vehicles are equipped with Pedestrian Autonomous Emergency Braking (PAEB) systems by 2029. Some manufacturers will add thermal alongside existing sensors, some may replace older tech. In short, thermal cameras are coming as they extend ADAS capability and also calibration demand.
Manufacturers bringing thermal into your bay
While currently, thermal camera integration is still considered a “luxury”, there is reason to believe that it will soon become standard. Numerous manufacturers are in the process of adding thermal tech including Mercedes, Ford, Toyota, and more.
Mainstream migration is obviously going to have the largest impact on your shop, yet waiting for widescale implementation before adjusting shop floor procedures will leave you behind.
Already there are many vehicles on the road now that are equipped with thermal imaging technology. At this point, it is often marketed as a type of ADAS night vision. Examples of these systems are equipped on higher end models such as:
- Audi Night Vision Assistant equipped on models like the A6, A7, or A8
- BMW Night Vision and High-Beam Assist on 5, 6, or 7 series models
- Cadillac Night Vision on newer Escalades
Thermal cameras typically sit behind the grill, bumper, or elsewhere on the front of the vehicle.
These sensors are used by numerous ADAS systems such as AEB, Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and more. Minor front-end work, windshield damage, suspension repair, or other factors that impact ride height or vehicle geometry may trigger thermal camera calibration.
You may already be repairing vehicles equipped with thermal ADAS even if you’re not aware it’s there. This makes it all the more important to have ADAS identification. With this in mind, it’s vital that you know that this is coming to your bay sooner rather than later and it’s up to you to decide if you’ll take advantage of this new revenue opportunity.
Calibration challenges unique to thermal ADAS
Thermal camera calibration is different than most ADAS features. Of course, set-up and targets must be made consistent with those of radar or camera sensor measurements, but there are extra steps to ensure proper function.
Unlike optic sensors, however, thermal cameras are extremely sensitive to environmental conditions. The proper temperature and background conditions must be perfect. Ambient temperature or background heat sources can severely hinder your calibration success.
Timing is also an important consideration. Some manufacturers explicitly state that thermal cameras must be calibrated before any radar systems. The ability to identify ADAS calibrations required can prevent having to go back and calibrate a second time.
This is where it is extremely important to properly evaluate your shop to determine if you possess the correct logistical set up to perform these calibrations.
These tighter environmental constraints are not optional, they are required by OEMs. Thermal sensor calibrations introduce your shop to:
- Narrower environmental tolerances
- More setup and validation steps
- Higher failure risk if steps aren’t followed properly
Thermal calibration raises the bar for precision and documentation, and shops that invest early in proper space, controls, and procedure will see the largest ROI.
The documentation risk collision shops can’t ignore
With increased emphasis on environmental constraints and ensuing validation steps, you cannot have a lax approach to documentation. Thermal ADAS amplifies liability exposure for your shop and your documentation strategy must be airtight to serve as a “bullet-proof” vest.
The issue with simply calibrating “what we knew was there” is that this phrase will not hold up in court. In an unfortunate scenario where a thermal camera that you were supposed to calibrate malfunctions, your shop can be held liable for damages. In addition, insurance agencies are looking for reasons to delay or outright deny payouts and need to be shown indisputably that your shop performs necessary service.
To avoid both of these negative scenarios — and promote shop organization that can help for other reasons — documentation that is OEM compliant is a must. For emerging tech, like thermal cameras, OEM compliance expectations are higher than older ADAS features. There is no room for error or nuance. If thermal systems aren’t properly identified and documented, your shop carries the risk.
The correct tools become critical
Thermal cameras are not always obvious and old-fashioned visual checks aren’t enough. The only way to know for sure if thermal cameras are equipped is through VIN-based identification tools.
VIN-lookup can identify any feature regardless of trim, package, or year of the vehicle. Raw VIN data is complex, without the right decoding tools it is easy to miss critical systems. Using ADAS identification platforms like Revv allow you to:
- Have instant identification of all necessary ADAS calibrations
- Auto-generated OEM-compliant documentation
- Have access to the most up-to-date information on all things ADAS
- Identify any additional streams of income that you might have otherwise missed.
Apart from the proper tools and environmental set up, there are other strategies to implement to make this transition as smooth as possible. You should also focus your energy into developing:
- Correct training programs - ASE ADAS certification or a rigorous internal program
- Shop floor procedures - Eliminate manual procedures and ensure a step-by-step process
- Documentation protocols - OEM-compliant, consistent, airtight strategies
The thermal revolution is coming, is your shop prepared? Set up a call with one of our ADAS experts today to see how you can improve your ADAS operations.
