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ADAS has permanently changed repair complexity, liability, and shop floor procedure, but as is usual with these technologies, there is a new development. Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is the next evolution of vehicle safety and connectivity, and is already widely in use in Europe with OEMs building it into platforms here as well.
If your shop is already well-equipped to handle ADAS, then you’re already well on your way to deal with what will be another widely adopted ADAS enhancement in the auto industry. The question ahead is what V2X is, and how it changes diagnostics, calibrations, tooling, and liability for your shop.
What is Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X)?
Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) describes a communication network that connects a vehicle to its surroundings. This is a complement to traditional ADAS systems, relying on both its own onboard sensors and also data received from other vehicles, infrastructure, networks, and more. V2X is an all-encompassing term can be further divided into other categories including:
- Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V)
- Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I)
- Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P)
- Vehicle-to-Network (V2N)
V2X goes hand-in-hand with autonomous vehicle systems as received data can determine a vehicular output. ADAS responses are no longer isolated to what onboard sensors detect, which from a repair standpoint means a change to how systems must be serviced and documented. As V2X expands, repair implications are clear: vehicle repair is part of a live and connected safety network.
The two types of V2X are DSRC and C-V2X. DSRC is a WiFi based communication network, with shorter range, whereas C-V2X is run on a 4G cellular network with a far greater range, and soon to be integrated with 5G. While many argue that C-V2X is likely the model of the future, DSRC has more products currently on the market.
How V2X expands the ADAS ecosystem
V2X is an important breakthrough in ADAS technology, think of ADAS as your own eyes and ears and V2X the ability to listen to everyone else, working well to paint a vivid picture of road conditions. Of course, this functions best with the proper infrastructure and market penetration. Both ADAS and V2X are expected to increase in implementation over the next decade.
V2X adds an external data layer for ADAS decision-making. Some examples of this can include:
- V2V can provide systems such as Forward Collision Warning (FCW) with increased vision of the road ahead, or give Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) a better view of what’s around the corner
- V2N can tell Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that it should begin to gradually slow down due to traffic up ahead
- V2I has the ability to create safer intersections and expedite tolling stations
- V2V can promote fuel efficiency via “platoons” where vehicles take advantage of aerodynamics to follow each other closely
- V2P can detect signals from smart phones and other devices to prevent pedestrian accidents
- Navigation data can act as a trigger for vehicle speed control and precautionary driver prompts
For shops, this means that your repairs are becoming increasingly complex. You will no longer be calibrating sensors that impact the outputs of a single vehicle, rather repairing a system that reacts based on shared data.
As infrastructure and implementation advances, OEMs will rely more on V2X-enhanced ADAS output, raising the bar for precision, accuracy, and documentation.
V2X hardware: What shops will be repairing
From a shop floor standpoint, V2X introduces some new components, yet the same ADAS principles are still in place. V2X hardware includes:
- Telematic Control Units (TCUs) and On-Board Units (OBUs) which collect sensor data from the vehicle and can share such data with remote servers
- Antennas dedicated to sending and receiving V2X information
- Traditional ADAS sensors like radars, cameras, and more.
Typical ADAS calibration triggers will go hand-in-hand with V2X calibration triggers, yet V2X-specific hardware requires additional care. Beside the obvious triggers of direct damage to some of this hardware, there are cosmetic repairs that still require electronic replacement, service, or calibration of the V2X instruments.
Telematics and antennas very much are sensitive to changes in vehicle geometry, therefore, work that affects geometry (i.e. suspension work, wheel alignment, etc.) is likely to be a trigger to calibrate V2X hardware. These components are also sensitive to grounding and power supply, so a robust knowledge of electronics is needed when dealing with these systems.
OEM guidelines change constantly and are very restrictive in their procedures. V2X sensors and instruments require an acute level of care, sometimes requiring scan-tool verification and network communication. Sensor fusion also dictates large-scale projects that affect numerous systems meaning a missed step can affect multiple systems.
V2X and ADAS calibration: What changes for shops
It may seem like the proliferation of V2X technology is a disruption for your shop: more steps, more scans, and longer service cycles. The truth is that shops with already successful ADAS practices are only adding a layer of verification, and that this is a new revenue opportunity.
V2X relies on traditional ADAS fundamentals and procedures such as proper vehicle setup, OEM repair procedures, controlled environments and correct scans. What is truly needed to evolve in your shop is the proper training and awareness to identify additional service needs. Beyond traditional camera and radar calibrations, your techs must understand:
- Modules that participate in V2X communication
- How telematics interact with ADAS outputs
- How software updates impact the process
This is not a complete reworking of your shop’s workflow, rather a commitment to detail and an investment in the correct tools. Manual practices and “no warning light” strategies are already obsolete. Now, the role of pre- and post-repair scans, network checks, and software confirmation are baseline requirements.
Diagnostic and scan tool implications
V2X is bound to have wide variance among different manufacturers, especially at the telematics and software level. Aftermarket scan tools may lag behind OEMs and not immediately support V2X functions. You should expect an increased reliance on OEM-approved tools and platforms, frequent software updates, and verification of network latency and signal integrity.
Telematics and Over-the-Air (OTA) updates are at the center of the V2X revolution.Telematics run on-board diagnostics that only the correct scan tools will be able to read, while OTA allows for many software updates without a vehicle entering a shop. This is where scanning is vital to establish software baselines, verify intended or unintended changes, and run accurate diagnoses.
Documenting the correct tool usage is still a must for liability protection and insurance claims. Traditional tort and liability laws are still being adapted to V2X regulation, but it is clear that manufacturers and others in the automotive ecosystem will be held liable for V2X defects due to their interconnected nature. Your shop therefore has a duty to adapt to the changing landscape by becoming an expert on this nascent technology.
What shop owners should do now to prepare
Your work is cut out for you. If you’re like most shops, you already have some degree of ADAS-dedicated workspaces and tools, so V2X preparation is about closing gaps, not starting anew. You need to invest in:
- Proper OEM scanners
- Continuous technician training
- Calibration software and hardware
You also need to update your procedures to include V2X considerations if you haven’t already. This includes:
- Understanding telematics and treating them as a repairable system
- Accounting for constant software updates
- Educating your techs and customers on the importance of these systems
Regulation is still evolving, so you need to get ahead and position your shop as a technology-forward repair facility, or else you may fall behind and risk losing business to your competitors.
V2X is likely to be adopted faster than you think
V2X is going to amplify ADAS features even more, and therefore will require a truly robust approach from your techs. Collision repair, in addition to traditional practices, is under the process of becoming a networked electronics discipline.
The NHTSA V2X deployment plan of 2024 is looking to make V2X standard on new vehicles within the next decade, that means shops that don’t adapt now may be left behind forever. Evaluate your shop’s readiness by speaking with an ADAS expert at Revv, who has the know-how to get your shop on the track for success.
