Mitchell International, the parent company of National Auto Glass Specifications (NAGS), highlighted how Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) has made the auto glass replacement business more complex in its 2019 Fourth Quarter Industry Trends Report.
glassBYTEs previously highlighted the company’s CEO, Alex Sun, views on emotional artificial intelligence in part one.
Mitchell International’s sales and service vice president, Jack Rozint, gave insight on the tools and technology auto glass businesses will need when addressing ADAS auto glass claims. According to Rozint, auto glass installers need the best available tools to help streamline business operations and auto glass replacement. He said many businesses continue to use Point of Sale (POS) management systems to improve efficiency, enhance dispatch services, bill more accurately and improve customer communications.
Lingering Issues
He noted that issues remain, which include: having or finding the right SKU, following original equipment manufacturer (OEM) installation procedures, ADAS recalibration, and staying connected in a mobile world.
“For those vehicles that have front lane departure systems where the camera points through the front glass, the replacement of a windshield takes on completely new levels of complexity,” said Rozint. “It is not uncommon for a specific make and model to have 20 or more possible different windshield SKUs that reflect a growing number of available parts.”
According to Rozit, once a technician has identified the correct part the next issue is to ensure that all OEM recommended procedures are followed.
“With so many manufacturers producing ADAS equipped vehicles, and the installation procedure varying widely, it quickly becomes very difficult to access and follow the correct procedures on every vehicle, every day. The correct procedure can vary even within the same OEM’s product line (e.g. one model requiring a given procedure for the 2019 model and another 2019 model from the same OEM requiring a different installation procedure),” said Rozit.
When speaking about the challenges faced with ADAS recalibrations, Rozit mentioned that those working on an ADAS-equipped vehicle need to know which process the vehicle will need to undergo.
“If there is a recalibration required, is it a static calibration—one that requires fixed targets—or is it a dynamic calibration that requires a drive cycle with a specialized scan tool to run the calibration routine? Once I know what recalibrations are required, if any, is this something I can provide as a service, or will I have to outsource the work to a third party? These questions require both resolution and certainty,” Rozit said.
The company’s report also highlighted how industry businesses can stay connected to systems and information they needed without being “tethered to a desktop computer.” According to the report, accessibility is needed from any device regardless if it is running iOS, Android, or Windows.
Solution
“The glass business is undergoing change that is unprecedented. Glass businesses will require modern tools, such as glass claims management software, that simplify business management functions and ever-changing repair data will not only improve operations, they will help to enable proper and safe replacements,” said Rozit.
To read Rozit’s full text, click here.
