A1 ADAS warns of unsafe ‘car park’ 360° camera calibrations as demand surges

A1 ADAS Group has warned of unsafe practices emerging around 360-degree surround-view camera calibration as demand for the procedure surges nationwide.

The company’s Norwich headquarters, now one of the UK’s largest dedicated ADAS centres, is receiving daily deliveries of vehicles from main dealers, bodyshops and independent repairers that lack the space to carry out 360-camera calibrations in line with OEM requirements.

Growth in vehicles fitted with surround-view systems – across brands including BYD, MG, Omoda, Jaecoo and Nissan – is driving demand. In September alone, BYD registered 11,271 cars in the UK, an almost tenfold year-on-year rise giving it a 3.6% share of the market and making Britain its biggest market outside China.

Calibrating 360-degree systems requires a level workshop with controlled lighting and sufficient floor area for precise mat placement. A Nissan Leaf typically needs 24m² of clear space; some BYD models require almost 100m².

“Demand at our dedicated ADAS centre has risen sharply,” said A1 ADAS Group managing director Iain Molloy. “In October, our technicians completed 80% more 360-camera calibrations than they did in April. Very few workshops, including those within dealer networks, have a spare 100m² to meet the calibration requirements of newer models.”

Molloy said vehicles are now being sent “hundreds of miles” to A1’s Norwich site because compliance with OEM standards demands that calibration “is carried out to the letter”.

He also highlighted unsafe practices being observed in the field, including attempted calibrations in car parks, the use of non-standard mats, and jobs signed off without following OEM procedures.

“In many cases, neither the supply chain nor the customer would know anything was wrong because there’s simply a ‘completed’ tick on the diagnostic report,” he added.

A1 ADAS said insurer expectations leave bodyshops in no doubt that safety-related calibrations must be fully evidenced before a vehicle is handed back to the customer.

“Our message to the trade is simple,” said Molloy. “You hold overall responsibility for the vehicle’s ADAS system when it leaves the workshop. Validate your environment, follow OEM processes, and evidence the result.

“If you don’t have the required space or the correct conditions to meet OEM standards, protect your business and your customers by sending vehicles to a dedicated ADAS centre.”

A1 ADAS Group is one of only a few UK ADAS companies to hold the BS 10125 Kitemark and operates to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards, with Gold-level SafeContractor approval.