ADAS calibration is the procedure that confirms a vehicle’s cameras, radar and other driver assistance sensors are aimed and configured within the manufacturer’s tolerances after work that could disturb them. Without it, systems such as autonomous emergency braking or lane keeping may react late, early or not at all, often with no warning light to show the fault.
This guide explains static and dynamic methods, the repair and maintenance work that should trigger a check, the UK insurer requirements and competence routes that apply, and the evidence fleets and work providers should ask for. It is written for fleet managers, bodyshop and dealer aftersales teams and insurance engineers.
What ADAS calibration involves
Driver assistance features rely on sensors that measure the world relative to the vehicle’s own geometry. A forward camera behind the windscreen, a radar behind the front bumper or badge, and corner radars and ultrasonic sensors all assume a known mounting position and angle. If that position changes by a small amount, distances and lane positions are misread.
Calibration has three parts. First, prerequisites are checked, such as diagnostics, stored fault codes and, where the procedure requires it, wheel alignment. Second, the sensor is aligned or taught its position using the method the manufacturer specifies. Third, the result is checked against the manufacturer’s specification and recorded. Thatcham Research’s introductory calibration course lists diagnostics, fault code reading and wheel alignment among the prerequisites, which shows calibration is a whole-vehicle task rather than a single tool operation.
Static and dynamic methods
Manufacturers specify one of several approaches, and some vehicles need more than one. The IMI’s Level 2 ADAS calibration qualification teaches static, dynamic and combined dynamic-static calibration as distinct processes, along with the tools, equipment and environmental conditions each needs.
| Method | How it works | Practical demands |
|---|---|---|
| Static | The vehicle stays in the workshop while the sensor is set against targets or reference equipment | A controlled environment and the specific targets and positioning equipment the procedure calls for |
| Dynamic | The vehicle is driven under specified conditions while the system learns its alignment | A road drive at the speeds and in the conditions the manufacturer sets |
| Combined | Static and dynamic steps used together | Both sets of conditions |
| Self-setting | The system sets itself during normal use once prerequisites are met | Confirmation that the process has completed |
Thatcham’s code of practice for repairers, summarised by the IMI, asks repairers to decide which of these types applies, whether static, dynamic, self-setting or a combination, before work begins. It also states that, where a manufacturer specifies dynamic calibration, the vehicle should not be released until that drive has been completed and confirmed.
When ADAS calibration is needed
Windscreen replacement is the best known trigger, but it is far from the only one. Thatcham Research’s May 2019 ADAS repair position lists three groups of work where calibration should be considered:
- repairing, removing, refitting, aligning or replacing parts close to ADAS sensors, such as bumpers, grilles, door mirrors and windscreens;
- any change to geometry, suspension or ride height, including wheel alignment and suspension component replacement;
- realigning, replacing or refitting any ADAS sensor or its bracket.
The UK Insurance Industry Requirements apply the same logic to any repair, service or maintenance involving ADAS sensors, parts that may affect them, or vehicle geometry. For fleets, that brings routine work such as tracking adjustments and suspension repairs into scope, not just accident repair.
Not every job will need calibration. The point is that the repairer should check the manufacturer’s procedures and record whether calibration is required and why. Fleets that use several suppliers should make sure that decision is recorded consistently, because a missed calibration is hard to spot later.
Standards, insurer rules and competence
There is no single UK law that sets an ADAS calibration method. The obligations come from manufacturer procedures, insurer requirements, repair standards and competence schemes:
- UK Insurance Industry Requirements (IIR). Thatcham’s ADAS page says its member insurers require repairers to meet manufacturers’ standards for safe ADAS repair under the IIR. The requirements call for identifying and recording whether ADAS is fitted, completing every specified inspection, realignment and calibration, using a currently competent person, confirming sensors work within the manufacturer’s specification and giving the work provider auditable records.
- BS 10125. Thatcham’s 2019 position asks for calibration records to be kept with other repair records under clause 4.5 of BS 10125, the vehicle damage repair standard, and Thatcham’s accredited calibration course is described as supporting BS 10125 compliance.
- Competence. The IMI’s TechSafe recognition includes an ADAS category based on IMI calibration awards and accredited assessments. A newer Level 2 Technical Specialist award in ADAS calibration began on 1 August 2025. The IMI said in June 2026 it was calling for TechSafe to be mandated, so it is not a legal requirement as of November 2026.
Customer awareness is low. An IMI report published in December 2023, based on a GiPA survey of 1,036 motorists, found 39 percent wrongly believed calibration is done at the MOT and only 16 percent were confident their systems had been recalibrated after repairs. Fleets cannot rely on drivers to notice a problem.
How fleets and work providers can verify the work
The practical test is whether a later reviewer can tell what was done, by whom and with what result. A calibration record should include:
- the repairer, and any outsourced calibration provider, with addresses;
- vehicle make, model, registration, VIN and mileage;
- the trigger, the manufacturer procedure followed and the method used;
- the date, the equipment used and the technician’s name and proof of competence;
- pre- and post-calibration diagnostic results showing the sensor within specification, plus confirmation that any dynamic drive was completed.
Fleet managers can write these items into supplier contracts and service level agreements, and sample records during supplier reviews. Where a vehicle comes back with a warning light or a driver reports odd system behaviour, the record shows whether calibration was skipped, done with the wrong method, or done correctly. The same discipline applies to software and diagnostics, as discussed in our piece on workshop diagnostics for software vehicles, while workshop capability as a team responsibility covers building skills across a site. For example, a van fleet might require any supplier replacing a windscreen to send the calibration certificate with the invoice before payment is released.
Key points for fleets and aftersales teams
- ADAS calibration may be needed after windscreen, bumper, mirror, suspension, alignment or sensor work, not only after a collision.
- Follow the method the manufacturer specifies: static, dynamic, combined or self-setting.
- Insurer requirements expect a competent technician, results within manufacturer specification and auditable records.
- IMI TechSafe is a recognised competence route, but it is not mandatory as of November 2026.
- Write record requirements into supplier contracts and check samples, because drivers rarely detect a fault.
Sources
- Thatcham Research: UK Insurance Industry Requirements (IIR) for ADAS
- Thatcham Research: Managing vehicle repairs involving ADAS (May 2019)
- Thatcham Research: ADAS, assisted and automated driving
- Thatcham Research: Introduction to ADAS and calibration
- Thatcham Research: IMI ADAS calibration course
- IMI: Post-repair ADAS calibration: new code of practice
- IMI: Level 2 Award in ADAS Calibration
- IMI: Level 2 Technical Specialist in ADAS Calibration
- IMI: IMI TechSafe
- IMI: What is IMI TechSafe and why should it be mandated
- IMI: Less than half of motorists consider ADAS calibration vital
Sources checked in November 2026. Rules, rates and schemes can change after publication, so check the linked official pages before acting.
