There was a time when driving was almost entirely manual.

Drivers had to judge every parking gap, check every blind spot, keep the vehicle centred in the lane and react instantly to hazards on the road.

Today, many vehicles assist drivers with these tasks and most South African motorists are already driving vehicles equipped with advanced safety technology – often without even realising it.

Features that once appeared only on premium models are now increasingly standard across everyday passenger vehicles, quietly working in the background to help drivers avoid accidents and make every journey safer.

From warning of vehicles in blind spots and helping drivers stay within their lane, to automatically applying the brakes when a collision is imminent or assisting with parking, these Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have transformed the driving experience.

As these technologies become more common, they are also changing what happens after an accident.

What many motorists don’t realise is that even relatively minor collision damage, or repairs involving components such as a windscreen, bumper or side mirror, can affect the accuracy of these sophisticated safety systems.

If they are not properly inspected, recalibrated and verified after repairs, they may no longer perform as intended when they are needed most.

The growing presence of ADAS is therefore reshaping South Africa’s collision repair industry.

“Repairing visible damage is no longer enough. Modern repairs increasingly require specialised diagnostic equipment, precise calibration procedures and highly trained technicians to ensure a vehicle’s safety systems are fully restored before it returns to the road,” says Juan Hanekom, national director of the South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association (SAMBRA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).

“Modern vehicles rely on an increasingly sophisticated network of cameras, radar sensors, electronic control units and, in some models, advanced crash detection technologies that work together to assist the driver and help prevent or respond to collisions.

“Many vehicles now combine information from multiple sensors, including cameras, radar, accelerometers, pressure sensors, seat occupancy sensors and seatbelt sensors to assess driving conditions and respond appropriately.

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“Following an accident, or even the replacement of a windscreen, bumper or side mirror, these systems often require precise recalibration and verification to ensure they continue operating exactly as the manufacturer intended,” explains Hanekom.

He says this places greater responsibility on repairers to invest in specialised equipment, ongoing training and manufacturer-approved repair procedures.

“Repairing the visible damage is only part of the process. If ADAS components are not correctly recalibrated after repairs, motorists could unknowingly be driving with safety systems that are no longer functioning accurately,” adds Hanekom.

Industry analysts expect global demand for ADAS-equipped vehicles to continue growing as safety regulations tighten, technology becomes more affordable and manufacturers increasingly make these features standard across more vehicle ranges.

As a result, South Africa’s collision repair sector must continue evolving alongside advances in vehicle technology.

The technologies requiring specialist inspection and calibration now include:

• Forward-facing and surround-view cameras used for lane keeping assistance, parking assistance and traffic sign recognition.

• Radar sensors that support adaptive cruise control, collision warning systems and automatic emergency braking.

• Lidar technology, which is becoming increasingly common in next-generation vehicles to improve obstacle detection and environmental mapping.

• Electronic Control Units (ECUs), which process information from multiple sensors and coordinate the vehicle’s safety responses in real time.

• Integrated crash detection systems that combine data from accelerometers, pressure sensors, seat occupancy and seatbelt sensors and other vehicle safety systems to determine the appropriate response in the event of a collision.

Hanekom says the increasing integration of these technologies means repairers are no longer simply restoring damaged body panels.

“Following structural repairs, technicians may also need to verify crash sensors, inspect wiring harnesses and connectors, recalibrate safety systems and, where specified by the manufacturer, inspect or replace airbag control modules.

“Equally important is restoring the vehicle’s structural integrity, as even small deviations from approved repair procedures can influence how the vehicle’s safety systems respond in a future collision.”

According to Hanekom, the growing sophistication of these technologies makes quality workmanship more important than ever.

“Consumers should ensure their vehicle is repaired by a workshop with the necessary expertise, equipment and access to manufacturer repair information. Choosing the correct repairer is no longer only about restoring a vehicle’s appearance – it is about restoring the integrity of the vehicle’s safety systems,” he says.

He adds that SAMBRA members are committed to maintaining the highest repair standards as vehicle technology continues to advance.

ADAS is an important step towards increasingly connected, intelligent and ultimately autonomous vehicles.

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