Originally published by Auto Success, May 27, 2026
The ADAS calibration market is growing rapidly. Here’s how dealerships can get started, from facility requirements to technician training and ROI potential.
In last month’s article I discussed how the market for ADAS calibration is growing exponentially, how 90% of vehicles sold today have some form of ADAS equipment and how, in 2029, 100% of all vehicles sold in the U.S. will be required to have Automatic Emergency Braking ADAS functionality. There are currently more than 100 million ADAS-equipped vehicles on U.S. roads and the ADAS calibration market is exploding from $1 billion this year to an expected $3 billion by 2030. The opportunity is huge. However, it begs the question: Where should a dealership begin?
Most of the dealers who bring ADAS calibrations in-house are surprised by how quickly a profitable practice can be started up, and how they frequently already have some of the requirements nailed down. The first key requirement is space. Simply put, do you have the appropriate space required to use an ADAS calibration frame? The ideal space is 20’ x 40’ but there are creative dealers successfully calibrating in smaller spaces. It can also depend on the ADAS frame being used — are the arms of the frame collapsible to make storage easy and make the space more flexible, or are the arms fixed and is the frame difficult to move around your space? Some frames can be quite large and unwieldy.
Other space considerations include whether the floor is level (although some ADAS frames can compensate for unlevel floors) and how “quiet” your walls are. It is recommended to have a neutral wall color and no signage or shelves that can interfere with the vehicle’ cameras during calibration.
Speaking of storage, you will want to ensure you have cabinets to store your ADAS accessories, such as targets. Ideally, you will also have well-controlled LED lighting and minimal exposure to sunlight. However, some advanced ADAS calibration systems use digital targets that automatically compensate for lighting conditions. These digital targets also greatly reduce the need for storage.
Another consideration is the capability of the ADAS frame you invest in. What is your expected volume? There are less expensive frames that require manual setup and there are more expensive frames that automate most of the setup (they can be up to six times faster than manual). That translates to reducing a 45-minute job to as little as 10 minutes. If you are a high-volume shop, investing upfront in an automated frame can pay big dividends.
Further, will you be providing mobile calibrations that require a frame with collapsible arms so it can quickly and easily be loaded into vans and moved into position? Will you be performing wheel alignments, an important component of ADAS calibration? There are frames that don’t provide any alignment capability, there are frames that can provide alignment pre-checks and there are frames that combine alignments with ADAS calibration. The capabilities of your ADAS frame can be adjusted to fit your business.
The most important consideration is your people. A good ADAS calibration platform should guide your technician step by step through the process and not allow progress unless each step is performed correctly. Proper ADAS calibration is too important for your customers’ safety to leave anything to chance. Your tech does not need to be advanced, but they do need to be process-focused and detail-oriented. A good ADAS tech can bill out at up to $500 per hour.
Whoever you choose to help you get started in ADAS calibration it’s important to look for a few key features: What kind of training do they provide? Is the training classroom-based or is it hands-on? Particularly in our industry, hands-on is critical during training. Further, do they provide business training on how to set up a successful ADAS calibration practice, such as how to bill correctly, maintain profitability and track revenue? And how are software updates handled? These are all important considerations when you select your ADAS technology partner.
Navigating these considerations should lead to financial success for your ADAS calibration practice. An initial cost of $20,000 to $70,000 can provide a rapid return. We have seen many shops recoup their investments within months of launch and mid-sized dealership collision shops grossing more than $600,000 in their first year of performing ADAS calibrations. The revenue opportunity is too great for dealerships to ignore, and it is growing rapidly.
