1. NEWS FROM
Issue date: 30 November 2015
Aftermarket must prepare for camera re-calibration says AGA
The increasing sophistication of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which rely on
information from windscreen cameras, poses significant challenges and also opportunities for
the whole aftermarket, claims the newly rebranded Automotive Glazing Academy (AGA).
The automotive glazing training and accreditation specialist, formerly known as the Independent
Windscreen Academy, has begun working with industry partners to educate and up-skill the
sector on the issue of windscreen camera re-calibration. This process is essential following any
chassis or suspension repairs, wheel alignment and tracking, body repair and windscreen
replacement.
According to AGA, which is the foremost provider of auto-glazing apprenticeships, adult training
and assessments for IMI accreditation in this field, the industry must adapt quickly. As well as
presenting a revenue opportunity with re-calibration offered as a safety critical service, failure to
reset cameras correctly could render a vehicle’s ADAS inaccurate or at worst, inoperative. This
could expose a business to costly legal consequences and reputational damage, should a
customer be involved in a collision.
Unveiling its new corporate identity, Maria Charlton, Director of the Automotive Glazing
Academy, said that skills training, investment in re-calibration equipment and consumer
marketing are all areas that need to be addressed as a matter of urgency:
“The advent of ADAS has taken smart glass to a whole new level which brings both challenges
and opportunities to the whole aftermarket sector, not just in automotive glazing repair and
replacement. With the integration of safety critical systems, the need for professional
competence in this area is paramount and vehicle owners need to be aware of the implications
when work is carried out on their car.”

2. On the issue of corporate social responsibility, Charlton commented:
“New windscreens for some volume models cost almost £1,000 to replace so we expect insurers
to move away from underwriting the windscreen excess, adding them to the main policy instead.
We anticipate that insurers will also demand certification of camera re-calibration in the event of
a claim, which will need to have been carried out by a fully qualified technician. Motorists need
to know that the days of a £60 excess for windscreen cover are numbered.”
As well as accounting for up to one third of a car’s overall rigidity, the windscreen now plays a
central role in improving road safety generally. Embedded cameras provide the information for
ADAS features, including lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and autonomous
emergency braking, for example. Such is their sensitivity, however, the process of re-calibration
needs to be done in a workshop environment as atmospheric conditions such as light and wind
can have an adverse effect. Similarly, re-calibration cannot be done straight after a windscreen
replacement, as it requires a minimum curing time to allow the glass to fully settle.
Recognising that auto-glazing is a unique area within the motor industry, the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills has recently approved a joint bid from vehicle glazing employers
to develop a new apprenticeship standard for the next generation of automotive glazing
technicians. Coming under Phase 5 of the Apprenticeship Trailblazers programme, the
automotive glazing Trailblazer group represents some 90% of the UK’s vehicle glazing workforce.
Development of the framework for a brand new Level 3 Apprenticeship in Automotive Glazing is
now underway.
Ends
Note to Editors:
In addition to franchised body repair networks and national accident repair chains, there are
approximately 700 independent auto-glazing businesses operating across the UK. It is estimated
that some 3,000 technicians are employed in the repair and replacement of vehicle glass, the

3. majority of which are mobile operatives.
News release issued by Blackbird Communications on behalf of the Automotive Glazing
Academy. For further information, please contact Stuart Brooks on 01727 899488 or email
stuartb@blackbirdcommunications.co.uk