When it comes to ADAS training, Matt Shepanek and Andy Tirado agree that learning can never stop.

"It's kind of one of those things; it's like if you step away from it for a little bit, it's going to pass you by because it's moving at such a rapid pace," says Shepanek, who is vice president of credential testing programs at ASE and president of the ASE Training Managers Council.

Tirado, a co-founder of the ADAS Network, says there's no way to cover everything under the ADAS umbrella in a single training.

"That's the biggest challenge with ADAS training," Tirado says. "There really is no way to cover it all. It has to be continuous."

Where Can a Shop Get Training?

Tirado and Shepanek say there are several ways shop owners and technicians can get ADAS training.

Tirado points to Keith Perkins from L1 Auto Training, the Autel Academy, Advanced Auto Parts through Carquest Technical Institute, Bosch, and Kaizen Glass Solutions as some options.

Shepanek recommends checking out atmc.org, which features a list of accredited training providers, as well as the MEMA Tech Training Hub, but also says there's no substitute for hands-on training.

"We get that feedback all the time on our ATMC Training Benchmark survey," Shepanek says. "The techs love that there are more options to do training virtually and remotely, but what they come back and say (is) … we want more instructor-led training, because that's where the techs really learn, and they want more time out in the shop."

Inevitably, something will pop up that wasn't covered in training, with Shepanek saying environmental conditions and lighting can be things that are different back at the shop.

In the ADAS Knowledge and Capabilities Survey, 43% of respondents said real-world troubleshooting guidance when calibrations fail is something that would be most valuable to their shops. That's where a resource like the ADAS Network comes in. Tirado says members can ask questions and get instant support through a forum, as well as a global search.

"If you type up a brand, year, make, model, problem, it will automatically show you how many areas(are) in the site if there's a video, tech tips or there's a forum solution, it will take you straight there, and instead of just getting the silver bullet at the very end, you see the full process, or you see what that person went through … what there problem was and what were the steps taken … to achieve the solution," Tirado says.

"We don't consider ourselves training," Tirado continues. "We consider ourselves continuous education."

Shepanek also says when going through training, professional networking can be key, and he encourages those who take classes together to exchange contact information.

"I always tell technicians to take advantage of that," Shepanek says. "Every time you're in a training class, get to know people, network, because you never know where that's going to come in handy."

How Important Is ADAS Training?

Shepanek and Tirado agree ADAS training is critical, particularly when it comes to looking out for the safety of drivers and their families. The ADAS Knowledge and Capabilities Survey showed 20% strongly agreed their technicians fully understand the importance of following manufacturer calibration processes exactly as specified, while 20% had no understanding of the liability implications of performing ADAS calibration and diagnostics.

"If something's not calibrated correctly, it puts the customers and the drivers of these vehicles in danger because they're relying on these things as safety systems on the vehicle, so whenever it's been in an accident or if you're removing a bumper, you want make sure that you recalibrate it and put it all back to the way it was supposed to be," Shepanek says.

The survey showed 38% of respondents cited a gap in knowledge in understanding liability and legal implications with ADAS, while 61% have no systematic process in place to identify vehicles requiring ADAS calibration during intake and service planning.

Tirado also says it's important for shop owners to understand how ADAS impacts their businesses, noting processes, communication, and documentation are essential.

"ADAS is very interconnected," Tirado says. "It's intrusive. There's sensor integration throughout other modules. If you don't do something right, you can get into trouble. We need a better understanding and concept of what's all happening."

"Understanding what's connected and how it all works is essential before you take the legally binding commitment with a vehicle, where it ends up costing the shop more money or can create a possible safety hazard on the road," he continues.

Another piece of the puzzle is consumer education when it comes to cost regarding ADAS services. The survey showed 46% of respondents are unclear on a pricing strategy for ADAS services, and only 7% strongly agreed their shop has a strategy for educating customers about price increases related to ADAS calibration on alignments and other routine maintenance.

"The knowledge base really is one of the biggest needs when it comes to the ADAS space," Tirado says. "The other thing that I would say that's much harder to accomplish, I think we need very strong consumer education to let the customers understand what ADAS is, how it works, why their alignment went from $70 to $400."

Can Shops Skip ADAS Training?

With ADAS systems now prevalent on most vehicles, Shepanek and Tirado agree that skipping training isn't really an option. Shepanek says ASE has an L4 test that covers calibrations and diagnosis for ADAS and is in the process of working on another ADAS test geared toward technicians who deal with a vehicle's front glass and calibrations.

"In order to be a technician in this industry, you need to be a lifelong learner," Shepanek says. "You need to stay on top of this stuff because the cars are getting so complicated and they're changing so rapidly. When I first came into the industry, you would get a new model out, and you knew that the electrical systems and the powertrains were going to be relatively stable for a 7-year period, 8-year period. That's not the case anymore."

"The technology's moving at such a rapid pace, if you're not staying current on this stuff, it's going to pass you by, and then you're going to have to catch up," Shepanek says.