What to Consider When Purchasing a Windshield Calibration System
By Abby Bowman
With more and more vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technology, windshield recalibration is becoming a crucial function for auto glass shops. For those evaluating the addition of windshield calibration into their business, it can be intimidating to pick from the many windshield calibration systems on the market. How can you know which one is right for your business?
Every calibration system on the market has strengths and weaknesses. For example, most system suppliers offer support and training, though some suppliers offer a more in-depth support and training package than others. For windshield recalibration veterans and experts, there are several factors to consider when determining the best option.
Money Matters, But So Does Customer Support
Glenn Fell, founder and president of Wyndshyld Auto Glass in Roswell, Georgia, chose his business’s first calibration system because of its price.
“I didn’t have to fork over several thousand dollars just to be able to do one dynamic calibration,” he says.
The system also came with in-depth support, which Fell found reassuring as a windshield recalibration newbie.
“It was great for someone only doing a couple a month,” Fell says.
However, as the number of recalibrations Wyndshyld Auto Glass did each month grew, Fell began exploring faster options. Though the system he switched to was more expensive, he found it more efficient for their work volume.
“Yes, we had to pay more for the equipment, and yes, we have to pay a certain amount per year for a license,” Fell says. “But when you’re doing several hundred of these a year, that becomes pennies on a per-job basis.”
Fell isn’t the only one who believes in paying more for a product when it best suits the company’s needs. For Linda Rollinson, owner of Superior Auto Glass of Tampa Bay in Florida, spending more money on a system made by a United States-based company that provides good support is worth it.
“I would say you got to go where the customer support is, not so much the pricing,” Rollinson says. “If you’re talking just a $2,000 or $3,000 (difference), your customer support is (more) priceless.”
Rollinson says support is valuable to anyone, particularly a new shop owner.
“Especially when you’re trying to calibrate a vehicle and you can’t, you can pick up the phone and talk to somebody and have them walk you through it to get the car calibrated,” she says. “Knowing the car is safe [when returned to the customer] is priceless.”
Using a calibration system properly can also eliminate quite a bit of confusion. To that end, systems that offer good training programs can be invaluable.
“I would encourage that when somebody does buy a tool … when they’re making that investment, they factor in getting actual training, not just watching YouTube videos,” Fell says. “That will save them a lot of time and allow them to be a much better calibration technician.”
Danielle Rollinson, who works alongside her mother, Linda, at Superior Auto Glass of Tampa Bay, points out that good training is essential.
“The most important factor, in my opinion, is finding a calibration system [company] that offers training because this is a safety concern,” she says. “Training is of the utmost importance.”
Danielle adds that without training, you can’t know how your tool interacts with the vehicle you’re calibrating, making risky errors more likely.
Many suppliers offer different types of training. For example, some companies provide on-site trainings that last a few days, while others offer virtual sessions over Zoom or a similar platform.
On the Floor and on the Go
A shop’s set-up, capabilities and goals are other practical factors that help companies decide what windshield calibration system to buy.
Stewart Peregrine, senior sales executive of ADAS at Autel North America, says, “There isn’t a perfect shop.”
He points out that no matter how much care a shop owner takes to perfect their space, no one can guarantee perfection. However, the OEM specs frequently assume conditions are perfect for recalibration. So, part of Peregrine’s task is ensuring his company’s tool calibrates to OEM requirements while accounting for real-world environmental factors.
Many companies, for example, put a lot of effort into preparing the calibration areas of their shops. This includes making sure the floor is level, has proper lighting, and more.
For mobile recalibration systems, which you take to the vehicle instead of having the car in a controlled shop environment, compensating for environmental factors is even more critical.
Fell says a tool such as AirPro’s Auggie, for example, is helpful for mobile recalibrations.
“For someone exclusively mobile, I think the Auggie is great for statics,” he says. “I think the Auggie is a great concept because you can create that controlled environment in the field, in a parking lot or driveway.”
Danielle Rollinson points out that companies with multiple systems can’t mix and match them.
“That is something people need to consider if they are trying to get into the business,” she says. “They can’t piece together different tools and targets because targets are per size, per machine.”
Also, some systems are more suited for dynamic recalibration. For example, a system that lets the technician do all the work from pre-repair to post-repair on one portable tablet can be extra convenient when they have to drive a customer’s car to recalibrate it physically.
Make and Model
Some systems work better for specific vehicle makes or models.
Peter Brown, president of Tiny & Sons Glass Co. in Massachusetts, explains that the technology in newer vehicle models sometimes outruns the capabilities of windshield calibration systems. When that happens, Brown says companies have to wait until the suppliers update their systems to the new technology.
“If you get a 2025 (model), that will not be instantaneously available in all systems, so you must be aware of it. You have to make sure you can navigate that,” he says.
For example, Brown says Subaru recently switched to a stereo camera, changing the calibration boards. While he’s received updated boards from one of his suppliers, others have not yet made the update.
In another instance, Brown’s shop was working on a 2024 Hummer EV and had to bring it to the dealer to finish the calibration, as his system supplier had not yet updated their information.
Brown says it’s just a matter of waiting.
“It’s not the tool or the manufacturer’s fault,” he says. “They have to wait until the OE manufacturer releases (the updated calibration information) to the aftermarket so we can use it.”
Brown stays on top of this issue by investigating the updated information to see if he can complete a calibration or if he needs to send a vehicle to the dealer or somewhere else.
Adding It All Up
Ultimately, every windshield recalibration purchaser has had to weigh for themselves what combination of cost, available support, training and system flexibility best suits the needs of their business. Anyone just getting started will have to do the same.
ADAS expert Jacques Navant of Don’s Mobile Glass has worked with nearly every system on the market, and though he has his preferences for his work, he advises newcomers to keep an open mind.
“Have real realistic expectations for the equipment that you’ve purchased or the equipment that you’re looking at,” Navant, who chairs the Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) ADAS safety committee, says. “Understand what it does, how it does it, and then choose what direction you’re going to go.”
Navant, Brown and Linda Rollinson agree that the best way to find out how a system works and what its capabilities are is by networking.
“Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask people,” Navant says. “We live in an age where we have an abundance of information. Dive deep into the Facebook groups, dive deep into what’s on social media.”
Navant also highly recommends the AGSC and attending Auto Glass Week™ as resources.
Abby Bowman is the associate editor for AGRR magazine. Email her at abowman@glass.com and follow her on LinkedIn.
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