National Windscreens is delighted to have further strengthened its partnerships with many of the UK’s leading insurers at Insurance Post Claims Club Summit last week.
The event, held at the Crystal, London, brought together many key decision makers from the insurance claims sector to discuss the biggest challenges facing the industry, including the rise in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and what that means for insurers and the rest of the automotive aftermarket. As sponsors of the event, National Windscreens took the opportunity to highlight the growing need for calibration of windscreen mounted cameras used as part of these ADAS systems and to demonstrate its world leading role in the provision of this service.
Pete Marsden, managing director of National Windscreens, said: “Attending this event gave us the perfect opportunity to not only showcase our services but also raise awareness among insurers about the camera calibration work needed when windscreens are replaced.”
Following changes made to ENCAP safety ratings earlier this year, more and more vehicle manufacturers are using ADAS with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) being compulsory.
Most of these systems use forward-facing cameras found on or around the vehicle’s front windscreen. This camera collects the required data to ensure the ADAS systems work but if for any reason the camera becomes misaligned then the data being collected may produce an incorrect action.
This means that if a windscreen has to be replaced, calibration is then essential to ensure ADAS continue to work as intended.
Pete continues: “We work directly with many of the country’s leading insurance companies and have witnessed a lack of awareness about the implications for the automotive aftermarket caused by the rapid increase in ADAS. With 10% of vehicles on UK roads now fitted with at least two ADAS features, a figure set to grow to at least 40% by 2020, it is an issue that needs tackling now.
“The majority of vehicle manufacturers recommend undertaking calibration in workshop conditions and this is why we have invested £1 million in calibration technology and training. The result is a truly national network of 108 fitting & calibration centres offering a local, one stop service for windscreen replacement and calibration.
“What concerns me, however, is the question of whether insurance companies and their policyholders are as fully aware of this need for calibration as they should be and that is why we will be building on the success of this event and working closely with Insurance Post in the future on an ADAS research programme,” he added.
Pictured is Lisa Pugh, Insurance Business Development Manager at National Windscreens, meeting delegates at the Post Claims Club Summit.