Farmers Insurance officials have published a consumer guide explaining how advanced driver assistance systems can turn common collision repairs into jobs requiring scans, testing and calibration.
The insurer compared older and current vehicle construction and drew on U.S. regulatory information and SAE International calibration guidance.
A typical 2010 bumper contained a plastic cover, metal reinforcement and mounting hardware, Farmers said. A current bumper may also house cameras, radar, parking sensors, wiring and technology used for blind-spot monitoring and collision avoidance.
Similar equipment is installed in windshields, grilles and mirrors. Windshield replacement may require camera transfer, scans and calibration. Front-end repairs can affect automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. Rear-bumper damage may involve parking sensors, cameras or cross-traffic alerts, while mirror repairs can disturb blind-spot systems.
“Features designed to help prevent collisions can also make repairs more complicated and costly,” said Michaela Rush, head of national auto physical damage at Farmers.
Farmers said affected jobs can require specialized parts and equipment, pre- and post-repair scans, system testing and camera, radar or sensor calibration. Those steps, along with parts availability and outsourced operations, can extend repair times.
Greg Ritter, head of auto product at Farmers, said “more technology often means more complex repairs.”
The guide noted that rearview cameras are already mandatory on new U.S. vehicles. Automatic emergency braking, including pedestrian detection, is scheduled to become mandatory on nearly all new U.S. passenger vehicles and light trucks by September 2029.
Farmers advised drivers to confirm that a repair facility has the necessary expertise, ask whether work will be transferred elsewhere and retain records of scans, calibrations and safety system testing.
