Does changing a vehicle’s ride height impact ADAS?

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Trust is the magic word

WARNING — IT CAN GET COMPLICATED

By

Mike Manges

Installing plus-size tire and wheel combinations can sometimes change a vehicle’s ride height. What impact could that have on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS?) What do installers need to keep in mind when it comes to ADAS?

In this article, representatives from Autel North America, Bosch Automotive Aftermarket, Hunter Engineering Co., Snap-on Inc., TEXA USA and

Vehicle Service Group (VSG) share tips and best practices.

Can the installation of plus-sized, aftermarket tire and wheel packages on a vehicle impact that vehicle’s ADAS? What do tire/wheel installers need to be aware of?

Richard Zenteno, national sales manager, ADAS, Autel North America:

Vehicles that have been raised or the steering and suspension modified will affect the ADAS, especially the forward-facing sensors.

Scott McKinney, senior product manager, Bosch Automotive Aftermarket North America: The general rule is that as long as the tires — or even a lift kit — are within the specs of a dealerinstalled package, it’s not a problem for calibration. However, if a plus-sized tire falls outside the standard wheel size, ADAS would most likely still calibrate and operate, but not in the way the (original equipment manufacturer) intended.

Ryan Gerber, product specialist, ADAS, Hunter Engineering Co.: Yes. The plus-sized package creates a different ride height by altering the manufacturer’s aiming of ADAS sensors. Effects can be wide-ranging, depending on various factors. (Vehicle manufacturers) have statements and/ or information regarding these types of packages that in some cases provide guidance for calibration.

Jordan Krebs, product manager, Americas, wheel alignment and ADAS, Snap-on Inc.: One thing that will never change in the automotive world is the fact that automotive enthusiasts will always want to be able to modify their vehicle to match their personality — whether it be through lift kits, aftermarket tire and wheel packages, paint jobs or aftermarket body panels.

These modifications can affect ADAS calibrations on a vehicle as most ADAS are mounted to the body or chassis and rely on suspension angles — namely total toe, steering, thrust, track width and ride height angles — to be in proper alignment before calibrating.

When modifying any part of a vehicle with aftermarket parts, technicians need to review the OEM service information for that specific vehicle, as each manufacturer has a different stance on the subject of vehicle modification. Suppose the modifications a technician makes result in the car’s geometry changing in any way. In that case, there is a potential for ADAS sensors to fail to function properly, which could result in a safety system failure that causes injury or death.

TEXA USA tech support team: The installation of enlarged-sized wheels on a vehicle increases the ride height of the vehicle and the height of the sensor field of visibility. If the sensor height is increased, the distance for the visibility is increased, which may alter the distance for the warning or reaction time of the system.

In some cases, where the rear wheels are larger than the front, the vehicle may be pointed at a steeper angle than originally designed and cut down on the sensor field of visibility, which might eliminate the warning or reaction time for the system.

Lee Daugherty, vice president, ADAS sales and development, chief collision technology, VSG: The modification of tire/wheel size from the original equipment specifications absolutely has an impact on a vehicle’s ADAS. When changing the ride height — the distance from the highest point on the fender well to the ground of the vehicle — by either raising, lowering or changing the relationship of front to rear, the ADAS sensors/cameras are in a different orientation than they were from the factory.

You can equate it to standing upright and looking at something and then squatting down and looking at the same object. Your perspective changes. Changing the ride height of a vehicle has the same effect on the ADAS sensors.

By changing the tire/wheel size, the driver is going to experience changes to how the vehicle’s ADAS react on the road. The cameras/sensors are now looking from a different perspective and may react quicker, slower or not at all to (the) driving situations you encounter.

What are some ADAS-related scenarios that could be created by the installation of plus-size tire/wheel packages and do they create situations where ADAS will need to be recalibrated?

Zenteno (Autel): Think about a straight road, where the left and right sides meet at the horizon. That point is called the “vanishing point.” For ADAS — including critical systems like collision warning — to work, they need a point of reference to make their calculations.

When you alter the vehicle’s position — be it by means of modifying the tire size or suspension’s height or the