AAA Study Finds ADAS-Equipped Vehicles Pricey to Repair

Vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems in the U.S. can cost more than twice as much to repair as models without them, according to AAA.

ADAS refers to such features as automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitor and lane departure warning. All require additional radar, camera and/or ultrasonic sensors located in or behind the front and rear bumpers and bodywork or built into side mirrors..

AAA evaluated the extra cost of fixing damage to such systems caused by crashes in three 2018-model vehicles: the Nissan Rogue small crossover, Toyota Camry midsize sedan and Ford F-150 fullsize pickup truck. The highest level of ADAS available on each of the vehicles was used for the assessment.

AAA found that repairs for a minor front or rear collision on a car with ADAS equipment can run as high as $5,300—more than twice the repair cost for a vehicle without the safety technologies and their associated sensors. In some cases ADAS-related repairs can add $3,000.

AAA says it can cost as much as $1,300 to replace front radar used for emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, $1,900 for rear radar and cross-traffic alert, $1,100 for side or rear cameras in surround view systems, and $1,300 for ultrasonic sensors used for parking assist.

In some cases, cameras behind the windshield may have to be recalibrated to ensure the function properly when the glass is replaced, AAA says. This means repair shops may need special training, tools and information.