A Conception Bay South, N.L., man is warning people who own cars with high-tech safety systems that replacing a windshield is not the simple process it used to be. In fact, he says, it can be a safety hazard.
"I thought it was a pretty standard procedure," Mike Ash told CBC News.
But he soon learned that was not the case.
Ash drives a 2016 Acura MDX equipped with an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS). It includes technology designed to keep cars in their lanes and prevent them from getting too close to other vehicles. It's estimated that one in four cars in North America will have the technology by 2020.
Ash discovered the problem after having his windshield replaced. He was driving his car when the steering wheel started to move the vehicle into the next lane.
"It was actually pulling me into oncoming traffic," Ash said.
The technology does allow the driver to resume control of the steering wheel and safely drive the vehicle, but Ash said "it was a startling feeling to have the steering wheel actually pulling you into traffic."
Wasn't told of hazard
The issue came to light when Ash took his car to Speedy Glass in St. John's after a crack appeared in the windshield.
The ADAS in his vehicle uses several sensors, including a camera attached to the windshield where the interior rear-view mirror is attached.
Ash said while he knew the camera was there, he didn't understand that after a windshield replacement, the camera should be recalibrated in order to help avoid collisions.
He said the technician at Speedy Glass did point out the camera, but Ash maintains he wasn't alerted to the potential safety hazard, other than being told he should have the camera checked the next time he visited his dealership. He said no one explained why it should be checked.
The advanced driver-assistance system collects information from a variety of sensors, including a camera attached to the windshield at the base of the interior rear-view mirror. (Speedy Glass)
"There was no real concern that you should do it right away," he said, adding that the company needs to be more upfront and explain that it can cause collisions if it's not recalibrated.
Main sensors are in the windshield
Doug Bethune, who has been recognized as an automotive expert by the courts, said if the camera isn't recalibrated after a windshield replacement, the accident avoidance system cannot work to help you avoid accidents.
"A lot of the main sensors are in the windshield," he said, including ones to measure distance and peripheral objects around the vehicle.
Automotive expert Doug Bethune says if a camera isn't recalibrated after a windshield replacement, the accident avoidance system can't work properly to help avoid accidents. (CBC)
"When you put in a new windshield, it has to be recalibrated to within a millimetre or two, so it's very precise," Bethune said.
Depending on the particular system, sensors can also be found in the exterior rear-view mirrors, the rear bumper or elsewhere. Bethune said all parts of the technology work together, and unless each sensor is working properly, the system will not provide the protection owners think they have.
It's in the fine print
When Ash was initially trying to figure out the steering issue, he reviewed his invoice from Speedy Glass.
In fine print at the bottom, he found a disclaimer acknowledging he had been told about the need to recalibrate and stating that he would not hold the company responsible for damages if it was not.
The fine print on Mike Ash's Speedy invoice contains information on recalibrating his windshield camera, but he didn't notice it at the time.
However, he said even that disclaimer did not define the risk.
"They don't say that there could be a significant accident or head-on collision," he said.
Ash said one of the key selling points for his vehicle was the ADAS.
"I knew of its advantages. They were pretty clear it's a safety feature that can help protect the consumer," he said.
However, he thinks most people don't understand the technology or the potential impact of not recalibrating the camera.
Transport Canada advice
Ash wondered whether the system should have shut off automatically when the camera was not properly calibrated, and he subsequently filed a complaint with Transport Canada.
Transport Canada spokesperson Julie Leroux told the CBC in an email that the department has received two reports about ADAS performance being affected after the original windshield was replaced. She said in both instances, the windshields were replaced with aftermarket products and were not replaced by the manufacturer dealership.
A video by Speedy Glass shows what can happen when the camera on a replacement windshield is not properly recalibrated after installation. (Speedy Glass)
Acura is a division of Honda. Honda spokesperson Alen Sadeh told CBC in an email, "We recommend that you replace the windshield with a genuine Acura replacement windshield. Making even minor repairs within the camera's field of vision or installing an aftermarket replacement windshield may also cause the system to operate abnormally."
He added that Honda encourages customers to have their vehicles serviced by certified technicians at any of the company's dealerships across the country.
However, it was not possible for Ash to have his dealership replace the windshield because it does not offer that service, although it does recalibrate cameras after the fact.
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