ADAS stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems — the suite of safety features in modern vehicles like lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. These systems rely on a forward-facing camera typically mounted behind the rearview mirror. When a windshield is replaced, even a perfectly fitted new piece of glass shifts the camera’s position slightly. That misalignment — sometimes just one degree — can cause the system to misread lane lines, following distances, or collision threats. Recalibration restores the camera to factory specifications.

If your vehicle was manufactured after approximately 2016 and has any of the following features, it almost certainly requires recalibration after windshield replacement: lane departure warning or lane-keep assist, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, or a heads-up display. Not sure? Tell us your vehicle’s year, make, and model when you call — we’ll look it up and tell you before any work begins. Southwest Auto Glass was the first shop in West Texas to offer ADAS calibration services.

Static calibration is performed in a controlled shop environment. Technicians place calibration targets at precise distances in front of the vehicle and use diagnostic software to align the camera. This type requires a level floor and specific lighting. Dynamic calibration is performed while driving the vehicle at set speeds on roads with visible lane markings. Some vehicles require both types. Southwest Auto Glass performs the method — or combination — specified by your vehicle manufacturer.

Skipping recalibration can leave your vehicle’s safety systems subtly misaligned ,  appearing to work but operating incorrectly. This can cause lane departure warnings to trigger falsely, adaptive cruise control to maintain wrong following distances, or automatic emergency braking to fail to activate when needed. A warning light may illuminate on your dashboard. The risk is that you lose the protection these systems are designed to provide at exactly the moment you need them most.

In most cases, yes. If your comprehensive coverage pays for the windshield replacement, it typically covers recalibration as well because insurers recognize it as a required part of a complete, safe windshield installation — not an optional add-on. Southwest Auto Glass includes recalibration in the same claim paperwork we submit to your insurer. We work with all major carriers and will confirm coverage before starting work.

Southwest Auto Glass was the first auto glass company in West Texas and Southern New Mexico to offer in-house ADAS camera calibration — not sending vehicles to a dealership. While other shops have since added the service, our technicians have performed more ADAS calibrations in the El Paso area than any other independent glass shop, and we use OEM-grade calibration equipment updated for current model years.

Yes. Recalibration may also be required after suspension work, wheel alignment changes, front-end collisions, or battery disconnection on some vehicles — even if the windshield has not been touched. If your ADAS warning light is illuminated or a safety feature is behaving erratically, bring your vehicle to Southwest Auto Glass for a diagnostic check. We’ll determine whether recalibration is needed and perform it while you wait.

Static recalibration typically takes 30 to 60 minutes in our shop. Dynamic calibration requires a controlled road drive of approximately 20 to 40 minutes in addition to setup time. When performed alongside a windshield replacement, most customers are in and out of our El Paso shop within 90 to 120 minutes total. We can often accommodate same-day appointments.