Mobile Calibration Only Works If the Environment Is Right. Period.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the parking lot.

Mobile companies are popping up everywhere saying, “We can calibrate anything, anywhere.” And while some can?A lot of them shouldn’t be.

And if you’re a body shop relying on a mobile company to calibrate ADAS systems in an environment that doesn’t meet OEM standards—you are just as liable when it all goes sideways.

Let’s Be Crystal Clear: Environment Matters

ADAS calibrations aren't Wi-Fi installs. You don’t just show up and press "Go."

You need:

• Flat, level surfaces

• Even lighting

• Specific distances between targets

• Enough space to set up OEM-prescribed procedures

Without those conditions, the calibration is wrong.Not maybe wrong. Not close enough.Wrong.

And when that system fails on the road, the customer won’t care that a mobile van was "convenient." They'll care that you gave them back an unsafe car.

The Trap Shops Are Falling Into

We get it—body shops don’t always have space or equipment to perform in-house calibrations. So mobile companies come in and say:“We’ve got you covered.”

But here’s the critical question:

Did they set up the right environment, or just hook up a scanner and call it a day?

Because if they didn’t follow OEM procedures—and you deliver that car—you own that liability.

Not the guy in the van.You.

Not All Mobile Is Bad—But Some of It Is Dangerous

We’re not knocking mobile calibration.We do it too.

But we do it right. If the shop doesn’t have the right space, we move the vehicle to a controlled location. If the lighting’s bad, we reschedule. If the surface isn’t level, we don’t fudge the measurements.

If we can’t do it by the book, we don’t do it at all.

Unfortunately, too many mobile providers are telling shops what they want to hear:

“We’ll do it in the parking lot. No big deal.”

But it is a big deal. And if something goes wrong, your name—not theirs—is on that repair order.

Final Word: If the Calibration Isn’t Correct, It Isn’t Done

Shops: stop looking for the fastest solution.Look for the right one.

If your mobile provider can't show you:

• A proper setup

• Documentation of the process

• And proof it meets OEM specs...

Then you’re not outsourcing calibration.You’re outsourcing liability.

And guess who inherits it when the car leaves your lot?

You do.