DIAMOND BAR, CA (09.14.26) – The second annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) ADAS Symposium brought together an expanded cross-section of the automotive industry for candid discussions about advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) performance, calibration and serviceability.
Co-hosted by the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Aftermarket Suppliers, the symposium included representatives from vehicle manufacturers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), SAE International, the Equipment and Tool Institute (ETI), and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), along with companies involved in ADAS testing, diagnostics, calibration, software, technical training and vehicle technology. The event drew 63 attendees representing 47 companies and organizations.
ADAS use cameras, radar and other sensors to support vehicle safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection and adaptive cruise control. As these systems become more common and complex, their performance can be affected by vehicle design, collision repair, calibration, software updates and aftermarket modifications.
“Through the SEMA Garage, we see firsthand the questions manufacturers encounter as they develop products for ADAS-equipped vehicles,” said SEMA Vice President of OEM and Product Development Jim Moore. “The symposium brings those practical experiences into a broader conversation with automakers, researchers, standards experts and repair professionals, creating greater transparency and opportunities for future collaboration.”
Broadening the ADAS Conversation
The inaugural symposium in May 2025 concentrated primarily on ADAS calibration and compatibility challenges facing aftermarket service, repair and vehicle-modification businesses. This year’s program widened the lens by incorporating perspectives from organizations that influence how ADAS technologies are designed, evaluated, standardized and supported throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
The expanded participation reflected the interconnected nature of ADAS and created opportunities for participants to compare how the same challenges appear across vehicle design, testing, repair, calibration, standards, software, modifications and public policy.
The symposium complements SEMA’s year-round work through the SEMA Garage, where specialty-equipment manufacturers can access ADAS research, calibration testing and technical resources to help them develop products for vehicles equipped with advanced safety technologies.
Participants explored three broad areas:
Performance and testing: Real-world ADAS performance, emerging technologies and new approaches to validation.
Standards and serviceability: Calibration, diagnostics, technical information, modified vehicles and standards under development.
Technology and public policy: Software, cybersecurity, vehicle inspections and the evolving federal legislative environment.
Industry Perspectives
Participants representing safety research, standards development, vehicle testing, product development, repair and technical education offered perspectives on maintaining ADAS performance throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
“The ADAS Symposium was an outstanding opportunity to connect with industry leaders, exchange ideas and gain valuable perspective on where ADAS technology is headed. The depth of expertise and collaboration across the industry made for an incredibly engaging and insightful event. I’m already looking forward to the next one,” said Dan Aldrich, director of automotive technical training at Christian Brothers Automotive Corporation.
“It was great to build on the findings of last year’s conference and continue meaningful cross-functional discussions about gaps in current ADAS standards and other hurdles facing the industry. These conversations lead to real-time problem-solving and help the industry continue pursuing a path forward as ADAS technologies evolve,” said Anthony Ascare, engineering manager at Fox Factory Vehicles.
“One of the clearest takeaways from this week’s symposium was that the job doesn’t end when a vehicle leaves the factory. We’ve done a great job encouraging the adoption of crash-avoidance technologies and educating consumers about their benefits, but we need to ensure these systems continue to perform as intended throughout a vehicle’s life, even after repairs, modifications and ownership changes,” said David Kidd, Ph.D., vice president of vehicle research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
“The symposium reinforced the importance of repeatable, objective testing as ADAS technologies become more complex and are evaluated across a growing range of vehicles and operating conditions,” said Mike McPike, managing director at AB Dynamics. “Bringing together the organizations that design, test, repair, calibrate and modify vehicles can help the industry better understand where consistent test methods and comparable data are needed.”
“The MEMA and SEMA ADAS Symposium brought together valuable industry perspectives on advancing ADAS technologies safely and effectively. My key takeaway was the importance of continued collaboration and consensus-based standards to align development, accelerate deployment and build public trust,” said Christian Thiele, senior director of global ground vehicle standards at SAE International.
Connecting Technical Discussion and Public Policy
The breadth of perspectives also informed discussions about the public-policy environment surrounding ADAS functionality, integrity, repairability and calibration.
SEMA Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs Eric Snyder provided an update on federal legislative and policy developments, including the “ADAS Functionality and Integrity Act.” The bipartisan bill would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study the impact of common modifications on ADAS calibration and authorize the agency to develop guidelines identifying modifications that maintain calibration. The legislation was included in the highway bill reauthorization approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is one of SEMA’s top legislative priorities.
Creating Greater Transparency
The symposium combined technical presentations with eight facilitated workshops, giving participants opportunities to compare perspectives and discuss how ADAS challenges appear in different parts of the industry. The forum focused on improving visibility across industry sectors, identifying shared questions and highlighting areas that warrant continued technical work and collaboration.
SEMA will use perspectives shared during the symposium to inform its continued ADAS communications, education and technical programming, including work through the SEMA Garage to help members understand how advanced safety technologies affect product development and vehicle modification.
For more information about SEMA’s ADAS initiatives and SEMA Garage product-development resources, visit www.semagarage.com.
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