The Bigger Picture: ADAS Is the New Normal

We are entering a phase where almost every new vehicle will have ADAS — and insurers are paying attention.

What’s changing:
 • Lift kits may require ADAS recalibration
 • Tyre size changes can alter sensor angles
 • Insurers are beginning to:
 • Mandate recalibration
 • Decline claims if it’s not performed

Examples

• Ford Ranger with larger tyres → recalibration may be required
• Silverado 1500 with a 2” lift → recalibration strongly recommended

This isn’t unique to Outback Kitters products — it applies to any modification that changes vehicle geometry.

What is ADAS?

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are safety technologies now fitted to most modern vehicles. These systems help drivers avoid collisions and reduce fatigue by using cameras, radar, and sensors to monitor the road ahead.

Common ADAS features include:
 • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
 • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
 • Lane Keep Assist
 • Forward Collision Warning
 • Traffic Sign Recognition

As vehicle manufacturers push higher safety ratings, ADAS is becoming standard across almost all new vehicles worldwide — including American trucks, dual cabs, and SUVs.

Where ADAS Sensors Are Located

Depending on the vehicle, ADAS sensors may be positioned in several locations:

Windscreen (behind the rear-view mirror)
 • Camera-based systems
 • Highly sensitive to:
 • Windscreen banners
 • Dirt, dust, mud, or sand
 • Sun glare and low sun angles
 • Tint films or replacement glass

Grille
 • Often radar-based
 • Typically hidden behind a radar-specific plastic radome
 • Sensitive to material choice and thickness

Front bumper (most common on trucks)
 • Forward-facing radar module
 • Designed to “see” through plastic, not metal
 • Factory-calibrated for a very specific position and angle

Important: ADAS sensors work perfectly through plastic.
They do not work properly behind metal.

Why ADAS Warnings Can Appear (Even When Nothing Is “Wrong”)

ADAS systems are intentionally conservative. If visibility or signal confidence drops, the system will temporarily disable itself and alert the driver.

This can happen due to:
 • Heavy rain or road spray
 • Very bright sunlight or glare
 • Mud, dust, or sand buildup
 • Windscreen contamination in camera-based systems

This sensitivity is a known, global characteristic of ADAS systems, not a fault — and it applies to OEM vehicles as well as modified ones.

How Outback Kitters Designs Around ADAS

At Outback Kitters, we design our products with a deep understanding of how ADAS systems function — and how sensitive they can be.

Our ADAS design principles:
 • Sensors remain on the factory side of the vehicle (LHS where applicable)
 • Sensors are relocated to the same height and lateral position as OEM
 • No metal is placed in the radar beam path
 • Only radar-safe plastics are used in front of sensors
 • No glass-filled plastics, metallic pigments, or signal-blocking materials
 • Smooth internal surfaces to avoid radar scatter
 • Adequate air gap between sensor and cover

Our 3D-printed ABS radar covers are specifically designed to meet OEM radar transmission requirements and are used purely for protection and aesthetics — not signal modification.

Because of this, the vast majority of Outback Kitters installations do not require ADAS recalibration.

A Note for Dealers & Installers

There is a growing opportunity to:
 • Offer ADAS recalibration as an add-on service
 • Bundle it with suspension, bullbar, or accessory installs
 • Stay ahead of insurer and compliance expectations

Many forward-thinking workshops are already doing this successfully.

Final Thoughts

ADAS systems are here to stay. They are sensitive, intelligent, and designed to prioritise safety above all else.

At Outback Kitters, we:
 • Design to OEM principles
 • Use radar-safe materials
 • Minimise recalibration requirements wherever possible
 • Clearly communicate when recalibration may be required

This article will now be linked directly in our fitting instructions so customers and installers alike can better understand the why, not just the what.