As we ring in another new year, 2017 is likely to usher in many new changes & advancements in the automotive industry. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, said “we are in the midst of seeing more change in the automotive industry over the next 5 years than we have in the last 50 years.”
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is changing as well. IIHS created the first-ever headlamp ratings in 2016 after finding that government standards allow for huge variation in the amount of illumination headlights provide. Based on testing & beginning with 2017 models, IIHS toughened the benchmark for vehicles to earn the coveted Top Safety Pick+ rating. To qualify for the Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle must earn a “good” rating in the five crash-worthiness tests, an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention, AND a “good” or “acceptable” headlight rating. Among all 2017 vehicle models, only seven are available with “Good-Rated” headlights according to IIHS.
IIHS tested vehicle headlamps in “as received” condition, meaning that the aim of the headlamps was not adjusted from how the car was set at the factory. A Consumer Reports assessment of the IIHS 2016 headlamp test results stated “By not adjusting the aim, IIHS is hoping to draw attention to the fact that aim adjustment can help headlight performance.” About one-third of U.S. States & most Canadian Provinces already require headlamp alignment as part of their respective vehicle safety inspection programs. A new headlamp rating system suggests that headlamps will no longer be the forgotten safety feature on vehicles. How do you offer your customers an opportunity to increase the safety of their vehicle by ensuring their headlamps are correctly aimed?
Misaligned Headlamp
Actual screen shot of the DVA6 color LCD screen. The red dot shows headlamp is misaligned. The arrows in top left of screen shot show red arrows indicating headlamp is aimed high & to the right.
Screen shot of DVA6 main menu. Using the color LCD touch screen, users can select from car, truck or motorcycle.
DVA6
Aligned Headlamp
Actual screen shot of the DVA6 color LCD screen. The red dot shows headlamp is misaligned. The arrows in top left of screen shot show red arrows indicating headlamp is aimed high & to the right.
Screen shot of DVA6 main menu. Using the color LCD touch screen, users can select from car, truck or motorcycle.
Did you know that the number of passengers, the amount of cargo and even the amount of fuel in a vehicle can effect the aim of your headlamps? Have you ever driven over a speed bump a little too fast? Even worse, have you run over a pot-hole in the road this winter? These are just a few reasons why headlamps can move out of alignment. Headlamps are required to be aligned at a distance of 25 feet. Adjusting headlight aim to an “X” on the back of a garage door simply is not an acceptable solution anymore. Use the right tool for the job and your customers will actually SEE the difference.Symtech Corporation is continuously evolving to meet the needs of our customers and the changing automotive landscape. With the introduction of our DVA6 Headlamp Aligner, Symtech is again ahead of industry changes in regard to headlamp alignment. The DVA6 is a camera-based alignment system that operates with a rechargeable battery system, has a color LCD touch screen, uses lasers for floor slope, vehicle alignment, & lamp centering. The DVA6 offers English, French & Spanish capabilities, serial & RJ45 communication ports, is Wi-Fi & Bluetooth capable, and is equipped to store up to 24 different bay settings. The DVA6 is also available with a printer. To view the DVA6 sales brochure, click HERE.
Whether vehicles have SAE, VOL or VOR headlamp assemblies, come equipped with Halogen, H.I.D., LED or Xenon lighting systems, the Symtech DVA6 Headlamp Aligner will work with them all. If you are not offering a $59-$99 headlamp alignment service to your customers, you are missing the opportunity to generate a new stream of revenue from new & existing customers. In 2017, prepare your shop for the new attention that headlamps are garnering and help your customers see their best during night-time driving.
