Project VISION: A Five-Step ADAS Awareness and Referral Workflow
Identify → Observe → Document → Communicate → Refer
A limited, repeatable workflow for improving ADAS-related communication without converting an annual inspection into diagnosis or calibration.
Project VISION proposes a limited workflow for situations in which an ADAS-related warning, visible concern, or owner-reported issue is encountered. It does not create a new pass/fail item and does not authorize an inspector to diagnose or calibrate a system. [1]
1. Identify
Identify the exact warning, message, symbol, feature, or customer concern. Avoid converting a general observation into a technical conclusion.
2. Observe
Record only conditions that can responsibly be observed within the existing task: an active warning, visible damage, obstruction, or relevant service history reported by the owner.
3. Document
Preserve the exact wording, location, date, and available context. Good documentation separates facts from assumptions.
4. Communicate
Explain that the observation may require qualified follow-up and that feature behavior, diagnostic requirements, and calibration procedures vary by vehicle. [3]
5. Refer
When the condition is outside the facility’s scope, refer the owner to a qualified diagnostic, repair, or calibration provider. The workflow supports a better handoff; it does not certify performance.
References
This independent educational article is not an OEM procedure, diagnosis, repair instruction, calibration specification, legal requirement, or certification of system performance. Vehicle-specific manufacturer information and qualified professional judgment control the actual service decision. Repository publication does not by itself mean peer review or endorsement.
Sainath Reddy Puchakayala
Automotive Engineer, ASE L4-Certified ADAS Professional, and Licensed Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Inspector based in Lowell, Massachusetts. His work connects vehicle diagnostics, electronics, hybrid and EV technology, inspection practice, and systems-level engineering. He independently developed Project VISION to advance careful ADAS awareness, documentation, communication, and appropriate referral without replacing vehicle-specific OEM procedures.