'Who Pays for What?' Survey Shows Increase in Shops Paid for Radar Sensor Tests
The “Who Pays for What?” survey in October asked shops about billing for the labor to perform a radar power test, and more than three out of five reported they don’t. This statistic is unchanged from the same survey a year earlier, which was the first to ask about shops’ billing and insurers’ payment practices related to the procedure. This is likely in part because only a small number of automaker models, including some Toyota and Mercedes-Benz vehicles, require such a test.
Among those conducting the procedure and seeking payment, nearly half (47%) say they are regularly paid for that labor by the eight large national insurance companies asked about in the survey. That’s up five percentage points from 2023.
“It’s a static function test to see if painting the bumper has reduced the power of a radar sensor too much,” said Mike Anderson of Collision Advice, who conducts the “Who Pays” surveys with CRASH Network. He said the test is needed if the system uses higher resolution radar for blind spot systems that can identify not just a vehicle in the blind spot but even smaller objects such as a bicycle.
“The test uses what is essentially a metal pole on wheels to measure, when the system is engaged, how much the bumper cover is reducing the power signal of the radar sensor,” Anderson said.
The latest quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey is now open through January. It focuses on not-included refinish labor operations.
Survey participants receive a free report with complete survey findings along with analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented.
The survey can be completed in about 15 minutes by anyone familiar with their shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of at least some of the largest national insurers. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence; only aggregated data is released.
The results of previous surveys are also available online.
