CCC Data: Recalibration Now Appears in 23% of Insurance Claims, Up From Under 1% in 2017

CCC Intelligent Solutions' annual Crash Course analysis was one of the most significant data releases for the auto-glass industry in late January 2026. It offered a sweeping look at how the claims and repair landscape had shifted throughout 2025, with particularly striking calibration data for shops that had been debating whether to invest in recalibration equipment.

CCC senior director of industry analytics Kyle Krumlauf said fewer than 1% of repairable collision insurance appraisals included any recalibration line item as recently as 2017. CCC's data put that figure at more than 23% by the end of 2025. The rise reflects both the rapid proliferation of windshield-mounted ADAS cameras in new vehicles and the growing recognition among insurers that recalibration is a necessary repair step — not an optional add-on.

CCC's projections for 2028 were equally compelling. The company's models predicted that front automatic emergency braking (AEB) would be present in just over 50% of registered U.S. vehicles by 2028, up from roughly 30% in 2023. Pedestrian-detecting AEB was projected to more than double, from approximately 22% of the fleet in 2023 to around 45% in 2028. General front crash-prevention systems were expected to rise from about 32% to 55% over the same period.

For shop owners, these projections translated directly into revenue opportunity — but only for those already equipped to perform recalibrations. Shops that had deferred the capital investment in calibration targets, diagnostic software and controlled-environment workspace were watching a growing share of windshield jobs become more complex and potentially more profitable for competitors who had already invested.

CCC also analyzed tariff impacts and labor market shifts from 2025. Rising import costs on glass and adhesives had compressed margins at some shops throughout the year, while a tightening labor market continued to make technician recruitment and retention a persistent challenge. CCC's data indicated that shops successfully navigating all three pressures — recalibration capability, parts cost management and workforce stability — were the ones posting the strongest financial results.

The 2025 data, released in early 2026, provided a rare benchmarking opportunity. Shops could compare their own recalibration volume against the 23% industry average and identify whether they were capturing their fair share of a service line that was growing faster than almost any other in automotive repair.