SEMA’s 2026 ADAS Showcase: Plan the Sensor Check Alongside a Lift or Wheel Upgrade
The 2026 SEMA Show opens November 3 in Las Vegas with an expanded Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Showcase. SEMA says the hands-on program will use late-model vehicles and two calibration bays to explore how cameras, radar, vehicle geometry, sensor mounting and replacement components affect service decisions. Engineers from Ford, General Motors and Rivian are scheduled to participate alongside calibration specialists. For anyone planning a lift, leveling kit, wheel-and-tire change or bumper work, the practical takeaway is simple: the parts list is not the whole installation plan.
Why geometry belongs in the conversation
Camera- and radar-based features can depend on where a sensor is mounted and where it is aimed. Tire diameter, vehicle rake and ride height can change that relationship. SEMA Garage’s research on one modified 2022 Chevrolet Silverado examined a stock truck and several lift or leveling configurations; SEMA cautions that its findings are specific to that test vehicle and cannot be generalized to another build. The study is a reason to check the exact vehicle and modification—not a universal claim that every change will require calibration or that any lift is automatically safe.
Five checks before ordering parts
- Identify the exact vehicle. Record year, make, model, trim and the installed driver-assistance features. Do not infer equipment from a generic product photo.
- Define the full change. Note intended tire diameter, wheel specifications, front and rear ride-height changes, bumper or grille replacement, and any sensor relocation or bracket.
- Read both sets of instructions. Confirm the aftermarket part’s exact application and installation limits, then compare the work with the vehicle manufacturer’s current service information for inspection or calibration triggers.
- Plan the service sequence. Alignment, sensor mounting checks, required calibration and final system checks may need different equipment or a qualified specialist. Decide who will perform and document each step before the vehicle is disassembled.
- Keep the build record. Save part numbers, measurements, service procedures and completion documentation. That record helps when the vehicle is serviced or modified again.
SEMA’s Showcase runs November 3–6 in Upper South Hall, booth 31200. It is a technical education venue, not a certification of a particular aftermarket part or a substitute for the vehicle maker’s procedures. The useful question for buyers is not “does this part fit a truck like mine?” but “does this exact combination fit my truck, and what inspection or calibration work follows?”
SMG Speed Shop can help narrow the parts application and installation questions before an order. For ADAS inspection and calibration decisions, follow the OEM procedure and use a properly equipped qualified service provider.
Hero image: original conceptual illustration, not a vehicle-specific calibration diagram.
Sources: SEMA’s 2026 ADAS Showcase announcement; SEMA Garage’s Silverado modification research and limitations.