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Autonomous Tire Changers Cut Service Time at SEMA

Shops adopting Hunter's Walkaway System could shorten tire changeovers by 10 to 15 minutes, according to the manufacturer.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Automotive — General

Wheel on a balancing spindle beside a tire-changer arm in a clean, unlabeled concrete service bay under even skylight.
Hunter Engineering will demonstrate its autonomous Walkaway tire-changing and balancing system at SEMA in Las Vegas, claiming it can cut 10 to 15 minutes from each changeover. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Hunter Engineering Co. will display its Walkaway System, which pairs the autonomous Revolution tire changer with the autonomous Road Force Walkaway wheel balancer, at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Demonstrations run from November 3 through November 6, 2026, in booth #42017 in the Lower South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Why it matters

Shops that mount and balance tires spend a large share of each changeover on inflation, so offloading that step to the machines aims to shorten service time per vehicle. The company is also presenting updates to its ADAS calibration and alignment equipment, which matter to owners of vehicles with driver-assistance sensors that need recalibration after repairs.

Hunter's Ultimate ADAS system is approved by 11 OEMs and eliminates manual layouts common to static ADAS calibrations, and its Compact Console includes a 32-inch monitor as standard. The company says Road Force Walkaway saves 10 minutes per changeover with a typical tire changer and 12 minutes when paired with its Maverick changer.

The players

Hunter Engineering Co.

A maker of wheel alignment, balancing, and ADAS calibration equipment used in independent and dealer repair shops.

Bosch

A global automotive supplier whose diagnostic experts staff the remote assistance service paired with Hunter's ADASLink tool.

The details

The Road Force Walkaway balancer provides autonomous inflation, and its air chuck releases automatically once inflation is complete, so technicians do not have to manage that step by hand. Hunter also describes a Remote Diagnostics Service powered by Bosch: with the ADASLink scan and calibration tool plugged into the vehicle, a technician opens the RDS menu, describes the needed assistance, and the system auto-identifies the VIN and opens a live chat with a Bosch diagnostic expert. The HawkEye XL commercial alignment system uses long-range camera technology with magnetic wheel adapters attached to the lugnuts. WinAlign 18.3 adds new target placement guidance for technicians.

Timeline

  1. November 3, 2026: The 2026 SEMA Show kicks off in Las Vegas.

  2. November 6, 2026: Hunter demonstrations end at the show.

The Home Front

Shop equipment like these ADAS calibration and alignment systems is what independent repairers use to keep up with the growing number of vehicles that carry driver-assistance sensors. Over time, the cost and speed of that work tends to show up in what owners pay for routine repairs.

If you own a vehicle with driver-assistance sensors, ask your repair shop whether it uses ADAS calibration equipment and whether the work is done to the manufacturer's specifications. Keep records of any sensor calibration or alignment service you receive, since those documents can be useful if a later repair is involved.

The takeaway

Shops that offer faster tire service and remote calibration help may pass some of those time savings along, so it is reasonable to ask how long a service will take. Keep a copy of any ADAS calibration report with your vehicle paperwork.

Further reading

For more on vehicle repair and maintenance, see the Automotive — General section.

More information

Read the Hunter Ultimate ADAS equipment information page for details on the calibration system.