With the advent of Industry 4.0, every industry sector is transforming digitally. The automotive industry has also leveraged some of the remarkable technologies to revolutionize its operations. One of those technologies is Digital Vehicle Inspection or DVI inspection.
Earlier, vehicle inspections were carried out using traditional paper-based methods. The process of reporting the issue on paper and receiving the suggested repairs on paper was lengthy, time-consuming, and inaccurate. However, with the use of digital vehicle inspection methods, it has become a walk in the park for the technicians.
So, what is digital or electronic vehicle inspection? How does it work? What are its benefits? How can you undertake it? The answers to all these will be provided in the blog. Keep reading to know!
Let’s take a scenario before moving on to the technical definition of the concept!
A user goes to the agency with their car, reports the issue to the technician, and leaves. The technicians perform digital vehicle inspection on the car and document everything on software with images of the damaged parts. Further, the technician also documents the recommended repairs or replacements. This report file is shared with the user.
The user checks the electronic digital vehicle inspection report with the issue description along with pictures, videos, and repair recommendations. The customer agrees to the recommendations and provides a heads-up to begin the repair process.
After the repairs are complete, technicians can send the images of the completed repairs. The customer checks the images, visits the agency, pays the charges, and takes the car. So what exactly is Digital Vehicle Inspection, you ask?
Digital vehicle inspection is a process that implements digital technologies for inspecting the vehicle and maintenance processes in the automotive industry. This method replaces traditional paper-based checklists and manual inspections with digital tools, allowing technicians to perform detailed inspections. Moreover, the technicians create work instructions by adding visual elements like images and videos along with comments and estimates of the repair. This produced document can be shared with the other technicians via PDF or document.
Though the digital vehicle inspections process may seem long, it will be complete in a matter of hours. Unlike paper-based methods, it does not have multiple communication touchpoints and an extended waiting period.
With electronic vehicle inspection, the benefits are not just limited to time-saving. There are other pros, too!
Digital vehicle inspections offer various benefits over traditional paper-based inspections. Let’s see how digital inspection can help your automotive industry.
Digital vehicle inspection greatly improves the accuracy of vehicle inspections. With DVI, technicians are able to add visual evidence of problems. By using visual documentation, technicians are better able to see even minor faults or signs of wear and tear, making sure that nothing is missed during the inspection.
The use of digital vehicle inspection is not just limited to sensing immediate vehicle issues. It can also be used to anticipate issues that may occur in the future. With the use of IoT and AI, data can be captured and analyzed to find irregular performance patterns of vehicle parts. Technicians can raise alerts for the drivers to get their vehicles inspected and repaired before any permanent damage happens.
Other than that, AR can also be used to check the quality of the parts, as it is essential to understand the actual cost of poor quality.
Unlike paper-based inspection, electronic vehicle inspection is a much faster and more efficient process. You do not need to deal with papers, pens, clips, clipboards, etc.
The liberty to add videos, images, and comments in the DVI inspection makes the process smoother and more efficient.
DVI software assists in preventing expensive breakdowns and repairs by detecting potential issues in their early stage. Technicians can identify flaws early on before they evolve into serious problems that necessitate expensive solutions. This preventative maintenance strategy not only helps vehicle owners save money but also reduces the possibility of unplanned breakdowns, which can be expensive and annoying.
Digital vehicle inspections allow a technician to see the work orders on a single screen easily. This ensures that they do not miss anything. On top of that, they don’t have to worry about carrying multiple papers as everything about the vehicle is on the software.
This enables workers to perform their tasks with productivity and keeps the workflow smooth, even if they switch jobs in between.
The digital inspections market is valued at $27.8 billion in 2023. It has risen at a CAGR of 7.2% since 2018. As the numbers are solid, they will surely rise above in the future. And as the benefits of DVI are endless, your business must adopt it.
One of the primary issues with paper-based inspections is the paper. With electronic vehicle inspection, there is no issue of paper shortage in the printer or your inventory. You can just note everything down in the digital vehicle inspection checklist, saving paper. Furthermore, along with paper comes the cost of ink or cartridges. This cost is also eliminated with the use of digital vehicle inspections software.
The lack of visual elements like images and videos in the traditional paper-based vehicle inspection does not prove the presence of a legitimate vehicle issue to the customers. Therefore, they may feel cheated.
To ensure that your customers believe what the issue is, you need to add videos and images as proof. With pictures and videos of the damaged part, you can boost the trust and loyalty of your customers.
If you have a bigger workshop with more customers, handling the paperwork may take a lot of work for you and your staff. It is possible that you may even lose some of them. Thereby making their accessibility difficult.
With the use of Electronic work instructions, you don’t have to worry about accessibility. Once the data is on the software, no one can delete or tamper with it. You can access it from any device or gadget and from anywhere, provided you have the login credentials.
Today, most of the digital vehicle inspection software comes with reporting features. These reports can contain the vehicle’s mechanical details and electronic aspects. Therefore, it allows the customers to better understand the issues with their vehicles and the respective repairs & maintenance to be made.
With the use of DVI software, businesses can market their other services. Interactive images and videos about add-on services like car washing, interior, dry cleaning, etc., can be used to lure customers to upsell your business’s services.
If you are all set to take your vehicle inspection and repair business to a new level, you need to choose the best DVI inspection tool. Here are some crucial aspects to consider while choosing one!
Your tool will be used by technicians who are super busy with their work. Therefore, it needs to have a user-friendly interface that is easy to use and navigate. Make sure you choose a tool with all the necessary elements like on-screen lists, checkboxes, etc.
The second crucial factor is the hardware support. On what hardware the tool will work? Ideally, it is best when compatible with all devices like smartphones, laptops, PCs, tablets, and Realwear smart glasses. The inspection procedures are easy to undertake using these devices. Moreover, try to go for a tool that is available as a web app, as native apps need separate downloading, installation, and updates.
Look for a tool with a feature to add visual elements like pictures, videos, annotations, etc. On top of that, keep in mind that the software should allow you to share these pictures and videos with the customer via email.
Every business owner aspires to make it big. Therefore, when you are choosing a DVI tool, make sure it has the ability to scale in the future easily.
Digital vehicle inspection is an essential step to make your workflow smooth, more reliable, and efficient. At Plutomen, we offer rich inspection tool that enable vehicle inspectors to have a deep understanding of a vehicle’s troubleshooting and maintenance process. Our Digital Inspection Solution, Plutomen Workflow let inspectors digitize entire DVI process. What’s more, each step of the process can be accessed directly from the lens of a smartglass so that inspectors carry out the tasks handsfree. By implementing our solution, the automotive industry can boost workers’ productivity, ensure safety, and stay up with the industry’s rapidly changing digital world.
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With 10+ years' experience of Hiren Kanani has helped Plutomen ensure smooth communication between the company and the client for swift project delivery with fewer iterations. He is CTO & founder at Plutomen.
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