In this special episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast, we feature a panel discussion from Used Car Week on "Reimaging Inspections and Damage Detection: AI Reveals New Opportunities."
Moderated by Cherokee Media Group's Bill Zadeits, this panel includes Eliron Ekstein of Ravin AI, Stephen Miller of Fyusion/Cox Automotive, Jameel Ghata of PAVE and Mike MacDonald of Claim Genius.
Stay tuned for more podcasts from UCW panel discussions as they become available.
To listen to the conversation, click on the link available below.
Download and subscribe to the Auto Remarketing Podcast on iTunes.
CarOffer said Monday it has upgraded its inspection procedures to facilitate a wholesale buying and selling experience that is designed be “transparent, consistent and reliable.”
CarOffer is offering pre-purchase inspections from certified technicians via strategic partners that would offer a detailed vehicle condition evaluation.
Those evaluations include OBD-II scans, mechanical and electrical inspections, analysis of a vehicle’s frame and engine, detailed photos and a road test report.
“Our priority at CarOffer is to fuel the success of our dealer partners by providing them the tools to best navigate whatever market conditions may arise,” said Nick Gerlach, who is CarOffer’s executive vice president of operations & product strategy.
“In the face of continued tight inventory, dealers must be more stringent than ever when sourcing vehicles to ensure they’re making a high quality, profitable investment,” Gerlach said. “As a result, we have doubled down on our inspection process to give used car buyers an added level of confidence in the inventory they are acquiring through CarOffer.”
Ravin AI, which provides artificial intelligence-powered visual inspection services, said Wednesday that Hertz is piloting the company’s AI technology in Sweden and Norway.
The collaboration is designed to improve the “efficiency, objectivity and standardization” for Hertz’s inspections and improve the customer experience.
“We’ve tested different technologies that focus on automation and vehicle inspection, and Ravin AI has proven to be a very competent system in the inspection scope,” Daniel Edman, project lead at Hertz Sweden, said in a news release. “We are very excited and hope to be able to roll out this new technology for our customers in the future.”
Neil Alliston, executive vice president of the commercial business at Ravin AI, added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with a leading, forward-thinking brand like Hertz. Vehicle inspections are a critical part of the car rental operational life-cycle, and Ravin’s tools will bring cutting edge technology to support multiple inspection points through that journey.”
A longtime executive on the remarketing side of the car business is now with PAVE, which provides a photo-based automated vehicle inspection platform.
Mike Francis, whose background includes time with Alliance Inspection Management, SmartAuction and VW Credit, is now the vice president of sales with PAVE.
Francis’ most recent role prior to PAVE was as vice president of used-car sales at Alliance Inspection Management.
In the new role, Francis will lead sales and business development, particularly around companies with large vehicle fleets.
“As increasingly more vehicle acquisitions and purchases are completed online, we expect demand for PAVE’s automated inspection platform to continue to grow. Mike will be key to PAVE’s growth in this area given his depth of industry knowledge,” PAVE co-founder and co-CEO Brian Steinhauser said in a news release. “In addition, Mike’s experience in vehicle remarketing will enable us to better understand the needs of our dealer and commercial clients as they move more and more to heavy use of online methods to dispose of their vehicles.”
Francis added: “The growth opportunity for PAVE is exponential and I’m looking forward to bringing my knowledge of remarketing and the vehicle inspection landscape to make an immediate contribution to the team. Everyone is looking for the ability to automate the vehicle inspection process with condition reports that are accurate and reliable, regardless of the vehicle’s location. My focus is on ensuring PAVE gets into the hands of fleet managers, dealers, and vehicle remarketers around the world so they can benefit from the advanced vehicle inspection capabilities it delivers.”
Francis will be among the speakers on hand at Used Car Week, which is Nov. 14-17 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.
He will lead a National Remarketing Conference workshop on “Automating Off-Lease Inspections.”
To learn more about Francis’ session and see the full UCW agenda, visit www.usedcar.biz/agenda.
CT Services and Claim Genius recently announced a strategic partnership to develop and market new artificial intelligence-based inspection solutions for the automotive remarketing and transportation markets within North America.
The companies highlighted in a news release that the partnership will combine CT Services’ vehicle inspection process with Claim Genius’s AI inspection technology to create new digital service model solutions for OEMs, remarketers, fleets, auctions and dealers.
Both parties expect to begin jointly marketing new products during the fourth quarter, according to the announcement.
Claim Genius’ AI-based inspection platform can allow customers to assess the physical condition of a vehicle though uploaded videos and photos, including identification and classification of damage on over 200 parts, automated prediction of vehicle repairability and line-by-line calculation of repair costs.
Customers also can use Claim Genius technology for lease and rental inspections, pre/post transportation inspections, insurance underwriting and claims, and more.
Claim Genius said its solutions are available via mobile, web, or API access in multiple languages today.
“Since our founding in 1988, CT Services has been committed to implementing service innovations and helping our customers drive new efficiencies into their inspection/logistics processes,” said Bob Gapinski, vice president of business development of CT Services. “We are very excited to collaborate with Claim Genius to help reinvent the future of automotive inspections.”
Mike MacDonald is chief operating officer and head of product development for Claim Genius.
“CT Services is highly recognized as a long-standing leader in developing industry leading vehicle inspection solutions in North America,” MacDonald said. “Their expertise and deep market knowledge coupled with Claim Genius technology will help us design some amazing products together to transform the inspection process for OEMs, finance institutions, rental car companies, auctions and the entire remarking industry.”
Despite how much your dealership might highlight the quality of vehicles in your used inventory, some potential buyers still might want to have a mechanic conduct an inspection.
That’s a service Curbee, a mobile car-repair company, now is looking to provide.
Created two years ago by the builders of Tesla and Lyft’s mobile car care services, Curbee on Thursday launched its mobile used-vehicle inspection service, which includes a 50+ point inspection performed by mechanics at the location of the vehicle that’s meant to spot potential issues before purchase.
According to a news release, Curbee’s 50+ point checklist consists of both external and internal checks, some of which includes:
—Engine bay, including air filter, brake fluid, cooling system hoses, and drive belt
—Suspension parts including cv boots, struts and shocks, and tire rod ball joints
—Tires and brakes, including calipers, rotors, and brake lines
—Dashboard warning lights
—Exterior lights
—Seat belt and seat adjustments
—Window switches and sunroof functionality
—Door locks and key fobs
—AC and heat temperature
—Backup camera and side mirror adjustment
Curbee’s used-car inspection will be available to consumers in the San Francisco Bay Area for a flat rate of $99.
To date, the company said it has completed more than 10,000 successful appointments in the Bay Area.
“Understanding what you buy before you buy is a must for every other major consumer purchase, and a used car is no different,” Curbee chief executive officer Denise Leleux said. “Purchasing a used car without a thorough inspection runs the risk of missing issues that can lead to consumers overpaying for a vehicle and long-term problems down the road.
Consumers’ car care experience is our number one priority, and Curbee’s seamless Used Car Inspection mitigates these risks, saving consumers money and assuring them that their car is in tip-top shape,” Leleux went on to say.
SureSale wants to make it easy for retailers, independent technicians and repair facilities to share trusted used-vehicle history and real-time condition information, especially to quell concerns from customers who wish they had a “mechanic friend.”
To meet that objective, SureSale on Wednesday launched what the company believes to be an industry-first vehicle inspection app for automotive professionals.
The company highlighted the app is designed to streamline the inspection process, eliminating onerous manual checklists and computer inputs, all while fueling consumer confidence and trust through its comprehensive vehicle history and condition report
“The number of consumers opting for a used vehicle has skyrocketed. But, with 70% of used-car buyers believing that buying a pre-owned vehicle is always a risk — and over 80% wishing they had a 'mechanic friend' to help them when buying — the demand for reliable vehicle inspections is bound to increase. This is why we created the SureSale inspection app,” SureSale vice president of product Michael Rose said.
“Our app eases the inspection process, speeding it up by at least 30 minutes and automatically combining multi-point real-time condition information with deep vehicle history into one report that can be shared digitally with customers on the spot,” Rose continued in a news release.
When explaining how the app is designed to function, SureSale said future winners will be vehicle buyers and sellers as well as inspection technicians.
The SureSale vehicle quality report, generated through SureSale’s inspection app, can offer buyers a comprehensive view into the whole “story” of the vehicle, from past to present, from history to current condition factors.
“Prospective buyers will know that in addition to history, they are getting a bumper-to-bumper, mechanical and technology system check that also includes the overall experience of driving the vehicle, fueling purchase confidence,” SureSale said.
For sellers and vehicle inspection technicians, they can follow the SureSale inspection app’s roadmap, in-putting road test results, vehicle images and condition information including mechanical and safety issue checks, interior and exterior condition, functional operations, under the vehicle and hood inspection results, tires and tread depth measurements, fluids, brake pedals and pads, road test results, and more.
While the physical inspection takes place, the SureSale inspection app simultaneously can run the VIN through SureSale’s proprietary platform to analyze and check vehicle history, title status, odometer accuracy, manufacturer warranty, recalls and other important vehicle information.
This information is automatically combined with the inspection information in the easily shareable, easily readable SureSale vehicle quality report.
The company went on to mention current users of the SureSale platform can benefit from the app’s streamlined inspection process for their inventory and an even easier process for showcasing, and sharing, inspection reports online and with their customers.
In addition, their customers benefit from a three-month subscription to SiriusXM included with the purchase of a vehicle with a factory-equipped SiriusXM radio.
“The SureSale Inspection app enhances customer satisfaction by bridging the trust gap during the purchase process, all while enabling car sellers to showcase vehicle quality and condition, highlight reconditioning work, validate pricing and, ultimately, speed up the transaction,” Rose said.
Available for Apple and Android, the app can be downloaded either at Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
F&I company JM&A Group has designed a virtual inspection process in which its analysts can use video technology when working with repair shops to conduct visual inspections.
With that process, called Inspect Now, its analysts can verify claims that would otherwise require in-person inspections. The analysts can approve the start of the repair more quickly.
JM&A said the technology will not replace traditional in-person inspections in all cases.
But the virtual review process can be used to evaluate claims involving active leaks, electrical malfunctions and road hazards. JM&A said that as the program matures, it will explore additional inspection opportunities.
Generally, when claims are initiated, JM&A Group contacts a third-party vendor to inspect the vehicle and validate the mechanical failure, said JM&A Group director of customer services Dianne Galavan.
“The additional time required to complete the inspection inhibits the shop from completing new jobs if a bay is occupied, costing them money and further delaying the return of the vehicle to the consumer,” Galvan said in a news release.
Galvan also said, “Now, with just a few clicks on the phone, our analysts can get a full understanding of the mechanical failure in real time and make a claims decision immediately.”
JM&A Group said it launched Inspect Now to help streamline the repair process and get the vehicle back into the consumer’s hands as quickly as possible. JM&A designed the new virtual inspection process to make the adjudication of claims more efficient and less time consuming.
Consumer-facing vehicle condition report C.A.R.Score said it has exited its pilot agreement and will continue conducting inspections for CarOffer, an auto retail industry dealer-to-dealer trade network for used vehicles.
Dealer Specialties, a provider of vehicle data collection, image generation, window labeling services and inventory management and marketing, created C.A.R.Score, which assesses a vehicle’s exterior and interior condition.
That includes, but is not limited to, instrument and control panels, mirrors, upholstery, and vehicle odor. More than 2,000 active C.A.R.Score reports are currently on carscorereport.com.
“Our lot services team touches an average of 1.1 million used vehicles per year,” Dealer Specialties president Shane Marcum said in a news release.
CarOffer chief strategy officer Scott Johnston said C.A.R.Score has completed more than 3,000 inspections for CarOffer on vehicles that are ready to trade.
“Our focus is to make the management of inventory easy, fast and simple for dealers, whether that is buying, selling or trading vehicles,” Johnston said in a news release.
C.A.R.Score is integrated with all major automotive space website providers and is included in AutoCheck and CARFAX Vehicle History Reports.
Johnston said the ability of C.A.R.Score to complete inspections within 24 to 48 hours makes it an ideal partner. That is important, he said, as C.A.R.Score also places a priority on turnaround times without compromising quality.
Of the approximately 2,000 inspections C.A.R.Score completes per month, almost 40% are completed for CarOffer.
“Dealer Specialties is nationally known for lot services and vehicle photography,’ Marcum said. “Our coverage and ability to reach thousands of dealers in all major markets in the U.S. combined with our ability to record vehicle condition reports makes us a very strategic partner for CarOffer.”
A new program called AAA Inspected, powered by SureSale, provides information to help consumers to feel sure about the used vehicle they are purchasing.
That includes an independent inspection by a certified mechanic and a Factfile vehicle report.
AAA Club Alliance and used-vehicle platform SureSale on Monday launched the program, which also provides a thorough accounting of the vehicle’s history, current condition and future quality assurance. AAA Club Alliance, or ACA, says it is the third largest AAA club in the national AAA federation.
The companies say the new program helps AAA members and non-members buy quality used cars with confidence.
With SureSale’s proprietary platform and network of qualified vehicle inspectors, AAA Inspected can assess vehicle quality by analyzing thousands of vehicle data points.
It also assesses vehicle quality by going through vehicle history and evaluating vehicle condition with an independent 170-point inspection.
The program is currently available in ACA’s territories in Kansas and Oklahoma.
The Factfile report provided through the program is free. Car shoppers and buyers can access it online or at the dealership.
AAA research shows that its members place a higher value on independently inspected vehicles.
Because of that, ACA and SureSale analyze various aspects of data to ensure that the vehicle is in good condition. The vehicle becomes an AAA-Inspected vehicle only when SureSale has determined that the vehicle meets its quality standard.
ACA director of auto buying and sales Keith McIntyre said that for more than 115 years, AAA has kept consumers safely on the road, covering members with services such as insurance and roadside assistance.
“With AAA Inspected, we’ve added quality pre-owned cars to the list,” McIntyre said in a news release.
McIntyre also said that SureSale, “tells the vehicle’s whole story — past, present and future. Thanks to our partnership with SureSale, our members will be able to quickly and easily know that they can trust the quality of a used vehicle.”
“We are proud to partner with ACA to bring a universal standard of quality to AAA Inspected vehicles,” said SureSale founder and president Jeffrey Schwartz.
Schwartz also said, “AAA is one of the most trusted consumer brands in the country and, with AAA Inspected, consumers can, at last, get an answer to the question: ‘Am I buying a reliable, quality used vehicle?’”
Free to all car buyers, AAA Inspected, powered by SureSale includes a limited warranty and three-month trial subscription of SiriusXM for vehicles with a factory-equipped radio. Additional benefits, exclusive for AAA members, are also available.
