Automation of car inspections for the car rental industry | Inspektlabs

Did you know, the car rental industry has a global user penetration of 3.6%, and this number is slated to double and touch 7.1% by 2024?

As exciting as this may sound, does the industry have the requisite workforce and the resources to keep up with this growth?

Despite the technological advancements, routine tasks, such as car inspections, continue to remain manual and labor-intensive. Does “seeing is believing” still hold in the age of car inspection automation? Or is the future bringing about a new change? Let’s take a look.

The Need for Automation in the Car Rental Industry

As they say, necessity is the mother of all inventions. Accordingly, the buzz around automation and car damage assessment with AI appears to be a result of the same. Here are a few customer demands:

Better Customer Experience

The demand for improved customer service and better experience is universal now that the customers are spoiled for choices. Hence, it shouldn’t come as a surprise at all!

From booking the rental car to submitting it back to raising tickets - customers want a seamless experience at every stage. One can only make it swift and responsive through automated technology.

Portability and Convenience

Gone are the days when customers would physically visit a car rental agency and wait for hours in a queue. Similarly, nobody has the time to fill out page after page of forms for documentation.

The present mobility services support and add value to each journey through a layer of convenience and portability. Mobile apps allow users to call their rental ride in a few taps and get it delivered to them! Further, it gives them the ease of uploading the documents directly over the application and track the status in real-time. Finally, companies can improve their connectivity and make customer support more accessible.

However, processing orders, verifying details and documents, sharing real-time updates, and providing after-sales support calls for automation.

Flexibility

From extending the rental period to making online payments - customers want access to services on their own terms. Hence, there is a need to offer flexibility and self-service options. And how does one accept such requests, prioritize, and process them in time? Through the pairing of digitization and automation!

Improved Reliability

Manual intervention leaves room for human errors. There is a heightened need for automation to reinstate the trust within the car rental industry. Fortunately, automation of car inspections and car damage assessment with AI is making it possible for quick, accurate, and data-driven deductions. Most importantly, these AI inspections are backed with documentary evidence, which improves reliability.

Car Inspection Automation: How it Works

As stated previously, manual car inspections are time-consuming and prone to errors. Hence, there is a growing need for automation of car inspections.

Here’s an overview of how computer vision for car damage assessment works:

· Users or agents can capture a 360-degree video of the car. This content is uploaded to the company app or website (depending on their workflow).

· The AI/ML-powered machinery carries out a holistic analysis of the video.

· It matches and labels all the damage and captures crucial information such as the number of miles covered, fuel status, etc.

· The data is collated into a single report outlining the position of the damage, its nature, size, and classification, the repair vs. replacement decision, and the corresponding cost.

· The detailed report is then shared with the customer, and they are billed accordingly.

Advantages of Automation of Car Inspections

Are you excited about car inspection automation? Well, you should be! Here’s why:

· Software and setup required for automation of car inspections call for a one-time investment. Thus, you save up on salaries and other such recurring costs, which bump up its ROI.

· Computer vision for car damage assessment lays the foundation for reduced human errors, regardless of the volume or frequency of assessment.

· AI/ML inspections get smarter with each iteration, which means that performing these tasks repeatedly will progressively increase its accuracy.

· Automation of car inspections improves the overall efficiency of your business, while also leaving room for optimum allocation of human resources.

· You can make data-driven decisions on whether the car requires repair or replacement, which will help you maintain your fleet health.

· Unfair billing for damage or mileage could leave a dent on your business reputation. At the same time, it helps with fraud detection and claims assessment.

· As customers no longer have to wait for an associate, who is available for inspection, they will enjoy quicker services.

· Through car damage assessment with AI, you introduce fair pricing as well as improve your service by providing safer cars, which will contribute to the overall customer satisfaction.

· Customer satisfaction, increased reliability, quick service, and fair pricing will contribute to your business growth.

The Way Ahead

When it comes to automation in the car rental industry, the winds of change are starting to pick up. Car damage assessment with AI just might be the breakthrough required for a no-fuss, hassle-free car renting experience that customers demand. Given the advantages of car inspection automation, it becomes clear that this technological innovation is paving the future for the car rental industry!