»This year we launched our Digital Vehicle Scan (D.V.S.), a new tool for our customers which captures high-resolution 360-degree images of any vehicle, from passenger cars to double-decker buses, in an instant. Its main area of application is in car dealerships, where it enhances trust between dealers, leasing companies, and their customers. At the point of transfer of risk, i.e. the handover of the vehicle to the customer or its return by the customer, the vehicle’s condition is fully and precisely documented.

Basis of the technology is the principle that images offer the ultimate proof. High-resolution industrial cameras automatically record any current damage to the vehicle, replacing manual photography. The system provides our experts with an in-depth overview of the vehicle’s condition that enables them to prepare valuations. D.V.S. is more than a tool: it supports and speeds up our processes and thus optimizes our service, freeing up time for direct data-based interaction with our customers.

We have plentiful ideas about how D.V.S.-based services can be expanded in the future. For example, direct D.V.S. installation at entrances to car dealerships will open up a wealth of opportunities – such as license plate identification, which can improve customer service quality and save time and costs all round when repairs are due. A further step involves three D.V.S. models. A classic outdoor installation may be ideal for large-scale customers such as in Neu-Ulm but is less convenient in city-center locations; the solution is an indoor version for interior installation at dealerships. The third option will be a mobile model, as a particularly useful solution at transfer-of-risk points at ports as vehicles are unloaded from ship to shore. Initial developments with customers in Norway are already in progress. These three options will enable us to look beyond the automotive sector. Who knows – perhaps D.V.S. will also be used for agricultural vehicles, trains or even ships in the future!«