AI-Powered Car Inspections Arrive in Michigan
LIVONIA, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – A new AI-driven technology developed for homeland security is now available in Michigan for comprehensive vehicle inspections. The system, known as UVeye, is designed to examine every inch of a car. According to Kristie Risner, an account manager with General Motors, the process is comparable to an MRI for a vehicle, “This will capture a full scan anywhere from five miles per hour anywhere up to 30 miles an hour. Although we would never recommend that.”
General Motors has partnered with UVeye to bring the drive-through technology to dealerships, such as Feldman Chevrolet in Livonia. The Israeli startup originally created the system to detect potential bomb threats hidden under vehicles. “As they’re going through checkpoints, it’s mirrors and looking at the undercarriage of vehicles, and so basically they’re like ‘there’s a better way,'” said Risner.
Motorists drive over the automated technology, which captures thousands of images and stitches them together into a high-definition image. The system evolved from detecting car bombs to identifying mechanical issues and leaks. An arch component was later added to capture 360-degree images of the car’s exterior, detecting dents, scratches, and chips. A third section inspects tires for bulges and uneven tread wear.
After passing through the UVeye system, a detailed report is generated in approximately 30 seconds. John Butkovich, the fixed operations manager for the Feldman Automotive Group, highlights the safety benefits. “It’s all for safety. That’s the biggest piece of all of this,” Butkovich stated. The technology is currently deployed in three of their dealerships.
Butkovich emphasized that the system builds trust and transparency with customers. “You can actually click on it, and you can scroll right in on it and see as close as you want to get to it. And this is an actual photograph of the vehicle itself.”
He added that the technology also saves time for both employees and customers, providing more detailed inspections than manual methods. The system can detect damage as small as 2 millimeters. “These are things that the naked eye, you wouldn’t normally see that when you walk around a car,” Butkovich explained.
The dealership utilizes UVeye in its service lane, as well as for inspecting new and used cars to determine their value. The AI technology is also used on loaner vehicles to assess damage before and after each use. Butkovich noted that the scans are offered at no charge to the customers, and they have the final decision on whether to address any issues identified by the technology.
Michigan is an early adopter of this technology, with only a few hundred UVeye systems currently deployed across the U.S. Risner anticipates the technology will become more widespread in the future. Amazon plans to utilize the automatic inspection system across its fleet of over 100,000 vehicles in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and the U.K.
