A BRAND new digital inspection tool called PAVE could be the answer for end of lease disputes.
Developed in Canada, PAVE uses AI and machine learning to understand the pictures it sees of vehicles and assesses vehicle condition – and, importantly, whether rectification is required.
What’s more there is no app that a driver has to download. A text is sent to the driver who is then guided via image silhouettes to take 13 images of the car.
The product is being retailed in the UK by remarketing specialists MJB Automotive Solutions, run by Marcus Blakemore, formerly the managing director of Dekra company Gain Solutions.
This product is really customer centric. You get an accurate condition report by walking around the car doing image capture which is then verified and the customer immediately understands whether any refurbishment is required. It allows a broker to have a conversation with a customer 60 days out and then decide whether remedial smart repair action is required or simply to return the car to the leasing company. It has the ability to save a friction point at the end of the lease. It also removes the distrust felt by drivers when an inspector turns up to look at the vehicle’s condition.
Marcus Blakemore, managing director, MJB Automotive Solutions
The cost for an inspection is around £10, added Blakemore.
The PAVE technology could also be used for new vehicle handovers to ensure a car is delivered in perfect condition, eliminating another area where brokers are often caught between customer expectations and dealer obfuscation. PAVE can be used in low light conditions but not in the dark.
Blakemore says PAVE uses a grading system developed by the National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA), although Blakemore says it can be calibrated to BVRLA Fair Wear & Tear guidelines.
He added:
“I believe PAVE is the digital future of vehicle inspections and this has been borne out during testing. Feedback has been incredibly positive, with many commenting on the simplicity, speed and ease of use.
“Each inspection takes approximately three minutes to complete. By just aiming a smartphone’s camera towards the vehicle, drivers take images in-line with where PAVE tells them to. Every angle is covered and at the end of each inspection, a detailed report on the condition of the vehicle along with any damages or repairs required is uploaded onto the fleet operator’s servers.
“Brokers and dealerships have had to adapt, push through and survive the pandemic and PAVE offers such an opportunity to continue to operate efficiently.”
Ralph Morton is the leading journalist in the leasing broker sector and editor of Broker News, the website which provides information and news for BVRLA-registered leasing brokers. He also writes extensively on the fleet and leasing market in both the UK and Europe.
