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Metro Detroit dealerships using Artificial Intelligence to scan vehicles for damage, trackers

By and Jack Nissen
Published  June 5, 2024 6:52pm EDT
Artificial Intelligence
FOX 2 Detroit

AI that can automatically inspect vehicles now in Michigan

UVeye is like an MRI for cars. It was developed to inspect entire vehicles within seconds.

LIVONIA, Mich. (FOX 2) - The technology originally made to detect bombs and other explosive threats may now be used to scan your car for dinks and dents.

What was once designed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security may now be used as a full-body scan of someone's vehicle. Artificial Intelligence is the brain behind UVeye, which is being installed in car dealerships around metro Detroit with the goal of helping consumers spot problems both seen and unseen on and in their vehicle.

"Any imperfections - again, if there's any imperfections with the body of the vehicle and or the tires or wheels, it's going to pick all that up," said John Butkovich, the operations manager at Feldman Auto Group.

But it won't just find the bruising to a vehicle's hull. It will even catch problems that aren't visible to the naked eye.

"It will catch a nail in the tire as it's rolling through," said Butkovich.

According to Kristie Risner, the OEM account manager for UVeye, it's detected tracking devices and vice grips under the vehicle. As she puts it, it's a way to see problems for yourself before spending money for car repairs.

"All they need to do is turn that screen around and I can see it with my own eyes where I have safety concerns that I need to address," she said.

The dealership brought it in as a matter of efficiency that will help customers more quickly diagnose their car. How it works is cameras that are pointed all around the equipment will take thousands of pictures documenting every inch of a vehicle. 

"We call this Helios," she said, pointing to the platform that will look up at the car. "This is the undercarriage. This is going to take thousands of pictures of the undercarriage of your vehicle."

Then there is the atlas, which looks for cosmetic issues.

It won't just be customers that benefit from the new technology. An extra set of eyes will also be helpful during manufacturing in auto plants. It's already being used by Amazon to scan each vehicle owned by the company before they log hundreds of miles delivering packages.