UVeye, a provider of advanced vehicle diagnostic systems based in Tel Aviv, Israel, has received and undisclosed investment from GM Ventures, the capital venture arm of General Motors Co. in Detroit, to help fund the development and commercialization of its vehicle inspection technology.
UVeye also has entered into a commercial agreement with GM to explore the expansion of UVeye’s automated high-speed systems to GM dealerships throughout various markets. The two companies have agreed to work on a variety of vehicle-inspection technology projects involving used-car auctions, fleet operations, and automotive dealership sales.
“We are on a journey to create the best customer service experience possible and the implementation of UVeye into our dealership service lanes helps us do that,” says John Roth, global vice president of customer care and aftersales at GM. “Providing real-time, consistent, and accurate feedback to our customers will help us ensure they are getting the best performance out of their vehicle.”
More than 4,000 GM dealerships will be eligible to purchase the vehicle-inspection equipment to use in their service lanes. The team will also explore applications for extending the technology to exterior scans and photography to generate online interest and potential sales for used vehicles.
In the future, UVeye plans to incorporate electric-vehicle and autonomous-driving platforms into its inspection databases as well. UVeye systems use artificial intelligence, machine-learning, and high-definition camera technologies to quickly and accurately check tires, underbody components, and vehicle exteriors for defects, missing parts, and other safety-related issues.
Amir Hever, UVeye’s CEO and co-founder, notes that automated inspection processes take seconds to complete and are significantly more accurate than time-consuming manual inspections commonly in use today.
The three systems dealerships will have access to are:
- Helios — An underbody scanner that detects a wide variety of problems including frame damage, missing parts, and fluid leaks, as well as brake and exhaust-system issues.
- Artemis — A system that checks tire quality. Within seconds it identifies tire brand, technical specifications, air pressure, tread depth, sidewall damage, alignment issues and whether a vehicle’s tires are mismatched.
- Atlas — A 360-degree detection system that checks sheet metal and other external body components such as bumpers, door locks, grilles, and windows.
“High-speed inspection equipment can serve as tools of empowerment for new- and used-car dealers,” says Hever. “We very much look forward to working with GM in the months and years ahead. Both companies share the same vision and sense of innovation and when it comes to vehicle quality, the future is a bright one.”
Early implementations of UVeye’s technology at a limited number of GM dealers in North America are already yielding positive results. As the collaboration continues, the two companies will look to expand the applications of the technology across GM’s global dealer network, enhancing the robustness of real time vehicle diagnostics and creating a more streamlined exchange of information between customers, their vehicles and service technicians.
