Company Blog TWINNER Insights
The Twinner® Surface Analysis Feature: Have a look at the secret past life of a car
Typically, 2-5% of leasing car returns will showcase signs of possible repaint work done on the vehicle. If the lessor can’t prove that the repaint was not carried out in the factory, the conditions are set for a disagreement and potential conflict with the lessee. Many OEMs and their respective leasing firms face this problem. The TWINNER R&D team worked hard to find a solution to this problem, which led to the launch of the Twinner® Surface Analysis Feature.
Repaint claims are the most common disagreement during vehicle trade-ins
During the trade-in of a leasing car, the returned vehicle is checked for anything that could influence its value: scratches, dents, wear marks and possible repaints and small repairs. In order to check the paint, a manual thickness measurement of usually three points is carried out, providing information about any possible changes of the paintwork. When the paint is thicker than usual, it indicates that a repaint has occurred.
The assumptions however are complicated by the fact, that in some cases cars are repainted while still in the factory, leading to an uncertainty about the timing of the paint work. This difference can have significant consequences for all involved, depending on the time of repaint, the costs have to be borne either by the lessor or the lessee. Considering that some firms charge the lessee 10 to 20 percent of the repair cost for such issues, it becomes an important question.
In practice, paintwork and everything related to it (may it be scratches or repaint) is the most common issue lessor and lessee argue about when trading in and assessing the vehicle condition.
As long as there is uncertainty about the timeline of these works, there will always be space for conflicting claims and a less than ideal customer experience.
Development of the Surface Analysis Feature and the repaint sensor
This problem triggered the development of a larger feature, named Twinner® Surface Analysis, in which, as the name suggests, the surface of a vehicle can be analyzed for a set of characteristics. With a combination of hardware and software, one can make visible repairs, exchanged body parts and paint works.
Car foilings made visible by Twinner® Surface Analysis
One piece of hardware, the repaint sensor, is focused on the qualities of the paint, showcasing repaint works, exchanged body parts and previous foiling. Highlighting previous foiling can uncover the former use of a vehicle, like being part of a driving school fleet or a delivery company.
Collecting all the data about the surface of a vehicle enables a better evaluation for the vehicle and a more transparent (re)marketing of it.
Industrial process integration for full documentation
Twinner® technology is developed with a focus on integrating solutions at industrial scale, creating value throughout vehicle lifecycles. So how can this innovative technology support OEMs?
Twinner® Spaces, the devices in which the actual scan takes place, for example can be integrated at the end of the assembly line, where cars are being produced. This Digital Twinn® of the vehicle guarantees a comprehensive documentation about each individual vehicle leaving the factory. The car will then go through the classical leasing company channels and is handed over to the lessee.
At the end of the leasing period, the lessee trades in the vehicle at the respective facility. Traditionally, a manual inspection of the car is carried out at on return. With Twinner®, parts of the manual inspection can be automated by the technology. The Surface Analysis of the returned vehicle, in comparison to the Digital Twinn® created before the leasing period, will highlight any differences in the consistency of the paint, indicating repairs or replaced parts, while simultaneously producing the according documentation.
The Digital Twinn® of the vehicle enables the inspection and processing of the data anywhere and anytime. Furthermore, the dataset can serve as proof for the exact condition of the vehicle at a certain time.
Putting the technology to test: Pilot with an European OEM
In order to test the technology in real life conditions, TWINNER carried out a pilot study together with an European OEM, to test on the one hand the industrial integration of the solution and on the other hand to compare the results of the Twinner® Space with those of manual inspections. Around 2,000 vehicles were scanned in this pilot.
Car repaint made visible by Twinner® Surface Analysis
The pilot provided positive proof for both assumptions. The technology could prove under an industrial setting with a high number of vehicles passing through the system, but more importantly the repaint sensors detected 13% more repaint works compared to the manual inspection.
The solution could not only reduce manual labor, but provides better results and supports the documentation process with according visuals.
Twinner® offering an integrated solution for inspection and remarketing
TWINNER is continuously working on integrated solutions, which can digitalize and streamline all vehicle transactions. Beyond the Surface Analysis Feature, the Twinner® Space automates the creation of high-quality remarketing materials, including a spotless 360° view of the vehicle, a photo set, a 360° interior view and tire tread depth measurement.
Digital Twinns® enable thus an immediate remarketing of the returned leased vehicles, using either internal or external digital sales channels. The benefits are manyfold: standardized global return processes and documentation across organizations, reliable quality standards of the vehicles, scalable technology solution, a reduction in process time and time to market, clearly documented proof of the vehicle condition, control over the remarketing activities and the highest quality sales materials for happy customers.
The multispectral Twinner® Surface Analysis enables OEMs and leasing firms and their clients to create more transparency by eliminating information asymmetries about the car’s history and thus helps to create trust among all parties.
Exchanged body parts made visible by Twinner® Surface Analysis
With this new inspection feature TWINNER is reacting to the ever more relevant contactless and digital customer journeys, building products which enable automotive industry players to offer the best possible digital user experience to their customers.
Want to learn more about the Twinner® technology and how it can support your business?
Contact us at sales@twinner.com for more information!