Digitalization is one of the buzzwords in today’s automotive sector. Some have asked whether digital technology will replace experts in vehicle appraisals in the future. DEKRA, one of the world’s leading expert organizations, is convinced that experts will ultimately still be needed when it comes to damage appraisals and status reports on vehicles. However, DEKRA experts are determined to use digital technology wherever it can support them or help improve and speed up processes. Therefore, they have started a pilot study with vehicle scanning devices from ProovStation.
- Pilot phase with scanners from ProovStation
- Stations installed in car logistics terminal and DEKRA training facility
- Experts will evaluate how services can be further improved in a digital way
“After intensive investigation and a market analysis among 20 – mostly European – providers, we have carefully selected our partner and ordered two scanners that will be ready to use shortly”, says Wim Ter Voert, DEKRA Executive Vice President and Head of the Service Division Claims & Expertise. The decision for ProovStation was taken because of their scanners’ comparatively far developed algorithm for damage detection. “We are looking forward to testing the devices in our everyday service scenarios and find out in what way they can actually support us to do our job faster and better”, says Wim Ter Voert.
“We are proud of being selected by one of the leading companies in inspection, certification and claims management in the automotive industry. Such recognition of our company and technology further supports our objective to contribute to the transformation of the appraisal market. In a business of large volumes where minute differences can add up to significant cost differentials, we are convinced that ProovStation’s solution combined with DEKRA’s expertise will improve and speed up the appraisal services at unprecedented levels, for the benefit of DEKRA’s customers“, says Cédric Bernard, CEO of ProovStation.
One of the stations will be installed on a car terminal in the Netherlands where DEKRA experts check thousands of vehicles each year. The second station is placed in DEKRA’s training campus in Altensteig (Germany).
“Both our Dutch and German colleagues will be giving valuable assessments of the scanners’ significance for their work. Based on their feedback, we will be able to define a precise digitalization strategy in terms of where, when and to what extent DEKRA will be using this kind of technology within the Claims & Expertise business in the future”, says Wim Ter Voert. In the DEKRA Group structure, Service Divisions develop services and technologies to be used in DEKRA markets around the world. “Markets are changing dynamically, so we need to remain on top of developments in order to offer the best service possible to our customers. This pilot study is an important step in this continuous process”, adds Ter Voert.