November 13, 2022
Ravin has developed an application that allows you to perform a visual inspection of the vehicle’s condition automatically and quickly using a smartphone or camera. “Vehicle inspections are a critical component of the operational life cycle of car rental”
Hertz, one of the largest car rental companies in the world, will start a pilot in Sweden in partnership The Israeli company Ravin, which has developed an artificial intelligence technology that makes it possible to perform, automatically and without the need for special skill, a check of the condition of the vehicle using the personal smartphone or closed-circuit cameras. Ravin’s solution will be used to more quickly and reliably check the condition of the vehicle when it is returned to the dealership by the renter.
Daniel Edman, project manager at Hertz Sweden, said that the company tested various technologies that focus on automation and vehicle inspection and found that Raybin’s technology was very comprehensive and effective. “We hope that the use of this new technology will begin soon and that it will serve our customers in the future.” Neil Alliston, VP Commercial at Ravinadded that, “Vehicle inspections are a critical element in the operational life cycle of car rentals, and Raybin’s tools will provide advanced technology that supports several stages in the process.”
To perform the vehicle inspection using the Ravin app, the user simply needs to scan, guided by the app, the vehicle from all sides using the smartphone camera. Using machine vision and deep learning algorithms, the application knows how to focus on the important areas and locate defects such as scratches, bodywork damage, worn tires, and also identify if the vehicle has undergone an accident or significant repairs. At the end of the scan, the application issues a report detailing the types of defects, their severity and the estimated cost of the required repairs. The application also provides insights on the interior of the vehicle and the undercarriage. The solution can also be implemented using closed-circuit cameras installed at the car dealership.
aimed at the used vehicle market
The Ravin company was established in 2018 by CEO Eliron Eckstein and chief technologist Dr. Roman Sandler. The idea behind the establishment of the company was formulated by Eckstein when he worked in the transportation division of the energy giant Shell, which later became a strategic investor in Ravin. Dr. Sandler holds a doctorate in computer science from the Technion. He specializes in the fields of computer vision and machine learning and is considered to be the one who developed the roadside speed cameras for the Israel Police.
Along with the car rental world, one of Ravin’s main target markets is the used car market in the United States. This is a huge and very developed market. Similar to the retail world, the used car market has also been undergoing digitization processes in recent years, with online platforms such as Shift and Carvana gradually eating away at the market share of traditional car dealerships, and also changing the way used cars are marketed, priced and delivered from hand to hand.
Ravin wants to lead the digital transformation of the vehicle inspection phase, which as mentioned is an integral part of every delivery of a used car or the return of a rented car, and to offer a solution that will make the inspection faster, more accessible and more reliable.
Published in the categories: Automotive, IOT, artificial intelligence, start-up companies, news, tablet and smartphone, machine vision
Posted in tags: Ravin, Hertz
