Aston Barclay, Proovstation partner on AI inspection system

Auction house Aston Barclay is innovating the UK vehicle remarketing sector with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to map and process vehicle damage data.

The automated inspection scanner employs an AI-led process to ensure precise and consistent appraisals. Upon entering the gantry, the vehicle undergoes a comprehensive assessment. Dedicated tyre scanners measure the wear of all four tyres and internal lights illuminate the vehicle, enabling cameras to map the entire exterior. This process identifies chips, dents, and scratches as the vehicle drives through the gantry.

Following the inspection, the gantry processes the collected data, and within 90 seconds, the findings are transmitted to the inspector's handheld device. The information is then fed into Aston Barclay's internal damage-appraisal engine, which calculates the cost of damage and assigns a NAMA grading to the vehicle. The innovative technology significantly improves inspection accuracy, as well as reducing the time it takes to complete an inspection, and therefore number of days to sell.

Aston Barclay said it is the first auction company in the UK to collaborate with Proovstation, which already has over 200 stations in operating conducting millions of inspections across 12 countries.

Aston Barclay currently uses the system at two of its six sites, Wakefield and Donington, and plans to roll out the technology further in the coming months, to gain more accurate data across the whole group as the more cars that are inputted, the more refined the data output becomes.

Nick Thompson, chief customer officer at Aston Barclay said: "This pioneering technology enhances inspection accuracy and reduces the time required for inspections, helping us to improve the speed we can process our cars. Not only does this allow us to provide a more efficient service for our customers, but we can also ensure there is consistency for all vehicles across our centres.”

“The addition of new technology is vital for businesses like Aston Barclay, as the used vehicle industry, although straight forward, is an ever changing and advancing sector. Our products are designed to save time and improve accuracy during the inspection process, giving Aston Barclay an opportunity to offer more vehicles through auctions while enjoying an instant return on investment,” said Gabriel Tissandier, managing director at Proovstation.