The automotive industry has seen some huge advancements in the last few decades. But it’s not just cars that have evolved – the way in which car repairs are carried out has changed too. Technology has made it easier to find and fix faults, as well as helping car repair centers to get more organized. Below are just a few examples of how technology has transformed car repairs.
Fault Diagnosis
Modern diagnostic tools like OBD readers can now be plugged into a car to digitally diagnose faults. These devices are able to collect information from your car’s ECU and produce a fault code that can be looked up online to determine the exact problem. This is useful with mysterious electrical faults that may not be otherwise possible to pinpoint. OBD readers can also be linked up to automotive repair software to provide information on exactly how to carry out repairs – including which parts to order and which tools to use. This can be very useful when it comes to non-routine repairs.
Shop Management
Shop management software has helped car repair services to be more organized by putting all information in one place. From this software, technicians can schedule repair jobs and order parts, while managing the cash flow of their repair shop. Such software can also automate various tasks like sending scheduled repair reminder messages to customers and sending digital receipts after customers have paid. There are a few different car repair shop management programs on the market that are worth comparing.
Technician Training
Software can also be used to help train technicians. Such software can contain interactive quizzes to test the knowledge of your novice technicians, as well as videos to help explain processes visually. There is even VR auto repair training software on the market that can allow technicians to practice repair jobs without any risk of damaging someone’s car. By using this technology, car repair centers can reduce the amount of time spent training technicians in person, while still providing them with the knowledge they need to become experienced technicians.
Video Vehicle Inspections
Some car repair centers have started taking videos of vehicles while inspecting them so that customers themselves can see faults for themselves. This is sometimes included as part of a car service. Video vehicle inspections are great for building trust and helping customers more easily visualize certain problems like suspension issues or brake issues so that they are more inclined to invest in repairs.
Automated Repairs
While it seems unlikely that robots will be replacing mechanics any time soon, there are certain repairs that have become possible to automate. For example, RoboTire is a robot that is able to replace tires – this machine automatically removes all four wheels using its robotic arms in the fraction of the time it would take a human to do it. There are also robots that are able to carry out paintwork repairs. These types of robots could become more common in car repair centers in the future.
