A new AI powered drive-through vehicle inspection system designed to extend vehicle inspections beyond the factory and across the wider automotive supply chain will be deployed for the first time later this year. The new platform will greatly strengthen damage detection across the finished vehicle logistics chain, from end-of-line up to the point the product reaches the end customer.
Developed by automated vehicle inspection pioneer, DeGould, the new AutoCompact DriveThrough inspection booths are developed specifically for deployment at key checkpoints throughout the vehicle delivery journey, and in particular where responsibility for the vehicle transfers between different organisations. It’s at each handover point in the finished vehicle’s journey from the production facility to the final customer – at ports, rail terminals, logistics compounds, vehicle processing centres and dealerships – that damage is most likely to occur.
The new compact inspection system helps these organisations identify damage on the vehicle’s exterior at the point where it is transferred, strengthening the chain of liability. This reduces the time and costs of any disputes between logistics providers about who oversaw a vehicle when any damage occurred. It also facilitates faster rectification and incentivises best practice in handling processes throughout the finished vehicle’s journey. This improves the quality of the product that reaches the end customer, through consistent, automated vehicle inspections.
The AutoCompact DriveThrough’s compact footprint and ability to operate in a wide range of environments enable inspection data to be captured wherever responsibility for a vehicle changes hands. Its drive-through aperture can cater for vehicles of all shapes and sizes, from city cars to luxury saloons and light commercial vehicles.
The new platform combines AI vehicle inspection with advanced camera and lighting technologies and LiDAR to create instant real-time detailed digital records of vehicle condition at every inspection point. By providing immediate inspection feedback, users can identify damage sooner, improve accountability between supply chain partners, and reduce the cost and complexity associated with unidentified defects and damage disputes. A dedicated 24/7 customer support service also helps minimise downtime by providing rapid technical support whenever required.
The system has also been designed for rapid deployment and ease of assembly, with the product delivered to logistics partners as a kit having been built and tested at DeGould’s headquarters in the UK. For optimum performance at outdoor locations, DeGould recommends customers deploy the system under cover.
By integrating defect data from end-of-line inspection and finished vehicle logistics into a single platform, DeGould’s drive-through system, EOL technology and DVM app give OEMs a unified view of their global cost of quality. This enables them to identify recurring trends, address sources of avoidable cost and potentially save millions each year.
Ben Boycott, CEO at DeGould, said: “The launch of a drive-through vehicle inspection system enables OEMs and finished vehicle logistics companies to deploy our leading defect detection capabilities from assembly lines to dealer forecourts. For the first time, they can apply the same world-leading inspection performance and quality trusted at EOL throughout the finished vehicle logistics chain, giving customers a consistent approach to vehicle inspection from the factory to the dealer.
“With pressures on margins, OEMs and logistics providers can benefit from having a clear view of costs, including where and how they occur, what trends are visible, and where the focus needs to be to capture the savings from detecting defects. DeGould’s suite of products provides all that is needed to improve bottom line performance.”
The new product’s launch, along with customer demonstrations, will take place during Q4 2026, with first deliveries scheduled for Q1 2027.
