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Workshop 4.0: Robots and digital assistants
Dino Collazzo
Smart equipment, predictive diagnosis and self-learning software able to act independently. These are just some of the innovations to which mechatronic specialists, body shops and tire dealers will have to pay special attention to in order to capitalize on their full potential and avoid being “scrapped”.
“Smart” cars repaired by robots! Both the Automotive and Aftermarket sectors will have to face, in the coming years, great challenges coming from the field of technological innovation. And being able to keep up with progress in artificial intelligence (Ai), “the Internet of Things” (Iot) and big data analysis, becomes a priority for anyone looking at remaining competitive. Investing in predictive and remote diagnosis, and software able to monitor vehicles in remote, anticipating the moment when a vehicle part approaches the end of its useful life, or is at risk of malfunctioning, will allow many car repair workshops to increase their customer base. Increasingly targeted services and greater quality will also help motorists in saving precious resources. And it does not end there. Thanks to cutting-edge equipment, able to boast AI, mechatronic specialists, body shops and tire dealers will be able to perform accurate operations on technologically advanced vehicles. This will be possible because, in addition to their experience, a digital assistant will guide them suggesting the necessary operations.
As the Internet of Things becomes increasingly customized, any defect or malfunction in vehicle parts and components can be detected even on remote, which, in many cases will allow specialists to save time and carry out more scheduled operations in the workshop. However, if nowadays these devices are able, through special sensors, to interact with objects whether moving or stationary, the same may, in the future, be able to learn and act independently. And this thanks to the development of artificial intelligence currently promoted and driven by start-ups and hi-tech companies as well as multinationals and leading manufacturers of equipment and instruments for the aftermarket sector, all investing large resources in new technological innovations. We are talking about research and development studies on “Machine Learning” (ML), in which a processor, through the use of large amounts of data, acquires the ability to “learn” without being programmed and to adapt its software to any changes. In practice, Ml systems examine data related to an anomaly, seeking patterns and statistical regularities and producing a mathematical model - a self-generated algorithm – of the anomaly itself. The result is a forecast - continuously updated - which is then verified by a comparison with reality. These innovations are currently entering the automotive sector thanks to studies on self-driving vehicles and will soon make their appearance in workshops in the form of smart equipment or robots.
However, as we keep waiting to see when this will happen, something is already moving with regard to predictive diagnosis. Tires, electrical and engine components are already equipped with sensors that can communicate to service centers the "state of their health". With proper instruments, a garage owner can track his customers’ vehicles warning them in advance of a possible failure, or the need to change a component about to reach the end of its working cycle. This is what we call a Workshop 4.0, which will change working patterns as well as the business as a whole. In addition to offering normal maintenance and repair operations, they will also supply services and assistance related to all aspects of a vehicle’s life cycle. A digital revolution, according to the Financial Times, but one that will be responsible for the future disappearance of several trades, including traditional repair specialists.
There is no doubt that this is bound to happen, as it is only natural, in the long run, that many workshops will see their business volumes as well as revenues drop as new hi-tech vehicle will hit our streets – for example, electric motors are easier and quicker to repair -. It is also true, however, as a number of experts point out, that such momentous changes will still need some time to take place. Nevertheless, in this transitional phase, only those who will invest in training, innovation and a new business models, being willing to expand their trade in other areas of the automotive sector, will successfully face the challenges ahead.
As the Internet of Things becomes increasingly customized, any defect or malfunction in vehicle parts and components can be detected even on remote, which, in many cases will allow specialists to save time and carry out more scheduled operations in the workshop. However, if nowadays these devices are able, through special sensors, to interact with objects whether moving or stationary, the same may, in the future, be able to learn and act independently. And this thanks to the development of artificial intelligence currently promoted and driven by start-ups and hi-tech companies as well as multinationals and leading manufacturers of equipment and instruments for the aftermarket sector, all investing large resources in new technological innovations. We are talking about research and development studies on “Machine Learning” (ML), in which a processor, through the use of large amounts of data, acquires the ability to “learn” without being programmed and to adapt its software to any changes. In practice, Ml systems examine data related to an anomaly, seeking patterns and statistical regularities and producing a mathematical model - a self-generated algorithm – of the anomaly itself. The result is a forecast - continuously updated - which is then verified by a comparison with reality. These innovations are currently entering the automotive sector thanks to studies on self-driving vehicles and will soon make their appearance in workshops in the form of smart equipment or robots.
However, as we keep waiting to see when this will happen, something is already moving with regard to predictive diagnosis. Tires, electrical and engine components are already equipped with sensors that can communicate to service centers the "state of their health". With proper instruments, a garage owner can track his customers’ vehicles warning them in advance of a possible failure, or the need to change a component about to reach the end of its working cycle. This is what we call a Workshop 4.0, which will change working patterns as well as the business as a whole. In addition to offering normal maintenance and repair operations, they will also supply services and assistance related to all aspects of a vehicle’s life cycle. A digital revolution, according to the Financial Times, but one that will be responsible for the future disappearance of several trades, including traditional repair specialists.
There is no doubt that this is bound to happen, as it is only natural, in the long run, that many workshops will see their business volumes as well as revenues drop as new hi-tech vehicle will hit our streets – for example, electric motors are easier and quicker to repair -. It is also true, however, as a number of experts point out, that such momentous changes will still need some time to take place. Nevertheless, in this transitional phase, only those who will invest in training, innovation and a new business models, being willing to expand their trade in other areas of the automotive sector, will successfully face the challenges ahead.
