Bosch saves 15 percent per step taken in Automotive Repair with Augmented Reality
AREA member Bosch reveals how Augmented Reality and ActiveSchematics technology can speedup repair work on modern vehicles.
Modern vehicle technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Hybrid and high-voltage technology, intelligent assistance systems and connected electronic systems pose significant challenges automotive workshops have to face.
On top of this, there is a vast variety of versions for each vehicle model and type. Quite frequently, the first challenge for the service technicians is to locate the component in question in first place. Bosch supports service technicians by means of innovative Augmented Reality applications thus enabling them to perform service and repair tasks at an increasingly sophisticated working environment both efficiently and with high quality.
The advantage: Important and individual vehicle information is provided quickly and at the right place. Combining Augmented Reality applications with the ActiveSchematics technology, vehicle-specific wiring and block diagrams can now be visualized case specific and in real time. For service technicians, this results in faster repairs and prevention of mistakes during the specific tasks.
Average time savings of 15 percent per step taken
Bosch performed a field study in order to analyze the benefits of using Augmented Reality applications in everyday workshop life. Augmented Reality allows time savings of 15 percent in average per step taken – even on common vehicles and in case of less sophisticated repair tasks such as e.g. removing specific components. Once the service technician points his tablet computer or smart glasses onto an area on the vehicle’s engine compartment featuring AR information, useful information is added to the real image. In this manner, even the location of components hidden behind panels can be displayed visually.
Two powerful tools: Augmented Reality and ActiveSchematics
Once the service technician identified the vehicle, its equipment and its technical peculiarities by means of the VIN number, he will only receive the information required for the specific vehicle as he continues with the following steps. For this purpose, Bosch combines two of its solutions: ActiveSchematics and its Augmented Reality Platform (CAP).
Once the error pattern has been read out of the fault memory, ActiveSchematics creates the relevant wiring diagrams for the specific error pattern. Doing so, it only takes those components into consideration that are actually installed at the vehicle. This allows displaying a case specific overview while the Augmented Reality application shows the information right at the place where it is needed by the service technician.
For straightforward content generation, Bosch imports the data directly from engineering. This reduces the creation efforts and allows immediate and flexible implementation and release of technical advancements.
Efficient workflow cuts expenses
It eases both the fault isolation and the identification of the components affected. In addition, it saves time as service technicians don’t have to go through various manuals to find the problem resolution, but can start repairing right away. Therefore, focusing on information relevant for the specific vehicle and error pattern, the combined use of Augmented Reality applications and ActiveSchematics also help avoiding unnecessary repair steps, mistakes and thus save costs.