THE end of a car lease can be the source of friction between the end user and the leasing company: will the car be subject to end of lease charges? What will be the cost? Are the charges fair?
It’s made worse by the arrival of a vehicle inspector to assess the vehicle before the car is taken away. Does the car meet the BVRLA Fair Wear & Tear guidelines or not?
One leasing company’s clean sheet is another’s charge sheet.
But there’s a new product that’s just arrived on the market from remarketing specialists MJB Automotive Solutions. It’s called PAVE.
PAVE is an open API self-inspection solution that turns any phone into a professional inspector in one click. It enables customer guided professional inspections and reports that can be fully integrated within businesses and their current technology.
Developed in Canada, PAVE uses AI and machine learning to constantly improve its methodology and accuracy.
Marcus Blakemore, Managing Director of MJB Automotive Solutions, says:
“It has the ability to save a friction point at the end of the lease. It also removes the distrust felt by drivers when an inspector turns up to look at the vehicle’s condition.”
Simple to use
A text is sent to the driver who is then guided via image silhouettes to take 13 images of the car.
Marcus is no stranger to the remarketing world. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the automotive industry, most recently as Managing Director of Gain Solutions, a Dekkra company. He says:
“This product is really customer centric. You get an accurate condition report by walking around the car doing image capture which is then verified and the customer immediately understands whether any refurbishment is required.”
And that’s the point. Is refurbishment of the car via some smart repairs worth investing in, or should the car go straight back to the leasing company as it’s under the leasing firm’s repair threshold?
There’s little clarity on such points – hence the friction. PAVE offers transparency for both the customer and the leasing company.
Blakemore: digital future for car inspections
“I believe PAVE is the digital future of vehicle inspections and this has been borne out during testing. Feedback has been incredibly positive, with many commenting on the simplicity, speed and ease of use.
“Each inspection takes approximately three minutes to complete. By just aiming a smartphone’s camera towards the vehicle, drivers take images in-line with where PAVE tells them to. Every angle is covered and at the end of each inspection, a detailed report on the condition of the vehicle along with any damages or repairs required is uploaded onto the fleet operator’s servers.”
Marcus says the product is not only perfect for car leasing, but it’s absolutely in tune with the times: with COVID-19 restricting social interaction, PAVE saves an inspector having to visit the home or office of the driver.
“PAVE offers an opportunity for greater customer satisfaction and allows leasing companies to operate efficiently in a COVID-secure manner,” adds Marcus.
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