Michigan drivers will now have access to a network of drive-thru scanners that check a vehicle’s health at dealerships owned by LaFontaine Automotive Group.
That’s thanks to a partnership between the Highland, Mich.-based group and UVeye, a global vehicle data intelligence company.
Driving the news: The companies announced the partnership on Monday (Sept. 14), ahead of a 4 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony and demo of the technology at the group’s Buick-GMC dealership in Highland, about an hour’s drive northwest of Detroit.
The details: UVeye’s drive-thru system uses computer vision to scan a vehicle's tires, undercarriage, and exterior in seconds.
It captures images that give drivers a clear, visual look at their vehicle's condition and anything that needs attention, with a 96% accuracy rate.
UVeye said it has more than 1,000 systems worldwide across dealerships, fleets, auctions, rental operations, and OEM logistics facilities, scanning more than 3 million vehicles a month.
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What they’re saying: Ryan LaFontaine, CEO of his family’s namesake group, said in a release that the partnership with UVeye is about setting a new bar for vehicle safety and transparency.
"Technology is fundamentally changing what customers should expect from their automotive experience, and we intend to lead that transformation," LaFontaine said.
He called it "an investment in the future of automotive retail, the communities we serve and the lifelong relationships we're committed to building."
The AI-powered scanners will be available at participating dealerships across the group’s 40-plus locations, which span the state from Dearborn to Grand Rapids to Flint.
LaFontaine Automotive is inviting any Michigan driver, no matter their vehicle type or where they bought it, to get a complimentary scan at any of its participating locations. Check out the arch-like technology in the photo below.
(Courtesy LaFontaine Automotive Group and UVeye)
Looking ahead: UVeye’s scanners already are in use across the country, but this partnership creates the “world’s first cross-state network of complimentary drive-through vehicle health scans,” according to the release.
Amir Hever, CEO and co-founder of UVeye, said the goal goes beyond just deploying new technology, that it's about changing how drivers think about monitoring their car's health.
"Just as people routinely monitor their own health, every driver should have easy access to their vehicle's vitals," Hever said in a release.
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