Have you ever stood watching a vehicle inspection, where the inspector circles your car and does the inspection, where we keep wondering what exactly they are looking for?
You are not alone. Many car owners face the same confusion when it comes to vehicle inspections. It can mean many things, such as catching a minor issue before it becomes enormous, securing fair insurance coverage, or driving away with a reliable vehicle.
Body shops, insurance companies, or other authorities perform vehicle inspections. Knowing what happens during an inspection could save you money and countless headaches.
This is your guide to what happens at a vehicle inspection, revealing exactly what vehicle professionals look for, why checkpoints matter, and how new technologies are transforming this industry.
Various types of vehicle inspections
Vehicle inspections come in several forms, each having different purposes and focus areas:
Roadworthiness Tests:
These tests determine whether your vehicle meets public road safety needs. The UK’s Ministry of Transport test is required for cars that are three years old and is a good example of such a test.
They contain very critical components that are verified by inspectors, such as cracks, steering wheels, suspension, indicators, horns, and lights. Inspectors also verify secondary elements like battery health, fuel cap integrity, and rearview mirror functionality.
Emission Tests:
The focus in these tests is specifically on the vehicle’s environmental impact, which includes the exhaust outputs to ensure that they are in line with pollution regulations.
Safety inspections:
They provide detailed evaluations of all safety-critical systems.
Insurance inspections:
They document the vehicle’s condition when establishing or renewing coverage.
Post-repair inspections:
These tests verify whether the repairs have been completed properly. With every inspection that has a specific approach, the most detailed evaluations cover four important areas: external damage, internal damage, hidden damage, and identification verification.
-Assessment of external damage
The evaluation of external damage is the start of every inspection process. Inspectors perform a visual assessment in order to identify and document damage on the vehicle’s body or exterior.
During this, the inspectors check for:
- Different forms of body damage, like dents, scratches, etc
- Deterioration due to weather
- Damage due to an accident
- Cosmetic imperfections that could lead to deeper problems
Even a minor external damage can indicate a more serious underlying issue. The traditional inspection methods heavily rely on the experience and visual acuity of the inspector. This can sometimes cause overlooking of the damage or inconsistent evaluation.
For a better, more accurate assessment, it is important to ensure that all the external damage details are included in your vehicle condition report. Missing this information can result in inaccurate evaluations that can affect insurance premiums and the estimate of repair.
The modern way of inspection is increasingly using AI-powered vehicle condition reports. This can help identify external damage consistently and precisely.
-Assessment of internal damage
The assessment of internal damage comes with great challenges as compared to external evaluation, but remains equally crucial for safety and functionality. These types of tests examine mechanical and structural components that affect the vehicle’s operation.
Elements that internal inspection includes:
- Suspension systems and wheel alignment
- Braking system
- Condition and operation of the engine
- Transmission functionality
- Electrical systems integrity
Internal damage is not always visible, and because of this, it requires a lot of specialized knowledge and equipment to detect the damage. Professional experts use a variety of diagnostic tools to assess the hidden issues that could compromise safety if not treated.
For customers who are unaware of the potential internal damage, consulting a qualified collision expert is important. This can help to solve the issue comprehensively while also determining potential side effects and recommending the appropriate repairs.
EV vehicles present a unique inspection challenge as their components differ from conventional vehicles. The relationship between external and internal parts is not yet standardized in EV models, and this can result in difficulty in predicting internal damage based on external indicators.
-Assessment of hidden damage
The most important thing in professional inspections involves the identification of hidden damage that tends to escape casual observation. These issues can significantly affect the vehicle’s safety and value.
Hidden damage inspection includes:
- Frame misalignments
- Water damage in electrical systems
- Moisture in upholstery that can lead to mold
- Rust in concealed areas
- Minor impacts
- Previous inadequate repairs
Professional body shops use specialized equipment that can help detect such issues. Water damage received particular attention due to the devastating effects on vehicles’ electronic and interior materials.
-Verification of vehicle identification
After the assessment of the physical condition of the vehicle, the inspectors also need to verify the important identification details that help to confirm the vehicle’s authenticity and history.
Key identification components include:
- The vehicle identification number verification (VIN)
- Document registration examination
- Odometer reading authentication
- Ownership documentation review
The VIN number is a multi-character code that is normally located beneath the windshield, and this helps to provide access to the vehicle’s history, previous accidents, and criminal involvement. Vehicle inspectors check this number along with all the documents of the vehicle.
The standard procedure is to check this number and then proceed to the visual inspection. The inspectors also verify the odometer reading in order to confirm the functioning of the engine.
AI’s role in transforming vehicle inspections
Traditional vehicle inspections often face many challenges: they are time-consuming, can often be subject to human error, and also rely on subjective assessments. Artificial intelligence addresses these limitations by delivering much more accurate and efficient results.
Many companies like Inspektlabs are helping to bring the advantages of artificial intelligence in the automotive industry like:
- Detection of damage with the use of algorithms that identify various damage types in different vehicle types
- The capabilities of prediction help to accurately forecast internal damage that is based on external conditions
- Prevention of fraud with built-in detection systems that help during inspections
- Elimination of subjectivity in assessments by standardizing assessment criteria
- Instantly reporting with 90% + accuracy during inspections
These solutions, which include artificial intelligence, help to complement human expertise while also enabling inspectors to work more efficiently. With such a combination, this proves to be a valuable asset in the evaluation process of vehicles.
Why do vehicle inspections matter?
The multiple purposes for vehicle inspections are:
- Identifying and solving issues related to safety, before they cause accidents
- Documenting the vehicle conditions for insurance purposes
- Ensuring that the repairs have been done properly
- Making sure that the vehicle complies with the safety and environmental regulations
For car owners, these inspections are really important as they help to identify minor issues before they become major. For inspectors, it is equally important to provide accurate information, which can help to build the trust of the consumer.
The future of vehicle inspections
While the traditional inspection remains important due to human expertise, technological advancements also play a huge part in shaping the automotive industry. These developments help to make the process faster, consistent, and more accurate.
The technology in this sector continues to grow and evolve with the AI-powered tools that can convert inspection from a subjective process to a data-driven, standardized evaluation.
Vehicle owners who need help to navigate the inspection process need to understand what inspectors check during this process. This helps them make informed decisions and plays a crucial role in future purchase decisions.
By combining several technologies, this knowledge can enormously impact the decisions of car owners and help the vehicle be safe, reliable, and properly valued throughout its operational life.
[Also Read: SUV vs Sedan: Which One is Right for You?]
