Top Augmented Reality Applications in the Automotive Industry

Written By:?Claire Cavanaugh

How Is Augmented Reality Used in the Automotive Industry??

Between changing customer preferences and rising competitive pressures, it’s critical that manufacturing and service organizations keep up with?digital transformation in the automotive industry. Fast-paced innovation is the new normal, and automation, robotics, and other advancements make vehicles more complex than ever before.?

Unfortunately, traditional paper-based work instructions add more complexity than clarity—and your workforce might not have the contextual information it needs to drive efficiency. That’s why best-in-class automotive manufacturing and service organizations are using?#augmentedreality?(AR) to drive revenue growth, minimize costs, and boost efficiency with clear, in-context 3D work instructions.?

What Are the Types of AR Used in the Automotive Industry??

AR technology displays clear digital information in the context of the user’s environment. The type of #ar a technician needs depends on how they will be using it. Experts can provide?remote assistance?with AR via a smartphone or tablet, while?in-depth 3D instructions?can require a technician to be hands-free via an AR headset. Whatever the situation calls for, there’s a type of AR that can empower manufacturing and service teams to work on increasingly complex vehicles with confidence and efficiency.??

AR headsets can be ideal for both service technicians and quality inspectors, as shown in Volvo’s AR journey.?Read more about Volvo’s digital transformation.?

What Are the Benefits of Using AR??

AR improves efficiency, productivity, and performance across manufacturing, service, and training departments, driving?tangible outcomes?such as:?

• Improved new hire productivity by up to 40%
• Increased first-time fix rate (FTFR) by up to 30%?
• Reduced training costs by up to 50%?
• Decreased manufacturing cycle time by up to 36%

Beyond these KPIs, the following AR use cases address the biggest manufacturing and service challenges.

Using AR Helps to Reduce Service Times and Costs?

Unclear, overcomplicated, and often outdated paper-based work instructions can create the biggest roadblock to efficient service. When technicians are missing the scale, detail, and context they need to work on complex equipment, it prolongs service times and drives up associated costs. AR delivers the information technicians need in clear, easy-to-understand experiences—whenever and wherever they need it. 3D AR technology shows detailed, step-by-step instructions in the context of the physical equipment, reducing service times and associated costs.??

Augmented Reality Helps Improve FTFR?

Complex paper-based work instructions don’t just impact the duration of service. Accuracy is also a significant concern when service teams lack clear guidance—and FTFR is bound to suffer. AR transforms paper-based manuals into 3D work instructions that are overlaid on specific parts, empowering technicians to solve problems quickly the first time.?

Automotive Workforce Efficiency Can Be Improved Using AR

AR drives automotive workforce efficiency by:?

• Accelerating training?with intuitive digital experiences?
• Reducing service times?with 3D content in the context of the vehicle, which helps technicians locate the problem right away?
• Improving FTFR?with clear, detailed work instructions that eliminate the complexity of traditional manuals?
• Increasing workforce productivity, safety, and compliance?through digital tools that can be shared and scaled across the enterprise

These efficiencies also reduce service wait times and downtime, improving both the company’s reputation and customer trust.?

The Future of Augmented Reality Applications in the Automotive Industry?

AR can be used in many ways to drive?digital transformation?and improve workforce efficiency. The following key AR use cases are impacting the automotive market today—and will continue to do so in the future:??

1. Self-Service and Car Manuals?

Customer satisfaction is a key metric for success. Repeat visits to manufacturer dealerships are frustrating, but traditional car manuals aren’t the most empowering solution. Whether the customer doesn’t know how to use their new vehicle or simply needs to change the oil or replace a headlight, AR car manuals provide the right instructions whenever they’re needed. With AR, there’s no need to flip through hundreds of pages for the right information—the user can simply point their phone at the dashboard for the answer to their question. Automotive companies can easily share AR experiences with their customers for simplified, less stressful self-service. This reduces customer wait times, limits technician travel costs, and boosts customer satisfaction.?

2. Maintenance and Repair?

When vehicles are brought in for maintenance or repair, 2D instructions can’t capture the scale and complexity of complicated vehicles, leading to unproductive search time. As a result, wait times and costs increase before the service even begins. And during service, complex 2D instructions are cumbersome and unhelpful. AR gives service technicians a detailed X-ray view inside the vehicle, at scale, so they can pinpoint the issue immediately, completing service faster and at a lower cost.??

Are You Driving Automotive Service Efficiency??

For many shops, traditional 2D work instructions are holding back automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from delivering the highest-quality service. But best-in-class automotive OEMs are realizing the value of AR to simplify complex work instructions, reduce part search time, and improve customer satisfaction. The good news is that many of these AR solutions are relatively easy and quick to implement—and deliver a rapid ROI in addition to long-term benefits and sustained reputational value.??

Read our e-book ?to learn how you can harness AR applications in the automotive industry to address key workforce challenges and improve service efficiency with intuitive, clear, in-context 3D work instructions.?