Get Ready for the Future Today

By Tara Taffera

What better issue to talk about future technology than in our issue with AGRR’s Ninth Annual Guide to New Products and Services? You can see all the products introduced by auto glass companies in the feature article beginning on page 22. I am impressed by the number of submissions this year, and proud of all the industry is doing to make advancements in its products and services.

You have to–everything is changing. One of the biggest technological forces coming down the pike is Artifi cial Intelligence (AI). Case in point, Mitchell International is exploring a computer vision application that uses image recognition to confirm repair vs. replace decisions, according to the company’s 2017 Third Quarter Industry Trends Report.

Computer vision researchers at Carnegie Mellon demonstrated the ability to detect and understand small movements. Mitchell says in its report, “Instead of an automotive repairer just getting guidance on the next step in a given repair procedure, they could get real time evaluation of ancillary problems detected by computer vision.

In fact, in February 2018, glassBYTEs reported that Autoglass, a UK-based vehicle glass repair and replacement company owned by Belron, tested the latest AI technology to assess the severity of vehicle glass damage. The company says this can be used to determine whether customers require a repair or a full replacement.

No doubt the industry’s suppliers will have to asses this technology and perhaps develop products around it as well—maybe you will see those in future editions of the Annual Products Guide. Ditto for utilization of technology such as virtual reality, 3D printing and more.

It’s an exciting time in the industry and is exciting to think about what the auto glass products of the future will look like.

To view the laid-in version of this article in our digital edition, CLICK HERE.