Daihatsu Launches Voice Recognition System for Entering Inspection Results for Mandatory 12-month Inspection Improving the quality and efficiency of aftersales services

Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Daihatsu”) has developed a new system that recognizes mechanic voices and automatically enters inspection results; the system will be used during regular car inspections and maintenance. In February 2018, Daihatsu launched a system designed for use by a single mechanic while carrying out the six-month inspection, and rolled this out to Daihatsu sales companies across Japan. The new system announced today is an improved and evolved version of the 2018 system, and is capable of catering to work carried out by multiple mechanics—a function for which there was high demand at service bases. As a result, the system can now be used for the mandatory 12-month inspection, and is being implemented nationwide.

Japan’s decreasing birthrate, aging population, and various other factors mean that a shortage of mechanics has become a critical issue for the automotive maintenance industry. Daihatsu’s new system was developed with two aims: first, to decrease the time spent on inspections and maintenance and improve accuracy, so enabling a limited number of personnel to carry out their work in a quick and
efficient manner; and second, to improve the quality of service Daihatsu provides.

Previously when carrying out essential inspections and maintenance, mechanics would have to write their results in prescribed record books registers by hand, and would then have to create reports to communicate these results to customers. This was a time-consuming process.

With the new system, mechanics are equipped with wearable microphones and use dedicated tablet terminals to carry out inspections and maintenance. The terminal reads out inspection items in a predetermined order, a mechanic carries out the relevant inspections, then speaks the results—“satisfactory,” for example, or “needs replacing”—into the microphone. These results are automatically recorded by the terminal. When tightening bolts or carrying out other tasks that require the use of a digital torque wrench, the torque values are automatically recorded for improved traceability.

Reports containing the inspection results can be created and printed for customers at the touch of a button; the reports also indicate when the next inspection should take place, so encouraging customers to continue returning to the dealer.

Advances to the system mean it is now capable of catering to the mandatory 12-month inspection. It also utilizes IT to make work processes more efficient—for example, by automatically changing the relevant values when tires are rotated—and so lightens workloads on maintenance employees. In this way, the system contributes to improved quality of service, and ensures Daihatsu’s services better cater to customer needs.

Going forward, through improvements to the current system and through other means, Daihatsu intends to optimize maintenance work and improve the quality of its services. By providing swift and reliable inspections and maintenance, the company aims to position itself in the role of a “family doctor”—a familiar and reassuring presence where customers can go to receive even more satisfactory aftersales services.