Abstract: The inventors have developed technology to facilitate the inspection of vehicles, such as cars, for the presence of defects. The technology may be used to facilitate detection of any defects of one or more vehicle defects before, during, and/or after inspection of the vehicle. The technology includes software and trained machine learning models for performing analyses to determine likely vehicle defects prior to completion of a vehicle inspection, to determine whether any vehicle defects are present based on data acquired during the vehicle inspection, and/or to determine, after completion of the vehicle inspection, whether there are any discrepancies between any defects identified by an inspector during the vehicle inspection and defects automatically detected by analyzing data collected during the inspection of the vehicle.

Abstract: Techniques for using a trained machine learning (ML) model to detect presence of vehicle defects from audio acquired at least in part during operation of an engine of a vehicle. The techniques include using at least one computer hardware processor to perform: obtaining, via at least one communication network, a first audio recording that was acquired, using at least one acoustic sensor, at least in part during operation of the engine; processing the first audio recording using the trained ML model to detect, from the first audio recording, presence of at least one vehicle defect, the processing comprising: generating an audio waveform from the first audio recording, generating a two-dimensional (2D) representation of the audio waveform, and processing the audio waveform and the 2D representation of the audio waveform using the trained ML model to obtain output indicative of presence or absence of the at least one vehicle defect.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting vehicles, such as cars or trucks. Some embodiments provide a method for inspecting a vehicle using a vehicle inspection system. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle exterior inspection system having a plurality of exterior sensor arrays, the plurality of exterior sensor arrays including respective sets of sensors oriented in different directions. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle undercarriage inspection system having an undercarriage sensor array including cameras configured to capture images at different angles, and a sensor configured to output vehicle position/motion data.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting vehicles, such as cars or trucks. Some embodiments provide a method for inspecting a vehicle using a vehicle inspection system. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle exterior inspection system having a plurality of exterior sensor arrays, the plurality of exterior sensor arrays including respective sets of sensors oriented in different directions. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle undercarriage inspection system having an undercarriage sensor array including cameras configured to capture images at different angles, and a sensor configured to output vehicle position/motion data.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting undercarriages of vehicles. Some embodiments provide a vehicle undercarriage inspection system. The vehicle undercarriage inspection system may include a base having a width and a depth respectively extending along first and second orthogonal directions, the width extending from a first end to a second end of the base. The vehicle undercarriage inspection system may include a sensor array coupled to the base, the sensor array including a set of cameras oriented in multiple directions. The set of cameras may include: a first camera oriented in part towards the first end of the base, a second camera oriented in part towards the second end of the base, and a third camera between the first and second. The vehicle undercarriage inspection system may include a processor configured to control the sensor array to capture images of an undercarriage of a vehicle with the set of cameras.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting vehicles, such as cars or trucks. Some embodiments provide a method for inspecting a vehicle using a vehicle inspection system. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle exterior inspection system having a plurality of exterior sensor arrays, the plurality of exterior sensor arrays including respective sets of sensors oriented in different directions. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle undercarriage inspection system having an undercarriage sensor array including cameras configured to capture images at different angles, and a sensor configured to output vehicle position/motion data.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting vehicles. Some embodiments provide a system for vehicle inspection, including a support member having a first portion and a second portion angled relative to the first, and a plurality of sensor arrays coupled thereto. The plurality of sensor arrays may include respective sets of cameras oriented in multiple directions. The plurality of sensor arrays may be coupled to the support member at different positions. The plurality of sensor arrays may include: a first sensor array having one or more wheels of a vehicle in its field of view (FOV) when imaging the vehicle, a second sensor array having vehicle side in its FOV when imaging the vehicle, and a third sensor having a vehicle roof in its FOV when imaging the vehicle. The system may also include a processor configured to control the plurality of sensor arrays to capture images of the vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting vehicles, such as cars or trucks. Some embodiments provide a method for inspecting a vehicle using a vehicle inspection system. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle exterior inspection system having a plurality of exterior sensor arrays, the plurality of exterior sensor arrays including respective sets of sensors oriented in different directions. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle undercarriage inspection system having an undercarriage sensor array including cameras configured to capture images at different angles, and a sensor configured to output vehicle position/motion data.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting undercarriages of vehicles. Some embodiments provide a vehicle undercarriage inspection system. The vehicle undercarriage inspection system may include a base having a width and a depth respectively extending along first and second orthogonal directions, the width extending from a first end to a second end of the base. The vehicle undercarriage inspection system may include a sensor array coupled to the base, the sensor array including a set of cameras oriented in multiple directions. The set of cameras may include: a first camera oriented in part towards the first end of the base, a second camera oriented in part towards the second end of the base, and a third camera between the first and second. The vehicle undercarriage inspection system may include a processor configured to control the sensor array to capture images of an undercarriage of a vehicle with the set of cameras.

Abstract: Methods and systems for capturing and processing audio data of a vehicle engine. In one aspect, a vehicle audio capture system includes a mobile device configured to capture vehicle engine sounds in an audio file and to associate tags identifying one or more vehicle conditions observed during audio capture and reflected in the audio file, and a server configured to process the audio file and expose an application programming interface (API) to provide access to the audio file to one or more data consumer devices. In some instances, a condition report server is configured to access the application programming interface to retrieve a version of the audio file and include data describing the audio file within a vehicle condition report. Additionally, tags may be added to the audio file based on detected engine conditions. Detection of engine conditions may be based on use of trained models.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting vehicles, such as cars or trucks. Some embodiments provide a method for inspecting a vehicle using a vehicle inspection system. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle exterior inspection system having a plurality of exterior sensor arrays, the plurality of exterior sensor arrays including respective sets of sensors oriented in different directions. The vehicle inspection system may include a vehicle undercarriage inspection system having an undercarriage sensor array including cameras configured to capture images at different angles, and a sensor configured to output vehicle position/motion data.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for inspecting vehicles. Some embodiments provide a system for vehicle inspection, including a support member having a first portion and a second portion angled relative to the first, and a plurality of sensor arrays coupled thereto. The plurality of sensor arrays may include respective sets of cameras oriented in multiple directions. The plurality of sensor arrays may be coupled to the support member at different positions. The plurality of sensor arrays may include: a first sensor array having one or more wheels of a vehicle in its field of view (FOV) when imaging the vehicle, a second sensor array having vehicle side in its FOV when imaging the vehicle, and a third sensor having a vehicle roof in its FOV when imaging the vehicle. The system may also include a processor configured to control the plurality of sensor arrays to capture images of the vehicle.

Abstract: Devices and methods for capturing vehicle undercarriage images are described. In some instances, a mirror assembly may be used to reflect images of portions of a vehicle undercarriage into a field of view of a camera to be captured, e.g., as a vehicle passes over the mirror assembly. Composite images may be reconstructed from the reflected portions of the vehicle undercarriage, and analysis may be performed on those reconstructed, composite images to identify features in the composite vehicle undercarriage images.

Abstract: The inventors have developed technology to facilitate the inspection of vehicles, such as cars, for the presence of defects. The technology may be used to facilitate detection of any defects of one or more vehicle defects before, during, and/or after inspection of the vehicle. The technology includes software and trained machine learning models for performing analyses to determine likely vehicle defects prior to completion of a vehicle inspection, to determine whether any vehicle defects are present based on data acquired during the vehicle inspection, and/or to determine, after completion of the vehicle inspection, whether there are any discrepancies between any defects identified by an inspector during the vehicle inspection and defects automatically detected by analyzing data collected during the inspection of the vehicle.

Abstract: The inventors have developed technology to facilitate the inspection of vehicles, such as cars, for the presence of defects. The technology may be used to facilitate detection of any defects of one or more vehicle defects before, during, and/or after inspection of the vehicle. The technology includes software and trained machine learning models for performing analyses to determine likely vehicle defects prior to completion of a vehicle inspection, to determine whether any vehicle defects are present based on data acquired during the vehicle inspection, and/or to determine, after completion of the vehicle inspection, whether there are any discrepancies between any defects identified by an inspector during the vehicle inspection and defects automatically detected by analyzing data collected during the inspection of the vehicle.

Abstract: Devices and methods for capturing vehicle undercarriage images are described. In some instances, a mirror assembly may be used to reflect images of portions of a vehicle undercarriage into a field of view of a camera to be captured, e.g., as a vehicle passes over the mirror assembly. Composite images may be reconstructed from the reflected portions of the vehicle undercarriage, and analysis may be performed on those reconstructed, composite images to identify features in the composite vehicle undercarriage images.

Abstract: Methods and systems for capturing and processing audio data of a vehicle engine. In one aspect, a vehicle audio capture system includes a mobile device configured to capture vehicle engine sounds in an audio file and to associate tags identifying one or more vehicle conditions observed during audio capture and reflected in the audio file, and a server configured to process the audio file and expose an application programming interface (API) to provide access to the audio file to one or more data consumer devices. In some instances, a condition report server is configured to access the application programming interface to retrieve a version of the audio file and include data describing the audio file within a vehicle condition report. Additionally, tags may be added to the audio file based on detected engine conditions. Detection of engine conditions may be based on use of trained models.

Abstract: A mobile vehicle diagnostic device (MVDD) for acquiring data about a vehicle, the device comprising: a housing configured to be mechanically coupled to the vehicle so that, when the housing is mechanically coupled to the vehicle, vibration generated by the vehicle during its operation causes the housing to vibrate; acoustic sensors disposed within the housing and configured to acquire sound generated by the vehicle during its operation, the acoustic sensors comprising first and second acoustic sensors respectively oriented in first and second directions, wherein the first and second directions are at least 30 degrees apart; at least one dampening device disposed in the housing and positioned to dampen vibration of the acoustic sensors caused by operation of the vehicle; and at least one vibration sensor disposed within the housing and configured to sense vibration in the housing caused by the operation of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for capturing and processing audio data of a vehicle engine. In one aspect, a vehicle audio capture system includes a mobile device configured to capture vehicle engine sounds in an audio file and to associate tags identifying one or more vehicle conditions observed during audio capture and reflected in the audio file, and a server configured to process the audio file and expose an application programming interface (API) to provide access to the audio file to one or more data consumer devices. In some instances, a condition report server is configured to access the application programming interface to retrieve a version of the audio file and include data describing the audio file within a vehicle condition report. Additionally, tags may be added to the audio file based on detected engine conditions. Detection of engine conditions may be based on use of trained models.

Abstract: A mobile vehicle diagnostic device (MVDD) for acquiring data about a vehicle, the device comprising: a housing configured to be mechanically coupled to the vehicle so that, when the housing is mechanically coupled to the vehicle, vibration generated by the vehicle during its operation causes the housing to vibrate; acoustic sensors disposed within the housing and configured to acquire sound generated by the vehicle during its operation, the acoustic sensors comprising first and second acoustic sensors respectively oriented in first and second directions, wherein the first and second directions are at least 30 degrees apart; at least one dampening device disposed in the housing and positioned to dampen vibration of the acoustic sensors caused by operation of the vehicle; and at least one vibration sensor disposed within the housing and configured to sense vibration in the housing caused by the operation of the vehicle.