Abstract: A computer system, including a relational database, especially for use by an inspector at a Motor Vehicle Inspection facility, for capturing, storing, retrieving, and displaying visual images disclosing the identification and location of vehicle Emission Control System (ECS) components. A method for systematically creating, updating, and using the relational database is also disclosed. The database is composed of three data libraries, one for ECS Vehicle Underhood Images, one for ECS Component Overlays, and another for ECS Component Lists. These libraries include visual and factual information regarding the identity and location of ECS required components for a plurality of vehicles. The libraries are maintained and used in the database in such a way as to minimize storage space and maximize the speed of data access and display.

Abstract: A plurality of vehicle service stations are located in a geographical area, each station includes one or more service bays in which the vehicle is serviced, each bay has an associated lane in which one or more vehicles wait their turn to be serviced in the bay, each lane has one or more sensors for sensing the presence of vehicles in the lane. Each station has a computer which is responsive to the lane sensors for computing the waiting time at the station for a vehicle, the waiting time for each station is displayed on a visual display at the station, the waiting time from each station is also communicated to a host computer centrally located with the geographical region.