The synthetic intelligence application, called ŠKODA Sound Analyzer, was designed and developed by internal software developers at ŠKODA. Allows technicians to temporarily stumble if maintenance paints are required. The formula is so delicate that it can recognize even the smallest irregularities in the engine sound and can recommend a variety of maintenance measures that may be necessary.
The application program records the noises emitted through the vehicle while driving and compares them to the stored sound models. In case of discrepancies, the application uses a set of rules about what they are and how they can be resolved.
To use it, a technician will only have to record the sound of the engine through the microphone of a smartphone. A set of rules then compares the recording with the stored sound patterns and, on this basis, provides a description of the result. it is already able to recognize ten models, with more than 90% accuracy, adding parts such as the guide system, the air conditioning compressor and the direct replacement gearbox (DSG) clutches. The app is also configured to recognize other sound patterns and will be expanded to come with other service elements.
The application works by converting the audio record into a spectrogram that visually represents acoustic signals. Using synthetic intelligence, this representation is carried to stored records to identify discrepancies. The application then classifies the possible need for long-term maintenance or repair based on predetermined models. .
The smartphone app has been tested in 14 countries (Germany, Russia, Austria and France) since June 2019, and a total of 245 KODA distributors participated in the pilot project.
According to Stanislav Peka, head of after-sales of ‘KODA AUTO’:
“Sound Analyzer is a wonderful example of the new opportunities that KODA scanning can create, even in terms of after-sales service. We will continue to systematically use synthetic intelligence technologies to provide our consumers with an even more personalized service, additional editing of the visitor experience.
Artificial intelligence is a key pillar of KODA AUTO’s digitization strategy. As a cornerstone of the company’s 2025 strategy, synthetic intelligence plays a key role in additional advancement digitization levels. For the Czech car manufacturer, this includes only products and processes, but also services.