Amir Hever is the CEO and co-founder of UVeye, a deep learning computer vision startup that’s setting the worldwide standard for vehicle inspection with fast and accurate anomaly detection to discover issues or threats facing the automotive and security industries. UVeye is Hever’s third enterprise. He previously held the position of VP R&D at Visualead which was acquired by Alibaba.
Could you share the genesis story of the way you Co-Founded UVEye along with your brother?
UVeye was founded in 2016 after my brother, Ohad, and I drove right into a sensitive facility in Israel and watched a security guard inspect our vehicle with a mirror. We each understood there have to be a greater option to scan for bombs and other security threats that could be hiding under vehicles. It took us just a few months to place together an underbody scanner that vehicles drive over and – using computer vision and deep learning algorithms – could detect any modification to the undercarriage and flag anything that shouldn’t be under a automotive.
What are different machine learning and computer vision technologies which might be used?
We utilize a bespoke combination of proprietary algorithms, cloud architecture, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor-fusion technologies. Our algorithms work on semantic segmentation, learning different visual patterns corresponding to rust, leaks, differences in texture, color, or size, and alert on possible anomalies. Take dents on the body panel for instance; With the intention to provide the algorithms with the most effective 3D images, we want to create stereo vision of a certain damage picked up by several cameras. The identical goes for tires and other exterior areas of the automotive.
What were among the first instances of this product getting used and why was it a superior option?
We began by installing our solution at high-security facilities corresponding to airports, seaports, banks, military bases, checkpoints, customs and more all all over the world. The demand was immediate because the advantages were amazing. Not would a guard need to show themselves to danger and the weather attempting to manually find bombs, weapons or drugs – now they may sit in a protected area with only a screen with the barriers and gates closing mechanically if there was an anomaly or potential threat detected. Our technology stood out because we’re the just one with automatic detection features that don’t need to match a reference image or have ever seen that model automotive before. We were also the one company creating a singular fingerprint for each vehicle driving through and we could flag a automotive as suspicious in line with different parameters within the undercarriage – meaning even when the license plate was modified we could discover it.
Could you share some insight as to once you each realized that the undercarriage vehicle inspection system could be ideal for inspecting cars for safety and defects?
Two things happened in parallel. The primary was that we began getting false positive alerts which were mechanical issues corresponding to oil leaks. We realized that along with detecting plastic bags, IEDs and guns, we were actually finding other anomalies. The second thing that happened around that point was that three European automotive manufacturers approached us at concerning the same time. That’s after we understood that we could use the identical technology and approach to finish a 360-degree automotive inspection, finding safety and mechanical issues. At first, the principal use case was on the assembly line and manufacturing plants for quality assurance. From there we began so as to add more cameras and scanning devices to go searching a vehicle and scan its tires using computer vision and high-resolution imagery, which really improves the client experience and transparency.
What forms of issues were initially detected with the undercarriage system?
Broken or missing parts in any area, oil or other fluid leaks, exhaust issues, rust trends, severe rust areas, and broken shields. We now also search for broken EV battery cases.
A tire inspection system was released in 2019, an outer body inspection was released in 2022, and in June 2023 an interior scanning system was released. How powerful are all of those systems in conjunction at identifying issues?
Today UVeye provides a full suite for exterior and interior scanning of any sort of vehicle. We are able to aid with each damage detection and evidence & merchandising. Following the discharge of our tire system (Artemis) and our variations of body scanners (Atlas and Atlas Lite) we most recently added an interior camera called Apollo. Together they comprise the primary AI-based diagnostic tool providing a full automatic vehicle condition report. A whole lot of those systems are already arrange at dealerships, auctions and fleet stations all across the USA and all over the world. Inside seconds of driving through the scanner, we are going to send an alert of any issues to a screen, tablet, computer or phone. Worn or expired tires, expired tires, alignment issues indicated by uneven wear, broken parts, severe rust patterns, scratches, dents, broken mirror housings and more. As an alternative of being told by a service advisor what’s incorrect, consumers are shown in high-definition in the identical way a physician shows you your X-ray or MRI scan. Who doesn’t trust their doctor? We completely modified the sport.
Are you able to discuss how the system compares every automotive that’s scanned, and the way that data is used?
We only compare for historical purposes. The algorithm isn’t based on a catalog and works from the very first time it sees a brand new automotive, irrespective of the make, model, or sub-model. Even buses and trucks are scanned by our tire and underbody scanners every day. The comparison becomes interesting when you wish to see a trend over time or when you wish to buy or sell a vehicle and see the entire history of scans and issues for that automotive.
With UVeye having successfully raised a Series D round in May 2023, what’s next for the corporate?
I’m very happy with what we achieved and the recent round of funding will help us scale on the speed and quality that the industry demands. We’re installing our system at a whole bunch of locations, mainly in the US, and dealing with a few of the most effective automotive manufacturers on this planet, like General Motors and Volvo, with many more client announcements in quite a lot of verticals to come back soon. This yr we announced our cooperation with Carmax – who’re also a part of our investor team – revealing how we standardize the automotive auction world. It’s great to learn from our dealership clients and their customers – each piece of feedback helps us improve our technology, customer experience and usefulness. Our team is approaching 200 employees and we’ll shortly announce our first North American assembly plants enabling us to create and install systems on the pace we want.
What’s your vision for the long run of each diagnostics and repairs of vehicles?
Our vision is to standardize the best way vehicles are inspected; when you’re buying a brand new automotive from the dealership you’ll find a way to see a report of your vehicle because it got here out of the box from the manufacturing plant, ensuring the logistical carrier didn’t damage it along the best way. You possibly can scan your automotive on the local gas station, automotive wash, or Starbucks and get a fast evaluation of your tires with a reduction coupon popping up in your automotive display, encouraging you to get them fixed before the winter. When buying or selling a automotive through a dealer, there shall be complete transparency and healthy education concerning the real situation of your vehicle. Fleet vehicles corresponding to taxis, buses, and trucks shall be commonly scanned, avoiding preventable issues that keep them off the road. While you charge your vehicle’s battery, you may even find a way to get an image of the automotive’s health through different sensors we’re developing and ensure there are not any cracks or holes exposing the battery cells. There are loads of technical challenges we’ll need to resolve but I’m truly thrilled about how our innovation is impacting automotive owners, manufacturers and dealers.