Hands-free Remote Assistance Revolutionizes Automotive Repair & Maintenance at Volvo Group Trucks
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
- Other - Battery
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Maintenance
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Remote Collaboration
- Virtual Training
Services
- Testing & Certification
- Training
The Customer
Volvo Group Trucks
About The Customer
Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe is a distributor and service provider for Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks in Germany. The group is committed to driving progress by seeking new technologies in support of the business. Their maintenance and repair technicians are spread across various locations and frequently need to be trained on the most recent models. The company has a limited number of Product Quality Engineers (PQEs) who provide remote assistance to these technicians. The company's commitment to minimizing downtime and maintaining high-quality service standards for their customers led them to seek a solution that would allow their technicians to receive remote assistance in a more efficient and hands-free manner.
The Challenge
Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe, a distributor and service provider for Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks in Germany, faced a significant challenge in training and supporting their geographically dispersed field technicians. These technicians frequently needed to be updated on the latest models and repair procedures. Experienced technicians also had undocumented repair procedures and best practices that needed to be transferred to new technicians. Any downtime in maintenance directly translated into a loss of business for Volvo's customers. The company had a limited number of Product Quality Engineers (PQEs) spread across various geographic locations. When repairing a truck, technicians often sought remote assistance from PQEs. However, using a tablet or smartphone for this purpose was inconvenient as technicians had to use their hands to hold the device during the remote assistance call, making it difficult to conduct repairs simultaneously.
The Solution
The solution came in the form of the RealWear HMT-1, used in conjunction with the LibreStream Onsight Connect remote mentor solution. This combination allowed technicians to connect hands-free with PQEs, capture images and videos, playback training videos, and refer to manuals, thereby improving efficiency and accuracy. The Onsight Connect adapted to low-speed Wi-Fi and limited bandwidth LTE to ensure functionality in adverse conditions by lowering the video resolution, yet still permitting high-resolution still images to be captured. The RealWear HMT-1 offered a hands-free tablet experience with a microdisplay that fits just below the technician’s eye, providing a view comparable to a 7” tablet. The HMT-1 could be used with safety glasses or corrective eyewear and easily attached to helmets or bump caps. The hands-free voice recognition interface of the HMT-1 used an advanced digital microphone array to provide exceptional noise cancellation in up to 95 dBA of noise, critical in loud workshops.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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