While Manheim and Fyusion have been working together for years, starting with Manheim Express in 2018, it wasn't until Cox Automotive acquired the computer vision company early last year that the partnership accelerated.

Now, Manheim is deploying Fyusion-powered mobile imaging at all of its locations, giving clients high-resolution condition report images, according to a March 7 news release.

Manheim also has launched its first AI-driven fixed imaging gantry at Manheim Minneapolis. Together, these Fyusion-powered technologies will capture millions of vehicle images and fuel automated damage detection.

"With our clients requiring more vehicle information and advanced imaging, we put our combined expertise to work to deliver consistent and trustworthy vehicle condition information and make viewing a vehicle online as good as standing next to the car," said Zach Hallowell, senior vice president, Manheim Digital, in a news release.

2022 kicked off some major advancements for auctions:

Fyusion-Powered Mobile Image Capture Inside the Auction Gates

 Each year, millions of vehicles are imaged for condition reports inside the gates of Manheim's vast auction network. This month, the company completed the rollout of brand-new cameras for inspectors across all its locations. Boasting 108 megapixels and driven by Fyusion's software, the cameras will provide clients with a more accurate and consistent representation of the car, delivering truer colors and more detailed images.

When clients zoom in on the new images, the pictures will retain the utmost clarity —enabling them to see every scratch, read manufacturer's data on the sidewall of a tire, and view whatever interests them most in striking detail — all from the convenience of their laptop or phone. The images are so detailed that clients will be able to see the fibers of the interior carpet and even the dust on the dashboard.

Manheim Deploys AI-Driven Fixed Imaging Gantry

Manheim is also giving fixed imaging a makeover with state-of-the-art gantries, leveraging AI imaging in a fixed gantry for both merchandising and damage detection. These drive-through imaging tunnels take high resolution still images while a vehicle is in motion and will deliver even more photos, consistent and expanded camera angles, and superior lighting for exterior vehicle imaging. The AI technology does not just capture still images — it understands the vehicle in three dimensions and can assess the condition of the vehicle.

The first production gantry was launched at Manheim Minneapolis, with additional gantries being built at select locations. Manheim will provide updates on these industry-leading installations throughout the year.

These images, along with those captured with the Manheim Express app, will be fed into Fyusion's automated damage detection algorithm, which the brands have already invested millions of dollars in, as well as spent years training.

As the largest automotive wholesale marketplace, Manheim takes millions of proprietary vehicle images each year and has captured well over a million 360-degree captures in Fyusion's patented fyuse format. This massive data supply is what drives Fyusion's damage detection efforts and will result in clients getting consistent and accurate vehicle condition information.

Fyusion's imaging technology sees the world in three dimensions, much like the human eye. It captures 3D images of vehicles, which it then uses for multi-angle analysis of damages. The 3D model allows the technology to understand which panel the vehicle damage occurred on and will support a 360 view of the vehicle while keeping the damage highlight attached to the right part of the car during the rotation. The AI technology uses 3D imaging to look at vehicle damages from every angle, enabling it to judge the size and severity of damages more accurately than old-fashioned 2D images.

This technology, combined with the wealth of data at its disposal, has allowed Fyusion to develop a powerful machine learning solution —bone able to positively identify the presence of the top 20 vehicle damage types 94% of the time. The damage detection model will also automatically generate an AutoGrade condition score.

"Fyusion's technology, with over 80 issued patents, combined with our methodical, collaborative approach has laid a strong foundation to deliver advanced automated damage detection capabilities," said Radu Rusu, CEO and co-founder of Fyusion, in a news release.

Hallowell added, "There's a lot of hype out there about AI-driven damage detection, so it's not always easy for clients to separate fact from fiction. As part of Cox Automotive, Manheim and Fyusion are uniquely positioned to deliver results that will generate unprecedented levels of quality and consistency.”