Inchcape Automotive has launched a redevelopment of its Autograph Inspect and Collect service with newly developed web and telephone-based functionality and photography facilities.

Each of Inchcape Automotive’s 170 regionally-based Autograph Inspect and Collect-trained vehicle inspectors is equipped with a hand-held terminal that enables an end-of-contract vehicle inspection to be carried out by standards laid down by the customer. The new terminal has a built-in digital camera and a mobile phone capable of using both Bluetooth and GPRS technology.

The redevelopment enables the vehicle inspection to be controlled on a ‘scripted basis’, which means that the driver must follow and complete all the tasks in a specific order as instructed by the software.

A drop down menu contains relevant information for the completion of each vehicle inspection, according to the customer’s criteria. Each component must be checked and the condition noted.

When the vehicle’s mileage is entered the inspector will also be prompted to photograph the odometer. This picture will be attached to the inspection result and be available to view and print via Inchcape Automotive’s web browser. The image is also time and date stamped.