Technicians at North American BMW and Mini dealerships will now have access to futuristic smart glasses to help with complex maintenance and repair work.
BMW of North America has announced that it will roll out the augmented reality glasses, alongside an updated online technical information library.
Both of these enhancements are aimed at making it easier for BMW and Mini technicians to access complex data, and ultimately improve customer service.
The world at your fingertips
The Technical Information System (TIS) 2.0 is BMW’s multimedia database for storing all the information technicians may need when working on a car.
BMW of North America took feedback from workshop technicians as to what information they needed most, and how they wanted to access. Instead of having to use a desktop computer, technicians will now have data at their fingertips by using mobile devices.
This is intended to make service procedures quicker, helping drivers get back behind the wheel sooner.
All-seeing eye
Along with the new information system, BMW has also introduced an improved Technical Support & Research Assistant (TSARA). TSARA is intended to be used for providing extra help on resolving more complicated maintenance problems.
The TSARAvision smart glasses will let technicians in the field share live video footage with BMW engineering experts, allowing them to offer advice and guidance.
Experts can then project step-by-step guides to appear in front of the technician, letting them work through the process without even having to move away from the vehicle.
At present, BMW technicians need to take digital photographs to then send via email to ask experts for help, or have complex procedures explained to them over the phone.
Looking into the future
Claus Eberhart, Vice President, Aftersales, BMW of North America commented that “vehicle technology is becoming more complex” meaning the need to give technicians the “best possible systems and tools with which to work” is vitally important.
BMW’s launch of the high-tech smart glasses follows a similar decision taken by Porsche. In 2018, Porsche began the introduction of the similar Tech Look Live system to dealerships across North America.
All 347 BMW Centers in the United States, plus selected Mini dealerships, will get access to the new systems by the end of June 2019.