The Future of Predictive Maintenance Explained for Students in Auto Technology School
The reliance of auto manufacturers on technology has steadily increased in recent decades, but it hasn’t played much of a role in problem diagnosis until relatively recently. Despite the wealth of gadgets in a normal family car, drivers are still expected to rely on vague timescales and mileage stats to judge when maintenance of their vehicle is needed. The rollout of new predictive maintenance technology could quickly change that, and it has lots of exciting potential benefits.
By using sensors on everything from a vehicle’s tires to its spark plugs, drivers and auto mechanics will be able to diagnose potential danger before it becomes too dangerous and expensive to repair. The top car manufacturers are placing a lot of emphasis on this exciting technology, so let’s check out what it could mean for the future of the automotive industry.
Recognize Car Problems from a Smartphone App
The smartphone has become our alarm clock, camera, and calendar, among many other things. It was only a matter of time then before entrepreneurs started to seize its potential for auto repair. Some companies have developed Bluetooth technology which sends important mechanical data straight to the driver’s smartphone. This has the potential of notifying car owners about a malfunctioning engine before it ends up requiring more extensive and expensive repairs. Graduates of auto technology school could also diagnose problems using this unique mechanical data when a vehicle arrives for a routine check-up.
Stocktaking Will Become more Efficient with Predictive Maintenance
With all the individual components of a vehicle, and all the different manufacturers, managing stock is an ongoing headache for those working in a garage. Once a problem is diagnosed it could take days or possibly weeks for a replacement part to arrive. Predictive maintenance could drastically cut those waiting times. Imagine that an auto mechanic is able to recognize that the brake pads on one of their client’s cars is becoming badly worn. They will be able to order the new pads before the car arrives for repairs and prevent the warehousing of vast amounts of auto parts.
It Could Make Life Easier for Grads of Automotive Technology Courses
Diagnosing problems can be seen as a tedious challenge, but predictive maintenance has the potential to help make this task easier. Because mechanics will know what’s wrong by checking out the vehicle’s computer data, they can get straight to work on replacing or repairing the damaged part. As well as that, they’re more likely to carry out repairs before the problem becomes much bigger. That has the potential of reducing the difficulty attached to everyday mechanical work.
Staff Rosters may Be Easier to Design with Predictive Maintenance
Students in an automotive technology course should also know that predictive maintenance has the potential of spotting much broader trends too. Data for a particular car type may show that the timing belt is wearing slightly quicker than expected. Mechanics can start preparing for an influx of cars with that problem, by rostering more workers to deal with the busy spell. On the other hand, managers may be able to better recognize quieter times of the year for repairs where it would suit workers to take time off.
This Has Exciting Potential Benefits for Autonomous Vehicles
Self-driving vehicles and carpooling are expected to increase in popularity with a subsequent drop in private vehicle ownership. Predictive maintenance has great potential, therefore, for the companies rolling out these car rental services. Drivers are less likely to speak up about mechanical problems if they don’t own the car and are about to hand back the keys. Rental companies will be able to spot these issues in real-time, however, and get them fixed before the next client hops in.
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