Audi Cam lets you watch the entire repair from your mechanic's point of view
By Sean Hollister 
posted July 7th 2010 1:01AM
posted July 7th 2010 1:01AM
New 'Direct Reception' System Gives Insight into the Mechanics of Audi
Jul 1, 2010
Pioneering new interactive audio visual system enables Audi customers to watch and communicate with Audi technicians as they work.
- Audi Direct Reception system allowing customers to be more closely involved in work undertaken on their cars is currently being rolled out across Audi Centre network
- Technician wears 'Audi Cam' which links to monitor in service reception, and communicates via two-way audio link
- Aim is to maximise 'transparency' and instil even greater confidence by providing conclusive proof of problems in 'real time'
- Fixed price servicing option now in place for A1 models
- Fixed price for five key maintenance jobs for A3, A4, A6 and TT models in excess of 36 months old and up to 2.0-litres in capacity
Candid cameras will soon be focused on all Audi Centre service areas as part of a new Direct Reception initiative being rolled out across the network that will enable Audi customers to view in 'real time', and communicate with, technicians as they carry out diagnosis and repair work.
From the comfort of the Audi Centre reception area customers will have direct audio visual access to their cars as they are worked on by technicians equipped with 'Audi Cams' and two-way audio links. They will be free to talk to the technicians directly, and service advisors will be on hand to answer any questions that arise. The aim is to provide full exposure to the investigative and corrective work undertaken, maximising 'transparency' and instilling even greater confidence not only in the legitimacy of each diagnosis but also the quality of workmanship demonstrated by Audi trained technicians.
Customer feedback from Direct Reception pilot schemes has been overwhelmingly positive, with all participants polled so far confirming that they would recommend the service to others.
Commenting on the new initiative, Director of Audi UK Jeremy Hicks said: "Service departments throughout the industry are often accused of baffling customers with science - by offering ours full exposure to the work undertaken on their cars, and the ability to talk through that work with the technician involved, our aim is to demystify the process as fully as possible. We want to ensure that everyone who entrusts their Audi to us for servicing and repairs knows exactly where they stand and exactly what to expect."
As well as offering a straightforward, substantiated prognosis on the condition of every car, Audi Centres can also provide the added reassurance of fixed price maintenance to owners of A3, A4, A6 and TT models that are over 36 months old and powered by engines of up to (and including) 2.0-litres in capacity. Seven of the tasks carried out most frequently to these cars are covered by a fixed, all-inclusive and highly competitive price that applies nationally.
The tasks include major and minor services (£249 and £99 respectively), clutch replacement (front-wheel-drive £599, quattro £799), front and rear brake pad replacement (£99 front, £99 rear), front and rear pad and disc replacement (£229), front wiper blade replacement (£39), brake fluid change (£49) and cambelt replacement (£349).
Fixed price service plan for A1 customers
Buyers of the new Audi A1 premium compact hatchback can also specify an optional fixed price service plan which, for a one-off payment of just £250 (when the car is programmed to adhere to the long life service regime), will leave them safe in the knowledge that their servicing needs are covered financially for the first five years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first).
All scheduled servicing, including brake fluid changes, is taken care of over this period, and any labour and parts (excluding items subject to wear and tear) involved are covered by a two-year Audi warranty.
Online service booking
Servicing for all Audi models can now be booked online by visiting www.audi.co.uk and clicking on 'owners area'.
Ughh..... I can't afford an Audi yet :(
Poor, poor mechanics. Just let them do their job without having to worry about scratching their balls on camera.
Anyway, this type of oversight just isn't needed for dealership mechanics (there's a reason they're so expensive) - they're not the ones you need to worry about. It's the small, independent garages that are usually the untrustworthy ones you need to keep an eye on.
@FNi The dealership I take my Audi to never makes me feel like they aren't doing their job. I would never expect them to provide me video of their repair work.
@FNi You sure about that? The Volvo dealership stole my quarters and all the dollar bills I had in a tray (hidden, only Volvo people know about it). The car was only there for a day.
@dfreeindy Uk based? Which dealership do you use? I go to Audi London Docklands. Great bunch of guys, never had a problem.
@liquidkernel I'm sure some people have had poor experiences with official dealerships but I'm just saying, on average, your vehicle is probably in better hands there rather than a third party garage.
But, of course you end up paying through the nose for the privilege.
@FNi Agreed on both points.
I always hated having people in the tech room asking me what I was doing to their computer. "Fixing it" was my usual response, accompanied by a long blank stare.
@sortius
rich people's pleasures!!
@FNi But I do not think that it is about trust at all!. You can still cheat a watching layman.
I like doing repairs of my cars myself, but some people don't have time for that, but still would like to have some fun watching.
@Stven
But when you get rich enough to buy one, you won't have time to watch repair videos.
@FNi I feel the same way. Poor mechanics. :(
@FNi
You sure? Ford just tried to con me into new brakes and wipers when they were just replaced last month.
@Stven
Audi's are garbage!!!
@FNi I have NEVER found that to be true. There may be a small percentage of independent garages that are bad, but they need word of mouth and referrals to stay in business long term. Dealerships will get customers no matter how badly they perform.
If you're the best mechanic in the world, would you choose to work at a dealership or open your own garage?
@Stven
I've had 2 and they were in the shop A LOT!
@FNi
I worked in a dealership, and dealership is the last place you want to take your car for repairs unless its under warranty.
If your car is out of warranty and you take it to a dealer, they will tell you that your car needs things a $1,000 worth of BS work and repairs that it doesnt need.
Dealerships are there to make money, and they make money by selling your services and products that you dont need. Period!
@Stven My Friend just paid $100 to a mechanic to read his OBD2 code that said his O2 sensor was out! On a Chevy Aveo. Some how they charged him $8 for "parts!!!!" WTF. Then they wanted to charge $350 to replace it... Yea, I got him the factory Bosch part for $150 and replaced it in about 10 minutes.
I like this idea especially on Audi's that has way overpriced parts.
That's what the UK needs, more cameras.
@TheSpoonyBard
Big brother is always watching.
@joshky Think the camera stay on while they are using the bathroom to make sure they don't shake it too many times? Can't be playing with yourself on the clock!
@TheSpoonyBard
God, what is with the UK? Even people living in London say that the sheer amount of cameras is unsettling (of course you won't hear them say that in public).
@Dante of the Inferno
Why not. It's not a crime to talk about cameras.
@Jacinth
...yet.
@Krantzstone Mechanics- NO fooling around the shop or you are going to end up in BBC funniest videos...
@TheSpoonyBard - Well, their citizens have been disarmed, so they really can't do much about it...
@Brokinarrow
Well... that makes absolutely no sense.
that car looks sweet !!!
@Nanosman1994 looks like the audi r8
@Openwave nah its an S5
the R8 has black blades that come all the way down the side of the rear fender wells.
Third!
@archival
Fail. 4th.
Third what?
@rshole?
@archival
We try to break through
Long to connect
Fall on deaf ears with failed muted breath
I can understand that customers may become annoying, but on the other hand, you can always point out a specific flaw you might have noticed while driving when the mechanic reaches it.
But I guess to resolve the first problem, they can always issue the radios with a mute button....
@SmoothMarx
When your mechanic is wrist deep in throttle bodies, cam shafts, and valve springs you're going to point out something you had noticed about turbulence in your intake? I'm no mechanic, but I do know that those folks are professionals who maintain equipment far too technical for me to assess via a grainy video feed.
I know it isn't always easy to find a good mechanic these days, but this is nothing but a distraction. Best case scenario it doesn't actually cause them to screw your car up, it just makes it take longer for them to do the job you hired them for.
Can't wait for the first spy porn video in the car-shop/inside an audio using this cam.
Best idea ever! I would love to see what I am getting charged $100+/hr. at my BMW dealership for. I bet there would be a little more truth in labor quotes if they brought this o the U.S.. People would finally see that it doesn't take more than 20 minutes to do an oil service on most cars...not 2 hours.
@bombguy
You're the one who spent way to much on a BMW...
@bombguy If most mechanic shops are like computer repair shops, then the reason an oil change that typically takes 20min takes 2 hours is because the mechanic is likely working on several cars at one time.
You know pull the drain plug, let it drain, move on to the next car in line. come back later to finsih
Same with the computer repair shop i used to work at, typically worked on 5+ PCs at a time. start a windows install, HD scan/defrag, malware scan, etc move on to the next machine.
If you want the oil change fast then take it to one of those drive thru shops that specialize in 5 minute oil changes or do it yourself.
@d0ug Actually I do change my own oil for that reason alone...I don't like paying exorbitant fees at the dealership for 20 minutes of work. Some things I'll take to an independent shop, but rarely would I ever go to the dealership for any repairs or maintenance.
@bombguy and how do you deal with telling the ECU that oil was changed? For the price of a VAG-COM tool you can have your oil replaced until the end of life of your car. Not to mention that all that stuff not officially from manufacturer is generally a result of reverse engineering. I worked a bit with car electronics and it is getting more and more difficult because it is more and more proprietary.
@d0ug That's fine, but only charge me for 20 min then, not 2 hours...
I would love to take my car to a service department that just had an observation area over the service bay. I don't need to be hovering over the mechanic's shoulder, or bugging them with questions or stuff - it's just that I have a $40,000 car and I think I'm within my rights to watch as it's being worked on to ensure it's done properly.
If mechanics don't like it, I can always take my money to someone who will...
@Nogami Yeah, well i dont know the standard practice of all those shops, since I tend to do most of my car maint myself. Only work ive really had done at a shop on my car its tire changes and a tranny rebuild, and that was a flat fee for the hardware and work, no hourly bs. took them a day and a half.
However the pc repair shop I used to work at, we would only bill customers for actual time spent sitting in front of the machine, rounded to the nearest hour.
@stoffer There is a reset function involving the # 2 position of the key and one of the black buttons by the tach/speedo. A quick search on one of several online mode-specific forums has full instructions!
@Nogami is your oil change bill stating 2 hours of labor? Mine is $45, which is about 30min of labor plus parts. Having a $40,000 car doesn't entitle you to anything...if you don't like it then by all means take it somewhere else. I have a $45000 car, and if I didn't trust a mechanic I'd just go elsewhere. I don't need video evidence, and the ones providing it likely aren't bad people anyways.
@bombguy
It takes you a lot longer then 20min to change oil, and it takes the dealer more then 20min to change the oil as well. Thus you get charged accordingly.
@KGB Um, no it doesn't. Most cars, and I say MOST, have very easy access to the drain plug and filter. I spend more time getting my car off the ground then I do actually changing the oil. Dealerships have lifts. Now, having said that, I do realize that BMW also checks other fluids and does an overall check of the car. The point is, this is just a way to keep the dealerships honest and I can see advantages to the consumer when it comes to billable labor hrs. Will it ever happen in the U.S.? Probably not. I will continue to do my own basic maintenance and support local independent shops when something goes above my abilities.
@stoffer All of the modern cars I've worked on that have a oil life expectancy, and subsequent needing the ECU reset have a pretty simple process to reset it. In my Tahoe, go to the Oil Life page on the dashboard, press the Menu, and Select button for 5 seconds. Hear a beep, it's been reset. My Buick has a little "Reset" button right on the dashboard for just such a thing. Just like computers and other gadgets, small little sequences will accomplish most of what a do-it-yourselfer without an extra tool.
I work in autobody, but I can't see how any of the mechanics would agree to this. Ridiculous.
I have a question. For the daily round up that shows a graph of articles, I see an article that looks interesting and I click it, but I'm taken back to Engadget home page. Is that supposed to happen?
(i'm posting here because I don't see a way to comment on that article)