A tree, a car and an AI solution

Summer is coming. You've got everything set up and ready to go. It's hot, the car is fully loaded, the kids are nervous, Google Maps is waiting. It's official: your holiday begins. Then the inexplicable happens.

When you tell your friends, you'll tell them that "the tree moved". The reality is that you haven't slept well, you've backed out wondering if you've finally grabbed your phone charger or if it's left on your bedside table, and you've driven the back of your MPV into the neighbour's tree. The rear window is broken, the tailgate is dented and everyone is in a bad mood.

"Well, NOW we are definitely not leaving today," says your partner as they take the tupperware out of the car and put it back in the freezer.

Will you be leaving today? That's a good question. In all honesty, you don't know if your vehicle can circulate like this - but is there a way to find out quickly? Read on for the thrilling outcome of this story.

Artificial Intelligence to the rescue

With such a cliffhanger and the story of the tree, which apparently was so alive that it could be Treebeard, the Ent from Lord of the Rings, this story seems unreal. However, it happened a few weeks ago to a good friend of Iñigo Muguerza, the Motor Product Manager at Bdeo. Knowing that Iñigo worked "helping solve car accidents", the friend called him immediately after the crush, even before contacting his insurance company.

"Iñigo, I swear, the tree just moved and got on my way. I need to find out if I can drive the car like this. The kids are getting impatient," you say.

Iñigo acts quickly: he sends his friend a text message to access Bdeo's technological solution, which is already offered by nearly 50 insurance companies around the world. Without downloading any APP and straight from his smartphone, the injured friend takes several photos of the vehicle, as guided by a chat. The Artificial Intelligence receives the images and, within three seconds, has a response. 

Unexpected twist and a grand finale

Bdeo's visual intelligence is clear: the vehicle is not roadworthy. Although it is not visible to the naked eye, in addition to the window, the tailgate and the left tail lamp are also broken. The repair will cost €1000. The system warns: with the window and the tail light broken, road safety measures must be taken. 

A claim is always a moment of great frustration for the insured, that can't be avoided. However, thanks to AI, it took Iñigo's friend five minutes to find out whether he could take his car or needed to borrow another vehicle. Five minutes, as opposed to hours, days or even weeks if a traditional process had been used, having to go to a garage or having to send an expert to the scene of the accident.

Five minutes. 

The moral of this story is clear: AI has an incredible impact in helping insurers reduce customer frustration by offering an extremely agile and accurate customer experience. This, for a user that has become used to immediacy, has a tremendously positive effect, and increases satisfaction and loyalty. It is the future of the industry, and it is already here.

Ah, perhaps you are wondering how this story ends. Taking advantage of the fact that Iñigo was on the phone, the friend asked to borrow his car. Less than an hour later, he was on his way with his family as planned. The second moral of this story is that you should have very good friends, preferably ones who work in Artificial Intelligence. 

And the tree? To this day it is still there, and as far as we know, it has not bothered another driver in a hurry. For now.