A full 360 degree spin in our standard studio design takes around 1 minute. Normally there are additional image requirements such as an internal 360 and some static image shots to add. Depending on the image requirement, a vehicle can be imaged and the upload started in as little as 90 seconds. Uploading happens in the background, so the next vehicle can be started even if you have a very slow internet connection.
This will depend on a number of factors including your image set requirement, if you have drivers available to do the vehicle movements and whether you have space for a high end “”drive-thru”” studio. Based on existing client reports, it will take as little as 5 minutes per vehicle (that includes the vehicle movement) to photograph and upload an image set comprising a full 360 degree spin (36 images) plus 9 external handheld camera images.
The AutoloadIT system requires just one operator, as many of the processes are fully automated. For high volume throughput (where more than 40 vehicles need to be photographed in a day) it is advisable to have a second operator to manage vehicle movements in and out of the studio.
No, most of our existing studios are managed by vehicle operatives. The AutoLoadIT system is designed from the ground up to simplify and minimise workload on the operator. Most of the operators we train are not technical people.
If you have the space available or are willing to have a building built large enough to cater for them, we can build our studios as large as you need. Our turntables can be increased in size to accommodate larger vehicles. Even our standard 5.5m turntable can accommodate commercial vehicles such as the Volkswagen Crafter.
We have managed to build studios into some of the most awkward spaces. You want to find a space at least 2m wider than your longest vehicle. It should also be about a meter higher than your tallest vehicle. And in length, we’ll take as much as you give us! You want your vehicles to look their best, the more space you give us, the better we’ll make them look.
Yes, if you have an existing vehicle stocklist and it can be provided to us in an API or in a simple csv or xml file, we can read it to ensure we identify the vehicles correctly and name the images correctly. Captured images are then assigned to the specific vehicle being photographed and then uploaded directly from the studio to wherever you specify e.g. to your DMS provider, to your website provider, to a dedicated web server, to an AWS S3 bucket or to Autotrader™ via their image only feed. We can also send notifications directly to your web provider.
Most! We have clients in over 20 countries – please get in touch if you need more information. North Korea may be a problem, but we’re willing to give it a try!
Yes. It will just ask the operator to manually enter the key information about the vehicle.
No, there’s no restrictions other than avoiding special characters. As long as the vehicles data in the stocklist or entered by the operator contains the information you wish to include in the name, we can automatically name the images.
Yes, we can show the operator how to identify the specific images and include that identification in the name.
Yes, we provide you with an online report you can access from anywhere (with an internet connection). Not only will it tell you what’s been photographed in the studio, if you want to see the images, you can. So you can use it for quality control as well.
Yes. We can turn it on and off and the operator can always overrule the ANPR warning (they may be photographing a car that appears in the stocklist with a personalised plate, but at the time of photographing, has it’s new plate).
Yes, we can upload images to wherever we are told and provide notification files or use an API to integrate with your existing systems.
Yes, images can be uploaded to multiple points simultaneously. If you are imaging on behalf of multiple clients, the operator would select the client and then photograph the vehicle. Each client has their own settings for stocklist, upload locations, notifications etc.
We wouldn’t recommend an outdoor studio, although the turntables are suitable for outdoor use and we can use waterproof cameras. The problem with an outdoor studios is controlling the light and of course the weather, but if it’s the only practical solution for your requirement, then yes, we can build the studio outdoors.
Yes, we have built studios inside this type of building.
Sorry not to be able to give a simple answer, but that’s impossible to say without knowing more. For example, if you have an existing building that lends itself to use as a studio then you’ll only need the turntable, lighting, backdrop, camera(s) and software. If you need us to provide the entire studio, then it’s going to be more. If you only photograph a few vehicles a week, the studio design, the cameras we use and the lighting are very different from a design where you need to photograph 70 cars per day. Therefore, we really need to understand your requirement, your existing building (if you have one), and any existing equipment you might already have that we can use e.g. suitable cameras. Get in touch.
Yes, we’ve converted lots of third party turntables.
Yes, we’ve converted a number of existing third party studios, including taking control of the turntables.
Yes, we have dedicated specialists which are able to access the studio PC workstation directly (via remote connection) to assist the operator with any upload / image capture issues. We also have a team of dedicated service engineers available for any mechanical mishaps.
The main thing you will need is space, but how much will depend on your vehicle requirements, both in terms of volume thru-put and max vehicle size. The area you select should be dry, not exposed to extremes of temperature and humidity. Near to the valeting area is a good idea. We have built a number of studios in purpose built outdoor buildings.
No post production/Photoshop is needed or recommended! We pride ourselves on the perfect set up, meaning there is no need for post production and no vehicles will have the ‘banana’ fisheye effect. In fact, every car you see on this site has been photographed using our systems with no post production. It is our belief that if images are “”touched-up””, enhanced or tampered with in any way, you will lose the trust of the potential buyer. What they see should be, what they buy. Statistics from the major UK vehicle portals confirm these views, do not retouch the images!
There will be occasions where entering the vehicle registration won’t locate the vehicle in the stocklist. This is usually due to a private registration being used or the data may simply have been captured incorrectly at source. In either case, our system allows the operator to manually enter the key vehicle data to ensure they can continue to photograph the vehicle.
