(FOX 9) - Most
of us have been there: something breaks on your vehicle and the mechanic bill
is more than you can afford. But now, there's a way to diagnose and fix the
problem without ever entering a shop.
Using
artificial intelligence, a new Minnesota-based startup called Raise a Hood is
empowering car owners to do their own repairs while also offering community
learnings and virtual consultations with real-life mechanics.
"We have a
lot of people already coming in trying to self-diagnose their car with
Google," said Matt Holmen, a Twin Cities mechanic who says the information
currently available online is incomplete and often created by amateurs.
"This is an avenue to kind of correct that."
Through the
website, users can plug in the make and model of their car, along with
symptoms. With enough information, the AI will be able to diagnose the problem
and walk you through how to fix it yourself.
Holmen says he
isn’t threatened by the technology, as the industry struggles to fill open
mechanic jobs. The National Automobile Dealer Association reports around 76,000
mechanic positions open up every year, and only 39,000 are coming out of
technical colleges or training programs.
Prior to
starting Raise a Hood, founder and CEO Michael Petersen spent a decade as an
engineer at Ford Motor Company and another fifteen years in the technology
sector. Now, he's merging his experience into an AI engine they've named
"Gus" – a system that is taught by real-life mechanics like Holmen.
"We sit
down and plug in scenarios with results and questions and that just gets the
ball rolling. The AI takes over from there," said Holmen.
Petersen says
as the AI gets used, the accuracy will improve.
"So the
question is, can we take the expertise of the mechanics to do the core training
of the AI and then allow the AI to do what it does best…and get really and
really accurate," Petersen explained.
But if
do-it-yourself isn't for you, Raise a Hood also offers video calls with
mechanics starting at $20 - something Petersen compares to a telehealth visit
with your doctor. He says early customers have mostly been using the feature to
get second opinions.
"For the
early calls that we’ve had, over half the customers that have reached out to us
have saved $1,000 on a repair bill," Petersen said.
Petersen said the consultation calls are also a great retirement job for skilled mechanics who need a break from being on their feet.