PUSPAKOM’s New AI System Cuts Commercial Vehicle Undercarriage Inspection Time by 90%
PUSPAKOM is taking another step towards smarter and more efficient vehicle inspections with the introduction of a new AI-assisted undercarriage inspection system, which can reduce inspection time by nearly 90%.
The new technology is designed specifically to support statutory inspections of commercial vehicles, particularly heavy vehicles, by using artificial intelligence and image analysis to identify potential defects underneath a vehicle.
According to PUSPAKOM, the system can reduce an undercarriage inspection that previously took around 10 minutes to approximately one minute.
For commercial vehicle operators and drivers, the improvement could mean significantly less time spent waiting for inspections while allowing PUSPAKOM to process more vehicles within the same operating period.
AI helps detect defects beneath the vehicle
Developed in collaboration with Malaysian technology company Keymag Sdn Bhd, the system uses intelligent image analysis to automatically identify vehicle components and potential defects.
The AI is capable of detecting issues including:
- Corrosion
- Oil leaks
- Brake system faults
- Axle defects
- Structural damage
Rather than relying entirely on visual inspection by a human examiner, the system analyses images of the vehicle’s undercarriage and highlights potential anomalies that require further attention.
This allows inspectors to focus their expertise on verifying the issues identified by the system, potentially improving both inspection consistency and efficiency.
Human examiners still make the final decision
Despite the introduction of AI, PUSPAKOM is not handing inspection decisions over to a computer.
The final pass or fail decision remains solely with trained PUSPAKOM Vehicle Examiners.
The AI system instead acts as a decision-support tool, identifying potential defects or abnormalities for the examiner to verify.
This approach allows PUSPAKOM to take advantage of AI’s ability to analyse images quickly while retaining human expertise and accountability in statutory vehicle inspections.
For vehicle owners and operators, this distinction is important as the technology is intended to assist inspectors rather than replace them.
Inspection time cut from 10 minutes to around one minute
The biggest advantage of the new system is undoubtedly speed.
PUSPAKOM says the AI-assisted process can reduce the time needed for an undercarriage inspection from approximately 10 minutes to about one minute, representing a reduction of nearly 90%.
PUSPAKOM CEO Mahmood Razak Bahman said the time saved could provide commercial vehicle drivers with additional time to complete deliveries, serve customers or return home earlier.
The increased efficiency could also benefit the inspection process itself.
With vehicles spending less time undergoing individual inspections, PUSPAKOM expects the technology to help increase service capacity and reduce waiting times.
For an industry where vehicle downtime can directly affect productivity and operating costs, even a few minutes saved per vehicle can make a meaningful difference.
Digital records could improve inspection transparency
The new AI system is also designed to generate digital inspection records, providing an additional layer of documentation for the inspection process.
These records can support objective verification if an inspection finding is later questioned or disputed.
Beyond simply speeding up inspections, the move towards digitalised inspection records could therefore help strengthen transparency and consistency across statutory vehicle inspections.
PUSPAKOM says the technology is intended to improve efficiency while maintaining the required standards of safety, professionalism and regulatory compliance.
Currently deployed on Mobile Truck Service
The AI-assisted undercarriage inspection system is currently being deployed through PUSPAKOM’s Mobile Truck Service (MTS) for heavy commercial vehicles.
This allows the technology to be used as part of inspections for commercial vehicles while reducing the time required for the undercarriage inspection process.
The rollout also represents an early step in PUSPAKOM’s broader plan to incorporate artificial intelligence into different areas of vehicle inspection.
More AI-powered inspections are coming
PUSPAKOM’s AI plans extend beyond the undercarriage.
The company is currently developing ASTRA, an above-carriage inspection solution, in collaboration with Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM).
PUSPAKOM also plans to introduce AI-powered tyre inspection technology.
These technologies are expected to be introduced progressively over the next 24 months, potentially transforming more parts of the vehicle inspection process.
The undercarriage system therefore represents more than just a faster way to inspect commercial vehicles. It is part of a wider shift towards intelligent, data-driven vehicle inspections in Malaysia.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the process, the key question will be how effectively technology and human expertise can work together to make inspections faster without compromising safety.
For now, PUSPAKOM’s latest system suggests that commercial vehicle inspections could soon look very different from the traditional process many drivers are familiar with.
