Glossary
Vehicle inspection glossary.
47 plain-language definitions of the terms used in vehicle inspections, damage documentation, and AI damage detection.
A
- AI vehicle damage detection
- The use of computer vision to analyze vehicle images and help identify visible exterior damage such as scratches, dents, cracks, glass damage, and damaged lights. Learn more
- AI vehicle inspection
- A vehicle inspection in which software analyzes images of a vehicle to help identify, classify, and document visible damage. Findings are typically reviewed by a person. Learn more
- Auction arbitration
- A process some vehicle auctions and marketplaces use to resolve disagreements between buyer and seller about a vehicle’s condition or disclosures after a sale. Rules vary by platform. Learn more
B
- Before-and-after comparison
- Comparing two inspections of the same vehicle, such as pickup and return, to distinguish previously recorded condition from newly observed damage.
- Bill of lading
- A transport document that records the details of a shipment. In vehicle transport, it often notes the vehicle’s visible condition at pickup and delivery.
- Bounding box
- A rectangle drawn around an object in an image by an object detection model to show where a detected item, such as a dent or scratch, is located.
C
- Car sharing
- A service that lets members rent vehicles for short periods, usually unlocked with an app and picked up without staff present. Users typically inspect the vehicle themselves at the start and end of a trip. Learn more
- Chip
- A small area where paint or glass has broken away, usually caused by stones or road debris. Common on the hood, front bumper, and windshield. Learn more
- Claims triage
- The early sorting of insurance claims by complexity or urgency so each claim can be routed to the appropriate handling process. Learn more
- Clear coat
- The transparent top layer of most modern automotive paint finishes. It protects the color coat underneath and provides gloss.
- Computer vision
- A field of artificial intelligence that enables software to interpret images and video, for example to recognize objects or detect patterns associated with damage.
- Condition baseline
- The recorded condition of a vehicle at a starting point, such as a pre-rental inspection, against which later inspections are compared.
- Confidence score
- A number produced by an AI model indicating how strongly it associates a finding with a category. It is not a guarantee that the finding is correct.
- Crack
- A fracture in a vehicle component, most commonly in plastic bumper covers, trim, lamp housings, or glass. Learn more
- Curb rash
- Scrapes or gouges on the outer edge of a wheel, usually caused by contact with a curb.
D
- Damage localization
- Identifying where on a vehicle a piece of damage is located, such as a specific panel and position, rather than only noting that damage exists.
- Damage map
- A diagram of a vehicle showing the location of each recorded finding, often numbered to match a list of damage items in a condition report.
- Damage severity
- A rating of how serious a piece of damage is, often on a simple scale such as minor, moderate, and major. Severity scales vary between organizations.
- Dent
- A deformation in a vehicle body panel caused by an impact. Small, shallow dents are often called dings. Learn more
- Digital vehicle inspection
- A vehicle inspection recorded with digital tools, typically with photos linked to structured findings, instead of on paper.
E
- Excess wear and tear
- Damage or wear on a leased vehicle beyond what the lease agreement allows, such as dents, deep scratches, cracked glass, or interior tears. Limits are set by each leasing company. Learn more
F
- False negative
- In AI damage detection, real damage that the system fails to flag.
- False positive
- In AI damage detection, a finding flagged as damage that is not actually damage, such as a reflection, shadow, or dirt.
- Field appraisal
- An in-person inspection of a damaged vehicle by an appraiser or adjuster, typically to assess damage for an insurance claim.
- First notice of loss (FNOL)
- The initial report a policyholder makes to an insurer that an incident, such as vehicle damage, has occurred. It starts the claims process.
- Fleet vehicle inspection
- The routine inspection and documentation of vehicles operated by a business or organization, often at driver handovers or on a schedule. Learn more
G
- Guided image capture
- An inspection method in which an app prompts the user to photograph a vehicle from a defined sequence of angles, producing a consistent set of images. Learn more
H
- Human review
- The step in an AI-assisted workflow where a person checks, confirms, or corrects automated findings before they are relied on.
I
- Image segmentation
- A computer vision technique that outlines objects at the pixel level, which can describe the shape and extent of damage more precisely than a bounding box.
L
- Lease return inspection
- An assessment of a leased vehicle’s condition at the end of the lease to identify damage, wear, or missing items beyond what the lease agreement allows. Learn more
- Loaner vehicle (courtesy vehicle)
- A vehicle a dealership lends to a service customer while the customer’s own vehicle is being repaired. Loaners are typically inspected at check-out and return. Learn more
N
- Normal wear and tear
- The expected signs of everyday use on a vehicle, such as light surface scratches and even tire wear, which a lease agreement generally does not treat as chargeable damage. Learn more
O
- Object detection
- A computer vision technique that identifies objects in an image and marks each with a bounding box and a category.
P
- Paint transfer
- Paint or material left on a vehicle’s surface after contact with another painted object, such as another vehicle or a post.
- Paintless dent repair (PDR)
- A technique for removing dents by reshaping the panel from behind without repainting. Suitability depends on the dent’s size, location, and whether the paint is intact.
- Peer-to-peer car rental
- Renting a privately owned vehicle from its owner (the host) to another person (the guest), usually through an online platform. Learn more
- Pre-purchase inspection (PPI)
- A check of a used vehicle’s condition before buying it, typically combining a history check, a visual inspection, a test drive, and a mechanical inspection by a technician. Learn more
- Pre-rental inspection
- An inspection of a rental vehicle before it is handed to a customer, creating a baseline record of its condition. Learn more
R
- Remote vehicle inspection
- An inspection in which images of a vehicle are captured in one place and reviewed elsewhere, without an inspector physically present.
- Repair cost estimate
- An approximate figure for what repairing damage may cost. Estimates support decisions but are not binding repair quotes.
- Return inspection (post-rental inspection)
- An inspection of a rental vehicle when it is returned, compared with the pre-rental inspection to identify possible new damage.
S
- Scratch
- A line cut into a vehicle’s finish. Light scratches stay within the clear coat; deeper scratches reach the color coat, primer, or bare material. Learn more
- Scuff
- Surface abrasion on a vehicle’s finish, often from light contact. Scuffs may include paint transfer and can hide scratches underneath. Learn more
T
- Trade-in inspection
- A dealership’s assessment of a vehicle offered as part of a purchase, documenting its condition to inform appraisal and reconditioning. Learn more
V
- Vehicle condition report
- A structured record of a vehicle’s physical condition at a specific time, typically combining inspection images with a list of findings, their locations, and severity. Learn more
- Vehicle history report
- A summary of a vehicle’s past drawn from external records, such as ownership, title information, and reported incidents. It differs from a condition report, which documents current physical condition.
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- A unique 17-character code assigned to a vehicle by its manufacturer, used to identify that specific vehicle in records and reports.
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