Augmented Reality in Automotive Workshops: A Design Science Case Study

Abstract: Augmented Reality (AR) is an evolving technology researched and applied in many areas to help support and guide work. One field in which the application of AR in practical usage is not common is automotive industry. To help minimize this gap, the presented research aimed to evaluate the need for AR in automotive industry and present an artefact applicable in simple workshop environments. Three semi-structured interviews with automotive technicians were performed to identify the issues encountered when working with connectors in a tight space and to design a prototype which could help mitigate them. The interviews highlight the need of a mobile AR tool within an industrial setting and the evaluation of the tool displays the benefits brought by introducing such technology in a workshop. An AR application has been developed and evaluated by mechanics and industry experts working with connectors in a case study, where the application was put to use to observe its effect on mechanics’ ability to solve workshop tasks. The findings showed that the usage of a mobile tool simplifies the task and decreases the time spent on assembly tasks by providing information on-spot. The study concluded that AR technology simplifies tasks such as identfiying markings on cable connectors and suggests that further research in this direction is needed to help further develop this area on a larger scale. Index