Daniel Nino, Auto Avaliar; Expanding throughout Latin America, Europe
International vehicle remarketing solutions firm Auto Avaliar has a unique digitized car evaluating platform which works hand-in-hand with a mobile app.
The evaluation process involves first reading a vehicle license plate to recognize the model, trim, and specifications of a car. From there, the client – usually a franchise dealer - can elaborate further by taking pictures and checking the motor, powertrain and tires, explained co-founder and commercial director Daniel Nino.
All of the company’s B2B and B2C transactions are recorded and then integrated with the international dealer management system DMS. The following is a bit about Auto Avaliar’s services, price, clients, and expansion plans.
Global Fleet: I see five flags on your uniform (Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, USA). What do they represent?
Nino: Well, we were founded in Brazil, our largest market to date. Thereafter, in the first semester of 2017, we opened our first European office in Portugal during the World Shopper event and this was due to the familiar language and culture. Our plan is to eventually expand throughout the continent.
In Latin America, we opened our Mexico office in May (2018) and our Argentina office in July. Our aim is to continue with expansion throughout Latin America as well.
Meanwhile, our CEO J.R. Caporal is based in Miami so we are eying opportunities in the U.S. as well. For now, we are using the country as a base to analyze innovative ideas that can possibly be used in Brazil and our other coverage areas.
Regarding U.S. operations, as we are still looking at how and when this could happen, we have no concrete plans as of yet. I can say, however, that it is a huge market with a lot of opportunity.
Global Fleet: You use the Auto Flash booth to evaluate cars, right?
Nino: Auto Flash is one way to do it. After parking your car in the booth, we use cameras, sensors, and lasers to scan the vehicles exterior – including the paint and tires – to identify whether or not there has been body work on the car.
We also link to the On-board Dianostics (OBD) connector of the vehicle to download PCU data such as information from the local motor vehicles agency, among others.
I’d like to point out that all the technology and hardware for the booth has been built by Auto Avaliar, and it was a challenge to integrate these technologies into one system.
Auto Flash booth (Source: Global Fleet)
Global Fleet: How much does Auto Flash cost?
Nino: There is an initial cost of around 100,000 reais (US$24,390) which pays for building the booth. Thereafter, a maintenance fee of some 5,000 reais per month is required. Right now, the pricing for the services is a bit tricky, so we are still working on ways to lower the cost of Auto Flash.
However, we have recently launched Auto Flash Light which is meant for smaller operations. You use a mobile app to take a 360-degree photo of the vehicle by walking around the car. You also need an OBD connection to read historical information of the car.
The OBD device is 150 reais and the maintenance fee for this option is approximately 100 reais per month.
Global Fleet: Could you mention some of the bigger clients you have?
Nino: One company using the Auto Flash booth is Localiza, Brazil’s largest vehicle fleet management and rent-a-car company. When it comes to remarketing its vehicles, the company sells nearly 10,000 cars per month. Our intention is to eventually be evaluating 100% of their vehicles through Auto Flash.
We also have an Auto Flash booth running at a franchise dealer of Chinese automaker Leafan here in the state of Sao Paulo. It is in the city of Campinas.
Finally, I’d like to mention that we also have agreements with OEMs such as Toyota and Renault.
Globla Fleet: And what about PSA and its partnership with Auto Avaliar. How did that come about?
Nino: PSA developed an international used car market program about six years ago called Push to Pass. To accomplish the program, it decided to invest in a few companies and Auto Avaliar was one of them. It is now a minority partner of ours.
Auto Avaliar co-founder Daniel Nino and Global Fleet Latin America editor Daniel Bland (Source: Global Fleet)