A system that can quickly and accurately pinpoint the damage to a car following a collision, as well as diagnose and schedule the necessary repairs, is to be developed by the University of Portsmouth's School of Computing .
The system is being created for accident repair group ABL 1 Touch , with £560,000 joint funding from ABL 1 Touch, the University of Portsmouth and Innovate UK as part of the University's Knowledge Transfer Partnership Programme .
ABL 1 Touch is a car repair specialist, providing services to the UK's top insurance companies and vehicle fleet providers. It is an industry under increasing pressure to deliver enhanced service provision and find new ways to improve the way vehicle repairs are processed through an ever-evolving market.
Over the next three years (to April 2028), researchers led by Professor Mohammed Bader of the University of Portsmouth's Ai and Data Science Centre ( PAiDS ), will develop an innovative AI-powered system for automated vehicle damage assessment and efficient repair scheduling.
The project will enhance ABL 1 Touch's operational efficacy and expand its service delivery capabilities, while supporting the company's strategic growth plans. The development will also have a wider impact for the vehicle repair industry as a whole, as it will establish new technical benchmarks.
This project will combine machine learning and computer vision to develop AI powered systems that bring together engineers' practical expertise with cutting-edge technology
Professor Mohammed Bader, University of Portsmouth Ai and Data Science Centre (PAiDS)
Professor Bader said: "This project will combine machine learning and computer vision to develop AI powered systems that bring together engineers' practical expertise with cutting-edge technology."
ABL 1 Touch is keen to increase its operational capacity and tackle the challenge of rising costs in order to be able to meet growing customer demands in the motor insurance claims sector.
Stephen Woodhouse, Knowledge Transfer Adviser at Innovate UK Business Connect, said: "I was delighted to support the development of this collaborative project on behalf of Innovate UK. The ambition for the partnership has huge practical importance; directly addressing contemporary industrial challenges. The KTP affords access to world-class research expertise at the University of Portsmouth, rapidly enabling ABL 1 Touch to establish synthetic cognition within their business protocols, supporting significant improvements in their client-facing value proposition."
Graham Roberts, Chief Commercial Officer at ABL 1 Touch, added: "We work in a fast-paced industry that is driven by substantially varying vehicle damage types from many sources. Therefore, it is paramount that we find new and innovative ways to identify, prioritise and schedule work into our sites. The need to generate scalable solutions that remove single-person dependencies and work on mass data learning protocols is something we embrace as a forward-thinking business.
"We are extremely excited to be working with our successful associates to maximise the transfer of knowledge into our business and find practical solutions that will enhance our skilled workforce. The KTP process and support from Innovate UK are the driving factors which have enabled us to proceed to this stage and we look forward to seeing our partnership flourish with the University of Portsmouth in the coming years."
According to the Association of British Insurers, in 2024 motor insurers dealt with 2.4 million insurance claims and paid out a record £11.7 billion in claims. Total claims payouts were 17 per cent higher in 2024 compared to 2023.
The knowledge transfer through this partnership will give the company a sustainable competitive advantage, positioning them as an industry innovator in automated repair assessment and management and enabling the company's expansion from 29 to 60 plus repair sites.
A UK-wide government initiative, the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme has been helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity, for the past 50 years, through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills to identify innovative solutions to help that business grow.
The University of Portsmouth has a proven track record and over 20 years of experience with KTPs across a wide range of academic disciplines and business needs.
Over the past two decades, the University has delivered more than 100 partnerships, which have been awarded a cumulative £9.2m in grants and £4.9m in matched funding from businesses.
Additional information
Pictured above are colleagues from the University of Portsmouth working with representatives from ABL 1 Touch
On the screen at the rear: Professor Mohamed Bader, University of Portsmouth School of Computing and Portsmouth Ai and Data Science Centre (PAiDS).
Moving around the table from left to right: Stephanie Beverton (ABL 1 Touch); Dr Stavros Shiaeles (University of Portsmouth School of computing and PAiDS); Tony Lawman (ABL) Dr Gelayol Golcarenarenji (University of Portsmouth School of computing / PAiDS); Dr. Alaa Mohasseb (University of Portsmouth School of Computing / PAiDS); Dr Christopher Pattison (University of Portsmouth Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation); Dr Becky Canning (University of Portsmouth Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation); Dr. Xiang Song (University of Portsmouth School of Mathematics and Physics); Graham Roberts ( ABL 1 Touch); Adam Fawcett (ABL 1 Touch); and Dr Afsoon Azadi ( University of Portsmouth Research and Innovation Development Manager, Department of research and Innovation).
