The European automotive industry is facing one of the most complex phases in its history. The transition to electric mobility, driven by European regulatory targets, is struggling to meet sufficient market demand: manufacturers are managing production volumes that exceed demand, margins are shrinking, and investments continue to rise. In Italy, according to Fim-Cisl data, automotive production in Stellantis plants reached its lowest level since 1955 in 2025. The strategic response that is increasingly emerging is lean manufacturing- reducing waste and optimizing workflows.
More specifically, Augmented Reality in the Automotive sector now represents one of the most practical responses to these operational challenges. By using wearable devices such as smart glasses or mobile devices, digital information can be overlaid onto the physical world in real time, bringing technical expertise exactly where and when it is needed, without stopping production.
In the Automotive industry, Augmented Reality can provide:
- Reduced downtime through immediate and visual remote assistance
- Standardization of procedures through contextual step-by-step instructions
- Digital traceability of every operation performed
- Reduced errors by eliminating dependence on paper manuals and ambiguous communication
- Accelerated training for new operators, with instructions displayed directly in their field of view
Below, we will explore the main use cases of how Augmented Reality in Automotive can transform the production and commercial supply chain, particularly through the use of smart glasses with B View and B Step, and smartphones and tablets with Pic+ AR.
B View: augmented reality for remote assistance in Automotive
B View is the AR software for smart glasses that allows an expert, from anywhere in the world, to follow in real time what the field operator is seeing and guide them in solving complex issues. In an industry such as Automotive, characterized by global supply chains and production processes operating at tight schedules, the possible applications are numerous:
- Production Line Troubleshooting: When a production system stops, every minute of downtime has a direct impact on output. With B View, a specialized technician located anywhere in the world can see in real time what the on-site operator is looking at, identify specific components, and remotely guide diagnostics and problem resolution. This reduces recovery times and avoids unnecessary travel.
- Technical Support Across the Supply Chain: The automotive supply chain involves suppliers and subcontractors distributed across different geographical areas, making it more difficult to ensure rapid support and consistent standards. Thanks to B View, the parent company can provide real-time technical assistance across the entire production network without relocating specialized resources.
- Remote Supervision of Critical Operations: Quality managers can remotely supervise critical assembly operations in real time, with direct visual annotation capabilities and immediate validation.
- Operator Training: In the Automotive sector, transferring expertise quickly and effectively is essential. With B View, an expert can remotely support operators and technicians during operational activities, guiding them in real time directly in the field. This accelerates learning, reduces errors, and standardizes operational procedures.
- Remote Inspection and Testing: Inspections that would normally require an on-site specialist can instead be carried out remotely: B View transmits the operator’s field of vision and enables visual interaction by the specialist, reducing costs and intervention times.
- Virtual Showroom: B View allows customers to view seat materials, interior finishes, and trim variants directly through smart glasses, tablets, or smartphones without requiring the physical vehicle to be present in the showroom.
B Step: digitalization of operational processes and documentation
B Step is the software for smart glasses that enables the creation of customizable workflows for various activities and guides operators step by step through operational procedures directly in their field of view, with automatic validation and traceability of completed tasks. In Automotive, where process standardization and regulatory compliance are essential requirements, B Step can be applied in scenarios such as:
- Pre-Delivery Quality Control: Every operator follows the same verification sequence, in the same order, using the same criteria regardless of location or experience. Quality becomes systematic rather than subjective.
- After-Sales Inspection: B Step guides technicians through inspection sequences while documenting every result. Warranty management becomes simpler, with complete digital traceability for every intervention.
- Assembly on New Platforms: New platforms require new operational sequences. B Step provides contextual visual instructions in Augmented Reality, reducing the risk of errors even during the learning phase of new technologies.
- Scheduled Fleet Maintenance: Every technician operates according to the same digitally tracked protocol. Procedures are standardized, and every step is verifiable.
- Audits and Regulatory Compliance: B Step automatically generates detailed logs for every operation, simplifying both internal and external audits in an industry subject to increasingly stringent regulations.
- Operator Training: With B Step, new operators learn procedures through step-by-step guidance directly in their field of view, without requiring physical supervision. Every step is validated and tracked, making training measurable and replicable across any location.
Pic+ AR: augmented reality for for Marketing and Information Sharing in Automotive
Using smartphones or tablets, Pic+ AR overlays digital content, images, technical sheets, and 3D models onto real physical objects by scanning a reference image. Unlike the previous AR software solutions, no headset is required but only the application itself. Possible use cases for Pic+ AR include:
- Component Presentation to Customers: An automotive component supplier can showcase its product range (fabrics, plastics, systems) without carrying physical samples. By scanning a reference image, product details appear in Augmented Reality: textures, technical specifications, and available variants.
- Sales Network Training on New Models: Interactive training content, technical features, strengths, and comparisons become accessible via smartphone without requiring in-person events. This is especially useful during new model launches.
- B2B Technical Communication: Explaining a complex system or production plant during negotiations becomes immediate: the customer scans an image and visualizes in Augmented Reality how the product works, its components, and its advantages. No slides and no brochures required.
Would you like to discover how Brochesia solutions can integrate into your production and commercial environment? Contact us for a personalized demo.
