In only the past year or so, AI has opened a Pandora's box of opportunities to better care for customers and their vehicles – so much so that today's consumer has unlocked a new level of knowledge surrounding all aspects of maintenance.

Here's an example: A driver thinks it might be time for a new set of tires since their current set is looking a bit on the worn side. He doesn't own a tread depth gauge and wouldn't know what to do with one anyway. However, he does have an app on his smartphone that uses machine learning technology to analyze treadwear and creates an AI-generated recommendation on whether that tire needs to be repaired or replaced. Going a step further, though, the app communicates with the driver's tire dealer to indicate he'll be coming in for a new set of tires.

Zach Olson, founder and CEO of Treads, an AI-powered car maintenance platform, says this is only the beginning.

"I think when looking at it from the industry perspective, there's all sorts of talk of technician shortages, training gaps, and just really fulfilling the demand for the professionals on that side of the industry. But, technology can come in and start filling in quite a few gaps where if you can automate so much of the customer experience, the customer service side, so when a car shows up in the shop, you know exactly what it needs, what's wrong with it, and how to go about with the right solution – and the customers already paid for it," Olson says. "Technology's going to fill that gap where technicians can do what they're best at, and that's getting people back on the road safely."

In this episode of What's Treading, Olson, explains how the Treads direct-to-consumer mobile app subscription service can simplify the car maintenance process. He also details how the company's growth strategy involves partnering with a range of service providers, from small businesses to large national brands.

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