By Jim Utter
Director of Journalism
DRB’s patented “NoPileups” tunnel car wash optimization system seems to be doing its job.
According to figures released by the company in late November, the system has prevented an estimated 600,000 collisions, which in turn has saved operators nearly $300 million since the technology was first introduced in 2016.
While most anti-collision systems developed for car washes use loop pads or other types of sensors to determine a vehicle’s location within a tunnel, NoPileups uses video and advanced computer technology to track where the vehicle is at all times in the process.
The system tracks cars across the entire length of the tunnel and automatically stops the conveyor when a collision threat is detected. A 15 to 20-second video is then created to help operators locate the cause of any potential issue.
NoPileups also extends beyond the end of the conveyor, with its “Smart Exit” technology monitoring 10 to 15 feet beyond traditional tunnel exit and automatically stopping the conveyor to prevent a collision and restarting it when the situation has been cleared.
While driver-error is often the cause of in-tunnel collisions, car washes can take on much if not all the financial burden of subsequent damage claims. The video clips provided with NoPileups provide evidence regarding such liability.
“Our goal is to empower car wash operators with technology that enhances both safety and efficiency,” said Alex Mereness, DRB’s director of product management for tunnel solutions.
“By boosting throughput and reducing damage claims, NoPileups is an indispensable tool for operators who want to deliver a superior customer experience while maximizing profitability.”
The video monitoring element of the system also provides operators with the confidence to process cars a little closer, which allows them to wash more cars at peak times.
Chris Rivera, COO of Canton Car Wash, which is based in the Baltimore, Md., area, said he was originally a skeptic when first introduced to the NoPileups system but has found it a necessary tool after installing it in one location.
“Accidents don’t happen on slow days, it’s very unusual because there’s not another car in the tunnel for a collision to happen. They almost always happen on a very busy day, and, as every operator knows, that’s when you’re making the most revenue,” he said.
“So, when a collision happens, you have to shut everything down, you have to stop, you have to make sure the customer gets out of their vehicle safely. Not only are you losing revenue or money to a damage claim or having to deal with an upset customer, but you’re also dealing with substantial downtime.
“We love that NoPileups is catching those issues before(hand).”
DRB was awarded a patent for its NoPileups technology in November 2021. Almost 700 systems had been installed in car washes by that time.
