AUTOMOTIVE technology solutions provider Ebbon Group has moved into Artificial Intelligence (AI) via a new strategic partnership with Oxford University spin-off Zegami and the creation of a new business entity, Ebbon Intelligence.

Zegami, which has its origins within the University’s research faculty, combines advanced image analysis and AI algorithms to manage and unlock the value of large and complex data sets.

The new venture will see a team from Zegami work with Ebbon to help adapt the technologies for the fleet, rental, risk, compliance and other related automotive sectors.

The business was born out of a collaboration led by Roger Noble, Zegami’s CEO and Oxford University scientist Steve Taylor, Zegami’s Chief Scientific Officer. 

It was founded as a spin off from the University of Oxford in 2016 after enabling a cancer research project to simultaneously analyse large collections of images and data with machine learning. It’s since successfully grown as an image-based data visualisation platform with backing from several major investors, including Oxford Sciences Innovation.

Ebbon Intelligence will be 80% owned by the Ebbon Group and 20% by Zegami.  Ebbon Group have invested in perpetual rights to use the existing technology assets and future developments of Zegami for all of the automotive sector, giving Ebbon a considerable leap in technological capabilities for their existing and future platforms.

A team from Zegami will also work with Ebbon on an ongoing basis to help adapt the technologies for the fleet, rental, risk, compliance and other related automotive sectors.

The first practical application of the new relationship, which will see technical experts and developers from both parties working together, is likely to be in the field of smart repair and damage identification. This will allow the pinpoint accurate assessment of the depth and detail of the damage to vehicles during lease or rental periods.

This is complementary to Ebbon’s market-leading moDel platform, for which damage images play an important role under current industry guidelines, including the BVRLA’s fair wear and tear policy.