Anyline, a global leader in AI-powered mobile data capture, is disrupting industries by enabling instant scanning of everyday data with smartphones.

In an era where data is king, Vienna-based Anyline aims to carve out a significant niche, transforming everyday data capture into a seamless, mobile-first experience. What began as a computer vision research project, exploring the intricate ways machines could ‘see and interpret the world’, has blossomed into a global commercial platform.

This evolution was driven by a clear recognition of how urgently businesses across various sectors needed reliable, efficient and mobile-first data capture solutions. Anyline’s innovative approach now empowers frontline workers across diverse industries, from the complexities of logistics and the precision of manufacturing to the dynamic environments of retail and public safety and, notably, the high-stakes world of the automotive sector.

“Anyline was founded with the vision of making everyday data – like barcodes, serial numbers, IDs and tyre codes – instantly scannable using nothing more than a smartphone,” explained Peio Elustondo, VP of Inside Sales and Growth Marketing at Anyline. “We quickly saw how urgently businesses needed reliable, mobile-first data capture. The demand was undeniable, and our technology provided a straightforward, scalable answer.”

The company’s advanced AI-powered technology is now extensively deployed in over 100 countries, serving a distinguished roster of leading brands such as Discount Tyre, a giant in the automotive aftermarket; PepsiCo, a global food and beverage leader and IBM, a technology and consulting powerhouse. Elustondo highlighted their core mission, which remains steadfast despite their expansive growth, “Whether it’s helping technicians inspect tyres, retailers manage inventory or police verify vehicle data, our mission remains the same: to empower frontline workers with smart, scalable technology that makes everyday tasks faster, more accurate and more efficient. We believe in putting powerful tools directly into the hands of those on the ground, enabling them to work smarter, not harder.”

Anyline’s global footprint and tangible impact speak volumes, with millions of scans performed each month and a continuously expanding ecosystem of enterprise partners who place their trust in its software to digitise critical operations in the field, at the point of action.

REVOLUTIONISING TYRE INSPECTIONS WITH TIREBUDDY

One of Anyline’s most impactful and strategically significant innovations in the automotive space is TireBuddy, a dedicated mobile application meticulously designed to streamline the often-cumbersome process of tyre inspections. Traditional manual methods, which have long been the industry standard, are frequently plagued by inconsistencies, subjective interpretations and outright errors. These issues present a significant and persistent challenge for businesses striving for efficiency and accuracy.

“Tyre inspections are often manual, time-consuming and prone to errors – from misreading DOT codes to inconsistent tread depth checks,” Elustondo noted, painting a clear picture of the industry’s struggle and underscoring the dual nature of the problem. “The challenge is not only speed but also standardisation. Without reliable digital tools, even experienced technicians can struggle to deliver consistent results, especially under pressure or in high-volume environments.”

TireBuddy directly and comprehensively addresses these pain points, bringing powerful, AI-driven capabilities directly to the workshop floor, all without the need for expensive, dedicated hardware.

“It was built specifically for the needs of independent tyre dealers and service teams who want to modernise their workflows without investing in costly hardware or infrastructure,” Elustondo stated, highlighting the app’s accessibility and cost-effectiveness. The app empowers technicians to effortlessly scan and capture crucial data points such as DOT codes, tyre size, brand and Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) instantly.

Furthermore, TireBuddy provides precise tread depth measurements through a guided mobile workflow, ensuring that tyre health is assessed consistently and accurately, eliminating the need for traditional, often inaccurate, physical gauges. Remarkably, all of this critical data capture and verification happens in under a minute per tyre, with the results being rigorously AI-verified for unparalleled accuracy and reliability.

“All of this happens in under a minute per tyre and the results are AI-verified for accuracy and reliability,” Elustondo confirmed, emphasising the speed and precision that define TireBuddy.

He then explained the broader and more profound benefits that extend far beyond mere operational efficiency, “Beyond just speed and convenience, the true value of TireBuddy lies in what it unlocks. It gives technicians a digital record of each tyre’s condition, streamlines compliance documentation and enables more transparent conversations with customers about when a tyre truly needs to be replaced. This boosts customer trust and opens the door to more confident service recommendations.”

This digital record not only enhances internal record-keeping but also serves as a powerful tool for customer education, allowing technicians to visually demonstrate wear and tear and clearly justify service recommendations, thereby fostering greater confidence and loyalty. Because TireBuddy is mobile-based and cloud-connected, it also integrates seamlessly into existing backend systems – whether those are inventory management platforms, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools or point-of-sale systems. For businesses, this translates into a cascade of benefits, superior data quality, a significant reduction in manual errors and enhanced overall efficiency across their entire operational spectrum. Ultimately, TireBuddy empowers tyre shops of all sizes, from small independent garages to large chains, to offer a more modern, professional and data-driven customer experience – a capability that is fast becoming essential in today’s increasingly competitive and digitised service landscape.

ACCURACY AND IMPACT ACROSS INDUSTRIES

Anyline claims its AI-powered visual inspection offers a significant and demonstrable leap in consistency and reliability when compared to traditional manual methods. The inherent variability in human performance, particularly in repetitive and detailed tasks, often leads to discrepancies.

“Manual inspections often vary from technician to technician, especially when it comes to tasks like reading DOT codes or estimating tread depth. Our technology standardises these processes, capturing data instantly and removing the risk of human error, typos or misinterpretation. This means every inspection, regardless of who performs it, adheres to the same high standard of accuracy,” said Elustondo.

While acknowledging that real-world factors such as challenging lighting conditions or extreme tyre wear can influence accuracy, he assured that “our tools are continuously trained and tested on a wide range of conditions to ensure performance is reliable in the environments where they’re used most. The result is not only faster inspections, but repeatable, verifiable outcomes that technicians and service managers can trust implicitly.”

The profound impact of solutions like TireBuddy is clearly evident in Anyline’s impressive client base, which spans a wide array of automotive industry players, including leading automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), extensive aftersales networks and crucial logistics providers. One of their most significant and long-standing partners is Discount Tyre, which stands as the largest independent tyre and wheel retailer in the US.

Discount Tyre leverages Anyline’s cutting-edge technology to streamline their tyre inspection processes and digitise key vehicle data across their vast service network, significantly enhancing their operational efficiency and customer service.

“Our ability to serve both independent dealers and enterprise-scale players is a key strength. Whether it’s through our TireBuddy app or via custom integrations using the Anyline SDK, we help clients bring mobile inspection capabilities directly into the hands of technicians – no matter the size or complexity of their operation. This flexibility ensures that businesses of all scales can benefit from our advanced AI,” averred Elustondo, highlighting Anyline’s versatile approach.

Beyond the automotive sector, Anyline’s solutions are also used by government agencies for vehicle data verification, rental fleets for efficient vehicle check-ins and commercial vehicle operators seeking to improve safety, compliance and overall operational efficiency through AI-driven inspections. This broad applicability underscores the universal need for accurate, mobile data capture.

A GLOBAL FOOTPRINT AND FUTURE VISION

Anyline’s global reach extends significantly to India, a market Elustondo described as “important for us – both in terms of talent and innovation partnerships.”

He highlighted a particularly significant collaboration that exemplifies Anyline’s impact in the region: a partnership with Tata Power Delhi Distribution (Tata Power-DDL). Through this collaboration, Anyline launched an industry-first mobile meter reading solution utilising OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and AI-powered anti-spoofing technology. This innovative solution was deployed across North Delhi, dramatically improving billing accuracy, reducing non-technical losses and streamlining field operations for an astounding 1.9 million metres.

“That collaboration showcased how AI and mobile data capture can solve real-world infrastructure challenges at scale,” Elustondo added, pointing to the measurable impact on operational efficiency and data quality. This project marked a pivotal moment, being the first time Tata Power-DDL had adopted mobile OCR for utility meter reading, demonstrating a clear shift towards digital transformation in critical infrastructure.

Looking ahead, Anyline remains steadfastly committed to its software-first approach, a strategic decision that deliberately avoids the need for specialised, proprietary hardware.

“Our focus is on delivering AI-powered software solutions that run seamlessly on everyday mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. This software-first approach eliminates the need for specialised hardware, making our technology far more accessible, scalable and cost-effective for users around the world. It means businesses don’t have to invest in new, expensive equipment; they can leverage the devices their teams already use, significantly lowering the barrier to adoption,” Elustondo affirmed.

This philosophy ensures that Anyline’s solutions are not just technologically advanced but also practically viable for a wide range of businesses globally.

The company’s future plans involve a continuous and ambitious expansion of its AI-powered capabilities specifically tailored for the automotive industry. “Expect more integrations, real-time diagnostics and predictive maintenance features – all accessible via mobile,” Elustondo revealed, hinting at a future where vehicle maintenance is more proactive and data-driven. These advancements promise to further empower technicians with instant insights, enabling them to identify potential issues before they escalate and provide even more precise recommendations to customers.

The company shared that TireBuddy, in particular, stands as a powerful testament to its responsiveness to genuine industry needs and its ability to rapidly develop and deploy effective solutions.

“One development we are especially proud of is TireBuddy. It was built in direct response to feedback from the field, where independent dealers and service teams told us they needed a faster, more accurate way to assess tyre health without investing in expensive equipment or retraining their teams. We listened and we delivered,” Elustondo stated.

The app’s success has been resounding, with positive feedback echoing across the industry. “The response so far has been incredibly positive. Dealers are telling us it is improving the professionalism of their service while also reducing the friction that often comes with inspection-based upselling. It transforms a traditionally manual process – DOT code reading, tread depth measurement, VIN capture – into a digital workflow that’s intuitive, consistent and verifiable. It helps technicians provide clearer documentation, make more confident recommendations and ultimately earn greater trust from customers,” Elustondo said.

He envisions TireBuddy as far more than just a single product: “We see TireBuddy not just as a product, but as the foundation of a broader ecosystem of AI-powered tools designed to support the future of vehicle service – where data, transparency and customer trust take centre stage. This is about building a more efficient, reliable and customer-centric automotive service industry for tomorrow.” 

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AI mobile data capture company Anyline has released the latest version of TireBuddy, a smartphone-based system for automotive tyre inspections. Version 1.8 introduces fully automated sidewall capture that removes human variability from data collection. The tool has already helped service teams achieve faster, more uniform inspections over the past year, leading to increased tyre sales and stronger customer trust.

The automated mechanism uses on-device guidance that evaluates each image against four criteria: full sidewall detection, sharpness, proper distance and angle and overall clarity. This real-time feedback minimises redo scans by guiding technicians to capture optimal images immediately. The system addresses common challenges in busy service bays where accuracy often suffers due to varying experience levels.

Standardisation of inspection quality is a primary benefit, as consistent results are achieved regardless of who holds the phone. This removes dependency on technician skill or training duration. New or seasonal staff can perform scans confidently from day one without extensive instruction. The automated capture now serves as the standard protocol for all inspections across locations and shifts.

Additional features include tyre mismatch alerts that flag size discrepancies, automated email reports to back-office systems and a redesigned results screen consolidating sidewall information and tread measurements. With hundreds of thousands of annual inspections, this update reinforces TireBuddy's role in modernising tyre service operations.

Lukas Kinigadner, CRO, Anyline, said, “A shop is only as consistent as its least experienced inspector. Automated sidewall capture gets every scan to the same standard, so teams can stop treating inspection quality as a variable.”

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Epson, a global leader in SCARA robot manufacturing, has unveiled its next-generation industrial robotics portfolio at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026. The newly introduced lineup features the high-end CX-A Series 6-axis robots, the LS-C Series SCARA robots, the RC+ 8.0 programming software and the advanced SafeSense safety technology, all designed to address diverse manufacturing applications such as pick-and-place, precision assembly, parts transfer and material handling.

The new offerings significantly expand Epson’s existing industrial robotics family, which already includes the 6-axis C-Series and SCARA T-Series and LS-Series models with payloads ranging from 3 to 20 kilogrammes. With the addition of the CX-A and LS-C Series, manufacturers across various sectors can achieve heightened productivity, flexibility and operational efficiency. The CX-A Series is engineered for complex tasks with a payload capacity of up to seven kilogrammes and a reach of 900 millimetres, available in IP67, cleanroom and ESD variants, while the LS-C Series provides a compact SCARA platform with a 50-kilogramme payload, a 1,000-millimetre reach and cycle times as fast as 0.298 seconds.

Complementing the hardware, the RC+ 8.0 software offers an integrated environment for programming, simulation and system management, facilitating faster automation deployment with support for Visual Studio and C++ development. Additional efficiency features include enhanced diagnostics, OPC UA, GUI builder and safety functions, alongside co-creation tools like Library Builder and RC+ Extension. Meanwhile, the SafeSense technology promotes safer human-robot collaboration by incorporating Safety Limited Speed and Safety Limited Position functions, which can potentially reduce the need for extensive safety fencing and thereby increase operational flexibility.

With over four decades of industrial robotics expertise and more than 200,000 robotic arms deployed globally, Epson continues to drive operational excellence for businesses. Attendees at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026 have the opportunity to view live demonstrations of these solutions and consult with Epson specialists about transforming their manufacturing operations.

Siva Kumar, Sr General Manager – Sales and Marketing, Epson India, said, "India is rapidly emerging as a global manufacturing hub, and automation will play a pivotal role in shaping its future. With our new industrial robot lineup and RC+ 8.0 platform, Epson is delivering the speed, precision and intelligence manufacturers need to compete in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. We remain committed to enabling businesses to accelerate automation adoption and build smarter, more agile and globally competitive manufacturing operations."

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A consortium of Fraunhofer institutes has reached a key milestone in the Technology Platform for Tire Abrasion and the Identification of its Emissions in Road Traffic (TERIS) project, moving closer to establishing standardised laboratory methods for generating, analysing and predicting tyre wear.

The project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, together with Fraunhofer ICT, Fraunhofer IGD and Fraunhofer IWM, aims to provide the tyre industry, testing organisations and environmental agencies with reliable and practical laboratory procedures for assessing tyre abrasion emissions.

The first project milestone has been completed following a successful review by an advisory board comprising industry experts.

The consortium has developed reference methods for tyre abrasion, particle analysis, tribological modelling, artificial intelligence-based surface analysis, a laboratory test bench concept, accelerated ageing techniques and volatile organic compound (VOC) detection.

According to the consortium, combining different particle collection and measurement techniques enables more precise analysis of both airborne and deposited tyre wear particles. At the same time, tribological models have been developed to better understand the relationship between loading conditions, material properties, surface structures and particle formation, allowing real-world tyre wear processes to be replicated under laboratory conditions.

Researchers have also developed a specialised test chamber for accelerated ageing, enabling tyre samples to be exposed to controlled environmental conditions before evaluating their abrasion behaviour.

Another development is an optical detection system that uses artificial intelligence to identify and classify surface structures. The system has been validated using substitute materials and is expected to be applied to rubber samples during the next phase of the project.

The consortium has also designed a laboratory test bench that combines multiaxial loading, controlled generation of tyre wear particles, targeted particle collection and integrated optical sensors within a single testing platform.

In addition, the project combines accelerated weathering with chemical analysis of volatile organic compounds released from tyre abrasion to assess the environmental impact of tyre wear particles.

The researchers said the work will provide the foundation for faster and more practical laboratory evaluation of new rubber compounds. The resulting methods are intended to help tyre manufacturers reduce emissions, accelerate product development and support compliance with the requirements of the Euro 7 standard.

At Fraunhofer IWM, researchers focused on refining tribological wear models and friction surface concepts to simulate particle formation under controlled laboratory conditions. The institute designed a parameterisable wear test that studies friction between plate materials and model surfaces with different structures, enabling researchers to investigate the mechanisms responsible for particle generation.

Initial findings indicate that tyre wear results from multiple interacting mechanisms rather than a simple relationship between particle emissions and factors such as speed, contact force or temperature. The researchers collected and analysed particles across a wide range of sizes during the study.

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ZF has secured a significant milestone in the Indian automotive sector, receiving three major orders for its advanced test systems. The contracts, which encompass battery, tyre and e-axle testing, position the global driveline and chassis technology leader at the forefront of the nation’s drive to enhance road safety and establish more robust vehicle certification processes. This development aligns with India’s accelerating regulatory efforts to ensure that vehicle testing becomes more independent, rigorous and comprehensive, marking a critical step forward for the industry.

A key aspect of ZF's strategy involves a strong commitment to local manufacturing, with the company emphasising high levels of domestic content for its test systems in support of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The firm’s extensive background in the field is underscored by its experience in testing over 100 million transmissions, a testament to the proven global reliability of its technology. This foundation of expertise is now being applied to address the specific safety and performance demands emerging in the Indian market.

With the rapid adoption of electric vehicles, battery safety has become a paramount concern, and ZF’s solutions cover the complete spectrum from individual cells to complete packs. These systems evaluate performance, endurance and environmental factors, including rigorous mechanical abuse testing, while adhering to a wide array of international and Indian standards. Furthermore, the company’s tyre testing capabilities are poised to play a crucial role as India prepares to enforce new mandatory regulations, including the BNVSAP and the AIS 142 TPMS Mandate. The ZF Tyre Efficiency Tester (TET.lab), recognised for its precision, offers a modular platform capable of testing everything from motorcycles to heavy commercial vehicles.

The company’s e-mobility test benches feature a high-performance drive module with a flexible, modular architecture designed to accommodate both conventional and electric drivetrains. These systems can be configured for various operations, integrating frequency converters and precision measurement technology for comprehensive testing. ZF’s deep expertise, already deployed by manufacturers and testing authorities worldwide, positions it as a key technology partner for India. As regulatory requirements tighten and the demand for quality escalates, the company is set to support the nation's ambition of building a safe and sustainable automotive ecosystem.

Akash Passey, President, ZF Group India, said, “Testing agencies are the final arbiters of vehicle safety, the bodies whose certification regulators and the public trust. Being chosen across three independent and Government agencies, for three distinct testing disciplines, is a powerful validation of ZF's accuracy, reliability and deep understanding of India's regulatory and testing landscape. ZF Group is proud to provide the technical foundation that makes world-class automotive safety infrastructure possible in India, not just for our OEM customers but also for Government and independent testing agencies.”

Thomas Trebitsch, Vice President, ZF Test Systems and Testing, said, “Over the past years, we have been focusing on the tyre industry in India and introducing our complete product portfolio to India. As the market develops rapidly towards regulations and safety, there is a strong need for robust and world-class testing technology. ZF brings its global competence and a deep understanding of the Indian auto industry to address its specific needs.”

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