How do remote vehicle assessments work?
Tower's priority repairers can assess your car remotely using your mobile phone, saving you time needing to take the car in. Do it wherever is easiest for you, all you need is internet or data and a smartphone or tablet.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can view our network of repairers here. Look for the yellow ‘P’ marker, these are our Tower Repair Partners.
Yes, you can skip that step!
You do need to be in an area with decent Wi-Fi or data coverage. There needs to be enough light around your vehicle to be able to take images successfully. You also need to be able to move around the vehicle.
We have been trialling the technology for over a year, and are very pleased with the accuracy of the assessments. If the repairer feels that they can't get an accurate view of the damage through the remote assessment, then they will ask you to bring the vehicle in. It is possible with both in-person and remote assessments that additional damage will be found when a car is dismantled during the repair.
Do not drive your vehicle if you aren't sure whether or not it is safe to do so. Using a remote assessment is a great way to find out if the vehicle is safe to drive. Through the images and talking to you about the damage, a repairer will have a pretty good idea as to whether the vehicle is drivable.
The repairer saves the images onto the device that they use to contact you, and then into the repairer's system. The repairer shares these with Tower by email when they supply their quote. This is the same process if you bring your vehicle in for an assessment.
No. We can only see what you allow us to see with your camera. We are only taking photos of your vehicle and the damage.
We can only see what you allow us to see with your camera. We encourage you to wait until you are by your car before sharing your camera. We are only taking photos of your vehicle and the damage. You can see all the photos we take at the end of the call.
No, the call is not recorded.
The technology we use is from a Kiwi company called Zyte (zyteapp.com). Zyte encrypts the calls so no one but you and the repairer on the other end of the call can see the images shared.
No. When the call ends, the other party can no longer see through your camera. If you have another call using the same technology the other party can’t see until you press the start button.
No. There is no way for them to access your contacts, browsing history or passwords. They can only see what you share with your camera.
Absolutely. We don’t expect you to know anything about cars. The repairer will tell you how to move your phone to capture the images they need.
One of the reasons we have selected this technology is that it is really easy to use. If you can open text messages and put your phone onto speaker you should be fine.
Yes, but any smartphone will do.
When you chat to your repairer, they will agree a time with you and send you the link by text.