Audatex Marks North American Debut of Next-Generation AudaNet Platform™ with Smart Car Giveaway at NACE 2012

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --  Audatex North America, Inc. (Audatex), a wholly owned subsidiary of Solera Holdings, Inc., the leading global claims solutions provider serving the automotive industry, today marked the North American preview of AudaNet™, its intelligent, next-generation claims and collision repair platform, at the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE), taking place in New Orleans October 10 - 13. Audatex will showcase a range of updated and new products that will be offered via the platform, as well as provide previews of products currently under development.

To underscore the industry-leading intelligence behind the AudaNet Platform, while celebrating its 30 years as a NACE exhibitor, Audatex is giving away a new Smart Car as a grand prize to an event attendee who enters the drawing at the Audatex booth, #N1401.

"AudaNet represents the new frontier in innovation and intelligence for automotive claims and collision repair, and we're very proud to bring the platform to North America starting with its preview at NACE," said Wolfgang Ahrens, Managing Director, Audatex U.S. "Our goal is to provide vehicle owners with the best claim experience possible, and AudaNet streamlines and enriches the entire claim and repair lifecycle -- from the first moment a collision occurs, through appraisal, repair and until that claim is settled."

Built on proven technology successfully used for years throughout Europe and Asia, AudaNet is being optimized for the North American market to seamlessly connect insurers, independent appraisers, repair shops and vehicle owners, and will serve as the technology platform upon which Audatex's U.S. claims and collision repair solutions will be built, offered and delivered.

Audatex Unveils Flagship AudaNet Xpert™ Estimating

Audatex will showcase a range of AudaNet products at NACE, including AudaNet Xpert Estimating, its flagship estimating product in which the company is investing significantly to dramatically increase ease of use, accuracy and efficiency when creating damage or total loss appraisals. Upgrades will include an intelligent and predictive vehicle search capability that allows users to quickly identify desired vehicles simply by typing in a description. In addition, Audatex will demonstrate the latest abilities of Xpert Estimating's intelligent 3-D graphics feature that enables estimators to quickly locate the right parts. Updated features include holistic representations of vehicle interiors and exteriors, the capability to dynamically display vehicle changes depending on selected options, and specialized zones for quick access to special parts groupings, such as glass, electronics or airbags.

A number of collision repair shops have previewed AudaNet Xpert Estimating, including LaMettry's Auto Body, which operates seven locations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.  "The 3-D Graphics and zone navigation are excellent. Part location based on mounting points along with standardization across manufacturers is a big improvement," said Joe Larson, General Manager of the Maplewood, Minn. shop.

AudaNet Xpert Estimating also incorporates AudaVIN™, which provides complete "vehicle DNA" information – including regular production option (RPO) details – direct from and fully integrated with the auto manufacturers themselves. Linked to the powerful Audatex® vehicle database, AudaVIN offers the industry's most accurate vehicle identification offering, saving valuable time and money for collision repair estimators and insurance appraisers. AudaVIN also enhances the precision of salvage appraisals when a vehicle is totaled. Accurately determining the equipment options on a wrecked vehicle is critical to calculating the proper salvage value the owner deserves.

To demonstrate the advanced mobile capabilities that represent a hallmark of the AudaNet family of solutions, Audatex will preview the Estimating solution running on a Windows 8 tablet.

"From a high-impact mobile focus to our exclusive 3-D graphics and advanced vehicle identification, AudaNet Xpert Estimating and our complete family of AudaNet solutions are raising the bar for collision repair shops and insurers alike, which translates into better, more effective outcomes for vehicle owners," added Ahrens.

New and Enhanced AudaNet™ Offerings to Be Shown

Several new offerings powered by the AudaNet Platform will also be on display at NACE: AudaNet Enterprise™ FNOL (First Notice of Loss), AudaNet Xpert Mobile Appraiser and AudaNet Enterprise Repair Status. AudaNet Enterprise FNOL accurately predicts the loss type and repair value range at the initial claim notification, enabling insurers to instantly recommend the optimal appraisal channel to vehicle owners in order to streamline claim cycles. Xpert Mobile Appraiser is designed to support ease of use and convenience for insurers and collision repair shops alike, with availability on a variety of mobile platforms. Repair Status provides insurers with near real-time repair status data and management capabilities, helping to consistently ensure timely repairs.

Audatex will also demonstrate new releases of existing best-in-class solutions, now re-branded and optimized under the AudaNet Platform, including AudaNet Enterprise Dispatch. Dispatch provides an intelligent dispatch engine that ranks and displays the best applicable resources – based on key attributes such as availability, geographical proximity, partnership tier, workload and skill sets – to deliver the industry's most efficient solution for dispatch of appraisal assignments.

Finally, Audatex will preview its forthcoming AudaNet Driver™ family of self-service products, which are targeted at vehicle owners and designed to incorporate all of Audatex's leading edge technologies. AudaNet Driver offers an entirely new and convenient approach to end-to-end claims processing, benefiting all users regardless of their level of technical expertise.

About AudaNet™

As Audatex' intelligent, next-generation claims and collision repair platform, AudaNet will offer optimized outcomes to insurers by maximizing efficiencies and customer satisfaction, while also reducing loss adjustment expenses (LAEs). For repair facilities, AudaNet will deliver peak operational performance by increasing repair accuracy, reducing cycle times, maximizing customer satisfaction and optimizing shop success. Finally, AudaNet will enable maximum vehicle owner satisfaction by informing and empowering customers to get them back on the road as quickly as possible.

The AudaNet family of solutions is targeted at three distinct markets, with AudaNet Enterprise offerings intended for insurers and multi-shop operators (MSOs) that are focused on strategically managing and optimizing the automotive claim workflow from FNOL through settlement. AudaNet Xpert is targeted towards collision repair shops and appraisers who are responsible for efficiently and accurately providing estimates, repairs and valuations of damaged vehicles. Finally, AudaNet Driver will offer vehicle owners self-service communications tools, such as the ability to track the repair status of their vehicle.

For more information on AudaNet, please visit www.audanet.us.

About Audatex

Audatex is a wholly owned subsidiary of Solera Holdings, Inc.  Solera is the leading global claims solutions provider serving the automotive industry. The Audatex name is active today across six continents. Solera provides world-class claims solutions that help customers automate their processes; managing millions of claims each year efficiently and effectively, and resolving billions of dollars in claims settlements. Beyond a leading presence in automotive claims, our growing footprint also extends into the automotive-related financial services and medical claims solutions markets. As part of the Solera group of companies, the Audatex, AUTOonline, Explore, Market Scan, Sidexa, Informex, Inpart, ABZ, Hollander, HPI and IMS companies all draw on unique global experience to develop and deliver the latest technologies, market intelligence and best practices on a local level. For more information, please visit our website at www.audatex.us.

SOURCE Audatex North America, Inc.