Secondhand vehicle evaluation system, information processing device, program, and secondhand vehicle evaluation method

Abstract

In a secondhand vehicle evaluation system (10), a large number of sets of appraisal information (23A) including appraisal evaluation values of secondhand vehicles associated with category information of the secondhand vehicles are stored in a storage device (23). The category information includes model information of secondhand vehicles, and at least one of age information of the secondhand vehicles and total travel distance information of the secondhand vehicles. An information processing device (21) performs: a process for extracting, from the large number of sets of appraisal information stored, a plurality of sets of comparison information that is appraisal information belonging to a category determined from the category information of a vehicle of interest; a process for calculating, on the basis of the plurality of sets of comparison information extracted, a statistical value of the appraisal evaluation values of secondhand vehicles associated with the plurality of sets of comparison information; and a process for generating information in which the appraisal evaluation value of the vehicle of interest is compared with the calculated statistical value.

Description

Used vehicle evaluation system, information processing device, program, and used vehicle evaluation method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a used vehicle evaluation system, an information processing device, a program, and a used vehicle evaluation method.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system for evaluating used vehicles is known, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] JP 2013-25722 A

[0004] There is still room for improvement in the technology for generating appropriate evaluation information for used vehicles that will help those considering purchasing a used vehicle make decisions.

[0005] The main object of the present disclosure is to provide a used vehicle evaluation system, an information processing device, a program, and a used vehicle evaluation method that can generate appropriate evaluation information for used vehicles.

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a used vehicle appraisal system that includes a storage device and an information processing device communicatively connected to the storage device, wherein the storage device stores a large number of appraisal information items including appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to category information of the used vehicles, and the category information includes model information of the used vehicles and at least one of information on the age of the used vehicles and information on the total mileage of the used vehicles, and the information processing device performs the following processes: a determination process that determines a category to which a target vehicle, which is a used vehicle to be appraised, belongs based on the category information; a process that extracts multiple pieces of comparison information, which are appraisal information belonging to the determined category, from the appraisal information stored in the storage device; a statistical value calculation process that calculates statistical values ​​of appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to multiple pieces of comparison information based on the extracted multiple pieces of comparison information; and an information generation process that generates information comparing the appraisal value of the target vehicle with the calculated statistical value.

[0007] Used vehicle appraisals are generally based on the condition of a new car, meaning that the vehicle is undamaged and has no deterioration, and points are deducted from the appraisal value if there are any scratches or deterioration. In appraisal methods based on the condition of a new car, the appraisal value of a used vehicle tends to decrease as the number of years since manufacture increases.

[0008] The durability of new cars has improved compared to the past. For this reason, there are some used vehicles that are in good condition among those that have been manufactured for a certain number of years. However, in appraisal methods that use the condition of new cars as the standard, the appraisal value of a used vehicle tends to decrease as the number of years since manufacture increases. For this reason, even if a used vehicle is in good condition, it will be appraised lower compared to a new car of the same model.

[0009] Many people considering purchasing a used vehicle understand that the older a used vehicle is, the greater the degree of damage and deterioration it will have. Therefore, relative evaluation information indicating how superior or inferior a used vehicle of the model being evaluated by the potential purchaser is to multiple used vehicles in the same category as the used vehicle being evaluated can be information that will be useful in the potential purchaser's decision.

[0010] Therefore, the information processing device of the present disclosure generates information that compares the appraisal value of a target vehicle, which is a used vehicle to be appraised, with a statistical value (e.g., an average value) of the appraisal values ​​of multiple used vehicles that belong to the same category, based on the large amount of appraisal information stored in the storage device. This allows potential purchasers to use relative appraisal information of the target vehicle compared to multiple used vehicles in the same category.

[0011] In addition, at least one of the age information and the total mileage information is used as category information for determining the category of the used vehicle. This makes it possible to generate relative evaluation information for the target vehicle against used vehicles with as similar levels of damage and deterioration as possible.

[0012] According to the present disclosure described above, it is possible to generate appropriate evaluation information for used vehicles.

[0013] 1 is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a used vehicle appraisal system. A flowchart showing the procedure for registering appraisal information in an IDC server. A diagram showing category information. A diagram showing appraisal items for the exterior of a used vehicle. A diagram showing appraisal items for the interior of a used vehicle. A diagram showing appraisal items for the engine of a used vehicle. A diagram showing appraisal items for the frame of a used vehicle. A flowchart showing the procedure for appraisal processing of a used vehicle. A diagram showing a classification mode based on total mileage. A diagram showing an example of a relative appraisal report for a used vehicle. A diagram showing an example of a relative appraisal report for a used vehicle.

[0014] An embodiment of a used vehicle appraisal system according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the appraisal system is used by a service provider that holds appraisal information on a large number of used vehicles to provide a used vehicle appraisal service to used vehicle dealers that buy and sell used vehicles.

[0015] 1 shows the overall configuration of an evaluation system 10. The evaluation system 10 includes a management server 20, a management terminal 30, a user terminal 50, and an IDC (Internet Data Center) server 60. The management server 20 and the management terminal 30 are devices operated by a management company that provides evaluation services. The management terminal 30 is, for example, a desktop computer or a notebook computer. The management terminal 30 and the management server 20 are connected so that they can communicate with each other.

[0016] The user terminal 50 is a device operated by a used vehicle dealer. The user terminal 50 is a device operated by a used vehicle appraiser belonging to the used vehicle dealer or a used vehicle appraiser affiliated with the used vehicle dealer. In this embodiment, the user terminal 50 is a portable device carried by the appraiser, such as a smartphone or tablet. The evaluation system 10 is equipped with a plurality of user terminals 50 corresponding to the number of used vehicle dealers.

[0017] The management server 20, the plurality of user terminals 50, and the IDC server 60 are communicably connected to one another via a communication network 70 (for example, the Internet). The communication network 70 is at least one of a wired network and a wireless network.

[0018] The management server 20 is a device that performs various processes related to the evaluation service, and includes a control unit 21, a communication unit 22, and a storage unit 23. The control unit 21 includes a processor as a hardware configuration and executes a program for the evaluation service. The communication unit 22 functions as an interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from external communication devices. In the management server 20, the control unit 21, the communication unit 22, and the storage unit 23 are connected to each other via a communication bus 24.

[0019] The memory unit 23 includes a memory and a storage as hardware components. The memory is a storage device for storing data used in processing in the management server 20. For example, the memory provides the processor with a working area for temporary use when the processor performs processing. The memory includes, for example, a ROM or a RAM. The storage is a storage device for storing various programs and data to be read and executed by the processor. The storage includes, for example, an HDD or a flash memory. The storage stores program information for the evaluation service, etc. Note that, for example, program information stored in a storage medium is installed in the memory unit 23. The storage medium is, for example, a USB memory or a CD-ROM. Furthermore, for example, program information transmitted via the communication network 70 is installed in the memory unit 23.

[0020] The communication unit 22 transmits and receives data via the communication network 70. The communication unit 22 transmits data to other devices in accordance with instructions from the control unit 21. The communication unit 22 receives data transmitted from other devices and transmits the data to at least one of the control unit 21 and the storage unit 23.

[0021] The management terminal 30 is a terminal operated by a person in charge of the management company, and similar to the management server 20, includes a control unit 31, a communication unit 32, and a storage unit 33. The management terminal 30 further includes an input unit 34 and a display unit 35. In the management terminal 30, the control unit 31, the communication unit 32, the storage unit 33, the input unit 34, and the display unit 35 are connected to one another via a communication bus 36.

[0022] The storage unit 33 includes a memory and a storage. The control unit 31 includes a processor, and controls the operation of the management terminal 30 by reading and executing programs stored in the storage unit 33. The communication unit 32 transmits and receives data to and from the management server 20 via the communication unit 22 of the management server 20. The communication unit 32 transmits data to the management server 20 in accordance with instructions from the control unit 31. The communication unit 32 receives data transmitted from the management server 20 and transmits the data to at least one of the control unit 31 and the storage unit 33.

[0023] The input unit 34 is a device operated by a person in charge of the management company. The input unit 34 accepts input operations from the person in charge and transmits information related to the accepted input operations to the control unit 31. The input unit 34 is, for example, a touch panel, a touch display, hardware keys such as a keyboard, or a pointing device such as a mouse. The display unit 35 is a device that outputs the processing results processed by the control unit 31. The display unit 35 is, for example, a touch panel, a touch display, or a desktop display.

[0024] Similar to the management terminal 30, the user terminal 50 includes a control unit 41, a communication unit 42, a memory unit 43, an input unit 44, and a display unit 45. In the user terminal 50, the control unit 51, the communication unit 52, the memory unit 53, the input unit 54, and the display unit 55 are connected to one another via a communication bus 56.

[0025] The input unit 54 is a device operated by an appraiser. The input unit 54 accepts input operations from the appraiser and transmits information related to the accepted input operations to the control unit 51. The input unit 54 is, for example, a touch panel, a touch display, or hardware keys.

[0026] The storage unit 53 includes a memory and a storage. The control unit 51 includes a processor, and controls the operation of the user terminal 50 by reading and executing programs stored in the storage unit 53. The communication unit 52 transmits and receives data via the communication network 70. The communication unit 52 transmits data to other devices in accordance with instructions from the control unit 51. The communication unit 52 receives data transmitted from other devices and transmits the data to at least one of the control unit 51 and the storage unit 53.

[0027] Similar to the management server 20, the IDC server 60 includes a control unit 61, a communication unit 62, and a storage unit 63. In the IDC server 60, the control unit 61, the communication unit 62, and the storage unit 63 are connected to one another via a communication bus 64.

[0028] The storage unit 63 includes a memory and a storage. The control unit 61 includes a processor, and controls the operation of the IDC server 60 by reading and executing programs stored in the storage unit 63. The communication unit 62 transmits and receives data via the communication network 70. The communication unit 62 transmits data to other devices in accordance with instructions from the control unit 61. The communication unit 62 receives data transmitted from other devices and transmits the data to at least one of the control unit 61 and the storage unit 63.

[0029] The evaluation system 10 includes a printing device 80 that prints out documents related to the used vehicle evaluation service. The printing device 80 is operated by the management agent and is communicatively connected to the communication unit 32 of the management terminal 30. The printing device 80 is, for example, a laser printer or an inkjet printer.

[0030] An overview of the used vehicle evaluation service provided by the management server 20 will be described.

[0031] Appraisal information 63A of a large number of used vehicles is stored in the storage unit 63 of the IDC server 60. The large number of appraisal information 63A is information transmitted from a large number of user terminals 50, and is accumulated in the storage unit 63 as a database.

[0032] The large amount of appraisal information 63A stored in the storage unit 63 of the IDC server 60 is downloaded periodically (specifically, daily) to the storage unit 23 of the management server 20. As a result, the large amount of appraisal information 23A stored in the storage unit 23 of the management server 20 is updated periodically.

[0033] The control unit 21 of the management server 20 generates relative appraisal report data for the target vehicle based on the appraisal information 23A stored in the memory unit 23. The target vehicle is a used vehicle to be appraised, that is, a used vehicle that the used vehicle dealer wishes to appraise. The generated relative appraisal report data is, for example, printed out by a printing device 80 and mailed as paper media from the management company to the used vehicle dealer. The generated relative appraisal report data is also transmitted, for example, as electronic data in a predetermined format (e.g., a PDF file) via the communication network 70 to the user terminal 50 or a terminal of a used vehicle dealer other than the user terminal 50.

[0034] <Registration process of appraisal information using the user terminal 50> First, the registration process of appraisal information will be described. In the user terminal 50, the control unit 51 functions as a transmission / reception unit 51A and a processing instruction unit 51B by reading and executing a program for appraisal information registration stored in the storage unit 53. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the registration process of appraisal information.

[0035] When the appraiser operates the input unit 54 of the user terminal 50, an application for registering appraisal information is executed by the processing instruction unit 51B. In step S10, the processing instruction unit 51B displays an appraisal information input screen on the display unit 55 of the user terminal 50. The input screen has input fields for inputting appraisal information for used vehicles. When the appraiser operates the input unit 54, information is entered into each input field.

[0036] In this embodiment, the input screen has input fields for the following items (A1) to (A5) (see FIG. 3): Items (A1) to (A5) are category information for used vehicles.

[0037] (A1) Model Information of Used Vehicles The model information includes the vehicle manufacturer and the vehicle model.

[0038] The model information is, for example, "HONDA: CR-V (registered trademark)," "NISSAN: X-TRAIL (registered trademark)," and "TOYOTA: PRIUS (registered trademark)." In FIG. 3, "TOYOTA: CAMRY (XV50)" is shown as an example of the model information.

[0039] In this embodiment, the models are not classified by vehicle grade or by whether they are before or after a minor change, but by whether they are before or after a full model change. Therefore, the model information includes information on used vehicle models for each full model change, but does not include information on used vehicle grades or information on used vehicle models for each minor change.

[0040] (A2) Model Year Information The model year information indicates the year of manufacture of the vehicle. Note that if the period between the manufacture of the vehicle and the initial registration (e.g., registration with a government agency) is within a predetermined number of months (e.g., three, four, or five months), the year of registration of the vehicle may be input as the model year information.

[0041] (A3) Appraisal Year Information Appraisal year information indicates the year in which the used vehicle was appraised by an appraiser. Appraisal year information and model year information are used to generate vehicle age information for the used vehicle. Vehicle age information is information on the number of years that have passed since the vehicle was manufactured until the appraisal of the used vehicle was carried out.

[0042] In this embodiment, the processing instruction unit 51B of the user terminal 50 generates vehicle age information for the used vehicle based on the input model year information and appraisal year information. For example, if a 2011 used vehicle is appraised in 2019, if a 2012 used vehicle is appraised in 2020, and if a 2013 used vehicle is appraised in 2021, the vehicle age will be 8 years in each case.

[0043] (A4) Total mileage information of used vehicle The total mileage is the cumulative mileage of the vehicle from the time of manufacture to the time of appraisal. In FIG. 3, the total mileage is 106,000 km as an example.

[0044] (A5) Appraisal Values ​​of Each Main Item In this embodiment, there are six main items: "exterior of used vehicle," "interior of used vehicle," "engine (internal combustion engine) of used vehicle," "frame of used vehicle," "degree of wear of used vehicle tires," and "effectiveness of used vehicle air conditioning."

[0045] An appraisal value is set for each of the six main items. In this embodiment, the appraisal value is set on a five-point scale, specifically, input in increments of two points, with a perfect score of 10 points. For each main item, the fewer scratches or the smaller the degree of deterioration of the evaluation area, the higher the appraisal value.

[0046] <<Exterior>> Figure 4 shows the exterior detail items. There are multiple exterior detail items (specifically, 36). The processing instruction unit 51B displays each exterior detail item and an input field for the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item on the display unit 55. The processing instruction unit 51B acquires the appraisal value entered in the input field by the appraiser operating the input unit 54. The appraisal value corresponding to each exterior detail item is determined on a five-point scale, and specifically, the perfect score is 10 points, and the value is entered in increments of 2 points.

[0047] The processing instruction unit 51B calculates the appraisal value of the exterior (hereinafter referred to as the overall exterior evaluation value) based on the appraisal value entered in the input field corresponding to each detailed item. For example, the processing instruction unit 51B calculates the overall exterior evaluation value based on the entered appraisal value and an algorithm for calculating the overall exterior evaluation value.

[0048] The appraiser inputs the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item of the exterior each time by inputting the value into the input unit 54 of the portable user terminal 50. As a result, the user terminal 50 automatically calculates the overall evaluation value of the exterior that reflects the appraisal value of each detailed item. As a result, even when there are a large number of detailed items, the workload of the appraiser can be reduced and errors in calculating the overall evaluation value of the exterior can be reduced.

[0049] An example of how detailed items of the exterior are input will now be described. The processing instruction unit 51B displays a development diagram of the vehicle on the display unit 55. When the processing instruction unit 51B determines that the worker has tapped, for example, the front bumper portion of the displayed development diagram, it causes the front bumper portion to be enlarged on the display unit 55 and also causes an input field for detailed items corresponding to the front bumper portion to be displayed on the display unit 55. The worker can select the appraisal value to input in the input field by tapping.

[0050] <<Interior>> Figure 5 shows the detailed interior items. There are multiple (specifically, 18) detailed interior items. The processing instruction unit 51B displays each detailed interior item and an input field for the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item on the display unit 55. The processing instruction unit 51B obtains the appraisal value entered in the input field by the appraiser operating the input unit 54. The appraisal value corresponding to each detailed interior item is determined on a five-point scale, and specifically, the perfect score is 10 points, and the value is entered in increments of 2 points.

[0051] The processing instruction unit 51B calculates an appraisal value for the interior (hereinafter referred to as an overall interior appraisal value) based on the appraisal values ​​entered in the input fields corresponding to each detailed item. For example, the processing instruction unit 51B calculates an overall interior appraisal value based on the entered appraisal values ​​and an algorithm for calculating the overall interior appraisal value. The appraiser inputs the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item of the interior each time by operating the input unit 54 of the user terminal 50.

[0052] <<Engine>> Figure 6 shows the detailed items of an engine. There are multiple (specifically, 10) detailed items for the engine. The processing instruction unit 51B displays each detailed item of the engine and an input field for the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item on the display unit 55. The processing instruction unit 51B acquires the appraisal value entered in the input field by the appraiser operating the input unit 54. The appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item of the engine is determined on a five-point scale, and specifically, the full score is 10 points, and the value is entered in increments of 2 points.

[0053] The processing instruction unit 51B calculates the appraisal value of the engine (hereinafter referred to as the overall evaluation value of the engine) based on the appraisal value entered in the input field corresponding to each detailed item. For example, the processing instruction unit 51B calculates the overall evaluation value of the engine based on the entered appraisal value and an algorithm for calculating the overall evaluation value of the engine. The appraiser inputs the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item of the engine each time by inputting data into the input unit 54 of the user terminal 50.

[0054] If the power source of the used vehicle is a motor rather than an engine, the processing instruction unit 51B may cause each detailed item of the motor and an input field for the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item to be displayed on the display unit 55. Then, the processing instruction unit 51B may calculate an overall evaluation value of the motor.

[0055] <<Frame>> Figure 7 shows the detailed items of a frame. There are multiple (specifically, 21) detailed items for the frame. The processing instruction unit 51B displays each detailed item of the frame and an input field for the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item on the display unit 55. The processing instruction unit 51B acquires the appraisal value entered in the input field by the appraiser operating the input unit 54. The appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item of the frame is determined on a five-point scale, and specifically, the full score is 10 points, and the value is entered in increments of 2 points.

[0056] The processing instruction unit 51B calculates the appraisal value of the frame (hereinafter referred to as the overall evaluation value of the frame) based on the appraisal value entered in the input field corresponding to each detailed item. For example, the processing instruction unit 51B calculates the overall evaluation value of the frame based on the entered appraisal value and an algorithm for calculating the overall evaluation value of the frame. The appraiser inputs the appraisal value corresponding to each detailed item of the frame each time by inputting data into the input unit 54 of the user terminal 50.

[0057] <<Degree of Tire Wear>> The processing instruction unit 51B displays an input field for appraisal values ​​corresponding to the degree of tire wear on each wheel of a used vehicle on the display unit 55. The processing instruction unit 51B accepts appraisal values ​​input into the input field by the appraiser operating the input unit 54. The appraisal value corresponding to the degree of tire wear on each wheel is determined on a five-point scale, and specifically, is input in increments of two points, with a perfect score of 10 points.

[0058] The processing instruction unit 51B calculates an appraisal value for the degree of tire wear (hereinafter referred to as an overall evaluation value for the degree of tire wear) based on the appraisal values ​​entered in the input fields corresponding to the degree of tire wear for each wheel. For example, the processing instruction unit 51B calculates an overall evaluation value for the degree of tire wear based on the entered appraisal values ​​and an algorithm for calculating the overall evaluation value for the degree of tire wear. The appraiser inputs the appraisal value corresponding to the degree of tire wear for each wheel each time by operating the input unit 54 of the user terminal 50.

[0059] <<Air Conditioner Effectiveness>> The processing instruction unit 51B displays on the display unit 55 input fields for multiple appraisal evaluation values ​​corresponding to the effectiveness of the air conditioner. The multiple input fields include, for example, a field for the temperature of the cool air blown into the vehicle cabin, and a field for the time from when the air starts to blow until the air temperature drops to a predetermined temperature. The processing instruction unit 51B acquires the appraisal evaluation values ​​entered into the input fields by the appraiser operating the input unit 54. The appraisal evaluation value corresponding to the effectiveness of the air conditioner is determined on a five-point scale, and specifically, is entered in increments of two points, with a perfect score of 10 points.

[0060] The processing instruction unit 51B calculates an appraisal evaluation value for the effectiveness of the air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as the overall evaluation value of the air conditioner) based on the appraisal evaluation values ​​entered in the input fields corresponding to the effectiveness of the air conditioner. For example, the processing instruction unit 51B calculates the overall evaluation value of the air conditioner based on the entered appraisal evaluation values ​​and an algorithm for calculating the overall evaluation value of the air conditioner. The appraiser inputs the appraisal evaluation value corresponding to the effectiveness of the air conditioner each time by operating the input unit 54 of the user terminal 50.

[0061] Returning to the explanation of FIG. 2 , in step S11, the processing instruction unit 51B instructs the transceiver unit 51A to transmit appraisal information including the input model information, the generated vehicle age information, the input total mileage information, and the overall evaluation value of the six main items to the IDC server 60. The transceiver unit 51A transmits the appraisal information to the IDC server 60 via the communication unit 52 and the communication network 70. The transmitted appraisal information is received by the transceiver unit 61A of the control unit 61 via the communication unit 62 of the IDC server 60.

[0062] In step S20, the processing unit 61B of the control unit 61 determines whether or not the appraisal information has been received by the transmitting / receiving unit 61A. If the processing unit 61B determines that the appraisal information has been received, in step S21, it instructs the data management unit 61C of the control unit 61 to store the received appraisal information in the memory unit 63. The data management unit 61C stores the received appraisal information in the memory unit 63. As a result, the new appraisal information is added to the database of the memory unit 63.

[0063] The more used vehicle dealers that supply appraisal information, the more user terminals 50 there will be. In this case, a network can be constructed that makes it easy to increase the amount of appraisal information stored in the IDC server 60.

[0064] <Updating Process of Appraisal Information by Management Server> Next, the updating process will be described. In the management server 20, the control unit 21 reads and executes a program stored in the storage unit 23, thereby functioning as a transmitting / receiving unit 21A and an update processing unit 21B.

[0065] The update processing unit 21B periodically (specifically, for example, daily) downloads a large number of pieces of appraisal information 63A stored in the storage unit 63 of the IDC server 60 in a batch to the storage unit 23. More specifically, the update processing unit 21B transmits an update request to the IDC server 60 via the transmission / reception unit 21A, the communication unit 22, and the communication network 70.

[0066] The update request is input to the processing unit 61B via the communication unit 62 and the transmission / reception unit 61A of the IDC server 60. The processing unit 61B instructs the transmission / reception unit 61A to transmit a large number of pieces of appraisal information 63A stored in the memory unit 63 to the management server 20 in a batch. As a result, the large number of pieces of appraisal information 63A are transmitted in a batch to the management server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 61A, the communication unit 62, and the communication network 70.

[0067] <Used Vehicle Evaluation Process> Next, the evaluation process will be described. In the management server 20, the control unit 21 reads and executes a program stored in the memory unit 23, thereby functioning as an extraction unit 21C, an average value calculation unit 21D, a comparison information generation unit 21E, a file generation unit 21F, and a print instruction unit 21G. In the evaluation process, an average overall evaluation value of a plurality of used vehicles other than the target vehicle is generated as information to be compared with the overall evaluation value of the target vehicle. In this embodiment, the control unit 21 of the management server 20 corresponds to an "information processing device," and the memory unit 23 of the management server 20 corresponds to a "storage device" that stores a large amount of appraisal information 23A.

[0068] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the evaluation process executed by the management terminal 30 and the management server 20.

[0069] In step S30, the processing instruction unit 31B of the management terminal 30 acquires input operation information from the input unit 34 by the person in charge, and determines, based on the acquired information, whether or not there is an access request to the management server 20. If the processing instruction unit 31B determines that there is an access request, it transmits the access request to the management server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 31A and the communication unit 32. The transmitted access request is received by the transmission / reception unit 21A via the communication unit 22 of the management server 20.

[0070] In step S40, the control unit 21 of the management server 20 determines whether or not an access request has been received.

[0071] After step S30, in step S31, the processing instruction unit 31B acquires information about the target vehicle that has been input by the person in charge through input operation on the input unit 34. The display unit 35 displays a screen for selecting the target vehicle from among the used vehicles linked to the appraisal information stored in the memory unit 23. The processing instruction unit 31B transmits the acquired information about the target vehicle to the management server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 31A and the communication unit 32.

[0072] When the control unit 21 of the management server 20 determines that an access request has been received, the process proceeds to step S41, where the control unit 21 acquires the received information on the target vehicle.

[0073] In step S42, the extraction unit 21C extracts appraisal information of the target vehicle from among the large amount of appraisal information 23A stored in the storage unit 23 based on the received information of the target vehicle.

[0074] In step S43, the extraction unit 21C determines the category to which the target vehicle belongs based on the category information (specifically, the model, age, and total mileage) included in the extracted appraisal information of the target vehicle.

[0075] It is desirable that the used vehicle to be compared with the target vehicle be a vehicle of similar quality to the target vehicle, which has deteriorated over time. However, whether the vehicles are of similar quality cannot be determined from information on the model year alone. On the other hand, as mentioned above, vehicle age information is information on the number of years that have passed since the vehicle was manufactured until the used vehicle appraisal was conducted. Even if the model years of used vehicles are the same, if the appraisal years are different, the vehicle ages will be different. Vehicle age information makes it possible to include vehicles of similar quality to the target vehicle, which has deteriorated over time, in the comparison target.

[0076] In addition, by using vehicle age information, used vehicles of different model years can be included in the same category. As a result, the number of appraisal information parameters for calculating the average overall evaluation value can be increased, allowing the target vehicle to be evaluated relative to a larger number of used vehicles.

[0077] The model information includes information on the used vehicle model for each full model change, but does not include information on the used vehicle grade or the used vehicle model for each minor change. This increases the number of appraisal information parameters used to calculate the average overall evaluation value, allowing the target vehicle to be evaluated relative to a larger number of used vehicles.

[0078] The extraction unit 21C calculates a predetermined total mileage range centered on the total mileage of the target vehicle. The extraction unit 21C determines a category to which used vehicles that are the same model and age as the target vehicle and have a total mileage within the predetermined total mileage range belong.

[0079] The total mileage range will be explained using Figure 9. In Figure 9, DIS indicates the total mileage of the target vehicle, and ΔD indicates the range. Furthermore, DMIN indicates the lower limit of the total mileage range (= DIS - ΔD), and DMAX indicates the upper limit of the total mileage range (= DIS + ΔD).

[0080] For example, when ΔD=8,000 km and DIS=106,000 km, the category to which used vehicles within the total mileage range from DMIN of 98,000 km to DMAX of 114,000 km belong is determined.

[0081] Unlike the method using a total mileage range, a method can be considered in which a category is determined based on total mileage using a predetermined mileage increment. Specifically, a range is determined to which used vehicle belongs among multiple ranges divided by a predetermined mileage (e.g., 16,000 km). Here, in order to select used vehicles with a total mileage similar to that of the target vehicle as comparison targets, it is possible to reduce the predetermined mileage. However, in this case, the width of each range becomes narrower, and the number of appraisal information parameters for used vehicles to be compared with the target vehicle decreases. On the other hand, if the predetermined mileage is increased, the number of parameters increases, but appraisal information for used vehicles with total mileages significantly different from the total mileage of the target vehicle is used.

[0082] In contrast, the method using the total mileage range allows for a larger number of appraisal information parameters for calculating the average overall evaluation value, while also allowing used vehicles with a similar total mileage to the target vehicle to be included in the comparison.

[0083] The difference between the upper limit value of the total mileage range and the total mileage DIS does not have to be the same as the difference between the lower limit value of the total mileage range and the total mileage DIS, and may be a different value.

[0084] Returning to the description of FIG. 8 , in step S44, the extraction unit 21C extracts a plurality of pieces of comparative information (e.g., all pieces) of appraisal information belonging to the determined category from the appraisal information 23A stored in the storage unit 23. For example, if the model is a "TOYOTA: CAMRY (XV50)" and the vehicle age is eight years, the extraction unit 21C extracts, as comparative information, appraisal information of used vehicles that are eight-year-old "TOYOTA: CAMRY (XV50)" and whose total mileage falls within a predetermined total mileage range from among the used vehicles linked to the multiple appraisal information. This makes it possible to automatically extract appraisal information of used vehicles in the same category as the category to which the target vehicle belongs.

[0085] In step S45, the extraction unit 21C determines whether the number Ninf of extracted comparison information is equal to or greater than a predetermined number Nth. The predetermined number Nth is a number equal to or greater than 2, for example, an integer in the range of 5 to 20 (specifically, for example, 5, 7, 10, 12, or 15).

[0086] If the extraction unit 21C determines that the number Ninf of extracted comparison information is equal to or greater than the predetermined number Nth, the process proceeds to step S46. In step S46, the average value calculation unit 21D performs an average value calculation process to calculate the average value (specifically, the simple average value) of the overall evaluation values ​​of the used vehicles linked to the multiple pieces of comparison information, based on the multiple pieces of extracted comparison information. Specifically, the average value calculation unit 21D calculates the average value of the overall evaluation values ​​for each of the six main items. For example, if the overall evaluation values ​​for the exterior of six used vehicles are 6, 4, 4, 6, 2, and 8, the average value of the overall evaluation values ​​for the exterior is 5 (= (6 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 8) / 6).

[0087] In step S47, the comparison information generating unit 21E generates report data, which is information comparing the overall evaluation value of the target vehicle included in the extracted appraisal information of the target vehicle with the calculated average value. In this embodiment, the comparison information generating unit 21E generates the report data shown in Figure 10. The report data includes the following information (B1) to (B5).

[0088] (B1) Date the report data was generated (B2) Model, year, total mileage, and photos of the target vehicle (B3) A table comparing the target vehicle's overall evaluation value with the calculated average for each main item (B4) A radar chart comparing the target vehicle's overall evaluation value with the calculated average for each main item (B5) A summary of the comparison results between the target vehicle and other used vehicles in the same category (B5) An explanation of the evaluation system 10 and a disclaimer Since it is only necessary to compare one statistical value (average value) with the target vehicle's overall evaluation value, users of the report data can easily understand the relative evaluation of the target vehicle in the same category. Note that in (B4), instead of a radar chart, a bar graph, for example, may be used.

[0089] The comparison information generating unit 21E may generate report data shown in FIG. 11 instead of the report data shown in FIG. 10 . The comparison result summary shown in FIG. 11 includes information quantifying the degree to which the overall evaluation value of the target vehicle is superior to the average value for each of the six main items. The comparison information generating unit 21E calculates the difference between the overall evaluation value of the target vehicle and the average value for each of the six main items. The comparison information generating unit 21E generates information on the calculated difference as the quantified information. In the example shown in FIG. 11 , the differences for "exterior," "interior," "engine," "frame," "tire wear," and "air conditioning" are calculated as "2.8," "1.6," "1.2," "1.8," "0.2," and "1.4." Note that if the comparison information generating unit 21E determines that the overall evaluation value of the target vehicle is inferior to the average value for any of the six main items, it is not necessary to generate summary information for the inferior item.

[0090] Returning to the explanation of FIG. 8, in steps S48 and S49, output processing and notification processing are executed by at least one of the file generation unit 21F and the print instruction unit 21G.

[0091] First, the output process of the file generation unit 21F will be described. In step S48, the file generation unit 21F converts the generated report data into electronic data of a predetermined format (e.g., a PDF file) and stores it in the memory unit 23. In step S49, the file generation unit 21F performs a process of displaying, via the transceiver unit 21A and the communication unit 22, a message indicating that the output process has been completed on the display unit 35 of the management terminal 30. When the message indicating that the output process has been completed is displayed on the display unit 35 in step S32, the person operating the management terminal 30 downloads the electronic data of the predetermined format stored in the memory unit 23 to the memory unit 33 and transmits it to the user terminal 50 of the used vehicle dealer who has requested an evaluation of the target vehicle or to a terminal other than the user terminal 50.

[0092] Next, the output process of the print instruction unit 21G will be described. In step S48, the print instruction unit 21G sends an instruction to the management terminal 30 to print out the generated report data. If the processing instruction unit 31B of the management terminal 30 determines that the printout instruction has been received, it instructs the printing device 80 to print out. Then, in step S49, it performs processing to display on the display unit 35 of the management terminal 30 that the output process has been completed. The person operating the management terminal 30 mails the printed paper report to the used vehicle dealer that requested an evaluation of the target vehicle.

[0093] If the extraction unit 21C determines that the number Ninf of extracted comparison information is less than the predetermined number Nth, the process proceeds to step S50. In step S50, the control unit 21 halts the average value calculation process and the report data generation process. This prevents the target vehicle from being evaluated relative to other used vehicles when the parameter of used vehicles compared to the target vehicle is small.

[0094] It should be noted that the same used vehicle may be circulated and appraised multiple times. In this case, multiple appraisal information items corresponding to the same used vehicle may be stored in the IDC server 60 through the registration process. If the multiple appraisals are conducted in different years, the age of the vehicle corresponding to each appraisal may be different, even for the same used vehicle. By storing multiple appraisal information items with different ages for the same used vehicle in a database, appraisal information that can be properly compared with the target vehicle can be prepared.

[0095] According to the present embodiment described above, it is possible to generate appropriate evaluation information for a used vehicle for a person considering purchasing a used vehicle.

[0096] Other Embodiments The above embodiment may be modified as follows.

[0097] 8, the file generation unit 21F may store the report data converted into a predetermined format in the storage unit 63 of the IDC server 60 instead of or in addition to the storage unit 23 of the management server 20. In this case, for example, the IDC server 60 may be accessed from the user terminal 50 of the used vehicle dealer who has requested an evaluation of the target vehicle or from a terminal other than the user terminal 50, and the report data may be viewed or downloaded.

[0098] In step S43 of FIG. 8 , the method for determining the category based on the total mileage may be, for example, a method of dividing the vehicle into predetermined mileage increments, as described below. If the predetermined mileage is, for example, 16,000 km, the i-th range Cdis(i) divided by the total mileage is "0 km≦Cdis(1)<16,000 km," "16,000 km≦Cdis(2)<32,000 km," ..., "176,000 km≦Cdis(12)<192,000 km." The extraction unit 21C determines which range the total mileage of the target vehicle falls into and determines a category that includes used vehicles that fall into the determined range.

[0099] In step S43, the method of determining the category based on the vehicle age information may be, for example, the method described below. The extraction unit 21C calculates a predetermined vehicle age range that includes the vehicle age OD of the target vehicle as an intermediate value. In more detail, the extraction unit 21C calculates a predetermined vehicle age range (OD-ΔA to OD+ΔB) centered on the vehicle age OD of the target vehicle. For example, if the vehicle age is 5 years and ΔA and ΔB are 1 year, the extraction unit 21C determines a category to which used vehicles falling within the vehicle age range of 4 to 6 years belong. Note that ΔA and ΔB do not have to be the same value, and may be different values.

[0100] In step S10 of FIG. 2, the model year information may be information on the date and year of manufacture of the vehicle, rather than the year and year of manufacture of the vehicle. Furthermore, information on the date and year of appraisal may be used instead of information on the year of appraisal. In this case, the processing instruction unit 51B of the user terminal 50 generates, as vehicle age information, information on the number of months that have elapsed since the vehicle was manufactured until the appraisal was performed. In this case, the method for determining the category based on the vehicle age information in step S43 may be a method based on a predetermined vehicle age range (OD-ΔA to OD+ΔB) centered on the vehicle age OD of the target vehicle. In this case, ΔA and ΔB may be set to values ​​in months.

[0101] In step S43, the category may be determined based on the model year information of the used vehicle instead of the vehicle age information.

[0102] In step S46, instead of calculating the average value of the comprehensive evaluation value, for example, the maximum, minimum, and median of the comprehensive evaluation value may be calculated. In this case, the report data in step S47 may include information comparing the comprehensive evaluation value of the target vehicle with the maximum, minimum, and median of the comprehensive evaluation values ​​of used vehicles in the same category as the target vehicle.

[0103] The vehicle age information may be generated in the IDC server 60, not in the user terminal 50. In this case, the user terminal 50 may transmit the model year information (A2) and the appraisal year information (A3) to the IDC server 60.

[0104] The category information used in the appraisal information registration process may further include at least one optional piece of information, such as information about the region where the used vehicle was used (hereinafter referred to as region information), information about whether the used vehicle is a smoking vehicle (hereinafter referred to as smoking vehicle information), and information about whether the used vehicle has had multiple owners (hereinafter referred to as number of owners information). In step S10 of FIG. 2 , the appraisal information input screen displayed on the display unit 55 has input fields for inputting region information, smoking vehicle information, and number of owners information. The region information includes, for example, information about the prefecture where the vehicle was used, information about whether it is a snowy region, and information about whether it is a coastal region.

[0105] For example, if the target vehicle is a smoking vehicle, in step S43 of Figure 8, the extraction unit 21C of the management server 20 extracts appraisal information of smoking vehicles from among used vehicles that have the same model and age as the target vehicle and whose total mileage falls within a predetermined total mileage range.

[0106] Even if the target vehicle has negative factors, such as a smoking vehicle, report data can be generated that shows how superior or inferior the target vehicle is to multiple smoking vehicles that have the same negative factors as the target vehicle.

[0107] The models may be classified into models before and after a minor change, rather than models before and after a full model change. In this case, the model information includes information on the used vehicle model for each minor change.

[0108] - The control unit 21 of the management server 20 may receive the appraisal information 63A stored in the memory unit 63 of the IDC server 60 instead of the memory unit 23 of the management server 20, and perform the processing of steps S41 to S50 of Figure 8 based on the received appraisal information.

[0109] The entity that executes the used vehicle evaluation process is not limited to the management server 20 .

[0110] 8 may be executed by the control unit 31 of the management terminal 30 instead of the control unit 21 of the management server 20. In this case, the control unit 31 of the management terminal 30 corresponds to the "information processing device." The control unit 31 of the management terminal 30 may receive the appraisal information 23A stored in the memory unit 23 of the management server 20 from the management server 20. Furthermore, the control unit 31 of the management terminal 30 may receive the appraisal information 63A stored in the memory unit 63 of the IDC server 60 from the IDC server 60 instead of the memory unit 23 of the management server 20.

[0111] The processing of steps S41 to S50 in Fig. 8 may be executed by the control unit 51 of the user terminal 50 instead of the control unit 21 of the management server 20. In this case, the control unit 51 of the user terminal 50 corresponds to the "information processing device." The control unit 51 of the user terminal 50 receives the appraisal information 23A stored in the memory unit 23 of the management server 20 or the appraisal information 63A stored in the memory unit 63 of the IDC server 60, and executes the processing of steps S41 to S50 in Fig. 8 based on the received appraisal information.

[0112] The category information does not necessarily have to include either the vehicle age information or the total mileage information.

[0113] The management terminal 30 may be, for example, a smartphone or a tablet.

[0114] The user terminal 50 may be, for example, a notebook computer or a desktop computer.

[0115] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments or structures. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and modifications within the scope of equivalents. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A used vehicle appraisal system comprising a storage device and an information processing device communicatively connected to the storage device, wherein the storage device stores a large number of appraisal information items including appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to category information of used vehicles, the category information including at least one of model information of the used vehicle, age information of the used vehicle, and total mileage information of the used vehicle, and the information processing device performs the following processes: a determination process for determining a category to which a target vehicle, which is a used vehicle to be appraised, belongs based on the category information; a process for extracting multiple pieces of comparison information, which is the appraisal information belonging to the determined category, from the appraisal information stored in the storage device; a statistical value calculation process for calculating statistical values ​​of the appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to multiple pieces of comparison information based on the extracted multiple pieces of comparison information; and an information generation process for generating information comparing the appraisal value of the target vehicle with the calculated statistical value.

2. A used vehicle evaluation system as described in claim 1, wherein the category information includes the age information, and the age information is vehicle age information that is information on the number of years or months that have elapsed since the vehicle was manufactured until the appraisal of the used vehicle is carried out.

3. The used vehicle evaluation system of claim 1, wherein the model information includes information on the model of the used vehicle for each full model change or minor model change, and the information processing device, in the determination process, determines a category to which used vehicles of the same model as the model for each full model change or minor model change of the target vehicle belong.

4. A used vehicle evaluation system as described in claim 1, wherein the category information includes the total mileage information, and in the determination process, the information processing device calculates a predetermined total mileage range that includes the total mileage of the target vehicle as an intermediate value, and determines a category to which used vehicles with a total mileage included in the calculated predetermined total mileage range belong.

5. A used vehicle appraisal system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the information processing device generates, in the information generation process, information including: the model, year, and total mileage of the target vehicle, at least one of a table and a graph comparing the appraisal value and the statistical value of the target vehicle, and text explaining the results of a relative comparison of the target vehicle with used vehicles belonging to the determined category.

6. A used vehicle evaluation system as described in claim 5, wherein the information processing device calculates the difference between the appraisal value of the target vehicle and the statistical value, and includes information generated based on the calculated difference, which is information quantifying the degree to which the target vehicle is superior to used vehicles belonging to the determined category, in a sentence explaining the relative comparison results.

7. A used vehicle evaluation system according to claim 5, wherein the information processing device calculates an average value as the statistical value in the statistical value calculation process.

8. A used vehicle appraisal system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the appraisal information includes appraisal values ​​for at least two main items among the exterior of the used vehicle, the interior of the used vehicle, the engine or motor equipped in the used vehicle, the frame of the used vehicle, the degree of wear on the tires of the used vehicle, and the effectiveness of the air conditioning of the used vehicle, and the information processing device calculates the statistical values ​​for each of the main items, and generates information comparing the appraisal value of the target vehicle with the calculated statistical values ​​for each of the main items.

9. A used vehicle appraisal system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a plurality of user terminals which are terminals operated by a worker performing appraisal work for used vehicles and are communicatively connected to the information processing device, the user terminals having an input unit operated by the worker to input the appraisal information in the appraisal work, the user terminals performing the following processes: acquiring the appraisal information input by input operation of the input unit; and transmitting the acquired appraisal information to the information processing device, and the information processing device performing the process of storing the appraisal information received from the user terminals in the storage device.

10. A used vehicle evaluation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the information processing device does not perform the statistical value calculation process and the information generation process if it determines that the number of extracted comparison information is below a predetermined number, even if the statistical value can be calculated.

11. A used vehicle evaluation system as described in claim 2, wherein the model information includes information on the model of the used vehicle for each full model change or minor model change, and the information processing device, in the determination process, determines a category to which used vehicles of the same model as the model for each full model change or minor model change of the target vehicle belong.

12. A used vehicle evaluation system as described in claim 2 or 10, wherein the category information includes the total mileage information, and in the determination process, the information processing device calculates a predetermined total mileage range that includes the total mileage of the target vehicle, and determines a category to which used vehicles with a total mileage that falls within the calculated predetermined total mileage range belong.

13. An information processing device that evaluates used vehicles based on information stored in a storage device, wherein the storage device stores a large number of appraisal information items including appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to category information of used vehicles, and the category information includes at least one of model information of the used vehicle, age information of the used vehicle, and total mileage information of the used vehicle, and the information processing device performs the following processes: a determination process that determines a category to which a target vehicle, which is a used vehicle to be evaluated, belongs based on the category information; a process that extracts multiple pieces of comparison information, which are appraisal information belonging to the determined category, from the appraisal information stored in the storage device; a statistical value calculation process that calculates statistical values ​​of the appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to multiple pieces of comparison information based on the extracted multiple pieces of comparison information; and an information generation process that generates information comparing the appraisal value of the target vehicle included in the extracted appraisal information of the target vehicle with the calculated statistical average value.

14. A program applicable to a used vehicle appraisal system having a storage device and a processor, wherein the storage device stores a large amount of appraisal information including appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to category information of used vehicles, and the category information includes at least one of model information of the used vehicle, age information of the used vehicle, and total mileage information of the used vehicle, and the processor executes the following processes: a determination process for determining a category to which a target vehicle, which is a used vehicle to be appraised, belongs based on the category information; a process for extracting multiple pieces of comparison information, which is the appraisal information belonging to the determined category, from the appraisal information stored in the storage device; a statistical value calculation process for calculating statistical values ​​of appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to multiple pieces of comparison information based on the extracted multiple pieces of comparison information; and an information generation process for generating information comparing the appraisal value of the target vehicle included in the extracted appraisal information of the target vehicle with the calculated statistical value.

15. A method for evaluating used vehicles using a storage device and a processor, wherein the storage device stores a large number of appraisal information items including appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to category information of used vehicles, and the category information includes at least one of model information of the used vehicle, age information of the used vehicle, and total mileage information of the used vehicle, and the processor executes the following processes: a determination process for determining a category to which a target vehicle, which is a used vehicle to be evaluated, belongs based on the category information; a process for extracting multiple pieces of comparison information, which is the appraisal information belonging to the determined category, from the appraisal information stored in the storage device; a statistical value calculation process for calculating statistical values ​​of appraisal values ​​of used vehicles linked to multiple pieces of comparison information based on the extracted multiple pieces of comparison information; and an information generation process for generating information comparing the appraisal value of the target vehicle included in the extracted appraisal information of the target vehicle with the calculated statistical value.

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