3D Scanning Cars: Turning Complex Machines into Digital Works of Art
From Detroit to Dockive: A Legacy of Automotive Visualization
3D rendered by Dockive Co-Founder Derek Miller
Before co-founding Dockive, Derek Miller spent four years in Detroit, working for a top-tier design studio responsible for producing all of General Motors’ vehicle renderings. This wasn’t just about technical accuracy it was about capturing the soul of automotive design: light, form, material, and presence.
That experience has shaped our approach to scanning cars today. With a passion for automotive lighting, design language, and real-time rendering, Dockive brings an unmatched level of insight and expertise to every car we digitize.
3D Scanning “The Ugly Ducking” from The National Corvette Museum
Why 3D Scanning Cars is Exceptionally Difficult
Massive Physical Size: Full vehicles require multi-angle scanning sessions, intricate alignment, and controlled environments to avoid distortion or data loss.
Highly Complex Surfaces: Cars feature of mix of materials that respond differently to scanning technology, requiring specialized equipment and workflows.
Reflective painted panels
Transparent glass
Matte plastic and rubber
Chrome Trim and metal accents
Patterned interiors and textile finishes
Configurability and Variants: Different trims, packages, accessories, and interior layouts mean that scanning one model doesn’t equal scanning them all. Details matter.
Dockive’s Secret Sauce: Custom Post-Processing for Automotive Excellence
3D scan of 1963 Corvette Z06 “Gulf Oil 2” from The National Corvette Museum
At Dockive, we’ve developed custom in-house tools for processing automotive scans with the same level of polish you’d expect from a vehicle sitting on the gallery floor.
Our proprietary workflows include:
Multi-pass mesh alignment and cleanup
Precision masking for chrome, emblems, and glass
High-resolution texture baking for surface realism
Polygon optimization for real-time use cases
UV mapping and LOD support for app, web, or game integration
From Raw Scan to Real-Time Performance
We don’t just scan your car we deliver a high-detail polygon model that’s been carefully optimized to run smoothly on any device, including:
Mobile
Desktop
VR/AR platforms
Web-based viewers like Sketchfab
Game Engine Assets for Unreal Engine, Unity, etc.
You’ll get the detail you need with the performance your platform demands.
3D scanning AJ Foyts 1964 Indy Car from The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
Why Car Enthusiasts, Designers, and Museums Trust Dockive
Whether you’re preserving a one-of-a-kind concept car, documenting a restoration, or building an immersive configurator, Dockive is your best choice for:
Museum-quality scan fidelity
Studio-grade visual standards
Expert-level knowledge of automotive rendering pipelines
We don’t just love cars—we know how to make them shine in 3D.
Let Dockive Digitize Your Vehicle the Right Way
There are easier things to scan than a car—but nothing we love more. With decades of combined experience, cutting-edge technology, and an artist’s eye for detail, Dockive is here to bring your vehicle into the digital world with beauty, precision, and performance.
Don’t just scan it. Scan it with Dockive.