For most products, the ability to score high sale rates depends on the quality of the visual impression they give to the consumer. Few industries can be excluded, neither the automotive industry, nor consumer electronics and home care products. In this context the human visual system still serves as a differentiating optical "meter". However, a purely human visual surface assessment is inadequate because it is at the mercy of subjective factors, such as the experience of an assessor and his performance on a particular day. The inspection of curved automotive or aircraft interiors parts formed a very big challenge which was widely considered to be unsolvable. We were able to develope the world's first full inspection system for curved plastic interior parts. Thereby several problems have been solved. First, the detection and evaluation of defects on high-gloss surfaces could be achieved. Secondly, solutions for the analysis of complex structured surfaces with superimposed topographic defects, such as sink marks, were found. Thirdly, precise inspection and evaluation of surfaces with strongly varying gloss related and even of ultra-high gloss surface could be solved. Fourthly, a solution was found to allow complete and human-like perception-capture in-line.