The automotive industry is embracing the use of AI-powered tools to drive retailer growth and enhance customer experience. This includes chatbots from AutoConverse, Auto Trader’s Vehicle Highlights and heycar’s AI-powered search bar.
AutoConverse noted a 43% increase in customer conversations with dealer chatbots compared with January 2024 – with a conversion rate of more than 48%. The chatbots provide a virtual representation of a dealer’s team, handing over customer enquiries to each so customers are offered relevant assistance.
Ross Olsen, co-founder of AutoConverse. said: “There’s a significant difference between human-managed solutions, which rely on call centre chat handlers or internal staff, and an AI-driven system that functions as a true virtual sale, aftersales, or service assistant.
“AI chatbots trained specifically on automotive knowledge provide instant, accurate and contextual responses, leading to real business impact for dealers.”
Dealers benefit from the switch away from passively offering information on a website and customers benefit from a personalised experience.
Elsewhere, Auto Trader’s AI Generated Descriptions and Vehicle Highlights are reducing the time required to create used car and van adverts.
Vehicle Highlights focuses on distinctive characteristics of each car unique to the model, derivative, and even individual vehicle. The tool pinpoints these features based on Auto Trader’s consumer insights.
Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader’s CPO, said: “Our tools have never been influenced by fads, and Co-Driver is no exception. We understand the challenges and pain-points our partners face, and we believe the benefits of these combined solutions, which are built on over a decade’s worth of AI investment and powered by our unrivalled data, will be far reaching and immediate.”
An AI-powered in-app search bar from heycar helps users find their next car faster. The tool streamlines the car search using keywords.
A search for ‘VW Golf London under £15,000’ will see this criteria automatically applied, immediately displaying vehicles.
Dermot Kelleher, Chief Marketing Officer at heycar, said: “We’ve also harnessed AI to make heycar’s search even faster and more intuitive.
“For consumers, this means less time searching and more time engaging with the right cars for them and for dealers, it means highly qualified buyers reaching their listings quicker than ever.”
