Auto Trader launches AI-powered retail tools

Auto Trader has unveiled a new platform for retailers called Co-Driver, UKTN can exclusively reveal, as the online car seller turns to AI and machine learning to improve efficiency and drive growth.

The firm will release the software in a multi-part rollout, aimed at slashing the time it takes to make detailed car and van listings, which currently takes around 30 minutes.

The full range of the software’s features will be accessible to retailers through Auto Trader Portal accounts and can be integrated into third-party technology systems for the retailers using Auto Trader Connect.

Auto Trader is not the first e-commerce firm to introduce AI in order to drive growth and improve customer satisfaction, with major firms such as Amazon and eBay using machine learning tools to deliver personalised recommendations for their users.

Auto Trader’s chief product officer Karolina Edwards-Smajda said: “Co-Driver marks a massive leap forward in how AI can enhance retailing performance.

“These initial solutions will not only alleviate many of the challenges facing our partners today but will help them deliver retailing excellence.”

The first Co-Driver feature, called Smart Image Management, will be released this month and optimally arranges images according to buyer preferences, categorising the images and flagging anything missing.

That will be followed at the beginning of the new year with, the second and third features of Co-Driver’s initial rollout.

One of these, AI-Generated Descriptions, instantly creates descriptions for potential buyers, including Vehicle Identification Number specification details sourced directly from manufacturers, drawing from over 600 million combined search minutes per month to create a profile of customer preferences.

The third feature, Key Selling Points, decides on the most significant specifications to sell the vehicle. This could be the specific features of the model or even the specific car.

Co-Driver has been developed by a team of over 400 in-house data scientists and engineers marking more than a decade of AI investment, which has included the development of AI and machine learning tools which are already benefitting retailers, aiding their sourcing and stocking decisions based on Market Health and Retail Rating metrics.

Founded in 1977, FTSE 100 constituent Auto Trader has become one of the biggest used car marketplaces in the UK.

According to their 2024 annual report, the Auto Trader Group has maintained a steady revenue increase of 14% over the past two years with over £570m of revenue this year, leaving them with 26% annual profit.

Their current share price is up by more than 20% year-to-date at 847.8p, after a slump back in April.

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