Is AI Changing UK Car Dealerships? Insights from Car Dealer AI Week

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the way UK car dealers run their businesses, and AI Week is the perfect showcase of this transformation.

AI Week – Demonstrating AI Across UK Showrooms

During AI Week, the Car Dealer editorial team works with a range of dealers and suppliers to illustrate how AI tools are already being used on dealership floors from London to Glasgow. From streamlining the car‑buying process to handling customer complaints, AI is moving from theory to everyday practice.

Real‑World AI Solutions From Independent Dealers

Two independent dealers shared how they have built bespoke AI systems using Claude, the AI model from Anthropic, without any external coding assistance.

George Manning, who runs the Hilton Garage car supermarket, created a car‑buying app that scans Motorway and Carwow auction data, generating a daily hit list of vehicles to purchase. His AI assistant, accessed via simple text messages, can provide margin calculations, service histories, purchase origins and more for any car in his stock.

Steven Douglas, the owner of Really Easy Car Credit, developed a similar Claude‑powered application. The tool shortlists cars, produces a daily bidding list, and analyses his DMS to compare recent sales and prep costs, allowing him to set optimal bid amounts. Douglas estimates the solution saves him two to three hours each day.

Podcasts Exploring the AI Revolution

Car Dealer is publishing a two‑part podcast series titled The AI Revolution: Will it change the motor trade forever? Part one is live on YouTube and on major platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Part two will be released on Wednesday, continuing the conversation with dealers and suppliers about the practical impacts of AI.

Will AI Take Jobs in the Motor Trade?

The question of job security inevitably arises. Most interviewees believe AI will redesign roles rather than eliminate them. While administrative tasks are likely to be automated, human oversight and management remain essential.

Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway, put it succinctly: “With most revolutions – the internet, mobiles, the telephone – people were worried it would replace jobs. But we’ve actually seen it create them. I think AI will be similar. Jobs will just change.”

Getting Started With AI in Your Dealership

For dealers who have not yet experimented with AI, the first step can be as simple as a chat with Claude about a specific problem. The author of this article used Claude to develop a solution for the Clever Car Collection and was impressed by the speed and accuracy of the results. Identifying repetitive or time‑consuming tasks and asking AI for assistance often reveals unexpected efficiencies.

Thanks are due to the dealers and suppliers who contributed their time and expertise, including Motorway, Autotrader, Dealerkit, Autoconverse and Impel.

Stay Tuned

AI Week runs from 3–7 August. New features and podcast episodes will be published throughout the week, so keep an eye on the Car Dealer website, your favourite podcast feeds and the YouTube channel for the latest insights.

The post A welcome to AI Week from Car Dealer editor in chief James Baggott appeared first on Car Dealer Magazine.