Auto Trader unveils AI-powered Co-Driver to revolutionise automotive retailing

Auto Trader has launched Co-Driver, a suite of AI-driven tools that aim to transform the way vehicles are bought and sold online.

Built on over a decade of data and consumer insights, Co-Driver will provide dealerships with a powerful tool, reducing the time needed to create a high-quality vehicle listing from an average of 28 minutes to mere seconds.

The launch of Co-Driver represents the first phase of a multi-year rollout of advanced AI-powered tools, each designed to address common challenges faced by retailers.

Co-Driver leverages Auto Trader’s unparalleled data - over 80 million monthly cross-platform visits, 619 million combined monthly search minutes and around 1.6 million daily vehicle observations - to provide retailers with deep insights into buyer behaviour and preferences.

The first tool in the Co-Driver suite, Smart Image Management, uses cutting-edge AI and machine learning to optimise the presentation of vehicle images.

Based on data about buyer engagement, the tool automatically arranges images in the ideal sequence, flagging any missing images and organising them to maximise visual appeal.

Auto Trader research shows that vehicle listings with a diverse and engaging range of images attract significantly more attention, doubling the time buyers spend on these ads and boosting their chances of a sale.

In early 2024, Co-Driver will introduce AI Generated Descriptions enabling retailers to quickly populate listings with detailed, engaging, and accurate vehicle descriptions at the click of a button.

These descriptions will draw from Auto Trader’s deep consumer data, providing potential buyers with the specific details they most value. Enhanced by comprehensive vehicle information from VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) data provided by manufacturers, the AI-generated descriptions ensure that each listing is informative as well as appealing.

The third tool in this initial wave, Key Selling Points will automatically highlight the most attractive features and specifications unique to each vehicle model and individual listing, flagging the most distinctive characteristics to help listings stand out.

Every feature in the Co-Driver suite will be included in all used car and van advertising packages, ensuring broad access through the Auto Trader Portal and can also be integrated into third-party systems via Auto Trader Connect, allowing for uninterrupted workflow and easy adoption.

Commenting on the significance of Co-Driver, Auto Trader’s chief product officer Karolina Edwards-Smajda said: “As one of the UK’s largest technology companies, we’ve long recognised the huge potential AI has in making retailers’ operations more profitable and more efficient, and have been investing heavily in it for over a decade.

“It already sits at the heart of many of our most powerful tools and solutions, but Co-Driver marks a massive leap forward in how AI can enhance retailing performance. These initial solutions, as well as all future Co-Driver releases, will not only alleviate many of the challenges facing our partners today, but will help them deliver retailing excellence.”

Developed by Auto Trader’s team of over 400 data scientists and engineers, Co-Driver represents more than a decade of investment in artificial intelligence.

By combining the insights of existing tools such as Market Health and Retail Rating with Co-Driver's capabilities, retailers will be able to optimise both strategic and operational aspects of their business - from initial sourcing decisions to final sale listings.