At the launch event, called Dealer Connect 2025 held in Sandton, more than 500 dealer partners gathered for the unveiling of AutoTrader’s latest Artificial Intelligence innovations.

The technology introduces a new level of clarity for car shoppers, while giving dealers innovative tools that save time and improve the quality of every listing.

At its heart, AutoTrader Intelligence (ATI) combines LLM AI with AutoTrader’s live market data and deep automotive expertise to enhance the entire car-buying journey. For buyers, that means more relevant information, tailored recommendations, and the confidence to make better-informed decisions. For dealers, it means less admin, smarter listings and the freedom to focus on what matters most: connecting with people and understanding their why.

For consumers, the new platform features take it a step further with the introduction of the AutoTrader Intelligence – Vehicle Highlights. Using AI, along with customer insights, data from vehicle manufacturers and AutoTrader’s own big data, AutoTrader Intelligence compares thousands of similar cars based on age, fuel type, body type, engine size and specifications.

This allows the platform to automatically show what makes a specific car stand out, highlighting features such as lower mileage, fewer previous owners, lower emissions, better fuel economy, or faster acceleration. These highlights are designed to evolve as the AI is trained on more data.

By presenting these highlights directly on the listing, buyers can immediately see the value and unique advantages of each car without wading through all the specs.

In addition, AutoTrader Intelligence – Recommendation Engine personalises the car shopping experience by suggesting other vehicles based on the user’s browsing behaviour. For example, if a user is looking at a specific body type, AutoTrader Intelligence – Recommendation Engine will show similar body types with similar features or performance that also meet the user's unique needs.

This helps buyers to quickly explore relevant options, discover alternatives they may not have considered, and ultimately make better choices without spending hours searching manually. Together with AutoTrader Intelligence – Vehicle Highlights, it creates a smarter, more tailored browsing experience that saves time and connects the right buyer with the right car.

AutoTrader Intelligence – Comments Generator transforms the way listings are created. Using generative AI, it instantly writes a clear, professional description using the details already supplied in a listing, from make and model to variant, mileage, colour and a lot more.

What once took up to 12 minutes can now be done in three seconds, saving dealers thousands of hours in admin time. Each comment can be edited, regenerated, or rewritten, giving dealers complete control while dramatically speeding up the process.

AutoTrader Intelligence – Image Management analyses and classifies each photo as it’s uploaded, automatically identifying exterior, interior, engine and many other shots and suggesting shots that are missing. It then suggests the best order based on what buyers are engaging with most – in real time.

AutoTrader Intelligence – Dealer Insights provides real-time visibility into live market shifts, showing demand, supply and pricing trends per listing. Dealers can instantly see whether a car is in high demand, needs a price adjustment, or is better to move quickly, all without needing to dive into spreadsheets or complex dashboards.

Together, these buyer- and dealer-facing features create a seamless, intelligent shopping experience, allowing buyers to see the highlights and recommendations that matter most to them. At the same time, dealers are empowered with tools that make listings more engaging and actionable.