It’s no secret that the vast majority of consumers are shopping for their next vehicle online. But what isn’t as well known is that consumers expect to learn everything they need to know about a vehicle in the online listing.[1] In order to capture the hearts, minds and wallets of those online shoppers, dealers need to create highly detailed and engaging vehicle listings — a previously monumental task, until now. Today, vAuto is proud to introduce Vehicle Intelligence 360, the new AI-powered merchandising solutionthat automatically creates compelling, interactive VDPs that enable shoppers to discover the unique value of each used vehicle without dealers having to lift a finger. 

“Vehicle Intelligence 360 is a great example of how vAuto is yet again using technology to do the heavy lifting for dealers — creating connections that not only make their operations more efficient, but most importantly, help them maximize returns on every vehicle,” said Derek Hansen, vice president of operations, Inventory Management Solutions, at Cox Automotive. “Dealers now have an effortless way to stand out against the competition, win more online shopping decisions and ultimately increase their profitability.”

Powered by AI, Vehicle Intelligence 360 enables dealers to generate a superior VDP experience without having to change their current processes. The solution automatically creates a comprehensive story of each vehicle, highlighting the features shoppers value the most — as well as the most important vehicle condition information — making it easy for consumers to discover what makes a vehicle worth its asking price. In addition to giving dealers an “easy button” to better merchandising, Vehicle Intelligence 360 removes shoppers’ frustrations in the process, too, by serving up the information they need, right at their fingertips, in a more easily digestible format. 

How it works: 

A fully automated solution driven by AI, Vehicle Intelligence 360 scans a dealer’s inventory and leverages insights from Cox Automotive solutions, including vAuto, Kelley Blue Book, Xtime and more, to create a comprehensive understanding of the vehicle’s highlights. The solution then layers this information with an interactive 360-degree spin, using captured spins or eight or more photos to generate a spin, ultimately creating a unique interactive shopping experience full of rich vehicle content. This experience is then automatically published to the dealer’s website, as well as on Autotrader and KBB.com, helping dealers reach the most car shoppers possible.

Below are a few key features of these new listings:

• Integrations with Xtime and vAuto make it easy to automatically identify and promote high-value reconditioning items like new tires and brakes that consumers are willing to pay more for.1
• Automatically generated story cards featuring expert content from Kelley Blue Book enable buyers to understand all the features, functions and value of the car—without having to click away from the listing.
• Mobile-first experience ensures that dealers can reach and engage car shoppers where they most frequently shop for vehicles.
• Engaging multimedia like 360-degree spins, photos and videos help shoppers discover vehicles however they want.

[1] Cox Automotive Research & Market Intelligence