A new service has been launched allowing consumers to search for vehicle stock from participating dealers directly within ChatGPT.
AutoChat, from Novaco, is said to translate ChatGPT car search requests into a search of live dealership inventory and display vehicles which are available to buy.
From that point, consumers are able to refine their search, compare cars, ask questions and request a test drive or appointment, all within the same ChatGPT conversation.
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Rather than requiring buyers to use filters, AutoChat is designed to interpret their circumstances and requirements to suggest suitable vehicles, and account for criteria such as equipment, EV range and budget.
AutoChat is able to use dealers’ existing inventory feeds, including live pricing, images, specifications and availability, for integration within ChatGPT, without dealers needing to re-enter stock information in another system.
Novaco says dealers can connect their inventories to AutoChat free of charge.
ChatGPT ‘new entry point’ for buyers
Maarten Bekkers, CEO at Novaco, said: “For the past twenty years, Google, dealership websites and classifieds have played a central role in the online search for a car. We are now seeing an entirely new entry point emerge: consumers can simply ask AI to find the right car for them.
“For dealerships, that means their inventory needs to be available where those conversations are taking place.
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“AutoChat makes that possible. Dealers can connect their existing stock feed for free, allowing consumers to move from a conversation in ChatGPT to an actual vehicle and ultimately to the dealership.”
AutoChat was previously the name of the company now known as Novaco – it has become the product name for the ChatGPT integration service following the company’s rebranding.