An auto dealer software company is pitching AI-powered kiosks designed to replace car salesmen on showroom floors. Automotive News says the industry is “skeptical.” But be honest—would you really rather deal with the average car lot shark than a computer?
Epikar, a South Korean company that cooks up digital management solutions for car dealers, has named its new AI invention the Pikar Genie. The idea is that customers can talk to this device, ask it product questions, and basically do everything you’d do with a car salesman except for actually closing the deal and signing paperwork.
So it’s not quite like ordering nuggets from one of those giant-screen ATMs at McDonalds, but kind of the same idea.
Renault, BMW, and Volvo are already using some Epikar products at South Korean dealerships, but this new customer-facing AI product is still in its infancy. AN reported that “Renault assigns three salespeople to its Seoul showroom enhanced with Epikar automation compared with six for other Renault showrooms in South Korea,” according to Epikar CEO Bosuk Han.
The company’s now looking to expand into America and is apparently already testing its products at at least one dealership statesid …
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Author: Andrew P. Collins
