George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader SA, introduced AutoTrader Intelligence — an AI-focused suite of dealer products — at the Dealer Connect 2025 event in Johannesburg.
While all modules and functionality details will not be released until dealers have had a few weeks to evaluate the product suite and offer feedback, Mienie revealed AutoTrader Intelligence’s main features:
- Automated Buyer Engagement connects dealerships to relevant customers who are ready to buy to enhance engagement and increase process speed.
- Managing repetitive tasks, such as communications and tracking leads
- Optimization of inventory movement: targeting the right audience at the right moment to speed up inventory turnover
- Real-Time Data Insights covering shopper behavior, pricing and market trends
- It supports targeted advertising and helps to determine pricing and manage inventory
- Providing enhanced transparency to build confidence between buyers and sellers
Stephan Venter, director of Jetour Hatfield — a dealership based in Pretoria — wrote in a LinkedIn post: “The central theme [of the AutoTrader Dealer Connect Event] — the profound influence of AI on the trajectory of the automotive industry — was thought-provoking and essential. While the magnitude of this change is notable, the focus must now transition to practical application. I am keen to determine the precise pathways through which these technologies will strategically enable and enhance our capabilities across the dealership network, ultimately helping us perform at a higher level.”
AutoTrader SA was acquired by Naspers subsidiary OLX Group in 2017. Earlier this year, local media reported that AutoTrader SA was investigating a number of employees who had allegedly colluded with dealers to provide them with an undue advantage in accessing private customer vehicle listings in return for bribes.
