Automotive AI Vendor Evaluation
An independent evaluation of AI and technology vendors in the automotive space, before you spend budget on tools that do not deliver.
More than 40 companies are claiming AI capability in automotive right now.
Most of them have a demo. Fewer can explain what their product actually does, how it produces the result they are promising, or what happens when the market conditions their model was trained on change.
Dealers are being asked to make significant technology decisions without the technical background to evaluate the claims. Most do not have the time or the right questions to ask. That is the gap this service fills.
How the evaluation works
You tell me what is in your stack
Existing contracts, upcoming renewals, or new vendors you are being pitched.
I run the technical evaluation
Product claims against stated methodology, training data and market relevance, and what the contract obligates you to.
I attend the demo and ask the hard questions
The specific questions that show whether a product is real AI or automation with a polished front end.
You get a direct assessment
Keep it, renegotiate it, or replace it, in plain language, specific to your operation and market.
Pricing
All work is independent and paid for by the dealership. Zero revenue from AI vendors means zero conflicts of interest.
Quick assessment
Spot Check
single vendor
- AI evaluation rating, Tier 1 through 5
- Public evidence and LinkedIn staff audit
- Category benchmark comparison
- Written one-page verdict and recommendation
- 30-minute debrief call
Most comprehensive
Vendor Audit
up to 5 vendors
- Everything in Spot Check for each vendor
- 15-point vendor questionnaire
- Live demo attendance and direct questioning
- Contract and pricing red flag review
- Full written report with recommendations
- Stack review: are your tools integrated and talking to each other?
- 60-minute debrief and action planning call
Before you sign
New Vendor Vetting
per new vendor
- Full technical evaluation
- Live demo attendance and questioning
- Contract red flag and negotiation brief
- Pricing benchmark analysis
- Go or no-go recommendation in writing
- 45-minute debrief call
Dealer Group and OEM Advisory
For multi-rooftop dealer groups, dealer associations, or OEMs that need ongoing AI vendor intelligence. Unlimited spot checks, quarterly stack reviews, new vendor vetting for every contract, and direct advisory access throughout the year.
Priced to your scope after a short call
Talk to Me About AdvisoryWhy this perspective is different
Most technology evaluators come from a software background. This evaluation comes from someone who spent 20+ years making operational decisions inside dealerships and auction lanes: 25,000+ vehicles appraised, 40,000+ inspected at auction, and about 7,500 bought and sold there, much of it as a CarMax Regional Auction Manager. The questions I ask are the ones a dealer principal or used car manager actually needs answered.
Independence
Zero revenue from AI vendors. No sponsorships and no ranking fees. The only party paying for the evaluation is the dealership.
I evaluate them so you are not paying for a demo dressed up as a solution.