Our AI communication agent, built specifically for automotive, was recognised as one of the year’s standout innovations for independent dealers.
We are proud to share that AIME was named a finalist for IT Innovation of the Year at the 2026 Motor Trader Independent Dealer Awards. Being shortlisted among the industry’s best is recognition we do not take lightly, and it belongs just as much to the dealers who put their trust in AIME every day. Whilst we didn't win the award, we're delighted to be recognised amongst the leading dealer technology platforms.
What earned AIME its place on the shortlist is the depth of its automotive intelligence. This is not a generic chatbot that collects a name and number and hands off to a salesperson. AIME guides your customers through the entire sales journey, from first enquiry to close, 24 hours a day. It responds in an average of four seconds and sustains rich, human-like conversations, understanding customer intent and context at every step.
It is what AIME completes before a lead ever reaches a human that makes the difference. For each qualified lead, the agent could have already helped the buyer find the right vehicle, quoted finance, valued the part-exchange and booked an appointment. That capability translates directly into outcomes: 42.7% of conversations now lead to a high-intent result, sales teams save around 30% of their time, and dealers receive fully qualified leads ready to close, not contact details to chase.
The results behind the nomination speak for themselves. At Highfield Motors Group in Oxfordshire, AIME drove 2.6x more sales than web forms, a return of £21.45 for every £1 invested, and the equivalent of five full working days saved each month, freeing staff to focus on test drives and closing deals. Since switching to AIME, the group has not received a single customer complaint about the service.
“Most tools cost you money, AIME makes us money. It’s one of the best investments we’ve made as a business. It’s freed up my team, capturing leads we would have lost and directly contributing to us hitting our sales targets every month.”
Scott Jeffs, Managing Director, Wheatley Car Centre (Highfield Motors Group)
“Being shortlisted for IT Innovation of the Year is a real honour and a credit to the team behind AIME and to the dealers who put their trust in it,” said Gerard Thatcher, CEO of Motortech.ai. “AIME was built to give independent dealers always-on, genuinely intelligent customer engagement that used to be out of reach. Recognition like this confirms what our customers already tell us, that purpose-built automotive AI makes a measurable difference to the bottom line.”
AIME is available to every dealer right now. You can buy it through Keyloop as part of its Automotive Retail Platform, Fusion, or directly from Motortech.ai. Either way, AIME integrates with your existing DMS, CRM and website, so you can get up and running without replacing the systems you already rely on.
Find out what AIME could do for your dealership at motortech.ai.