Impel to explore how AI reshapes human's role in dealer operations - Automotive Management Live
){kind=logo}
The next major shift in automotive retail is not about replacing people with technology, but about redefining how humans and artificial intelligence (AI) work together.
Matthew Muilenburg, chief product officer at Impel, will join a special Technology and Innovation panel at Automotive Management Live on November 12 at the NEC, Birmingham to discuss how AI is becoming the orchestration layer that connects and enhances existing dealer systems rather than replacing them.
The UK’s leading automotive retail exhibition and conference is free to attend for franchised and independent dealers and registrations are open now.
Impel’s session will be chaired by Neil Smith, chief executive of Motorvait and former director at Imperial Car Supermarket and will also gain insights from Michael Ball, chief executive at used car supermarket Available Car, as well as Jeremy Evans, chief executive at Marketing Delivery.
This is not about technology taking over
Muilenburg (pictured left) believes the most successful dealerships in the next few years will be those that empower a new kind of team member who oversees, guides and optimises the work done by AI across sales and service processes.
He said: “AI is developing at an incredible pace, but this is not about technology taking over.
“It is about giving dealers the tools to remove friction, unify systems and deliver a faster, smarter and more personalised customer experience. The dealerships that embrace this human plus AI model will lead the way.”
Muilenburg said that by positioning AI as a coordinating layer across customer relationship management (CRM), dealer management systems (DMS) and marketing platforms, retailers can unlock efficiencies and deliver the seamless experiences modern consumers expect.
Impel’s collaboration with Marketing Delivery is an example of this approach.
By linking AI-powered conversation with automated outreach, the two companies are helping dealers move from static campaigns to dynamic, real-time engagement.
When a customer responds to a message, AI can now continue the dialogue instantly, creating a smooth handover from marketing to sales.
What AI agents and RPA mean for the next phase of AI in automotive retailThe session will explore how AI is already changing dealership communication and what the next three years could look like as agentic and rule-based automation (RPA) systems mature.
Muilenburg said the industry is standing at a moment similar to the early 2000s, when dealerships first created internet sales manager roles to handle digital leads.
He said: “That position eventually became part of every salesperson’s job.
“We are now at the same point with AI. Dealers need to think about who will manage, interpret and optimise the work AI is doing every day.”
The real opportunity lies in combining human intuition with data-driven automation.
Muilenberg added: "When Garry Kasparov first faced IBM’s Deep Blue in the 1990s, he won the opening match and proved human insight still had the edge.
"The following year, Deep Blue defeated him, which many thought marked the end of human competition in chess.
"In reality, it led to a new era where humans and computers worked together, creating more creative and dynamic games than either could achieve alone. The same principle applies in the dealership.
"When people and AI operate together, they make smarter decisions, respond faster and deliver far better outcomes."
Chair: Neil Smith, Motorvait chief executive
Panelists:
- Matthew Muilenburg, Impel chief product officer
- Michael Bell, Available Car chief executive
- Jeremy Evans, Marketing Delivery, chief executive