10:15 am, March 2, 2026
Car dealers worried about how they make sure their stock appears in a world dominated by AI search will be able to learn how to get prepared thanks to Google.
Search giant Google says more and more car buyers are now turning to AI platforms first in their search for a new car.
They’re asking AI questions they would have previously directed to their friends with car knowledge and getting AI to help them find the right car.
Google’s Huxley Stewart, the senior auto industry manager in the UK, will appear at Car Dealer Live on March 19 to reveal what the search giant has learned in this field so far.
The event, sponsored by Autotrader, takes place on March 19 and the last remaining tickets are available on the Car Dealer Live website.
In a video interview with Car Dealer (above), Stewart said: ‘The world of search – powered by AI – has fundamentally changed over the past year. It’s transforming how people find information and make decisions, and that pace of change isn’t slowing down.
‘We’ll offer a bit of a peek behind the curtain, sharing guidance and recommendations to help dealers stay on the front foot and take advantage of the tools available to them.’
Car Dealer Live takes place at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon and is will be hosted by James Baggott, James Batchelor and Rebecca Chaplin.
On the live stage, our partners – which include Autotrader, Impel, Keyloop, Motorway and Cox Automotive – will all deliver exclusive research carried out for the event.
Google will also give dealers tips on how to make the most out of video for YouTube and reveal how the best dealers are using video to their advantage.
And Stewart will be happy to take questions from the audience on a variety of Google topics, including its Vehicle Ads platform.
Huxley added: ‘I’m genuinely excited. I work within automotive at Google, but I’m also personally passionate about cars.
‘Given the current level of market disruption, I’m particularly looking forward to the challenger brands panel. I don’t think the industry has faced this kind of disruption before, so hearing directly from those manufacturers will be fascinating.
‘And beyond that, the networking. So much of the value of events like this comes from the conversations before, during and after the sessions.’
Eight car manufacturer bosses have signed up to attend Car Dealer Live with a headline interview with Peugeot MD Nicola Dobson kicking off the day.
Executives from Suzuki, Dacia and Subaru/Xpeng will take part in our car manufacturer panel, while a Chinese challenger brand session will feature BYD, Geely, Omoda & Jaecoo and Chery.
The independent car dealer panel features IMDA chairman and used car dealer Umesh Samani, Steven Douglas, the founder of dealership Really Easy Car Credit, and George Manning, director of car supermarket Hilton Garage. Franchised dealers taking part in another panel include Hedin CEO Richard Ennis and Luscombe Motors MD Sam Luscombe.
There will also be a Social Media Masterclass featuring dealers who have saved thousands selling cars on social platforms.
In the networking area, they’ll be more forward-thinking firms who will be able to explain their new products and services for dealers.
Brands taking part include:
- Brego – the used car valuations specialist
- DealerKit – the car dealership DMS built for dealers, by dealers
- Jigsaw Finance – a car finance broker with access to 30 funders
- UVeye – a 24-camera, AI-powered visual inspection solution
- Rallye Digital – a firm producing dynamic pricing displays for dealers
Tickets to the event are available now and cost £165 for trading car dealers. Supplier tickets are £335.
Hotel room packages are also available with a room the night before the event. A social get together will be held the evening prior to the event for those attending to catch up with colleagues and network with like-minded professionals.
Pricing:
- Dealer ticket: £165
- Supplier ticket: £335
- Streaming ticket: £225
- Dealer + Hotel package: £325
- Supplier + Hotel package: £495
(prices ex vat)
Stay tuned for further announcements in the coming weeks and to book your tickets log on to the website CarDealerLive.co.uk.
