12:04 pm, October 14, 2026
Motorway has launched a new AI-powered assistant which allows car dealers to source used stock simply by sending a WhatsApp message.
The online used car marketplace has unveiled Oto, a new tool designed to help retailers find suitable vehicles among the thousands entering its daily auctions.
Rather than manually searching through listings, dealers can message the assistant in plain English with details of the cars they are looking for.
For example, a retailer could ask for ‘silver XC40s under £20k’ or ‘X5s under 60,000 miles’, with Oto searching Motorway’s live auction for matching vehicles.
The results are then delivered directly through WhatsApp, complete with photographs, vehicle details and links to place bids.
Dealers can also refine their searches through follow-up messages, specifying requirements such as fuel type, mileage or distance.
Motorway says the technology will become increasingly personalised as dealers use it, learning from their previous purchases, bidding activity and conversations.
It will also work without being prompted, continuously scanning the marketplace and sending dealers alerts when vehicles matching their preferences become available.
The launch comes as Motorway continues to invest in technology to make stock sourcing easier for retailers, with up to 2,500 vehicles entering its auctions each day.
Oto has already undergone beta testing with a group of dealer partners, with Motorway reporting early indications that the assistant is helping users find suitable vehicles more quickly.
However, the company has not released figures showing how much time dealers are saving.
Tom Leathes, CEO and co-founder of Motorway, said: ‘The most powerful technology should feel like the simplest.
‘Oto is built on serious AI, but to a dealer it’s just a contact on WhatsApp who knows the Motorway auction inside out.
‘You tell it what you need and it finds it – and the more you use it, the better it gets to know your business, so it can message you with the right car before you’ve even started looking.’
He added: ‘With up to 2,500 cars going into our auction every day, Oto saves dealers time and makes sure they never miss the right car.’
Motorway says Oto is the first in a planned series of AI-powered tools aimed at simplifying the process of buying used car stock.