The automotive industry is facing one of the biggest transformations in its history. Alongside the electrification of the powertrain, a second revolution is currently changing the way vehicles are marketed, photographed and sold: artificial intelligence.
The Swiss used car market in transition
The Swiss used-car market comprises around 650,000 vehicle transactions per year. More than 80% of them are handled via online platforms such as AutoScout24.ch, tutti.ch or Ricardo.ch — and the share is rising. The digitalisation of the buying process is no longer a vision of the future but reality.
What used to be a local business — a dealer selling within a 20 km radius — is now national competition. A buyer in Zurich can easily purchase a vehicle from a dealer in Geneva. In this environment, digital presentation and image quality decide between success and failure.
How large dealers already use AI
Large dealer groups in Europe — including several of the largest Swiss dealer groups — already use AI systematically:
- Automatic background removal: every new vehicle is immediately presented photographically in a consistent studio setting
- AI-assisted pricing: algorithms analyse market data and recommend optimal asking prices
- Automated descriptions: AI generates vehicle descriptions based on the vehicle data
- Chatbots for initial advice: 24/7 availability for first purchase enquiries
Democratisation through AI-as-a-service
What used to be reserved for large dealer groups with their own IT departments is now accessible to every dealer. Tools like AI Car Studio bring the technology of large corporations to small garages — for less than 10 francs per month.
The consequence: in 2–3 years, listings without professional AI-enhanced photos will be at a disadvantage. Just like poor phone photos compared with studio shots today — only on an even greater scale.
What AI cannot do yet — and what it does perfectly
What AI does perfectly: background removal and replacement, consistent lighting, logo placement, batch processing of many vehicles, 24/7 availability, a uniform look.
What humans still do better: creative staging for top-end luxury vehicles, emotional storytelling photography, spontaneous adaptation to difficult weather conditions on site.
For 95% of all used-car dealers, the advantages of AI clearly outweigh the drawbacks. Using a human photographer remains a niche solution for absolute high-end vehicles.
Outlook: What comes next?
The next wave of AI innovation in car retail will go even further: fully automated 360° documentation, AI-generated test-drive videos, virtual showrooms and personalised offers based on buyers' search behaviour. Dealers who take the first step into AI now will be ready for these developments.
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