2434551723
AI technology is reshaping how motorists decide where to buy and service their next car.
That’s the view of Motorvise which said more customers are now basing decisions on AI summaries rather than on official websites or user reviews.
“The real AI revolution in the motor trade isn’t happening on a dealership’s website, it’s happening in Google search,” said Fraser Brown, managing director of MotorVise.
In 2025, Google introduced AI-generated overviews in search results. These automated summaries pull together online reviews, website content, and third-party information to give users a quick snapshot of a business, which is rapidly becoming a pivotal part of the customer journey.
Motorvise cited research showing 18% of Google search results in March 2025 featured AI summaries.
It said when they appear, website click-through rates fall from 15% to 8%, and users are 26% more likely to end their session after reading the AI-generated text.
Only 1% click on the links within these overviews, according to the study by the Pew Research Center.
“That means more customers are learning about your dealership from what AI ‘thinks’ about you – not from a dealership’s carefully managed website or five-star reviews,” Brown warned.
To protect their reputation, dealerships should regularly check what Google’s AI is showing, challenge inaccuracies, and ensure review-rich, up-to-date content is visible across all digital channels.