March 29, 2026 | Bonus Episode: CarEdge CEO says vehicle listings sites are outdated
About this episode
CarEdge CEO Zach Shufska argues vehicle listing sites are fundamentally outdated in an “agent-first” retail auto world. He describes CarEdge’s AI agents contacting dealerships on behalf of customers, using phone/email aliases and generating quotes transparently—claiming tens of thousands of transactions and 80% of buyers purchasing within three months. Shufska says CarEdge is expanding from OEM partnerships to a dealer network in 2026, aiming for quality coverage rather than massive scale. He also predicts generative AI search will bypass listing sites, pressuring incumbents to innovate or lose relevance.
CarEdge CEO Zach Shefska discusses how his company’s AI agents are bypassing traditional vehicle listing sites to connect car buyers directly with dealerships. Shefska explains how the technology works, why he believes listings sites are outdated, and what the future holds for automotive retail.
Experian Automotive
"Experian Automotive gives dealerships accurate, actionable data insights into their prospects and customers so you can reach the right consumer with the right message at exactly the right moment."
Experian Automotive is a company that uses data to help car dealers find and reach the right customers. Instead of guessing who might buy, they use information to target people more accurately.
Experian Automotive is part of Experian, a data and analytics company. In the auto retail context, it provides dealership-focused data and insights to help target the right shoppers and improve marketing effectiveness.
generating leads
"whether AI agents might soon replace vehicle listing sites in generating leads for dealerships."
Generating leads means getting dealership contact requests from people who might buy a car. The episode is asking whether AI can do that better than current websites.
Generating leads in auto retail means creating potential customer contacts for dealerships—often via forms, calls, or emails triggered by online shopping activity. The segment focuses on how AI agents could generate these leads more efficiently than listing sites.
AI agents
"we heard a clip from Mark's interview with Zach Shufska, CEO of Carage, a startup that's betting it can lure dealers away by eliminating the middleman... you provide, in part, AI agents to help consumers shop for and buy cars."
AI agents are computer programs that can do tasks for you automatically. In this case, they contact car dealers and help move the shopping process forward.
AI agents are software systems that can take actions on a user’s behalf, such as contacting dealerships, collecting responses, and coordinating next steps. Here, they’re described as contacting dealers to generate leads and help consumers shop for cars.
middleman
"Carage, a startup that's betting it can lure dealers away by eliminating the middleman."
A middleman is a company that sits between the buyer and the dealer. The startup is saying it can connect them more directly using AI, instead of relying on listing sites.
In this context, the “middleman” refers to intermediaries like vehicle listing platforms that connect shoppers to dealers and often capture value in the process. Carage’s positioning is that AI agents can reduce or remove that intermediary role.
email and phone alias
"we've had in market AI agents that contact car dealerships on behalf of paying customers, creates an email and phone alias."
An email/phone alias is a stand-in contact that still lets people communicate, but without exposing the customer’s real details. Here, it’s used so the AI agent can talk to dealers for the shopper.
An email and phone alias is a proxy contact method that routes messages to the real customer while protecting identity or improving tracking. In this segment, Carage’s AI agents create these aliases as part of contacting dealerships on behalf of paying customers.
NADA
"One of the things that came up a lot at NADA, I'm guessing you were there along with everybody else, is that AI agents is beginning to help consumers and dealers..."
NADA is a big organization for car dealerships. The speaker is saying that at NADA, people were talking a lot about using AI to improve the buying process.
NADA refers to the National Automobile Dealers Association, a major industry group for U.S. car dealerships. The speaker mentions it as a place where the AI-agent topic came up frequently, signaling industry-wide attention.
Carage
"My dad, who is my co-founder at Carage... We've started to build out a wait list for our dealer network... So this is brand new for us in 2026."
Carage is the company behind the AI tools being discussed. They’re describing how they’re starting to work with car dealers more directly.
Carage is the company being discussed, including its AI product (Carage Pro) and its expansion into working with dealer partners. The segment positions Carage as moving from consumer-focused to dealership-network-focused in 2026.
transaction experience
"Both sides of the marketplace using this technology to help them have a better transaction experience."
Transaction experience is how smooth the whole car deal feels—from first contact to finishing the purchase. They’re saying AI can make that process better for both buyers and dealers.
“Transaction experience” refers to the end-to-end flow of buying and selling—how leads are handled, how information is exchanged, and how the deal is completed. The segment frames AI agents as improving that experience for both sides of the marketplace.
OEMs
"We've worked with the OEMs for a year or so now, and that's been interesting, but they're a little bit slower moving than dealers, and we're helping these dealers sell thousands of cars..."
OEMs are the actual car makers. Think of them as the companies that design and build the vehicles, not the dealerships that sell them.
OEMs are Original Equipment Manufacturers—the companies that build the vehicles (like automakers). This segment contrasts working with OEMs versus working directly with dealers, noting OEM processes can move more slowly.
dealer network
"So yes, we have a dealer network. We're building it out right now, and that's our big initiative for 2026."
A dealer network is just a set of car dealerships that work together with a company. The goal is to have enough dealerships in enough places so customers can buy cars easily.
A dealer network is the organized group of dealerships a platform partners with to sell vehicles. In this context, it’s about how CarEdge (or a similar service) reaches customers through participating dealers across a region or the whole country.
quality, not quantity
"Our whole thing is quality, not quantity. Today we're not working with any dealers."
They’re saying they’d rather work with fewer dealerships that perform well than sign up a huge number of dealerships that don’t. The focus is on better outcomes for customers and dealers.
“Quality, not quantity” is a strategy statement meaning the company prioritizes dealer participation that meets certain standards (like transparency and efficiency) rather than maximizing the number of dealers. It aligns with the earlier goal of “enough coverage” nationwide without chasing the largest network.
third-party lead programs
"So these automakers have third-party lead programs, which are not productive primarily for dealers."
A third-party lead program is when a website or service sends dealership leads—people who might buy a car. The speaker is saying those leads often don’t lead to enough real sales for dealers.
Third-party lead programs are arrangements where a platform generates buyer interest (leads) and sends them to dealerships. The speaker claims these programs are “not productive primarily for dealers,” suggesting many leads don’t result in meaningful sales activity.
conversion rates
"...with pretty much everyone, with the exception of Ford and Toyota, and we lead all OEM programs in terms of conversion rates,"
Conversion rate means “how many leads actually turn into real results.” For car sales, it’s basically how many interested shoppers end up taking the next step.
Conversion rate is the percentage of leads that turn into a desired outcome—often a booked appointment, test drive, or sale. The speaker says they lead OEM programs in conversion rates, implying their lead flow is more effective than typical third-party lead programs.
Ford
"...with pretty much everyone, with the exception of Ford and Toyota, and we lead all OEM programs in terms of conversion rates,"
Ford is a major car brand. In this conversation, it’s mentioned because the speaker says their program isn’t currently working with Ford in the same way as other automakers.
Ford is one of the major automakers mentioned as an exception to the speaker’s participation in OEM lead programs. The point is that the company has coverage with “pretty much everyone” except Ford (and Toyota), which affects their conversion-rate comparisons.
Toyota
"...with pretty much everyone, with the exception of Ford and Toyota, and we lead all OEM programs in terms of conversion rates,"
Toyota is a major car brand. Here it’s mentioned because the speaker says their program doesn’t cover Toyota the same way as most other automakers.
Toyota is another major automaker mentioned as an exception to the speaker’s OEM lead-program participation. Like Ford, it’s used to explain where their coverage currently differs from other brands.
dealers
"...you don't have the relationship yet with the dealers on the other side, but you're working on that in 2026."
Dealers are the car dealerships—the stores where you actually buy the car. The point here is that AI needs to work with dealerships, not around them.
Dealers are the franchised retail businesses that sell new and used vehicles and manage the sales process. The speaker emphasizes that AI agents need a real relationship with dealers so the consumer experience leads to efficient, accurate outcomes.
dealer fees
"...the price changes with the add-ons, with the fees."
Dealer fees are charges added by the dealership on top of the vehicle price, such as documentation fees or other administrative costs. When listings don’t include these, the advertised price can look cheaper than the true final cost.
positive equity
"You'll know who is coming off lease, who is in positive equity, who is likely to purchase in the next 30, 60, or 90 days, and who is due for service."
Positive equity means you owe less on your car than it’s worth right now. That can make it easier to trade in for a newer vehicle.
Positive equity means the vehicle’s current value is higher than the amount owed on the loan or lease. In marketing terms, it can correlate with customers who are more likely to trade in or upgrade.
coming off lease
"You'll know who is coming off lease, who is in positive equity, who is likely to purchase in the next 30, 60, or 90 days, and who is due for service."
Coming off lease means the lease is ending soon. That’s often when people start shopping for a new car.
“Coming off lease” refers to customers whose lease term is ending and who must decide whether to return the vehicle, buy it, or lease/finance a replacement. The segment treats lease-end timing as a key signal for purchase likelihood.
stopping distance
"Almovio is taking aim at one of the most fundamental parts of vehicle safety. Breaking. And the company says its next-generation systems can cut stopping distance by meters."
Stopping distance is how far a car goes before it fully stops after you start braking. Shorter stopping distance generally means fewer crashes or less severe impacts.
Stopping distance is the total distance a vehicle travels from the moment braking begins until the car comes to a complete stop. The segment claims Almovio’s next-generation safety systems can reduce stopping distance by meters, which is a major safety metric.
brake by wire
"He breaks down how Almovio is improving braking performance, including its push toward brake by wire and dry brake technology that eliminates traditional hydraulics."
Instead of using fluid pressure to send your brake pedal input to the brakes, the car uses electronics to do it. You press the pedal, sensors read it, and the system commands the brakes to slow the car.
Brake by wire replaces the traditional hydraulic connection between the brake pedal and the brakes with electronic signals. A control unit interprets pedal input and commands actuators to generate braking force.
traditional hydraulics
"dry brake technology that eliminates traditional hydraulics. I'm Mollye Boygon, tech and innovation reporter at Automotive News."
Most cars use brake fluid and hydraulic lines to move force from your foot to the brake pads. Over time, leaks or fluid degradation can become maintenance concerns.
Traditional hydraulics in braking use brake fluid and master/slave cylinders to transmit pedal force to the calipers. This approach is proven but depends on fluid condition and sealing integrity over the vehicle’s life.
LLM, the large language model
"And what I mean by that is... LLM, the large language model?"
An LLM is a type of AI that can understand what you ask and respond in a useful way. In car shopping, it can help people find options without going through the usual listing websites.
An LLM (large language model) is an AI system trained on lots of text so it can understand prompts and generate helpful responses. Here, it’s used to explain why AI chat experiences can change how shoppers navigate car inventory and where they spend attention.
CarEdge.com
"I experienced this at my own company at CarEdge.com. There are fewer people clicking through from Google searches."
CarEdge.com is referenced as the speaker’s own company, used as an example of how AI-driven discovery can reduce traffic to websites. The point is that shoppers may get answers directly from AI tools rather than clicking through from search.
chat GPTs
"Instead, they're using the chat GPTs, the Clods, the Gemini's, the Perplexi's."
ChatGPT-style tools are AI chat assistants you can talk to. Instead of searching and clicking around, people can ask the AI for help finding what they want.
“Chat GPTs” refers to OpenAI’s ChatGPT-style AI chat assistants. The transcript uses it as an example of AI tools that can become a new discovery channel for car shopping, potentially reducing reliance on traditional listing sites.
incumbent third-party marketplaces
"...ton of pressure on incumbent third-party marketplaces to be innovative..."
Incumbent third-party marketplaces are the older, established websites where dealers list cars. The speaker is saying these sites may lose visitors if shoppers start using AI chat instead.
“Incumbent third-party marketplaces” are established car listing platforms that currently dominate dealer inventory distribution. The transcript suggests they face competitive pressure because AI chat experiences may bypass their traditional traffic funnels.
Autobitel
"You remember Autobitel, Mark? ... Autobitel got the name Autobitel because when they started, you literally had someone at the dealership that you would call..."
Autobitel is referenced as an early vehicle-pricing/lead service that originally worked by having someone at the dealership take calls. The speaker notes it has evolved from a phone-based buying program into a website, illustrating how marketplace models shift over time.
taken private
"...it's been taken private."
Taken private means the company stopped being publicly traded. That can change how it’s run and what decisions it prioritizes.
“Taken private” means a public company is acquired or restructured so it no longer trades on public stock exchanges. For marketplace businesses, going private can change incentives, investment timelines, and strategy around growth or profitability.
AI
"It has an investor like many investors, including in Pell, which is AI, extraordinarily AI-based."
AI means using computer systems that can learn patterns and make smarter predictions. Here, it’s being discussed as part of how these car websites might improve their service.
AI (artificial intelligence) is referenced as part of the investor/strategy behind the mentioned marketplace. In this context, AI is typically used to improve matching, pricing signals, lead targeting, and automation in the shopping and dealership workflow.
Pell
"...including in Pell, which is AI, extraordinarily AI-based."
Pell is mentioned as a company/investor involved with the marketplace. The speaker’s point is that it’s heavily focused on AI, which could mean smarter tools for car shopping.
Pell is mentioned as an investor that is described as “extraordinarily AI-based.” The key takeaway is that vehicle marketplace players are attracting AI-focused capital, suggesting a push toward data-driven pricing and matching.
affinity partners
"I mean, I know they're membership-based, they're with a lot of affinity partners, but they're going to clearly look to AI for their future."
“Affinity partners” are organizations that collaborate with a platform to reach specific groups of consumers. In this context, the speaker suggests that if a listings company doesn’t innovate, it could lose these partners and related consumer demand.
vehicle listings sites
"And again, I think CarEdge is the best position to be able to bring this type of innovation to the market."
They’re talking about websites that list cars for sale. The point is that these sites can fall behind unless they update their approach to attract both shoppers and partners.
The discussion is framed around vehicle listings platforms and how they need to innovate to avoid losing consumer demand and partner relationships. This is tied to the broader idea that older listing models may be less effective than newer, AI-driven approaches.
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
Help improve this episode
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.