AutoUnify has released a powerful new API with the potential to completely change how the automotive industry communicates. This unique new tool will enable dealerships and service shops to interact with manufacturers and software vendors in real time. Joel Milne started AutoUnify after co-founding and profitably scaling and exiting the mobile auto repair service startup RepairSmith to AutoNation. The announcement happened during the UP.Summit 2022 in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company has come a long way already, recently closing a $5 million funding round led by UP.Partners.
The challenges for the automotive sector are extreme, with the average dealership operating on more than 40 disparate software systems. AutoUnify’s API directly addresses these barriers. It establishes the digital thread that provides the shared lexicon enabling thousands of dealerships and independent mechanic shops to seamlessly connect to manufacturers and other businesses. Milne emphasized the complexities of this communication, stating, “We had this problem of, ‘how do you work with dealerships and shops and talk to them as you’re running around repairing cars and trying to refer them business or get parts from them?’”
AutoUnify functions as a venture lab, using a new financial investment lorry. It’s one of the five current startup cohorts of UP.Labs, which has previously launched four successful startups including Pull Systems and Sensigo. Pull Systems is a performance management software company dedicated to delivering meaningful insights to EV suppliers, manufacturers, and operators. Analog Devices / Sensigo Pair Sensigo has developed an AI-based platform that enables service technicians to diagnose problems in modern software-defined vehicles.
John Kuolt, CEO of Labs, remarked on the significance of AutoUnify’s mission, stating, “It’s exactly the kind of breakthrough we build for: a company that not only tackles a technical challenge but fundamentally reshapes how an entire industry operates.” This short statement highlights just how big of a change AutoUnify could bring to the automotive landscape.
In 2024, AutoUnify has piloted its API with multiple customers and is now preparing to expand its sales efforts across the industry. To support the recent and future growth, the company expects to expand its associates from nine employees to about 20 by year’s end. Kuolt added, “Really the focus for the rest of the year is building the technology and building the sales pipeline,” highlighting the company’s commitment to growth and innovation.
With AutoUnify, the automotive universe is about to get a whole lot more unified. It will address the most difficult challenges the industry faces and increase communication and cooperation between dealerships, service garages, and manufacturers. With a strong financial base established and a growing vision for the future, AutoUnify is headed in the right direction. It’s on the verge of making a huge difference in the auto industry.
Leave a Reply