autobiz celebrates its 20th anniversary and analyses the main challenges facing the used-car market over the next 20 years
From pioneer to leader: autobiz – the French tech nugget – has become indispensable to professionals within the European UC market.
Over the last 20 years, autobiz has seen the second-hand used car market evolve in a generally stable way, albeit in the face of numerous changes: regulatory, technological, as well as those of consumer trends.
Throughout the years, the group has distinguished itself by its ability to anticipate these changes. As a forerunner across many key areas – the growing importance of data-driven management, the boom in cash trade-ins, the impact of AI upon the professionalisation of the UC business – autobiz has been ahead of the competition at every step in which to meet the needs of professionals.
France’s leading used-car data specialist, the group has diversified its business over the years to respond to the UC sector’s professional demands: manufacturers, distributors, leasing companies, as well as major players within both the banking and finance industries.
The group now has 4 entities to take care of each of its B2B and B2C activities:
– autobiz: for the B2B data and digitisation activities of automotive professionals
– Easyreprise: for professional point-of-sale outlets, resale, and remote selling
– Joreca: for market intelligence on specialist marketplaces (property, cars, and jobs)
– Databiz: for in-house IT and data development
autobiz in figures
- 15 billion pieces of data collected and processed from 350 sources across 37 countries
- 150% growth over the past five years
- 130M€ turnover in 2023
- 320 employees divided between Paris, Berlin, Milan, Valencia, and Tunis
- 50 million trade-in files
The 4 challenges confronting automotive professionals
1. The emergence of cash trade-ins
Whilst the used car market remained stable (excluding the Covid period), prices have risen significantly. To respond to this phenomenon, UC professionals have had to look to other supply channels for cheaper vehicles, which are often older and have more mileage.
This is a requirement to which cash trade-ins – introduced by autobiz in 2013 – fits perfectly. The share of this sourcing method regarding UC market volumes has grown from 0% to 5% in under a decade. This trend is set to continue over the coming years.
2. The transformation of distribution models
20 years after BER 1400/2002 (the European regulation on motor vehicle distribution which put an end to the location clause), the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation is, in turn, creating emulation within the motor vehicle distribution world.
Whilst some manufacturers have already come out in favour of this new model, others, on the other hand, are showing non-committal for the time being. In both cases nevertheless, the Top 100 distribution groups have tightened their ranks through a proliferation of acquisitions, reinforcing the weight of the major distributors within the second-hand car industry.
3. The industrialisation of the UC business
With the increase in their activity, distribution groups have had to become more professional. autobiz was one of the first industry players to respond to this necessity and will continue to improve its solutions to support these groups in this transition.
The development of cutting-edge technologies such as AI bodes well for numerous applications that will enable professionals to industrialise their operations, and ultimately, improve their profitability.
4. The challenge of used electric vehicles
Finally, the central question for every seasoned observer concerns the surge of the battery electric vehicle (BEV). Whilst the BEV fleet is undergoing a major transformation, demand is still outstripping supply across the second-hand market. With regards to the BEVs’ residual values, two trajectories are worth remarking. These notable trends are directly impacted by:
• technological model improvements, particularly in terms of autonomy range
• the arrival of new manufacturers pushing very aggressive pricing strategies
In relation to the electric used car market, Emmanuel Labi, Chairman of autobiz, adds:
“We need to monitor this emerging market’s development daily, with current behaviour in terms of extremely dynamic prices, which is unlikely to level off before at least the middle of 2025. On top of the question concerning electric cars, the new models of car distribution and consumption will continue to fuel autobiz’s thinking towards ever-more business- and customer-oriented products”.
About autobiz
Since 2004, autobiz has been supporting all European players in the automotive industry with trade-in solutions. This support is based on 20 years of data history as well as web, software, and the business know-how of the company’s 280 employees. Today based in La Défense (92), autobiz also has offices in Berlin, Valencia (Spain) and Milan. autobiz assists more than 20 leaders in used remarketing (manufacturers, bankers, leasers, bidders…) as well as 5,000 points-of-sale in 22 countries across Europe.