^{Special at AFC Summer Conference - Powering the Future: AI, EVs & the Road Ahead}

The Auto Futurecast special episode, hosted by Chris Kirby during the Asset Finance Connect Summer Conference, brought together leading experts from the asset finance and automotive industries. This forward-looking discussion covered key themes such as electric vehicle (EV) adoption and artificial intelligence (AI) in the sector.

Highlights include:

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Karima Haji – Transitioning Heavy Goods Vehicles to Electric

Insights on Challenges in the HGV EV Market

Karima Haji, Managing Director at Scania Financial Services, shed light on why the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) EV market is lagging behind electric cars. High upfront costs, inadequate UK charging infrastructure, and a lack of strong government support are key roadblocks. Comparatively, European nations like Denmark and Norway have progressed thanks to subsidies.

Emerging Opportunities

Despite the obstacles, promising trends are emerging:

· Depot-to-Depot Operations: EV adoption is gaining ground for operations with predictable routes.

· Collaborative Infrastructure Initiatives: Efforts to address infrastructure bottlenecks are underway, though scaling nationwide continues to be a challenge.

Karima also emphasised the urgent need to enhance grid capacity to enable large-scale deployment of megawatt chargers.

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Richard Huston – Driving Efficiency with AI

Augmentation Over Automation

Richard Huston, Managing Director and Co-Founder of VAMOS, explored AI’s role in improving efficiency within operational processes. Highlighting VAMOS' product, Lucero, Richard described how AI efficiently manages high-volume tasks like customer emails and contract workflows. However, he stressed the importance of integrating AI as an enhancement tool rather than a replacement for human expertise.

Takeaway

For organisations to maximise AI’s benefits, foundational processes must be optimised first, ensuring AI integration complements decision-making and workflow support effectively.

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Tony Lynch – Enhancing Auto Financing with Synthetic Salespeople

Revolutionising Customer Interactions

Tony Lynch, Founder of CarPass.ai, introduced the concept of synthetic salespeople. This AI-powered innovation provides dynamic, conversational experiences for customers, bridging the gap left by traditional chatbots. CarPass.ai’s tools aim to create human-like customer engagements during the car-buying process.

A New Approach for the Future

Tony predicted a dramatic transformation of online interactions, foresaw AI-first interfaces replacing traditional websites, and urged businesses to make this shift swiftly.

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Dom Surlis – Balancing Policy and Market Realities

Plug-in Hybrids Under the Policy Microscope

Dom Surlis, Specialist Consultant at Ayvens, discussed the evolving policy landscape for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). He flagged potential volatility in the market due to shifts in emissions calculations and tax incentives, which may affect their attractiveness to fleet users and retailers.

Call for Stability

Dom urged government bodies to implement more stable, predictable policies to promote sustainable market growth without disrupting industries with abrupt changes.

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Tom McLennan – Revitalising EV Rentals

Bon Voyage Charge Campaign

Tom McLennan, Director of Policy & Public Affairs at BVRLA, championed the importance of improving EV rental infrastructure, particularly at key locations like airports. His “Bon Voyage Charge” campaign aims to develop better charging facilities to tackle logistical challenges.

Addressing Consumer Perceptions

McLennan also highlighted the educational gap when it comes to first-time EV renters, focusing on reducing range anxiety and improving familiarity with charging processes.

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Episode Takeaways

This special episode from the Asset Finance Connect Summer Conference highlighted two major themes that will shape the future of asset finance:

1. The imperative to address accessibility and infrastructure challenges for electric vehicles.

2. The strategic integration of AI to enhance efficiency and maintain a human-centric approach.

For professionals navigating this rapidly changing market, these insights provide valuable guidance. Listen to the full episode for actionable insights from industry leaders.

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