RockED, a mobile sales enablement platform for the automotive industry, is partnering with Impel, an automotive artificial intelligence solutions provider, to launch a standardized AI certification. 

The Automotive AI certification program is designed to arm dealership employees and workers throughout the industry with practical knowledge to help them work collaboratively with AI technology across critical dealership functions, including sales, service, merchandising and marketing. Certified learners will gain marketable skills, positioning them as leaders in the rapidly evolving automotive retailing sector. The companies say rigorous testing standards will be used to ensure that certificate holders demonstrate proficiency in understanding and applying automotive AI technology in a dealership setting. 

The announcement of an industrywide certification program comes at a time when more than half of dealership executives are considering incorporating AI solutions, according to a 2024 CDK AI in Automotive survey. Repetitive tasks are being automated, and staff are being augmented with new technological capabilities, requiring dealers to rethink traditional workflows and processes. As a result, team members are being asked to take on new roles and reallocate time and effort to more strategic, higher-value activities. To support the shifts, training and upskilling are becoming critical needs for both dealers and their employees.        

“This partnership with Impel, and the launch of an industry-wide AI certification program, represents a transformative step for automotive retailing,” said RockED CEO Matthias Stoever. “By bringing together Impel’s deep automotive AI expertise with RockED’s innovative learning and development approach, we will be able to upskill the workforce and advance the careers of thousands of dealership employees. This is exactly why RockED was founded, and I look forward to working with Impel to make a meaningful impact on the industry as a whole.”

The Automotive AI certification program will feature an estimated 70 micro-learning guides aimed at preparing dealership employees for success in working alongside AI technology. Each guide will contain actionable content delivered via bite-sized videos designed to create an interactive and engaging learning environment. Managers and staff can track progress and access content at any time through the RockEd mobile application learning platform. To further amplify the value of the certification, RockED and Impel are introducing digital completion badges and achievement certificates that learners can display on social platforms, email signatures and resumes. The badges will highlight employee expertise, add transferable skills to their professional career transcripts, and improve career opportunities in an industry increasingly shaped by advanced technologies.

As part of the partnership, Impel will also work with RockED to develop and deliver a customized training program for Impel AI customers. The training will include practical tips and best practices for leveraging the Impel AI platform to optimize business processes and performance. 

“Contrary to what some people have feared, AI isn’t going to lead to job loss but rather create new, more meaningful opportunities for knowledge workers in the automotive industry,” said Impel co-founder and CEO Devin Daly “There is a growing belief that the employees most likely to benefit over the next 10 years are those that embrace the changing nature of work by learning to effectively work alongside AI technology. This partnership is designed to do just that, and we are thrilled to be working with RockED to prepare workers to thrive in an AI-enabled future.”