NADA was thrilled to welcome more than 600 delegates from across South Africa – a record-breaking turnout that more than doubled our previous year’s attendance.
Whether you were in the room on the day or caught up with the event highlights at a later stage, the message was clear: South African dealers are not just witnessing the evolution of the ‘dealership of the future.’ they are keen to drive it locally. This year’s conference provided a vital roadmap for navigating a landscape being redefined by policy shifts, artificial intelligence, and new global standards of customer experience.
The conference opened with a presentation by Ipeleng Mabusela, CEO of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), who emphasised the critical role the retail and aftermarket sectors play in the broader economic landscape.
Mabusela’s address served as a clarion call to policymakers for better resource allocation, localisation incentives, and demand-side policy coherence to reflect the sector’s true economic weight.
The technological shift
Moving from policy to practice, the conference highlighted the technological tools essential for future-proofing dealerships. Dean Furman, CEO of 1064 Degrees, noted that while many South African companies claim to have embraced Artificial Intelligence (AI), most are merely ‘dabbling’ rather than fully leveraging its power. He went on to demonstrate how AI can level the playing field for smaller dealerships.
Building on the momentum of innovation, Tony Liu, CEO of Chery Group SA, shared how the group is leveraging both physical expansion and cutting-edge robotics to redefine the customer experience. In what will be a first for the South African market, Liu announced that Chery aims to deploy in its local dealerships its bipedal robot that are designed to function as a dealership aid – answering questions, responding to instructions, and assisting customers in a natural and humanlike manner. This will really be interesting to see.
Providing a further real-world case study of this digital evolution, Wynand Beukes, Deputy CEO and Chief Digital Officer of WeBuyCars, shared the business’ journey of transforming from rudimentary IT systems in 2018 into the AI-powered juggernaut it is today, trading roughly 17 500 vehicles monthly. However, Beukes reassured delegates that AI is not a replacement for human staff, but a tool for augmentation, making people more efficient and effective in their roles.
Global context
The local insights shared at #NADAConnect closely mirrored global trends observed at the NADA Show 2026 in Las Vegas (detailed report provided in a dedicated section). Ashley Samuel, National Director of the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA), who recently returned from a Study Tour in the USA, shared notes from the study tour, which confirm that a rapid shift toward data-driven models is a worldwide phenomenon, accompanied by an equally seismic shift in the marketing landscape, spearheaded by influencer marketing.
The power of influence
A panel discussion at #NADAConnect, chaired by Philippa McCann-Davies and featuring leading South African influencers and content creators, confirmed this, highlighting how authentic storytelling through content creators can reach audiences at a fraction of the cost of conventional advertising.
The consensus was clear. To thrive in this new environment, dealers must prioritise Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), build trust through and reviews, and maintain an active, managed presence on the platforms where their customers spend their time.
Appealing to young people
This is in part what sparked one of the most interesting developments announced at this year’s NADA Connect – the launch of Motoring Mavericks, a NADA-powered movement dedicated to reshaping the image of our industry for the youth. By using social media platforms to showcase the diverse career paths available within modern dealerships, this initiative aims to attract the brightest young talent to our sector. Look out for the dedicated feature on Motoring Mavericks later in this newsletter for more details.
As we look toward the horizon of a more digital, data-driven industry, the success of #NADAConnect 2026 stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit of our community.
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the speakers, the 600+ delegates who joined us on the day, as well as the exhibitors whose support was instrumental in making the event our most successful to date.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of our sponsors. We extend our sincere thanks to Automate, Cars.co.za, Lightstone, Tracker, and WesBank for their valuable partnership. We truly appreciate your contribution and look forward to working together again at #NADAConnect 2027.
Presentations and Media Now Available
For those who wish to revisit the sessions or catch up on what you might have missed, we have made all speaker presentations, event videos, and image gallery available on the NADA website. We encourage all members to utilise these resources as you continue to future-proof your businesses.
View the #NADAConnect 2026 resources here: https://nada.co.za/home/dpp/annual-conference/
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