Cerence AI Expands Beyond the Vehicle to New Areas of the Automotive Ecosystem with Launch of AI Agents
Rhea-AI Summary
Cerence (NASDAQ: CRNC) introduced two new domain-specific AI agents — the dealer assist agent and the ownership companion agent — aimed at expanding its conversational, agentic AI beyond the vehicle into dealerships and OEM services.
The dealer assist agent automates lead capture, test-drive booking, service scheduling and integrates with CRM and DMS platforms to improve response times and routing. The ownership companion agent provides in-car diagnostics, alert interpretation, scheduling and multi-channel access (phone, web, messaging, app, in-car).
Both agents debut at CES 2026 and create a real-time, context-aware handoff between vehicle and dealership to extend brand engagement across the ownership journey.
Positive
- Announced two new AI agents (dealer assist, ownership companion)
- Agents debut at CES 2026 (Las Vegas, Booth #6826)
- Dealer agent integrates with CRM and DMS for seamless workflows
- Ownership agent supports multi-channel access (phone, web, messaging, app, in-car)
Negative
- No customer contracts, commercial pilots, or revenue guidance disclosed
- No concrete timeline or deployment figures for commercial rollouts
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Pre-news, CRNC was down -2.98% while close peers were mixed: PUBM +0.38%, ALTS +2.72%, MITK +1.21%, APPS -0.60%, RMNI flat. No clear sector-wide pattern.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 01 | Conference participation | Positive | -3.9% | Announced fireside chat and investor meetings at Raymond James conference. |
| Nov 19 | Earnings results | Positive | +1.3% | Beat FY25 guidance and guided FY26 revenue higher with patent payment. |
| Nov 05 | Earnings date notice | Neutral | +1.0% | Set date and time for fiscal Q4 results call and webcast. |
| Oct 16 | AI award | Positive | -3.0% | xUI platform named AutoTech AI Solution of the Year with tech details. |
| Oct 10 | Equity inducement | Neutral | +6.9% | Inducement RSU grant for new VP of Global Product Management. |
Recent news shows mixed reactions: strong fundamentals and AI wins sometimes saw negative moves, while a routine inducement grant coincided with the largest gain.
Over the last few months, Cerence reported strong FY25 earnings with revenue of $251.8M and FY26 guidance of $300M–$320M, plus a $49.5M patent settlement from Samsung. It continued highlighting its agentic AI strategy through xUI platform awards and collaborations and maintained active investor outreach via conferences. The December AI agents launch fits this pattern of broadening its AI ecosystem beyond in-car experiences, building on earlier mobile work agents and platform recognition.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement adds two new AI agents that connect dealerships and vehicle owners, extending Cerence’s agentic AI strategy beyond the dashboard. It follows earlier AI collaborations, awards, and platform showcases, reinforcing the company’s focus on domain-specific assistants. Key factors to watch include real-world uptake of the dealer assist and ownership companion agents, any expansion into non-automotive verticals, and how these offerings complement prior xUI-based initiatives and partnerships highlighted in recent releases.
Key Terms
conversational AI technical
agentic AI technical
OEMs technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS:
- Cerence AI introduces new conversational AI agents for dealerships and OEMs, growing its portfolio of agentic, domain-specific solutions and expanding to new areas beyond the in-vehicle experience.
- The dealer assist agent empowers automotive dealerships with intelligent sales and service automation, advancing Cerence’s strategy to deliver agentic AI solutions to extended automotive markets.
- The ownership companion agent enables OEMs to deliver an in-car AI service companion that provides proactive service and maintenance support to their drivers.
LAS VEGAS (CES 2026) and BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) (“Cerence AI”), a global leader in conversational AI-powered user experiences, today introduced two new AI agents to its ecosystem of intelligent, domain-specific agents built to address its customers’ most pressing challenges. The dealer assist agent, an AI agent designed to transform the way automotive dealerships engage with their customers, and the ownership companion agent, an in-car AI agent that assists drivers with service and maintenance needs, will debut at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. The new offerings follow the company’s recent introduction of its mobile work AI agent developed in collaboration with Microsoft.
“The introduction of these two domain-specific agents marks a significant evolution in our strategy to extend Cerence’s conversational and agentic AI leadership beyond the vehicle and into new areas of the automotive ecosystem and beyond,” said Sai Yagnyamurthy, GM, Growth & Strategic Verticals at Cerence AI. “By combining our deep expertise in in-car assistants with enterprise automation capabilities, we’re expanding the reach of Cerence AI to deliver intelligent, connected experiences that transform how drivers, dealers, and automakers engage across the entire customer journey.”
Meet the dealer assist agent
Today, dealerships face a growing disconnect between their customers’ expectations for a seamless experience and the operational realities of limited staff and fragmented technology systems. Almost half of online leads receive no response within the first 24 hours, despite research showing that companies contacting prospects within an hour of receiving a lead were about seven times as likely to qualify the lead.1
This disconnect impacts the bottom line for dealers: up to 15–
Acting as both a sales and service assistant, the dealer assist agent automates lead capture, test drive booking, and service scheduling while delivering real-time updates and routing high-value interactions to dealership staff. Deep integration with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Dealer Management System (DMS) platforms ensures every customer interaction is seamless, consistent, and personal – reducing response times, boosting satisfaction, and freeing advisors to focus on high-value interactions.
The agentic sales and service experience is extensible to markets beyond automotive.
“What we’ve built for automotive is just the beginning,” said Yagnyamurthy. “The same agentic intelligence that powers sales and service automation for dealers can be adapted to any industry that relies on high-volume customer engagement and complex workflows. We see enormous potential in expanding our ecosystem of purpose-built agents into new enterprise verticals, bringing Cerence’s AI leadership to markets beyond automotive.”
Introducing the ownership companion agent
The ownership companion agent support users with information and diagnostics for their car, including scheduling service. With more than
Drivers expect intelligent, always-available support throughout the car ownership journey, yet service experiences remain fragmented and inefficient. The ownership companion agent gives drivers an intelligent, always-on service companion within the car. It helps users diagnose issues, interpret alerts, and book service appointments instantly. It surfaces upgrade or trade-in opportunities for users, reinforcing brand loyalty while enabling OEMs to deliver proactive, personalized experiences that extend beyond the dashboard.
It also recognizes each driver, their vehicle, and their service history to deliver tailored recommendations and support. Accessible anytime through phone, web, messaging, mobile app, or in-car systems, the agent ensures a consistent experience across all channels, helping OEMs reinforce their brand values in every interaction.
Creating an AI-powered service loop
Packaged together, the two agents enable real-time, context-aware handoffs between the vehicle and the dealership, creating a service loop which empowers OEMs to extend their brand experience beyond the dashboard and helps dealers proactively engage customers in moments that matter
Visit Cerence at CES 2026
Cerence AI will showcase both agents live at Booth #6826, LVCC West Hall, during CES 2026 in Las Vegas. For more information about Cerence AI, visit www.cerence.ai, and follow the company on LinkedIn.
About Cerence Inc.
Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) is a global industry leader in creating intuitive, seamless, AI-powered experiences across automotive and transportation. Leveraging decades of innovation and expertise in voice, generative AI, and large language models, Cerence powers integrated experiences that create safer, more connected, and more enjoyable journeys for drivers and passengers alike. With more than 525 million cars shipped with Cerence technology, the company partners with leading automakers, transportation OEMs, and technology companies to advance the next generation of user experiences. Cerence is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with operations globally and a worldwide team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI innovation. For more information, visit www.cerence.ai.
Contact Information
For Media: press@cerence.com
For Investors: cerence@pondel.com
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1 https://hbr.org/2011/03/the-short-life-of-online-sales-leads
2 https://www.coxautoinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2024-Digitization-of-Automotive-Retail-Study_Media-deck-FINAL.pdf
3 https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2021-us-tech-experience-index-txi-study
FAQ
What did Cerence (CRNC) announce at CES 2026 on December 11, 2025?
How does the Cerence dealer assist agent for CRNC help dealerships?
What capabilities does the Cerence ownership companion agent (CRNC) provide to drivers?
When and where will Cerence (CRNC) showcase the new agents?
Will Cerence (CRNC) connect the vehicle to dealerships with these agents?
