Auto retail technology company SpinCar has acquired Pulsar AI, a conversational platform provider that helps dealerships respond to customer leads.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though SpinCar said the acquisition closed Tuesday. The New York-based company said in a news release that Pulsar's technology and 30 employees will become part of SpinCar.
SpinCar is a digital merchandising software company whose technology includes virtual, 360-degree vehicle walk-arounds that appear on dealerships' vehicle detail pages. Pulsar's virtual-assistant tool uses machine learning and natural language processing to communicate with online vehicle shoppers, including outside of traditional business hours.
"This acquisition will enable us to accelerate our platform expansion efforts to meet growing demand for digital capabilities that deliver more engaging and personalized experiences to vehicle shoppers at every touch point," SpinCar CEO Devin Daly said in a statement.
SpinCar said the acquisition will allow it to feature its own digital content and images in more communication between dealers and customers, including through email and text messages.
Pulsar's headquarters and teams working in R&D, product development, engineering and operations are based in Tbilisi, Georgia, according to SpinCar. Its U.S. office is in San Francisco. Both locations will be part of SpinCar going forward, according to the company.
"SpinCar has established itself as a trusted partner to thousands of auto dealers around the world, and we share a common belief that technology can be used to drive operational efficiencies while also delivering a better shopping experience," Pulsar AI CEO Dachi Choladze said in a statement.
The Pulsar AI name will go away as the company is integrated into SpinCar and Choladze "will become an active member of SpinCar's executive leadership team," SpinCar spokesman Alexis Cardona said.
