# Why we built Auto Power Search **Short answer:** Auto Power Search grew out of my own car search. Three cars in five years, nine platforms, a spreadsheet as a workaround, and one missed offer that settled it. A dealer contributed the feature list that became the first roadmap. What came out of it is a platform that starts from what people need and translates vehicle data into language anyone can read. “We exist because searching for a car frustrated me so much.” Marc Pedri, founder of Auto Power Search ## Three cars, five years, nine platforms Over the past five years I bought three cars. One for me, two for my family. I searched autoscout24.ch, autolina.ch, autouncle.ch, tutti.ch and comparis.ch. Then I widened the search across the border: gebrauchtwagen.at, willhaben.at, mobile.de. Plus the dealers’ own websites. Pretty quickly I was sitting in a spreadsheet, copying by hand everything that mattered. It helped me keep track and stay focused on what I actually needed. ## The offer I missed A car purchase rarely happens right away. It happens soon. And when a good offer appears, you have to run. Time passes and good offers disappear. At some point I wondered whether I was on the wrong platform, or had imagined that car altogether. Back to the spreadsheet. The link I had saved led nowhere. The car was sold. One opportunity gone, and the search started almost from zero. At least from then on I knew exactly what I wanted. The feeling of missing that one chance took care of that. On none of those platforms did I get the prompts that would have kept me in the game, focused and pointed at what mattered. ## A dealer’s list became the first roadmap Then I met a dealer who worked at one of the largest importers in Switzerland. I told him about the idea. He was kind enough to hand me a list of features he missed on every platform he knew. That list became the very first product roadmap. Instead of waiting for someone else to solve this one day, I got my hands dirty. A small team, plus a larger one made of several AI agents. And everything I had learned. ## Where that experience comes from It started about 15 years ago. I was project director at Nurun in Barcelona, running SEAT Global’s marketing initiatives across every digital channel. I convinced SEAT to build the first brand-owned online sales platform for their new and used cars: Losincreiblesdeseat.es. Even then my focus was the user experience. And one thing stood out: nobody had ever built a car configurator that translates technical jargon into human language. Back then everyone asked whether you wanted a 1.6 CDI or a 1.8 TDI. What is the difference? How is anyone supposed to choose? Today the same question simply wears different clothes: xDrive 40i or M60i xDrive, 330e or 318i, 2.8-l-D-4D. ## User-centred instead of product-centred Behind this sits one of the most common marketing problems there is: the difference between user-centred and product-centred marketing. User-centred marketing puts people’s needs at the centre. Product-centred marketing puts the product first, driven by features and technical terms that sometimes need a dictionary. So my mission was set: build a platform that starts from what people need, gives them a good experience, and leads to the right car in four ways. - For everyone who knows exactly what they want. The detailed search, with every filter. - For everyone who wants to discover it. The playful swipe search that learns your taste as you go. - For everyone who wants guidance. The configurator, which starts from your life and your budget rather than from engine displacement. - For everyone who would rather hand the search over. The AI search agent, which watches the market for months and gets in touch as soon as something fits. ## A year of data work The sheer volume of vehicle data is rarely well structured or documented. That made the road here demanding. After a year of analysing, crunching and rebuilding, the result speaks for itself. ## The platform is ready It is finished and packed with features I am proud of. On the “nice to have” features we saved not a single penny. Onboarding of the first dealers is under way. I am personally looking forward to opening the public side as soon as enough vehicles are listed. And if you have ever missed a feature on a platform like this one, get in touch. My ears are wide open for what you need. We will find a way to get it done. ## FAQ **Who is behind Auto Power Search?** It was founded by Marc Pedri, previously project director at Nurun in Barcelona with responsibility for SEAT Global's digital channels. It is built by a small team, supported by several AI agents. **Is Auto Power Search independent?** Yes. The platform belongs to no importer and no dealer group. That is why every dealer gets the same tools on the same terms. **Where does the platform stand today?** In founding-dealer onboarding. The public side for buyers opens as soon as enough vehicles are listed. **How do I reach the founder directly?** Through the form at the end of this article, or the contact page: /en-ch/support. Every message reaches a person who knows your business.