Weelee introduces car searches in SA’s official languages

Weelee, the omnichannel used for car buying and selling, has launched a generative and artificial intelligence (AI) powered search engine that allows users to find their car in any of SA’s 11 official languages.

Weelee calls it a substantial leap forward for the sector and engagement as most car search engines are designed to accept mostly English terminology.

“The majority of South Africans start their car buying journey online but are forced to conduct their research in English which is the first language of just 4.9m people,” says Anton De Souza, CEO of Weelee.

A search engine that adapts to your language preference makes buying a car a lot more enjoyable and accessible to a lot more people. If you’re looking for a “Vura”, “Lekker wiele” or “Caracara” as some of the local colloquialisms, you’ll most likely to be met with “no results found”.

Weelee’s new technology removes the restrictions of traditional search filters and in addition to its multilingual capability, the search engine also allows users to type as they would talk when searching for a car. For example, “find me a reliable car for a student” instantly results in a refined selection of cost-effective but dependable cars.

Generative AI is said to enhance the automotive industry in many ways, from the way cars are designed, to how they are manufactured and marketed.   

“The days of having the apply multiple filters are over. With precision and speed, car shoppers can now find exactly what they are looking for, in any language of their choice,” said De Souza.