Autonomous AI agents can now take on some of the most time-consuming front-of-house tasks in independent garages, from handling customer enquiries and routine quotes to managing bookings, Garage Hive Managing Director Ray Dilsons explains in a landmark episode of The Blend Podcast.
Recorded for the first time in person at the On the Ramp Podcast studio, the wide-ranging conversation explores the origins of Garage Hive, the role of community collaboration in developing independent workshop software, and what technologies including autonomous AI agents and open ecosystems could mean for progressive garage owners.
Reflecting on his transition from developing complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for franchised dealer networks to launching Garage Hive in 2016, Ray explains how the transparency and directness of the UK independent sector influenced a fundamentally different approach to software development.
“In car dealerships, you’re dealing with manufacturer politics and selling to the factory, not the owner,” said Ray. “The independent sector is honest and direct. With Garage Hive, by building a standardised platform where workshops share the ongoing research and development costs, it became like a software-share or a crowdfunded project. It’s not just community-driven, it was built by the community and the collection of their ideas.”
A central theme of the episode is the changing role of technology within garages. Ray cuts through the current industry focus on artificial intelligence to explain how AI can move beyond being a buzzword and start delivering practical benefits at the front of house.
Drawing on Garage Hive’s latest developments with APIs, Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), and automated communication tools, he explains how autonomous AI agents could increasingly take responsibility for repetitive, labour-intensive tasks, including handling initial enquiries, quoting routine jobs and managing bookings.
“AI is great at writing code, but that alone doesn’t transform a garage business,” he explained. “The real breakthrough is AI agents boosting productivity to help busy workshops serve more customers without burning out existing staff.”
For Ray, however, the opportunity comes with a clear warning. As independent garages increasingly connect third-party technologies to their core systems, he stresses the importance of data security, reliability and understanding who is behind the technology being introduced into the business.
“When you plug third-party software into your business, you’re effectively handing over the keys to your company,” he added. “You have to know who is behind the tools and ensure your core foundation is robust.”
The episode also looks ahead to The Blend 2026, taking place at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on Saturday 10th October, where ray highlights the value of peer-led learning and collaboration between independent garage owners.
He also shares his excitement for keynote speaker Rory Sutherland, who will explore brand perception and how garage owners can better communicate the true value of their businesses to motorists.
“Ray’s perspective cuts through a lot of the noise around AI,” said host of The Blend Podcast, Mike Ruff. “The technology is moving quickly, but the real question for garage owners is how they can use it to make their businesses more productive, without losing control of the systems and data they rely on.”
The Blend Podcast’s special episode is available to stream now across all major podcast platforms and YouTube.
Tickets for The Blend 2026 conference and networking event are strictly limited and selling fast. Workshop owners can find full event details and secure their passes at www.theblend.events.
