Keyloop has been seeing real traction with its new Fusion ARP (Automotive Retail Platform) since it launched in 2025. Designed to provide dealers with the ability to optimize their entire vehicle sales and after sales process, it is built around four key aspects of dealer operations. These consist of Demand, Supply, Operate and Ownership. The goal is to not only streamline operations within the store, but deliver a tailored, Experience-First solution to the customer. This represents a new concept in automotive retail, and Keyloop will be showcasing Fusion ARP’s capabilities during a special Fusion Live event on April 22 in Toronto at the Paramount Eventspace (https://keyloop.com/events/fusion-live-toronto-26-registration). To gain further insights into how Keyloop is changing the face of automotive retailing and what Fusion can do, Autosphere sat down with Keyloop CEO Tom Kilroy. Here’s what he had to say:

AS: Tom, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. Just first question really is, can you tell us a little bit about some of the most recent developments happening at Keyloop?

Tom Kilroy: The big thing for Keyloop at the moment is the launch of our Fusion product set. We’ve got more than 200 dealers [early adopters] who are already using the platform. For us, this represents a creative phase where we’re bringing a lot of new stuff to the market. We have a series of initiatives that are all about improving the overall customer journey, encapsulating everything we do with the vehicle, including inventory and the whole purchase experience from initial contact, to the showroom and then the ownership phase before coming back around again. It’s really about creating a complete experience and then having the repeat and renewal cycle with the objective of building long term customer retention and loyalty.

AS: In automotive retail, we talk a lot about optimizing the customer experience, but from your perspective, what are some of the key issues that are still facing dealers when it comes to delivering it with a consistent, smooth, satisfying and simple journey when it comes to that experience?

TK: Today, dealers are working really hard to try and deliver that experience. The issue, is that often, they’re utilizing fragmented systems, and that can end up with a “broken” customer journey. There are a number of things that can go wrong along the way. For example, data doesn’t get transferred, or records are lost and you have to recreate them and that, frankly, doesn’t help. What you really need is a holistic view of both the customer and the vehicle through every stage of the cycle. That was the concept we started from when creating Fusion ARP.

AS: As we get further into 2026, what do you see as some of the biggest opportunities for dealers in working with a key partner like Keyloop to elevate that customer journey and experience?

TK: It’s important to understand that today, customers are looking for a different kind of experience and that continues to change. Needs are evolving and younger buyers are entering the market with different expectations.They are looking for a home-oriented, internal journey type of experience. And with that in mind, there are significant opportunities for improving the customer experience. A big one revolves around efficiency, which is particularly critical in today’s market where conditions are tough. So our goal is improve efficiency and productivity, enabling us to do more with the people and resources we have.

AS: If applicable, can you share some insights about your upcoming Fusion Live event in Toronto on April 22 and perhaps what dealers and the industry can expect?

TK: At Fusion Live in Toronto, we’re going to showcase all of the four domains-Supply, Demand, Operate and Ownership.This includes the supply that vehicle inventory feeds into, then the demand, with customers coming in through websites and into the showroom, and then into the ownership phase, which is really important. When a customer owns a vehicle, the experience they have in selling it sets expectations all over again and, determines whether that customer will return to the dealership and remain loyal to that store and that vehicle brand. So, at Fusion Live, we are going to go through that entire process and share the whole journey.

AS: In today’s automotive retail environment, we hear a lot of conversations around AI and how to leverage it. From your perspective, where does it really count and how can it really optimize outcomes for both dealers and their customers.

TK: There is a lot to unpack when it comes to AI. While there is still a lot of uncertainty and fear surround it, I feel it’s incredibly important to acknowledge that we’ve  got real opportunity to use AI to improve efficiency. Whether that’s in how you load the service department, all the way through to handling customers through agentic AI technology, there is a major opportunity to improve and enhance operations and the client experience. Keyloop recently made an acquisition in the AI space, and we think there’s a big opportunity to use it not to replace people, but to make everybody more effective, and to free up time that they’re currently having to spend on tasks that are bureaucratic or internally focused so they can focus more on their customers. Within that context, AI is really about augmentation—helping people perform their roles more efficiently and effectively.

AS: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

TK: At Keyloop, we have a long history of being involved with the automotive industry. We’ve been around for more than four decades, and our mission has and continues to be, to make dealers as effective as they can be. With a new generation of software coming through now and the opportunities available through AI, we want to ensure our customers can really benefit from these new offerings and succeed in what is a rapidly changing and evolving automotive retail environment.