In an industry increasingly defined by a need for both speed and security, Dealertrack, a Cox Automotive brand, has unveiled a significant expansion of its digital finance capabilities. The company is introducing a suite of new APIs, product enhancements, and integrations designed to automate the funding process and remove friction from the consumer buying journey. This strategic move aims to enable what Dealertrack describes as “auto-fundable contracts”—loans that can be cleared and funded without manual intervention.
The announcement comes at a turbulent time for automotive retail. With fraud costs hitting an estimated $9 billion in 2025 and consumers demanding seamless, omnichannel shopping experiences, the pressure on lenders and dealerships to modernize their workflows has never been greater. According to Dealertrack’s data, 86 percent of auto finance contracts are now eligible for digital submission, setting the stage for a shift toward fully automated funding.
“We led the automation of credit applications, and now Dealertrack is focused on helping lenders and dealers achieve the pinnacle of efficiency with auto-fundable contracts,” said Andy Mayers, lender solutions strategist, Cox Automotive. “Everyone wins when buyers spend less time at the dealership, dealers can close deals faster and more profitably, and lenders can reallocate resources spent manually reviewing contracts to other important business initiatives.”
Streamlining the Path to Funding
Central to this new initiative is the goal of reducing the rehash of deal structures and eliminating manual reviews. Dealertrack is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze and compare deal data and documents against lender policies prior to submission. This proactive validation is designed to drastically reduce the risk of returned contracts and delayed funding, allowing lenders to trust the data they receive.
The company is also tackling one of the most cumbersome aspects of the finance process: stipulation management. New enhancements will automate the capture and clearing of stipulations—particularly regarding income verification—at the point of sale. Later in 2026, Dealertrack plans to introduce real-time clearing for these documents, further accelerating the transaction speed.
Omnichannel and Aftermarket Innovations
Recognizing that 91 percent of buyers now complete some or all purchase steps online, Dealertrack has expanded its contracting services with a complete set of digital retailing APIs. These tools allow partners to originate contracts on their own platforms while ensuring data flows accurately across marketplaces. This flexibility supports a true “anytime, anywhere” purchase model, enabling buyers to transition seamlessly between online research and in-store signing, or to complete the entire process remotely.
Additionally, the company is addressing the complexity of aftermarket products, which appear on over 61 percent of contracts today. Through a partnership with F&I Sentinel, dealers now gain insights into their lending partners’ acceptance and compliance of aftermarket forms. Future updates will include the capability to validate data on these forms against financing contracts, streamlining a process that could involve navigating over 250,000 different form variations.
Combating the Rising Cost of Fraud
Security remains a top priority in the new suite. Dealertrack is deploying tools specifically designed to mitigate the risk of synthetic identity fraud, leveraging a partnership with Point Predictive’s BorrowerCheck. By integrating risk mitigation directly into the workflow—from credit application to final signature—Dealertrack aims to secure the digital experience without adding cumbersome steps for legitimate buyers.
“Reducing fraud and automating the funding process are lenders’ top priorities,” said Mayers. “They need more communication with their digital contracting dealers about contract issues prior to submission. Lenders have also asked us to deliver the results of point-of sale validations at the time of funding to reduce manual reviews. Dealertrack’s investment in AI, risk mitigation, and partnerships like those with F&I Sentinel and Point Predictive are getting us to our goal of a fully automated funding process.”
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