Comentis launches auto platform to flag vulnerable buyers

Comentis has launched Comentis Auto for the automotive sector, a platform designed to identify financially vulnerable customers and share that information with finance providers.

The launch addresses a gap in how dealerships and lenders record and pass on vulnerability data during vehicle purchases financed through credit. Identification rates across the sector are typically below 1%, according to Comentis, while data from more than 120,000 assessments carried out through its system suggests about 12% of customers are experiencing financial vulnerability.

The product targets dealerships and online car-buying channels that need to meet Financial Conduct Authority consumer protection standards. It introduces a standardised assessment process that sales teams can use at the point of sale, while finance providers receive reporting and audit records through separate portals.

A key feature is a data-sharing model described as "Tell Us Once", under which vulnerability information can move from the dealership to the lender without requiring the customer to repeat the same disclosure. Comentis says the model is intended to address longstanding breaks in communication across automotive distribution chains.

The issue has gained prominence as firms face greater scrutiny over how they identify and support customers in vulnerable circumstances. Complaints linked to vulnerability have risen, Comentis says, with some consumers using artificial intelligence tools to draft formal grievances when they believe their needs were missed during the sales or finance process.

Jonathan Barrett, Chief Executive Officer of Comentis, said the figures show a large gap between recorded vulnerability and the level suggested by completed assessments.

"The automotive finance sector still has a long way to go when it comes to its Consumer Duty obligations to identify and support those who are vulnerable. Sub-1% identification rates simply aren't good enough when one in eight customers is facing some form of vulnerability. Until now, dealerships and finance providers have operated in silos using inconsistent processes, but this can put both the customer and the automotive firm at risk, especially as AI is making it easier than ever for consumers to challenge poor outcomes. Comentis Auto provides a clinical, end-to-end platform for the automotive industry to identify financial vulnerability, protecting firms from rising regulatory scrutiny while ensuring vulnerable buyers get the tailored support they require," Barrett said.

Data gap

The Financial Conduct Authority has pushed firms to improve how they handle customer vulnerability under Consumer Duty rules. Comentis says its new platform also reflects the regulator's CP26/23 guidance, which urges firms to share relevant vulnerability data across distribution chains rather than treat each step of the customer journey in isolation.

In practical terms, a dealership identifying a customer who may need extra support can pass that information securely to a finance provider considering a lending decision. Comentis says this should help firms create clearer records of what checks were carried out, what support was offered and how decisions were made.

According to figures released alongside the launch, Comentis' automotive assessments have already been used at scale across UK dealerships, with more than 120,000 completed in the sector.

Dealer use

Automotive Systems, which already uses Comentis across its client network, said the automotive retail setting presents particular challenges because staff must identify potential vulnerability during a sales interaction that is often fast-moving and commercially sensitive.

"Identifying vulnerability on the forecourt is complex and takes real expertise. This new platform from Comentis is a massive step forward for the automotive sector because it has been purpose-built for car dealerships and takes into consideration all the nuances of the automotive industry. Comentis Auto takes the guesswork out for our teams and gives our retail clients complete confidence that vulnerable buyers are accurately identified, treated with empathy and supported correctly. The fact that it seamlessly connects dealership data with finance providers is a bonus too," Sheriff said.

Comentis launched in 2021 and focuses on assessments intended to help firms identify customers whose financial, personal or health circumstances may affect decision-making or resilience. It now processes more than 70,000 assessments a month across wealth management, automotive and consumer finance, according to the company.

Barrett said growing use of AI by consumers is adding pressure on firms that cannot show how they considered vulnerability during the sales process.

"With regulatory scrutiny tightening and AI making it near effortless for consumers to challenge poor outcomes, automotive firms can no longer rely on guesswork or fragmented processes. Comentis Auto takes the heavy lifting off dealerships and automotive finance by automating objective, clinically backed data collection. Crucially, our 'Tell Us Once' framework protects customer dignity, so consumers don't have to repeatedly discuss their financial struggles. It's about giving the industry the robust audit trail it needs for the FCA while ensuring vulnerable customers get the empathy and tailored support they deserve," Barrett said.