Carsome Group consolidates cloud infrastructure, shifts data and AI-driven innovation into high gear with Google Cloud and Searce

• Carsome will work with Searce to unify its cloud infrastructure
• Move to Google Cloud enables better insights,  personalised engagement

Carsome Group Inc., Google Cloud, and Searce have announced a multi-year collaboration to drive Carsome’s expansion across its markets. The partnership will leverage Google Cloud’s modern infrastructure, cybersecurity, data analytics, and generative AI to enhance the car transaction and ownership experience for consumers and used car dealers, reinforcing Carsome’s position as Southeast Asia’s leading integrated car e-commerce platform.

Kjetil Rohde Jakobsen, group chief technology officer, Carsome Group, said: “Since 2015, Carsome has been digitising the used car industry with advanced technologies. As our business continues to grow, we saw an opportunity to strengthen our digital foundation to support expanding operations and improve efficiencies.”

“Consolidating our cloud infrastructure with Google Cloud not only delivers cost savings through better price-performance but also provides secure, full-stack capabilities in data analytics and AI. This enables us to create more dynamic and differentiated solutions for Carsome customers and partners, from car discovery and financing to after-sales support,” he added.

In 2024, Carsome claimed it surpassed 500,000 cars sold since inception, with 150,000 sales in 2023 alone. To support its growth, the company will tap Searce’s expertise to transition to a unified cloud model, migrating core applications and databases to Google Cloud’s workload-optimised infrastructure for deeper integration and continuous software improvements.

Moving to a modern cloud infrastructure will accelerate Carsome’s ability to deliver new services through its digital platforms (e.g. the Carsome consumer app, Carsome CARagent, and Carsome CARdealer), refurbishment facilities, and inspection centres. To strengthen security and compliance, Carsome is also adopting Google Cloud’s built-in data controls and Security Command Centre for advanced threat detection.

Yash Thakker, director, solutions consulting, Asia Pacific, Searce, said: “We’re proud to support Carsome’s cloud consolidation, optimising its cloud spend by up to 30%. These savings can be reinvested in innovation, such as AI-powered customer service solutions that improve query handling while freeing up support teams for more complex issues.”

“With a team of certified in-house experts, Searce is well-positioned to support full-scale infrastructure migration to Google Cloud and the implementation of cutting-edge AI solutions,” he added.

Beyond cost savings and faster software development cycles, Carsome’s move to Google Cloud will provide granular insights for improved decision-making and personalised customer engagement. The company’s first-party data will be warehoused on Google Cloud’s BigQuery, integrated with Looker for business intelligence and Google Marketing Platform.

Using BigQuery’s native integration with Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform, Carsome can process and stream structured and unstructured data to enhance its AI applications, including:

• A proprietary pricing engine that predicts a car’s optimal value based on model, age, mileage, and other factors to ensure the best deals for buyers and sellers.
• A photo analysis system that automatically masks car plate numbers to protect customer privacy while streamlining vehicle inspections.
• A generative AI-powered contact centre solution that evaluates customer interactions and provides recommendations to improve agent performance.

Carsome is also using BigQuery and Vertex AI Agent Builder to embed semantic search capabilities into its internal tools. This allows employees to intuitively extract relevant information from its growing enterprise knowledge base, reducing research time and enabling teams to create more effective solutions for car buyers and sellers.

Serene Sia, country director, Malaysia and Singapore, Google Cloud, said: “By running on Google Cloud’s fully managed infrastructure, Carsome can confidently expand its operations, scale its pre-owned vehicle inventory, and streamline vehicle movements between inspection centres, refurbishment facilities, and customers.”

“Together with Searce, we look forward to completing Carsome’s cloud consolidation and advancing its innovation roadmap. This includes leveraging generative and agentic AI to create more seamless car transaction and ownership experiences while driving new growth opportunities,” she added.