Hayes: The Future Is Already in the Bay

There's been a lot of chatter about artificial intelligence in auto repair. Let's break down how it can be used for your business in its current state.
July 28, 2025
4 min read

When most of the automotive industry was just beginning to whisper about AI, we were already building… experimenting… iterating… 

At AutoShop Answers and the Houston Boston Partnership, we aren’t just talking about the future—we’re building it. Right now. With real shops, real technology, and real results. 

While others are still debating whether artificial intelligence will take jobs away, we’re using it to create better ones. Our mission is not to replace humans—it’s to enhance every position, speed up service, eliminate inefficiencies, and elevate the entire guest experience to what we call Auto Hospitality™.

AIX: The Intelligence Behind It All 

Working with industry visionary Michael Floyd and our dedicated development team, we’ve launched AutoShop AIX, our custom‑built AI integration platform that connects every critical touchpoint across our network. This is not plug‑and‑play software. This is purpose‑built intelligence developed with the industry’s best—including Tekmetric, WickedFile, Rilla, and our new ERP backbone: NetSuite. 

With AIX we’re making a bold bet: being the most AI‑forward, AI‑native shop in the world will help us lead from the front. AI is a moving target—new tools and models launch every day—and we commit to staying at the bleeding edge, bringing the most impactful technologies into the shops in our ecosystem. 

The Platform in Action 

Imagine pulling out your phone, shooting a 30‑second under‑hood video, and—before you even set the phone down—AIX trims the clip, adds captions, and texts it to the customer with a clear repair note. Tap once more and AIX narrates the vehicle’s entire maintenance history in your voice. That’s what the platform already does. 

Our AI engineers and shop veterans keep a running list of every repetitive chore that steals time from guests or compromises repair quality. If the payoff makes sense, we automate it today; if the tech isn’t quite ready, we track it until it is. Month after month, more of those “someday” ideas become real‑world features. 

The AIX Portal: Your Roadmap to Auto Hospitality 

The AIX Portal gives every shop owner a clear, visual roadmap toward becoming an Auto Hospitality powerhouse—and surrounds them with the tools, support, and community needed to make the climb. Think of it like a coach moving an athlete from amateur to pro: daily training plans, nutrition guidance, accountability partners. Success still demands hard work and discipline, but the Portal turns the impossible into the achievable by laying out each step and offering support. 

Built on our key‑to‑key‑to‑callbacks operating model, the Portal helps owners: 

  •     Identify today’s bottlenecks and tomorrow’s opportunities 
  •     Track progress against milestones and benchmarks 
  •     Access AI‑powered playbooks, managed services, and expert coaching 

We track hundreds of milestones—from straightforward wins like always saying “yes” on the phone, to tougher achievements such as opening seven days a week, ensuring every customer receives a next‑day thank‑you call, and staffing exclusively with A‑players. 

Where we’re headed next: we’re layering in deeper integrations to make the Portal the industry’s one‑stop shop: 

  •     Live daily P&Ls 
  •     Automated month‑end reconciliations (done by the 3rd) 
  •     Unit‑ and individual‑level performance dashboards through integrations with coaching platforms such as Rilla 
  •     Always‑on AI coaching and managed‑services offload 

Whether you operate a single store or a fifty‑store platform, the Portal lights the path and supplies the fuel. 

Scaling Through AI‑Driven Integration 

Our platform scales elite operators. Some shops qualify for Turn One Integration—plugging in on day one. Others take a 12‑ to 24‑month integration pathway, guided by AI‑powered onboarding, training, and performance alignment. 

And we do it without lowering our standards. This isn’t just a roll‑up—it’s a transformation. 

What About Robots? 

Could a humanoid robot change a water pump? Probably—but not until 2032–2035, and only in highly optimized environments. While the world imagines robotic torque wrenches and AI eyes in every bay, we’re putting AI where it works now: 

  •     Video approvals 
  •     Voice‑to‑work‑order documentation 
  •     Rilla‑powered guest‑interaction coaching 
  •     Smart labor forecasting 

The techs who thrive tomorrow are the ones who embrace AI today. 

The Industry’s Wake‑Up Call

Thanks to AI, there has never been a better time in history for hard‑working people to be richly rewarded. Don’t know where to start? Ask AI as your strategic coach. Need to understand accounting, hire great people, or improve phone conversions? Ask AI. Unsure what’s fluff and what’s real? Follow our journey as we separate hype from value and share what works on the ground. 

The Path Forward 

Adams Automotive is our lab. Houston Boston Partnership is our engine. AutoShop Answers is our infrastructure. Together, we’re scaling toward $300 million with the best people, best tech, and best shops in the country. 

We invite you to join us—not just to transform your shop, but to transform your life. Adopt AI not as a threat, but as a partner. Because when used right, AI doesn’t replace the service advisor or technician—it empowers them to lead the future. 

Don’t be the shop where your team is just pulling a shift. Don’t let your business become a dead‑end job for talented people. Create careers. Build a legacy. 

About the Author

Todd Hayes

Todd Hayes is a nationally recognized automotive industry leader, media personality, and co-founder of the Houston Boston Partnership (HBP)one of the fastest growing independent automotive service platforms in the United States.
 
With nearly four decades of experience, Todd has built and scaled multiple multi million dollar automotive companies, beginning with Mobile Car Care in 1986 and later founding RepairOne in 2002. Today, through HBP and the AutoShop Answers platform, he is helping redefine what a modern automotive service company can look like combining operational excellence, advanced technology, and a hospitality driven customer experience model known as Auto Hospitality™.
 
Under his leadership, the Houston Boston Partnership has grown into a multi market platform on a trajectory toward nine figure revenue, while maintaining industry leading performance metrics and a reputation for “World Class Service.” At the same time, Todd continues to play a significant role in shaping the industry through media, training, and thought leadership.
 
Todd is the creator of the Key to Key to Callbacks operating system, a proven model for driving customer experience, retention, and profitability across multi unit service organizations. Through AutoShop Answers, he provides training, recruiting, and call center infrastructure to shops nationwide, helping elevate standards across the automotive aftermarket.
 
In addition to his operational success, Todd has had a distinguished media career. He hosted the nationally recognized Auto Show Special, earning the prestigious Wheel Award from the Detroit Press Club Foundation. He has served as President of the Texas Auto Writers Association, was a columnist for the Houston Chronicle, and created Test Drive TV for CBS and Test Drive for United Airlines.
 
Today, Todd remains one of the most influential voices in the automotive service industry uniquely positioned as both an active operator of a rapidly scaling platform and a media leader committed to advancing the profession.
Todd Hayes
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