Tekion Founder & CEO, Jay Vijayan, Talks AI Security and Dealer Innovation on Automotive News Daily Drive Podcast

During NADA 2026, Tekion Founder and CEO Jay Vijayan joined Automotive News for a conversation about AI adoption, security, and the future of automotive retail technology. 

In the interview, Jay shared how Tekion is approaching AI innovation and why a secure, unified platform is critical as dealerships adopt more intelligent systems. 

Here are a few key highlights from the discussion: 

AI Innovation Must Start with Security 

As AI capabilities expand, security and governance are becoming essential. Jay emphasized that Tekion has invested heavily in building a secure data and AI platform from the ground up—supported by certifications including SOC 1, SOC 2, and ISO/IEC 42001 for responsible AI management. 

"I don't say this lightly—we are the most secure and reliable platform in the industry." 

-Jay Vijayan, Founder & CEO of Tekion

AI Must Deliver Measurable Value 

Dealers want to see a clear business impact from new technology. Tekion’s AI capabilities are designed with measurable outcomes in mind, including ROI dashboards that help dealers understand how AI improves performance across operations. 

Innovation at Scale 

Tekion continues to grow rapidly across the industry, now supporting more than 3,000 dealership rooftops and 120,000 users. In the past year alone, the platform delivered 3,000 new features, reinforcing Tekion’s commitment to continuous innovation. 

Listen to the full conversation with Jay Vijayan on the Automotive News podcast: 

Daily Drive Episode: Tekion CEO Jay Vijayan on AI security 

Daily Drive Bonus Episode: Tekion CEO Jay Vijayan on profitability plans and ROI transparency