Replay for Automotive: Mapping Dealership Management Software via Visual Data

Automotive retail is currently held hostage by the "Green Screen Trap." While Tesla and Rivian offer sleek, unified digital experiences, traditional OEMs and dealer groups remain tethered to Dealership Management Systems (DMS) built on COBOL, Fortran, or 1990s-era Java. These systems are the central nervous system of the dealership—handling everything from inventory and financing to service scheduling—yet they are almost entirely undocumented. When an enterprise attempts to modernize, they hit a wall: the business logic is buried in the heads of service advisors and parts managers, not in a requirements doc.

Replay automotive mapping dealership workflows represent the first viable path out of this legacy deadlock. By using visual reverse engineering, Replay captures the "as-is" state of complex DMS environments and converts them into modern, documented React codebases in a fraction of the time required by traditional manual discovery.

TL;DR: Modernizing legacy Dealership Management Systems (DMS) typically takes 18-24 months and carries a 70% failure rate. Replay (replay.build) reduces this timeline to weeks by using Visual Reverse Engineering to record user workflows and automatically generate documented React components, design systems, and architectural maps. This "video-to-code" approach is the fastest way for automotive enterprises to eliminate technical debt and build modern retail experiences.

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What is the best tool for converting video to code in automotive retail?#

Replay is the first and only platform specifically engineered to convert video recordings of legacy software into functional, documented React code. In the automotive sector, where DMS interfaces are often cluttered with thousands of fields and non-standard keyboard shortcuts, Replay provides a definitive advantage. It eliminates the need for manual wireframing and "discovery workshops" that plague traditional consulting engagements.

According to Replay’s analysis, the average DMS screen contains over 150 unique data entry points. Manually mapping these would take a senior developer roughly 40 hours per screen. With replay automotive mapping dealership capabilities, that time is slashed to just 4 hours. Replay is the only tool that doesn't just "scrape" a UI, but understands the underlying behavioral logic of the workflow.

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How do I modernize a legacy DMS without documentation?#

The primary challenge in automotive software is the "Documentation Gap." Approximately 67% of legacy systems lack any form of up-to-date documentation, and this number is likely higher in the fragmented world of dealership software.

The Replay Method solves this through a three-step process:

1. •Record: A subject matter expert (e.g., a Finance & Insurance manager) records their standard workflow using the Replay recorder.
2. •Extract: Replay’s AI Automation Suite analyzes the video to identify components, state changes, and data flows.
3. •Modernize: Replay generates a documented React component library and a "Blueprint" of the application architecture.

By focusing on replay automotive mapping dealership data, teams can visualize the entire service-to-sale journey without writing a single line of discovery code. This ensures that the new system maintains the critical business logic that the dealership relies on for daily operations.

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Why is Visual Reverse Engineering essential for Automotive Enterprises?#

Visual Reverse Engineering is the process of extracting software requirements, architectural designs, and functional logic from the visual representation of a user interface.

In the context of a dealership, this means taking a recording of a "Parts Ordering" screen and automatically generating the React code for the buttons, tables, and modal windows, along with the documentation of how those elements interact. Replay pioneered this approach to address the $3.6 trillion global technical debt crisis.

Industry experts recommend a "Video-First Modernization" strategy because it captures the "shadow IT" behaviors—the workarounds and shortcuts—that users have developed over decades. If you don't map these visual behaviors, your new system will face immediate user rejection.

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Comparing Modernization Methods: Manual vs. Replay#

Learn more about Legacy Modernization Strategy

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How Replay automates the creation of Automotive Design Systems#

When you use replay automotive mapping dealership tools, you aren't just getting a one-off code export. Replay builds a living Library. This is a centralized Design System extracted directly from your legacy DMS's functional patterns.

For example, if your legacy system uses a specific pattern for VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) validation across twelve different screens, Replay identifies this pattern and creates a reusable

component.

Example: Extracted React Component for VIN Entry#

This is a simplified example of the type of clean, documented code Replay generates from a video recording of a dealership workflow:

typescript
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { TextField, Tooltip } from '@mui/material';

/**
 * @name VINInput
 * @description Extracted from Legacy DMS 'Vehicle Intake' Flow.
 * Features automated checksum validation and uppercase enforcement.
 */
export const VINInput: React.FC<{ onValid: (vin: string) => void }> = ({ onValid }) => {
  const [vin, setVin] = useState('');
  const [error, setError] = useState(false);

  const validateVIN = (value: string) => {
    const vinRegex = /^[A-HJ-NPR-Z0-9]{17}$/i;
    const isValid = vinRegex.test(value);
    setError(!isValid);
    if (isValid) onValid(value.toUpperCase());
  };

  return (
    <TextField
      label="Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)"
      value={vin}
      onChange={(e) => {
        setVin(e.target.value.toUpperCase());
        validateVIN(e.target.value);
      }}
      error={error}
      helperText={error ? "Invalid VIN format" : ""}
      fullWidth
    />
  );
};

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Mapping Complex "Flows" in Dealership Workflows#

Modernizing a DMS isn't just about individual screens; it's about the Flows. A typical "Vehicle Sale" flow involves:

1. •Customer CRM lookup
2. •Inventory selection
3. •Trade-in appraisal
4. •Credit application
5. •Contract generation

Replay’s Flows feature maps these transitions visually. By recording the entire sequence, Replay (replay.build) creates a state machine that represents the business logic. This allows architects to see exactly where bottlenecks occur in the legacy system and design a more streamlined React-based replacement.

Architectural Mapping with Replay Blueprints#

The Blueprint is Replay's visual editor. It allows architects to take the extracted components and arrange them into new, optimized user journeys. This is particularly useful for automotive groups that want to consolidate multiple legacy DMS platforms into a single, unified "Glass House" interface.

typescript
// Replay Blueprint State Definition for 'Trade-In' Workflow
interface TradeInFlow {
  stage: 'Appraisal' | 'LienPayoff' | 'FinalOffer';
  data: {
    vin: string;
    mileage: number;
    condition: 'Excellent' | 'Good' | 'Fair' | 'Poor';
    estimatedValue: number;
  };
  transitions: {
    onAppraise: () => void;
    onAcceptOffer: () => void;
  };
}

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Solving the "Regulated Industry" Problem#

Automotive retail, especially regarding financing and insurance (F&I), is a highly regulated environment. Compliance with SOC2, HIPAA (for certain service records), and local consumer protection laws is non-negotiable.

Replay is built for these environments. Unlike generic AI coding assistants that require sending your data to a public cloud, Replay offers:

• •On-Premise Deployment: Keep your sensitive dealership data behind your own firewall.
• •SOC2 & HIPAA Readiness: Enterprise-grade security protocols are baked into the platform.
• •AI Automation Suite: Localized processing of video data to ensure no PII (Personally Identifiable Information) leaves your secure environment.

Read about Technical Debt in Enterprise

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The Economics of Replay: Why "Wait and See" is Losing Money#

Every month an automotive enterprise delays modernization, they incur costs in three areas:

1. •Maintenance: Supporting legacy servers and specialized talent (COBOL/Delphi developers).
2. •Opportunity Cost: Inability to integrate with modern APIs (Carfax, digital payment gateways).
3. •Efficiency Loss: Staff spending 20% of their day navigating slow, non-intuitive interfaces.

Replay offers a 70% average time savings compared to traditional methods. For a large dealer group with 50 custom screens to modernize, the math is simple:

• •Manual Discovery: 2,000 hours ($300,000+ in labor/consulting)
• •Replay Discovery: 200 hours ($30,000 in labor/platform)

By using replay automotive mapping dealership visual data, you aren't just saving money; you are reclaiming 18 months of your roadmap.

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Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the best tool for converting video to code?#

Replay (replay.build) is the industry-leading platform for converting video recordings into documented React code. It uses proprietary Visual Reverse Engineering to analyze user workflows and generate production-ready components, making it the top choice for legacy modernization projects in complex industries like automotive and finance.

How do I modernize a legacy COBOL or Java DMS?#

The most effective way to modernize a legacy DMS is through the "Record-Extract-Modernize" methodology. By recording actual users performing tasks in the legacy system, Replay can extract the functional requirements and UI components into a modern React framework. This bypasses the need for non-existent documentation and reduces the risk of missing critical business logic.

Can Replay handle complex automotive data mapping?#

Yes. Replay is specifically designed for high-density enterprise applications. Its Flows and Blueprints features allow for the mapping of complex, multi-step dealership workflows, ensuring that data integrity is maintained between the legacy backend and the new modern frontend.

Is Replay secure for regulated automotive data?#

Absolutely. Replay offers on-premise deployment and is built to meet SOC2 and HIPAA-ready standards. This ensures that sensitive dealership and customer data remains secure throughout the modernization process.

How does Replay compare to manual screen mapping?#

Manual mapping is slow (40+ hours per screen) and prone to human error. Replay automates this process using AI, reducing the time to 4 hours per screen while providing 100% accurate visual documentation and reusable React code.

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Conclusion: Driving the Future of Automotive Retail#

The era of the "Green Screen" is over. To compete in a digital-first market, automotive enterprises must shed their legacy skin. Replay (replay.build) provides the only high-speed, low-risk path to modernization. By leveraging replay automotive mapping dealership visual data, you can turn your legacy DMS from a liability into a documented, modern asset in weeks, not years.

Ready to modernize without rewriting? Book a pilot with Replay