Urban Science
Urban Science is a Detroit-headquartered automotive consultancy and technology firm serving OEMs, franchised dealers, and AdTech companies. Its proprietary DataHub™ platform provides near-real-time daily U.S. vehicle sales data covering ~96% of new vehicle sales and powers a suite of dealer, OEM, and media analytics solutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersDetroit, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Urban Science does
Urban Science is a privately held, Detroit-headquartered automotive consultancy and technology firm founded in 1977 that operates from 18 global offices across North America, Europe, APAC, and Latin America with 501–1,000 employees. The company is built around DataHub™, a proprietary near-real-time daily sales data platform sourced directly from OEMs that captures approximately 96% of U.S. new vehicle sales and 99% of certified pre-owned sales, with consumer-level matching that links leads to actual transactions. DataHub™ underpins a portfolio of dealer-facing solutions (TrafficView®, SalesAlert™, AutoHook®, MarketView™, MarketGrowth™, RetailPer4mance™, FinancialView™, ServiceView™), OEM-facing solutions (NetworkPerformance™, SalesPerformance™, AfterSalesPerformance™, MarketingPerformance™, NetworkDynamics™, NetworkPlanner™), and AdTech solutions (MediaPerformance™, SalesMatch™), plus a lead-management suite (LeadFLOW™, LeadVIEW™, Tendency Scoring™) that delivers predictive scoring using 121M+ transactions across 12 years.
The platform is integrated natively with 15+ major automotive CRM systems (VINSolutions, CDK, DriveCentric, DealerSocket, Reynolds & Reynolds, Tekion, ProMax, DealerCX, OpLogic, The CRMSuite, Momentum, SCI Marketview, Process Pro) and supports API-level notifications (SalesAlert Auto-Notify, Auto-Close) that enable automated defection handling within existing dealer workflows. Urban Science generates revenue primarily through SaaS subscriptions (typically per-dealer or per-CRM-login, with disclosed pricing of $299/month for SalesAlert), supplemented by professional services and consulting for OEM implementations and an emerging AdTech/media performance solutions business anchored on SalesMatch™ for offline attribution. Customer segments include automotive OEMs (enterprise network planning, marketing optimization, sales performance), franchised dealers (lead management, defection detection, showroom conversion, inventory turn), and agencies/advertising platforms (campaign attribution and audience targeting). The company positions itself as the recognized authority on automotive sales data, supported by a six-year annual research partnership with The Harris Poll and active presence at industry events such as NADA, ASOTU Con, and DMSC.
Urban Science firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Urban Science
- Legal name
- Urban Science Applications, Inc.
- Website
- https://urbanscience.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Urban Science is a Detroit-headquartered automotive consultancy and technology firm serving OEMs, franchised dealers, and AdTech companies. Its proprietary DataHub™ platform provides near-real-time daily U.S. vehicle sales data covering ~96% of new vehicle sales and powers a suite of dealer, OEM, and media analytics solutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Urban Science industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Data Analytics Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- Truck Telematics, ADAS & Fleet Electronics Manufacturing (IMACABAM)
Keywords
Where Urban Science is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Detroit
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Urban Science business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SaaS Platform Subscriptions: Urban Science generates primary revenue through subscription-based access to its web-based software solutions (DataHub, SalesAlert, TrafficView, AutoHook, MarketView, NetworkDynamics, FinancialView, RetailPer4mance, ServiceView, NetworkPlanner). Pricing is typically per-dealer or per-CRM-login with monthly/annual billing.
- Professional Services & Consulting: Implementation services, turnkey CRM integration, dedicated success team support, training, and strategic consulting for OEMs and dealers deploying Urban Science solutions.
- AdTech / Media Performance Solutions: Solutions that help automotive manufacturers and dealers optimize media spend using near-real-time daily sales data, driving advertising ROI and campaign attribution.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | SalesAlert — Lead Defection Data to CRM |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Urban Science product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Urban Science provides automotive data analytics software and consulting services for OEMs, franchised dealers, and AdTech companies. Its core offering is the DataHub™ platform, which delivers near real-time industry-wide vehicle sales data covering approximately 96% of new vehicle sales and 99% of certified pre-owned sales in the United States. Built on this data foundation, Urban Science sells subscription-based solutions for lead management, sales defection detection, showroom conversion incentives, market analysis, dealer network planning, marketing ROI measurement, and service retention.
Product overview
Urban Science is an automotive consultancy and technology firm offering a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on its proprietary DataHub™ — the only near real-time industry-wide sales data source covering 96%+ of new vehicle sales and 99% of CPO sales in the U.S. All solutions are powered by DataHub: dealer-facing products include TrafficView® (traffic and defection analysis), SalesAlert™ (real-time defection detection and CRM notifications), AutoHook® (digital showroom conversion incentives), MarketView™ (market and competitive analysis), MarketGrowth™ (market expansion planning), RetailPer4mance™ (dealer potential analysis), and FinancialView™ (business planning). Manufacturer solutions include NetworkPerformance™, SalesPerformance™, AfterSalesPerformance™, and MarketingPerformance™ for OEMs, plus MediaPerformance™ for AdTech companies. The full suite also includes LeadManagement™ (encompassing LeadFLOW™, LeadVIEW™, and Tendency Scoring™), NetworkDynamics™ (market study management), NetworkPlanner™ (network planning), and SalesMatch™ (audience targeting data). Urban Science conducts annual Harris Poll research studies in collaboration with The Harris Poll across the U.S., Germany, and UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DataHub: Proprietary near real-time automotive sales data platform powering all Urban Science dealer performance solutions, covering over 96% of new vehicle sales and 99% of CPO sales in the U.S.
- AutoHook
- TrafficView
- SalesAlert
- MarketGrowth
- NetworkDynamics
- NetworkPlanner
- FinancialView
- LeadFlow
- LeadView
- Tendency Scoring
- ServiceView
- MarketView
Products and services
- TrafficView® Dealer performance solution that matches CRM data with DataHub's industry-wide sales data to provide a comprehensive view of dealer traffic, sales, and defections segmented by lead source, model, salesperson, and geography, enabling dealers to pinpoint why customers defect to competitors.
- AutoHook® Digital incentive and showroom conversion platform that delivers targeted personalized offers (gift cards, test drive incentives) to in-market online shoppers to convert them into showroom visits and new-to-brand sales, with real-time redemption tracking via website overlays, text, and email.
- SalesAlert™ Lead defection detection tool that matches dealer CRM leads against DataHub's daily sales data to identify in real-time when customers purchase elsewhere, automatically notifying or closing leads in the CRM to prevent wasted follow-up and enable rapid re-engagement. Priced at $299/month per CRM login.
- LeadManagement™ Full-service lead management program encompassing LeadFLOW™ (lead capture, validation, enrichment, and CRM delivery), LeadVIEW™ (performance analytics with near real-time defection reporting), and Tendency Scoring™ (predictive purchase likelihood scoring powered by 12 years and 121 million+ transactions of historical data).
- MarketView™ Sales effectiveness and market analysis tool enabling dealers and OEM brands to monitor brand-level performance, competitive capture rates, and local market opportunities, providing DMA-level competitive insights and sustained engagement analytics.
- MarketGrowth™ Dealer group market expansion and acquisition planning tool providing DMA-level daily sales data to identify underperforming brand hotspots within dealer groups, assess new market opportunities, compare actual vs. expected sales volumes, and evaluate brand effectiveness across geographies.
- FinancialView™
Quantifiable outcome
- AutoHook converts 39% of leads to showroom visits; 63% are brand-new customers; up to 19% close rate for AutoHook leads
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Urban Science
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Urban Science technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration16 records
AI capability7 records
Feature6 records
Urban Science partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- The Harris PollflagshipAnnual collaborative research partnership conducting the Urban Science Harris Poll automotive study for six consecutive years (2021–2026). Surveys auto buyers and dealers in the U.S., Germany, and the UK. Generates industry-leading automotive retail insights that position Urban Science as a thought leader and primary data authority. The 2026 study surveyed 3,012 U.S. adults, 1,001 Germany, 1,001 UK adults, and 252 U.S. OEM dealers.
- Car WarscoreCar Wars, a call tracking software provider for automotive Sales and Service departments, integrates Urban Science's DataHub defection data into its CRM platform. The partnership delivers SalesAlert, TrafficView, and AutoHook through Car Wars' CRM integrations, enabling dealers to identify lost leads and suppress wasted follow-ups. Car Wars' CRM connections complement Urban Science's data layer.
- CRM Platform Providers (VINSolutions, CDK, DriveCentric, DealerSocket, Reynolds & Reynolds, Tekion, ProMax, DealerCX, OpLogic, The CRMSuite, Momentum, SCI Marketview, Process Pro)coreEstablished partnerships with over 15 major automotive CRM platforms that enable seamless integration of Urban Science's data and solutions. Pre-built API integrations with 95% of major automotive systems allow turnkey activation with minimal technical setup.
- MazdaminorMazda partnered with Urban Science to optimize Meta advertising campaigns using daily vehicle sales data. The campaign drove higher ROAS and lower cost per incremental sale during Mazda's More to Move You sales event, demonstrating Urban Science's AdTech media optimization capabilities.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Urban Science competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- vAuto: vAuto (a Cox Automotive company) provides dealer inventory management and pricing optimization software; it competes directly with Urban Science's MarketGrowth and MarketView in the dealer performance analytics category.
- Cars.com: Cars.com operates an automotive marketplace with dealer lead generation and digital marketing tools, overlapping with Urban Science's AutoHook and LeadManagement offerings in converting online shoppers to dealer leads.
- Cox Automotive: Cox Automotive (parent of Dealertrack, vAuto, Manheim, Kelley Blue Book) is the largest integrated automotive retail technology and data platform serving the same dealer and OEM customer base as Urban Science, with overlapping capabilities in inventory, pricing, and CRM.
- CoPilot: CoPilot is an automotive data and analytics platform serving dealers and OEMs with vehicle lifecycle, market, and inventory intelligence, directly comparable to Urban Science's MarketView and NetworkPerformance products.
- TrueCar: TrueCar provides online car-buying, dealer leads, and pricing data, competing with Urban Science's consumer-level matching, lead scoring, and dealer-facing conversion products.
- S&P Global Mobility: S&P Global Mobility (formerly IHS Markit) provides automotive market intelligence, registration data, and OEM network planning analytics, directly competing with Urban Science's MarketView, NetworkDynamics, and NetworkPlanner offerings.
- DealerSocket (Reynolds & Reynolds): DealerSocket, part of Reynolds & Reynolds, is both a CRM partner of Urban Science and a competitor offering dealer CRM, marketing, and analytics, overlapping with Urban Science's LeadManagement suite.
Broad incumbents
- J.D. Power: J.D. Power offers automotive consumer insights, dealer performance benchmarks, and OEM advisory services that overlap with Urban Science's Harris Poll-style research and OEM/dealer analytics, though as a broader, more diversified incumbent.
Others
- Polestar Analytics (Polestar Solutions): Polestar Solutions provides data analytics and BI consulting across industries including automotive; it represents an adjacent consulting/analytics peer rather than a direct retail-data competitor.
- The Trade Desk: The Trade Desk is a demand-side AdTech platform that partners with Urban Science on AI-driven audience targeting using SalesMatch data; it is a channel partner and ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor in dealer analytics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Urban Science social profiles
Digital presenceUrban Science compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Urban Science financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Urban Science leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Urban Science subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Urban Science funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Urban Science M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Urban Science
What does Urban Science do?
Urban Science provides automotive data analytics software and consulting services for OEMs, franchised dealers, and AdTech companies. Its core offering is the DataHub™ platform, which delivers near real-time industry-wide vehicle sales data covering approximately 96% of new vehicle sales and 99% of certified pre-owned sales in the United States. Built on this data foundation, Urban Science sells subscription-based solutions for lead management, sales defection detection, showroom conversion incentives, market analysis, dealer network planning, marketing ROI measurement, and service retention.
Is Urban Science a public or private company?
Urban Science is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Urban Science founded?
Urban Science was founded in 1977. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Urban Science based?
Urban Science is headquartered in Detroit, United States, in the North America region.
How does Urban Science make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. SaaS Platform Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are professional Services & Consulting and adTech / Media Performance Solutions.
Who are Urban Science's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are vAuto, Cars.com, Cox Automotive, CoPilot, TrueCar, S&P Global Mobility and DealerSocket (Reynolds & Reynolds). J.D. Power is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Polestar Analytics (Polestar Solutions) and The Trade Desk.
Does Urban Science have an API?
Yes. TrafficView provides API integration capabilities including SalesAlert Auto-Notify, which can send an API Notification when a lead defects, and SalesAlert Auto-Close for automatic closure of defected leads. The platform supports CRM/CDP integrations through APIs across multiple dealer management systems.
What industry is Urban Science in?
Urban Science's product category is Automotive Data Analytics Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACABAM, Truck Telematics, ADAS & Fleet Electronics Manufacturing.