Tesla sold 418,227 new EVs in Q4, down 15% year-over-year, finishing 2025 with sales of 1.6 million new units, an 8.1% decrease from 2024 and less than half the global tally of China’s BYD. +

Spyne’s Sanjay Varnwal believes auto retail’s embrace of AI tools should inspire other industries to invest in solutions designed to autonomously and efficiently engage consumers. +

Founder Jim Lawrence announced the launch of ImagineMyDreamCar, a new AI-driven lead generation platform designed to help dealers target “ultra-high-net-worth” clientele. +

Cerence AI will debut two new conversational AI agents — one for dealers and the other for car buyers — at the upcoming CES 2026, which will be held in January in Las Vegas. +

Cox Automotive’s Q4 Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index finds dwindling optimism among retailers as escalating costs, prices and uncertainty affect profits and consumer confidence. +

Automotive News’s latest U.S. new-vehicle sales report shows slowing EV sales in the wake of an expired federal tax credit, offset by steady demand for trucks and hybrids. +

CDK analysts report U.S. dealers earned a 66% “Easy to Purchase” score last month, down from 85% in October and the single lowest score in the survey’s history. +

Numa’s newest tool was designed to enhance communications with service advisors, parts teams and BDC reps by adding customer-specific context to every call and voicemail. +

A new Cars.com survey of U.S. car shoppers finds 44% are already using AI-powered search tools built into online marketplaces and 97% believe AI will affect their vehicle selection. +

Ford dealers in select cities have a new marketplace for certified pre-owned units: Amazon Autos, where shoppers can secure financing, start their paperwork and schedule a dealership visit. +