Technology
Plug’s new Trade Desk app was designed to help dealers accurately and efficiently determine the trade-in value of EVs produced by other manufacturers and generate market-rate wholesale offers. +
Director Fan Jin told attendees of this week’s J.D. Power Forum that U.S. car shoppers can now lease new Hyundais from Amazon Autos, which is stocked with inventory from dealer lots. +
A new EVAI survey of 2,500 fleet executives finds growing concerns over acquisition and replacement costs as tariffs on imported vehicles threaten to upend budgets and planning. +
A Gallup poll finds 51% of Americans own or are open to owning an EV, unchanged from a year ago and down from 59% in 2023. Only 11% say they already own one or are “seriously considering” it. +
The Cybertruck Long Range is a single-motor, rear-wheel drive version of the fully electric pickup that offers a bump in range and a long list of deleted features, starting at $71,985 with destination.+
Kelley Blue Book reports U.S. sales of new EVs increased by 10% in the first quarter, led in part by 30,000 units moved by General Motors dealers, while sales of market leader Tesla slipped. +
J.D. Power reports EVs accounted for 9.3% of all U.S. sales last month, up from 8.4% in March 2024. Tesla remains the most considered EV brand despite a steadily declining share of the segment. +
A new Botdoc.io survey finds more than 70% of dealers frequently experience CRM-DMS integration issues that frustrate employees and customers and hurt profitability. +
One Guard Inspections has launched Priority Inspections, a new tool designed to leverage real-time video guided by ASE-certified mechanics to accelerate decisions and improve efficiency. +
An EVAI survey of more than 2,500 fleet executives finds they are actively seeking stronger partnerships with dealers as they seek to improve efficiency and transition to EVs.+
Nikola founder and former CEO Trevor Milton says he has been pardoned by President Donald Trump, escaping a four-year federal prison sentence and $1 million fine. +
VicOne’s latest annual report finds cyberattacks cost the global automotive industry $22.5 billion last year — including $20 billion in data leakage — up from about $1 billion in 2022. +
Autotrader editors say they were “pleasantly surprised” to add Volkswagen’s fully electric ID. Buzz minivan to their Best New Cars of 2025 list, which highlights 10 models available for less than $110,000. +
Interactive EQ’s new, AI-powered Auto IEQ talent assessment platform was designed to help recruiters, HR teams and hiring managers measure “soft skills” and evaluate personnel. +
Edmunds analysts tell Reuters that Tesla vehicles accounted for 1.4% of all vehicles traded in at U.S. dealerships from Jan. 1 to March 15, up a full percentage point from March of 2024, as the EV maker faces declining sales and stock values. +
CDK has launched a new solution designed to offer dealers operating one or two rooftops a scalable sales and fixed ops software suite that leverages the CDK Dealership Xperience platform. +
Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials are warning car buyers to be on the lookout for fraudsters posing as dealers by cloning websites and social media profiles and accepting payments via wire transfer. +
Lotlinx’s Len Short says artificial intelligence and machine learning have quickly become critical elements of a successful inventory management strategy, far outpacing human intuition. +
The FTC announced checks totaling more than $934,000 have been sent to 20,361 Vroom customers harmed by violations of rules and regulations intended to protect used car buyers.+
Registrations of new Teslas fell 11% year-over-year in January and lost 12 percentage points in U.S. market share. But the EV maker's stock value improved by 7.6%, partially offsetting a steep decline. +
President Donald Trump plans to purchase a Tesla in support of Elon Musk, the EV maker’s CEO and a senior White House advisor, in the face of protests, incidents of vandalism and a declining stock value. +
DealNow.com’s Brad Parker says platforms that connect dealers with sellers of privately owned vehicles need built-in identity verification and fraud prevention tools to avoid costly mistakes. +
DealNow.com’s Brad Parker urges DealerELITE readers frustrated by EV pricing and selection in the auction lanes to leverage emerging technology designed to connect dealers with private sellers. +
InformedIQ.com’s Jessica Gonzalez says a recent U.S. Treasury report proves artificial intelligence is changing the auto finance industry in several ways, enhancing efficiency as well as risk. +
The 2025 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Ownership Study finds battery electric vehicle buyers are increasingly satisfied with their purchases and 94% say they would buy another one. +
Carvana’s stock fell by double digits on consecutive days following glowingly positive Q4 reports. Investor’s Business Daily’s Aparna Narayanan explains how a corresponding call for funding spooked the market. +
Sales and systems development leader Paul Croshaw has joined dealership digital solutions provider Botdoc as executive vice president of automotive sales. +
Lexus and Buick lead all brands in J.D. Power’s latest 3-year dependability study, which finds U.S. car buyers are more frequently encountering issues relating to software and connectivity. +
CDK Global accused rival Tekion of “anti-competitive practices” in a newly filed federal lawsuit, escalating a legal battle over ownership of and access to data generated by dealerships. +
Jeep owners say their infotainment screens are lighting up with unwanted, frequently appearing ads for an extended factory warranty. The Drive’s Caleb Jacobs investigates. +
Citing plateauing demand, dealers and other experts agree California car buyers are not likely to close the gap required to meet the state’s goal of 35% zero-emission sales by the 2026-MY. +
Analysts say econtracting adoption has slowed for consecutive quarters but improved dramatically compared with the fourth quarter of 2023. +
An eLEND Solutions survey found 90% of respondents believe AI-based pricing is contributing to inaccurate online quotes. +
700Credit will integrate its services into Botdoc Connect, promising faster and more efficient hard and soft credit pulls with enhanced data security. +
Westlake Financial announced the launch of a new program that will allow some car buyers seeking financing to make their down payment using Bitcoin and avoid taxes incurred from its sale. +
Value Watch is a new tool designed to send enrolled consumers monthly emails and text messages to keep them apprised of the value of their trade-ins. +
The Verge’s Wes Davis follows up on Apple’s pledge to bring the next generation of its CarPlay infotainment system to U.S. vehicles by the end of 2024 and finds the promise largely unfulfilled. +
A new survey finds 92% of EV buyers plan to buy another EV and only 1% would buy a gas-powered vehicle, with lower operating costs the most-cited factor. +
Amazon Autos is now live and in partnership with Hyundai dealers in 48 U.S. cities, allowing shoppers to buy a vehicle from the ecommerce giant for the first time. +
Hyundai’s much-anticipated retail partnership with Amazon faces delays due to the CDK cyberattack and is now expected to launch in 2025. +
As subscription models expand into automotive services, customers may be reaching their breaking point. WardsAuto reports. +
Honda’s R&D chief told Reuters that solid-state batteries could double the driving range of its electric vehicles by the late 2020s. +
Software company UVeye, which offers an AI-powered vehicle inspection product, earns a spot on TIME’s prestigious list of the year’s top innovations. +
Reynolds and Reynolds has partnered with Skaivision, a provider of “smart space” AI designed to help dealers become more efficient and profitable by leveraging cameras trained on staff and customers. +
Why are investors drawn to WarrCloud’s automated warranty processing solution? WardsAuto’s Alysha Webb follows the money. +
In a new article for Digital Dealer, David Boice says a hybrid online/instore sales model is now not only the norm but the expected experience for today’s consumers. +
Most dealers leverage some form of video marketing, but too many fail to fully appreciate its potential, according to Tim Copacia of J.D. Power UnityWorks. +
An Anyline survey found more than two-thirds of service technicians say at least half of their daily tasks depend on some level of technology and feel comfortable using advanced diagnostic tools. +
As in-vehicle systems and diagnostic technology continue to evolve and advance, independent repair shops are finding it increasingly difficult to service every vehicle they encounter. +
A PwC report finds the appetite for an omnichannel online/in-person buying experience remains “insatiable” among a growing contingent of tech-savvy customers. +
Tesla tried to convince Jay Larson the wind noise he heard following the replacement of his Cybertruck’s windshield was either nonexistent or normal. CarScoops’ Chris Chilton details Larson’s low-tech repair. +
Autel U.S.’s latest addition to its line of MAX diagnostic tablets was designed to help technicians quickly identify the vehicle and scan for service issues. +
Wolters Kluwer’s Q3 Auto Finance Digital Transformation Index shows econtracting adoption slowed in the third quarter but continues to advance in year-over-year and four-year trends. +
Force Marketing Executive Vice President Eric Mercado joined CBT News's Jim Fitzpatrick to discuss predictive marketing technology and how dealers can take advantage. +
Automated warranty processing solutions provider WarrCloud said it raised $20 million from Series B investors in a funding round led by Centana Growth Partners. +
Bozard Ford Lincoln of St. Augustine, Fla., is the first dealership to leverage a new integration between Spiffy and Reynolds and Reynolds. +
As artificial intelligence continues to transform the car-buying experience, what does the future hold for flesh-and-bone sales professionals? +
A NHTSA investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with optional Full Self-Driving software follows the latest of four reported collisions. +
Jump IQ, an AI-powered dealership valuation tool, earned top honors as the Dealership Solution of the Year in the AutoTech Breakthrough Awards. +
AutoTech Breakthrough announced the latest winners in its annual awards program, designed to recognize and bring awareness to “excellence in automotive technologies, services, companies and products.” +
JM Family Enterprises has joined forces with RockED to leverage “personalized learning paths” to identify topics and skills in need of focus and improvement. +
Findlay Cadillac of Las Vegas is among the 300-plus dealerships leveraging a new, AI-powered vehicle scanner developed by UVeye. +
