Trending Auto Retail News
Before the First Repair Order: Build an EV Service-readiness Map
Electric vehicles are no longer a distant service-lane issue. The International Energy Agency expects 23 million electric cars to be sold worldwide in 2026, representing 28% of total car sales. Every new model, diagnostic release, battery procedure and software update...
inride’s Trade Agent AI and ACV’s ClearCar Integration Puts AI-Powered Follow-up Behind Every Trade-In Opportunity, Turning Leads into Booked Appointments
New integration pairs an always-on AI trade agent with ClearCar’s pricing engine to deliver one consistent vehicle offer across dealership channels
Numa Launches Operator, an AI Receptionist with the First Precision Routing System That Puts Every Caller in the Right Hands
Operator’s patent pending technology answers first on every line, understands why each customer is calling, and carries that reason through the transfer, so no one starts over and no one lands in a dead end
Digital Dealer 2026 is Today!
Digital Dealer Conference & Expo 2026 is finally here! We've got a full day of insightful sessions, real networking and solutions you can put to work back home. The event kicks off with the Car Dealership Guy/800% Elite Auto Keynote with Sam D'Arc and Glenn Lundy....
A Readiness Playbook for the Next Phase of AI for Auto Dealers and Lenders
The conversation around AI and auto lending has moved from whether it will affect the business to when it will have an even bigger impact. Model governance, third-party auditing, and state-level rules are all under active discussion in Washington, yet no single...
The Lead Funnel Starts Before the Lead: Why Dealerships Need to Track AI Recommendations
As buyers turn to AI assistants for dealership and service recommendations, stores risk losing customers before they ever appear in the CRM
Your Vehicle Acquisition Team Should Be Driven By Analytics Pros, Not Legacy Car People
Every dealership sources inventory somewhere, but the channels do not behave the same way. New vehicle allocation is set by the manufacturer, not the store. Auction supply is broad, but the margin available there has thinned considerably. Trade-ins remain the most...
Automotive AI Agent Platforms: How Dealerships and Automakers Are Putting AI to Work in 2026
Walk into almost any dealership's back office today and you'll hear the same complaint: leads come in faster than anyone can call them back. A customer submits a form at 11 p.m. about a used SUV, and by the time the BDC team picks it up the next morning, that buyer...
LaFontaine Automotive Group Partners with UVeye to Offer Complimentary AI Vehicle Safety Scans Across Michigan
LaFontaine’s 40+ locations across Michigan will bring UVeye’s “MRI for Cars” technology closer to drivers statewide, expanding access to complimentary AI-powered vehicle health scans
The Chinese Auto Fight Isn’t a Washington Story. It’s a Franchise Story.
My sales managers are already hearing questions from customers about Chinese EVs: Are they coming here? Should I wait to buy? Most coverage of the Chinese auto fight treats it like a Washington story. But dealers are going to feel the effects on their lots long before...
Digital Dealer 2026 is in One Week!
Time is running out to secure your spot at Digital Dealer 2026! In one week, the brightest minds in automotive will meet in Detroit to talk shop, share ideas and create real, discernable outcomes that can be taken back to the dealership. Between Digital Dealer's...
The Real AI Opportunity for F&I May Not Even Be Consumer-Facing
Ask ten people in the automotive F&I business what “AI” means to their store right now, and most will describe two very different things without realizing it. One is the shopper who researches vehicles, financing terms and vehicle protection options through...
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