DMS, CRM, digital retail, AI, cybersecurity, data, payments and integration decisions reshaping dealerships.
Second-quarter retail units increased 13.8% and wholesale units rose 15.9%, while dealer-sourced acquisitions jumped 53.7% and gross profit per unit declined in both channels.
The November 5 public meeting will examine used-vehicle owner records, digital outreach, mobile repairs and over-the-air remedies after nearly 900 recalls affected more than 29.2 million U.S. vehicles in 2025.
A proposed multistate consent order combines an estimated $634 million in debt relief with new requirements addressing vehicle prices, optional products, consumer disclosures and dealer monitoring.
New staff guidance says the price available to every buyer should be the most prominent amount across dealer and third-party advertising, while emphasizing that the FAQs are nonbinding and every advertisement remains fact-specific.
The Michigan-backed program is carrying high-demand parts within a 12-mile service area after completing test flights, creating a real dealership trial of aerial logistics.
The completed transaction adds nearly 800 Pep Boys locations to Mavis and expands a national fixed-operations competitor across the United States and Canada.
Mitchell's second-quarter collision report says repairable BEV claims averaged $5,684 in severity, 14.7% above gasoline vehicles, while hybrid claim share continued to rise.
The new quarterly tracker says 82% of dealers use AI, while only 29% have started adapting to AI-powered search and about one-third lack a clear way to measure results.
The newly independent company highlighted CARFAX Homegrown and Showroom alongside broader integration of CARFAX, automotiveMastermind, Polk and Market Scan.
Ford’s first Universal EV Platform vehicle puts a full-featured midsize electric pickup near Maverick pricing while testing a new factory architecture, LFP battery strategy, software stack and post-sale revenue model.
Affordable software does not guarantee an affordable operation. Small dealerships need fully loaded costs, store-level break-even math and a controlled path into AI.
The first integration combines dealership CRM, DMS and service history with shopper activity from Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, expanding both the reach and the governance burden of automotive customer data.
The CRM-native Service-to-Sales Agent analyzes customer, vehicle and service information before initiating trade conversations, putting consent, targeting and handoff quality at the center of the dealership decision.
RevPay places processing, modern payment methods, reporting and funding visibility inside Lightspeed for RV, powersports, marine, trailer and golf-car retailers.
Tekion says its scheduler is now certified through Volkswagen’s U.S. Dealer Digital Program, adding another OEM-approved path for managing appointments, advisor capacity and customer booking.
The company’s new dealer-focused AI infrastructure is intended to connect data and automate work across its retail portfolio, but dealerships still need product-level availability, permissions and measurable outcomes.
The planned system makes navigation, charging routing and vehicle data part of the native experience rather than a phone-only projection.
The announcement verifies new workflow ambitions, but not the labor savings, accuracy or financial return dealers may ultimately experience.
The NADA 2026 demonstration combined exterior imaging, underbody scanning and fast condition summaries, but speed claims do not equal validated acquisition outcomes.
The agency completed a multi-year research project and issued a Request for Comment; it did not announce a final rule.
The redesigned interface brought Mazda’s largest touchscreen to date and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
CDK reported that 90% of dealership leaders recognized cybersecurity's importance, but fewer than half were confident in their defenses.
A Cox Automotive study found broad acceptance that AI would remain, alongside strong concern about whether its output could be trusted.
Eligible MINI EV and plug-in-hybrid owners could earn incentives, but vehicle, utility territory and participation terms control eligibility.
The integration linked automated inspection output with acquisition and merchandising tools; performance benefits remained vendor claims.
