Auto/Mate DMS Offers Integration with Automated Dealer Kiosk Provider
Tracey E. Schelmetic
Auto/Mate, which provides module-based DMS solutions for fixed ops, variable ops, accounting, report and sales, has added another module for express service...
Dealer Groups Reported Double-Digit Certified Pre-Owned Sales in Q3
by Tracey E. Schelmetic
The good news for new vehicle sales is that they’re up slightly in the third quarter of 2019. The bad news...
HAAH and Zotye USA Introduce Oracle-based Solution for Parts Supply Chain Visibility
Tracey E. Schelmetic
Visibility into the supply chain is a challenge for most businesses. Supply chain visibility involves being able to see in real time...
To AI or Not To AI: That Is the Question
By Amy Corr
The days of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a plot for a futuristic science fiction movie are gone. According to a 2019 CIO...
Toyota Responds to Consumer Demands with All-wheel Drive Sedans
By Mia Bevacqua
In 2019, SUVs and light trucks accounted for 70% of all vehicle sales, with 5.9 million units moved. Meanwhile, sedan sales figures...
Could Public EV Charging Stations Find a Place at Auto Dealerships?
By Al Bredenberg
If your dealership is selling electric vehicles (EVs), you most likely already have a charging station in your service area. However, could...
App-based Vehicle Service Startup Wrench Adds $20 Million in Funding
Tracey E. Schelmetic
Few people look forward to bringing their vehicle in for service. Even the most well-run service shops can take several hours to...
Epicor Adds Features to MechanicNet Cloud CRM
Tracey E. Schelmetic
Last June, CRM solutions provider Epicor acquired MechanicNet and since then, the CRM company has been making changes to improve the platform,...
GM Dealers Can Now Offer Commercial Customers OnStar Fleet Telematics
By Mia Bevacqua
Since it was first introduced in select 1997 Cadillac models, OnStar has been riding along in GM vehicles. The telematics system, which...
Demo Program Finds High Consumer Enthusiasm for Self-Driving Vehicles
Tracey E. Schelmetic
It’s apparently one of those technologies you have to use to love. While only a small fraction of Americans reports having ridden...
Cox Automotive Observes Larger-than-Expected Decline in Used Vehicle Sales
Tracey E. Schelmetic
The era of meteoric used vehicle sales seems to be over, at least for the present. In a recent conference call that...
FCA-PSA Merger Could Bring More Advanced Technology to Dealer Showrooms
By Mia Bevacqua
Last week, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and PSA Groupe agreed to a 50/50 merger. The two companies are set to become the...
Ford Introduces OTA Updates That Could Lead to Fewer Dealership Visits
By Mia Bevacqua
By 2020, Ford promises most of its redesigned vehicles in the U.S. will have over-the-air (OTA) update capability. That means nearly every...
Software Partnership Enables Real-Time Upgrade Initiatives for Service Customers
Tracey E. Schelmetic
When customers check in for vehicle service, dealers are presented with a unique opportunity: several communications touchpoints that are the ideal time...
Nissan Demonstrates Commitment to Electrification at Tokyo Motor Show
By Mia Bevacqua
Soon, Nissan dealers may have another electric vehicle (EV) to compliment the Leaf hatchback. And the new offering promises to have two...
Ford to Build Nation’s Largest Electric Vehicle Charging Network
Tracey E. Schelmetic
When new Ford all-electric vehicles hit the market next year, they will come standard with a Ford Mobile Charger that’s adaptable to...
Xtime Partners with CenPOS to Speed Service Payment Process
The fate of a dealership’s success or failure depends on its ability to retain customers. To do so, dealers must be making an active...
Dealertrack Adds Digital Contracting to F&I Software Platform
By Mia Bevacqua
Some dealerships still keep paper deal jackets that are as thick as college textbooks. Dealertrack – a provider of dealership F&I solutions...
How Much Bad or Outdated Information is In Your CRM?
By Tracey E. Schelmetic
It happens to everyone once in a while: you receive a piece of commercial mail that’s been forwarded from an address...
Automatic Emergency Braking: Safety Feature or Liability Risk?
By Mia Bevacqua
Automatic emergency braking (AEB) is designed to improve vehicle safety. Yet there are mounting complaints that the technology often doesn’t work –...
Internet of Things Provider Partners with Sprint for Dealership Add-On Service
By Tracey E. Schelmetic
The astronomical growth of “Internet of Things,” or IoT, devices, has not left the auto industry unmarked. Today, many smart car...
Report Finds Autonomous Vehicles Gaining Acceptance
By Mia Bevacqua
Although fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) aren’t in dealership showrooms yet, it’s only a matter of time. Self-driving cars are steadily overcoming several...
New Study Finds Car Buyers Warming Up to AI and Automation
By Mia Bevacqua
Artificial intelligence (AI) used to be the stuff of science fiction movies. But now it’s everywhere – including the dealership showroom. And...
DealerMax Brand Acquired by Profit By Design Founders to Help Dealerships Expand Margins
By Tracey Schelmetic
As circumstances shrink dealership profit margins, many businesses are turning to consultants to reform operations in a way that can maximize profitability...
Nissan Investing in US Charging Station Network
By Mia Bevacqua
Without a doubt, one of the biggest hurdles for electric vehicles (EVs) is infrastructure. Consumers, especially those who live in rural areas,...
Study Measures Americans “Time Saved” Attitudes Toward Ride Sharing and Automated Vehicles
Are Americans eager to get into driverless vehicles for robo-rides to work? It would seem not, according to a new study by researchers at...
DMS Company Data Access Point Partners with ZestFinance for Machine Learning for Loans
While we still have a quaint image of loan officers sitting behind desks making decisions about vehicle loans as well as most other type...
Frankfurt Motor Show Showcases Next-Gen Dashboard Display
It’s to be expected at an auto show, just as with a fashion show: some rather outlandish concepts added to stir talk, draw cameras...
New Study Finds Significant Reductions in Crashes with Automated Safety Features
Love them or hate them, the automated safety features that are showing up in new vehicles seem to be making a difference in safety,...
EVs Expected to Result in Moderation in Global Oil Markets
The U.S. is a nation of transportation. In 2018, about 28 percent of total U.S. energy consumption was for transporting people and goods. This...