dealer

Science says it takes 66 days to form a new habit. Most people started self-quarantine in the beginning of March, so things will probably never go back to how they were before Covid-19. We’ve all changed a little - businesses and individuals.

With the signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the auto industry is expecting to see some changes over the next few years. But will this shift be good for automakers and dealers?

Dana Inc. CEO, Jim Kamsickas thinks it’s a good move stating, "We believe this law will further reduce the chance for disruptions and allow North American vehicle production to remain competitive globally."

Electric vehicles are making their way into our everyday lives, and you can find more of them zipping around on the highway than ever before. There’s definitely a lot to consider as we find ourselves in this sandwich between gas and electric technology.

Many dealers have been doing things the same way for years – Newspaper ads, inbound leads, and posting to Autotrader. But today’s consumer is much different than that of even five years ago.

In light of the recent FTC lawsuit against Ramey Motors, inc., it’s time to revisit dealership advertising laws. Here are the major points to consider when putting together your ads.

Stay legal. Make sure you’re familiar with all laws and regulations regarding vehicle advertising. There are all kinds of classes and other resources available for this. It can’t hurt to have your lawyer look things over.

Distracted driving is a huge problem today. With cell phones and screens, it’s no surprise that one in four car accidents are caused by distracted drivers. It claimed 3450 live in 2016! How are carmakers responding to this epidemic? With more technology!

Hands-free calling and voice commands were the beginning, but now head-up displays (HUD) are a new solution. HUD is a transparent display that shows up in your line of vision while driving. No need to look at a screen or your dash, keeping your attention on the road.

The California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, expands the rights of consumers have regarding their personal information, how it’s used and how it’s store. The CCPA was signed into law on June 28, 2018. While it likely won’t take effect until summer of 2020, you should start familiarizing yourself now. Even if you aren’t in California it will likely set a precedent, so expect to see similar laws being passed all over the country. New York already has one in the works. Plus if any of your customers live in California, then you may be subject to the law.

After announcing it would be closing the few stores it has, Tesla changed its mind. The company wants to move to an online-only sales model, but apparently they didn’t realize that the change couldn’t happen overnight. It would take several years to happen.

Whether autonomous vehicles (AVs) are a good thing or bad won't be decided until public has the product. But their technology is already blowing like a Nor'easter into the dealer community, promising a blizzard of legal issues that may affect the nature of the OEM franchise. I'm concerned that the next great disruptor - the autonomous vehicle - may "jump the franchise," and decimate the distribution system that has served car buyers squarely for more th