CBT automotive newscast: November 2, 2021

Inside Automotive:

Brian Pasch on what you can expect from the 2021 Automotive Analytics & Attribution Summit
Do you have a winning strategy going into the new year to generate more revenue? If not, the Automotive Analytics & Attribution Summit (AAAS) is where you should be November 14-16th in Palm Beach, Florida. On today’s show, we’re pleased to welcome Brian Pasch, Founder of PCG Companies, and host of CBT’s show, Auto Marketing Now, to discuss how dealers are measuring performance now, and what YOU can expect at AAAS. Watch the complete segment here.

Headlines:

Toyota is investing $461 million into its first U.S. plant that will add new technology, increase production flexibility and reduce its carbon footprint. Officials said 1,400 temporary jobs could be turned into permanent positions. The company plans to expand the plant’s ability to manufacture new electric products and add a 2.4-liter turbo engine line, that will support the expansion of the range of vehicles produced in North America.

A group of 25 ambassadors wrote to U.S. lawmakers and the Biden Administration saying a proposed U.S. EV tax credit violates international trade rules. The ambassadors said, “Limiting eligibility for the credit to vehicles based on their U.S. domestic assembly and local content is inconsistent with U.S. commitments made under WTO multilateral agreements.” The U.S. State Department and the White House have not responded to a request for comment.

Known as “The Boss” on the social platform, TikTok, General Manager AJ Harb of Audi Milwaukee, is increasing views for his dealership one video at a time. The store has sold, so far, a model RS 7 and an S 8, directly to its TikTok community. Harb believes showcasing his products on the platform helps with the current chip crisis and vehicle shortage dealerships are facing, due to consumers looking for cars outside their home markets. The store’s viral video has almost 8 million views, since being posted on August 8.

A team of volunteers from the animal nonprofit “Sammie’s Friends” and members of Gold Rush Subaru of Auburn California, came together for an injured dog named Ralphie and inspired dozens of donations from the community, totaling $3,000. Gold Rush Subaru donated an additional $10,000. The donations will be used to pay off the remaining cost of Ralphie’s back surgery. This was in celebration of the October “Subaru Loves Pets” initiative. The nationwide effort allows individual dealerships to donate to a charity local to them, within the month’s theme. This year’s theme was “the underdogs”.

News & Opinion:

How the new FTC rules will affect car dealers
On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it had voted to implement an update to the so-called “Safeguards Rule.” The FTC’s release noted the update will “strengthen the data security safeguards that financial institutions are required to put in place to protect their customers’ financial information.” The rule was created around 2001 as part of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act passed by Congress in 1999, but it has garnered increasing attention throughout the past few years as more and more institutions continue to be vulnerable to threats such as cyberattacks. Read more

Unsafe driving habits are decreasing, but there’s more work to do
A new survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that some of the more common bad habits behind the wheel have slowly been getting better. Over the past three years, unsafe activities behind the wheel including driving while drowsy, impaired driving, and red-light running have become less frequent. The Traffic Safety Culture Index is intended to highlight the relationship between the attitude drivers have around safety and their actions. Read more