Earlier this week: General Motors’ Cruise ditches robotaxis to invest in driver-assistance features. Tekion slams CDK with a federal antitrust lawsuit, citing anticompetitive practices in the DMS market. Former TrueCar employee linked to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO. Tesla reduces Supercharger prices amid record usage. Stellantis appoints Timothy Kuniskis to lead the Ram brand. Wholesale used-vehicle prices see a slight increase in November. IIHS calls for lower speed limits in pedestrian-heavy areas.
Here’s a closer look at these top stories and more headlines to stay on top of this week’s automotive industry news.
1. General Motors’ Cruise ditches robotaxis to invest in driver-assistance features
General Motors’ Cruise is abandoning its mission to develop robotaxis and shifting its focus to advancing driver-assistance features. On December 10, the automaker announced that it would no longer fund Cruise’s robotaxi development due to the significant financial resources required to scale the business. Read More
2. Tekion slams CDK with a federal antitrust lawsuit citing anticompetitive practices in DMS market
Tekion, an innovative cloud-native platform for the retail automotive industry, has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against CDK Global. The lawsuit accuses CDK of using unfair and anticompetitive tactics to maintain its dominant position in the dealer management system (DMS) market. Read More
3. Former TrueCar employee linked to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO
Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old former employee of TrueCar, has been identified as the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on December 4. Mangione, arrested on December 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, is charged with several offenses, including murder and firearms-related charges. He had been on the run following the shooting, utilizing a signal-blocking bag to evade surveillance. Read More
4. Tesla reduces Supercharger prices amid record usage
Tesla has announced a price reduction across its Supercharger network, responding to rising charging costs that had started to erode one of the key advantages of electric vehicles (EVs)—lower operational costs. Read More
5. Stellantis appoints Timothy Kuniskis to lead the Ram brand
Stellantis is undergoing executive changes in North America following Carlos Tavares’s sudden departure. The automaker is working to stabilize its operations amidst declining U.S. market share, recent executive departures, and increasing tensions with dealers and politicians. Read More
6. Wholesale used-vehicle prices see slight increase in November
According to Cox Automotive, wholesale used-vehicle prices rose in November compared to October. The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index (MUVVI) rose to 205.4, a 0.2% increase year-over-year. Non-seasonally adjusted prices declined 0.1% from October and were down 1% year-over-year. Read More
7. IIHS calls for lower speed limits in pedestrian heavy areas
The most recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study found that speed limits of 25 mph are too high in pedestrian-heavy areas. Additionally, the organization found that taller vehicles, such as trucks and SUVs, amplify the risk of injuries and fatalities at higher speeds. Read More
8. Ryan Kerrigan discusses post-election impacts, tariffs, and EV growth
It’s been a few weeks since the election, and it seems like we are starting to get some additional information on what the next may hold. That seems like a good place to start. Here to weigh in on today’s episode of Inside Automotive is Ryan Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. Watch the full segment here.
9. Four essential F&I strategies to boost your profitability
On today’s episode of Training Camp with Adam Marburger– a black belt in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and F&I- notes how F&I professionals are urged to stop fixating on PVR (per vehicle revenue) and start focusing on what truly drives success: the retail customer. Marburger shares four essential takeaways to help F&I managers improve their performance and ultimately increase PVR by following proven strategies. Let’s dive into these actionable tips that will transform your F&I operations. Watch the full segment here.
10. Billy Busch shares insights on sustaining a family business empire
Building a business empire is an incredible feat; however, maintaining it throughout generations is an entirely different challenge. In today’s episode of CBT Now, we get an up-close and personal look into one of America’s most iconic family businesses: Anheuser-Busch. Watch the full segment here.
