New AutoNation acquisition, Tesla’s self-driving lawsuit, Stellantis clean energy

Inside Automotive

Jeff Wyler Automotive Family’s first 100% solution study- Kevin Frye
Today, consumers have a tremendous amount of options when it comes to purchasing a vehicle. Jeff Wyler Automotive Family recently conducted a user experience study to learn more about the modern consumer and whether they’re ready to buy 100 percent online. On today’s show we’re pleased to welcome Kevin Frye, the Marketing Director at Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, to share the results of the study. Watch full segment here.

Headlines

America’s largest automotive retailer, AutoNation, announced it would be acquiring mobile maintenance provider RepairSmith in early 2023. AutoNation has slowly expanded its offerings to include financing, insurance and fixed operations, and intends to use the repair company’s assets to continue improving its after-sales services. RepairSmith has a wide technician network across eight states, providing on-the-go maintenance support for individual and business needs. When it closes in early 2023, the buyout is expected to cost the dealership network $190 million. Read More

In a win for Tesla customers, the automaker has been ordered to upgrade its self-driving features at no additional cost. A small claims court in Washington ordered the company to add the service for free after a plaintiff alleged that they had used false-advertising to promote the technology. CEO Elon Musk has long touted the brand’s self-driving capabilities, promising its vehicles would be fully autonomous in the near future. When the company marketed its Model 3, it advertised that vehicle purchases would include the required hardware. However, when the plaintiff attempted to enable the feature, he claims the car required an additional $1106 in tech upgrades. The judge in the case ruled that this was a breach of warranty, opening the door for future lawsuits. Other companies, such as Apple, have noticeably tempered self-driving expectations in recent months, likely hoping to avoid similar litigation. Read More

Stellantis announced a new purchase from Michigan based company DTE Energy. The deal would fully convert the electricity supply at 70 Stellantis facilities in the state to solar by 2026, a move which both businesses claim would reduce the automaker’s U.S. emissions by 50%. While the car manufacturer has not made the financial details public, it claims the deal is the second largest of its kind, following in the footsteps of Ford who, in August, arranged the biggest clean energy purchase to date, also with DTE Energy. This matches with an industry-wide push to lower emissions, stimulated by the Biden administration’s renewable energy incentives passed earlier this year. Read More

Chinese auto brand Zeekr has filed for an initial public offering, hoping to earn $1 billion in investments off the U.S. stock market. The EV company is owned by Geely Automobile Holdings, a leading car manufacturer in China, which has only recently joined its domestic competitors in global expansion. If approved, the company would be the first major Chinese firm to be added to the stock exchange in two years. China’s EV market is the most active in the world, and accounts for over half of world-wide electric car sales. The company hopes for a valuation of $10 billion, but it could take over six months for its IPO to be approved. Read More

News & Opinions

Where does the used car market stand?
There is no doubt the auto industry as a whole has been drastically shaken up since the beginning of the pandemic, and this includes the used car market. Volatile prices and supply chain snags have continued to impact inventory and the inventory management strategies dealers have implemented. Let’s take a look at the recent trends and potential outlook. Read More

5 areas of service training that often get overlooked
Within your service department, you have multiple positions working together to create the seamless experience your customers encounter. To ensure maximum satisfaction, every part of the team must work at optimal levels, which requires constant service training. While it’s common to show employees how to write repair orders, manage time, and schedule appointments, there are five areas of service training that are consistently overlooked. Whether you are training a service advisor, service technician, or service manager, there’s always room for improvement. In this guide, we cover some topics that need more attention. Read More

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