Starbucks is adding thousands of new "coffeehouse coach" positions as part of its ongoing turnaround strategy. The company is hiring 300 coaches this month, with plans to expand the role across most of its 10,000 company-operated U.S. stores.
One Dealer Got Tired of Arbitration. So He Built the Tool He Needed.
After managing arbitration across six Indiana dealerships that source roughly 70% of their inventory through auctions, Baldwin created a single place to file claims, track status updates, and document outcomes. If an arbitration is successful, the vehicle's history stays with the platform, giving future buyers visibility into past issues, repairs, and seller responses.
Amazon-owned Zoox unveiled a redesigned version of its purpose-built robotaxi as it prepares to move from prototype to production. Unlike many autonomous vehicles, the Zoox is built from the ground up for ride-hailing, meaning there's no steering wheel or driver's seat.
🚗 What CDG reminded us about people, AI, and customers
🚙 Our conversation with Yossi Levi went right to the center of dealership operations: marketing, AI, conversion, hospitality, and the people expected to make all of it work.
Our conversation with Yossi Levi covered everything from marketing and conversion to AI and hospitality. Three themes surfaced repeatedly: dealerships need to invest in people as much as platforms, AI is only as useful as the knowledge it's built on, and the stores creating the best customer experiences are combining hospitality with technology instead of choosing between them.
California's Connected-Car Law Is About More Than Vehicle Sales
The law requires manufacturers to revoke remote vehicle access when presented with qualifying documentation and eventually give drivers the ability to disable location tracking directly from inside the vehicle.
Slate Auto Thinks America Still Wants a Simple Truck
The startup says its electric pickup will start at $24,950 and generate positive gross margins. The truck features hand-crank windows, no built-in radio, a phone mount instead of an infotainment system, and a modular design that allows owners to customize it over time.
Tesla Tops the American-Made List Again. The Real Story Starts After That.
Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y once again claimed the top two spots on Cars.com's 2026 American-Made Index, extending the company's streak to six straight years at the top.
🚙 The last chip shortage was about supply chains. The next one may be about priorities. As AI companies buy up memory chips at almost any price, automakers are discovering they're competing for a different piece of the semiconductor market than many expected.
Consumers Are Using AI Search More. They're Trusting It Less.
AI is becoming a major part of how shoppers discover dealerships, but consumers are increasingly rewarding brands that pair technology with authentic human connection.
