🚗 Atlas Gets Hands On

🚙 Next Gen Technicians, Robots Getting Smarter, and AI in Fixed Ops

August 22, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Happy Friday, Friend!

Yesterday, our crew got a sneak peek at the next episode of More Than Cars (coming soon!), and honestly, it left us feeling grateful.

Grateful for the people in this industry. Grateful for the stories we get to tell. And grateful for moments that remind us this work really does matter.

Until then, hit reply and let us know: what are you grateful for this week?

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Investing in Future Technicians

You can’t fix a tech shortage without more techs. Jack Weidinger gets that.

The third-gen dealer and president of Weidinger Automotive Group just dropped $25K into Suffolk County Community College’s Automotive Technology program.

The goal? More students, more training, more qualified hands under hoods.

Suffolk is already New York’s largest auto tech program, but now they’re planning to double in size. This donation helps get them there faster.

Jack’s backing an industry that needs more builders, not just sellers. And he’s doing it with local roots that run all the way back to 1938.

Growing the future of auto means showing up for the next generation. This is what it looks like when dealers bet on people.

From the Automotive State of the Union

Hertz Hits Amazon

Hertz is now listing used vehicles on Amazon, starting in Dallas, Houston, LA, and Seattle, with 45 more cities coming. The play adds $1,000–$1,500 per unit compared to wholesale and builds on Hertz’s push to move more retail volume direct to consumers.

VinFast Goes Franchise

VinFast just opened its first U.S. dealership in San Diego with Sunroad Automotive Group. The EV maker plans to swap its company-owned stores for nearly 30 franchises across 14 states, betting the dealer model is its best shot at scaling.

Atlas Levels Up

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot is learning new tricks with AI-driven Large Behavior Models. Backed by Toyota Research Institute, Atlas can now adapt to long, complex tasks—from crouching to sorting—hinting at a future where robots don’t just move, they learn.

From The News w/ ASOTU

Click to read the full digest.

Manufacturers Pivot to What Pays

Facing $8B in tariff costs, automakers are leaning on their moneymakers: pickups and SUVs. GM is ramping Equinox and Blazer, Stellantis is reviving Hemi Rams, and Ford’s flexible powertrains help avoid $1.5B in fines. EV investments aren’t gone, just reshaped—like Toyota’s U.S. lineup and Ford’s $30K electric pickup.

Tariffs Keep EU Cars on Ice

European imports remain stuck with a 27.5% tariff. The EU wants it lowered to 15% in exchange for concessions, but no deal yet. For dealers with Euro brands, today’s prices hold—tomorrow’s could flip fast.

Also in today’s Digest:

  • XPeng revenue more than doubles, 100K+ deliveries in Q2.

  • Nissan eyes $610M sale-leaseback of Yokohama HQ.

  • VIN lookups still stuck in the ’90s in many states.

🥊 Quick Hits

  • Cracker Barrel stocks plummeted after a controversial logo refresh. 🍳

  • Delta and United passengers are suing over window seats that don’t have windows. 🪟

  • Regent Craft is testing a 65-foot electric sea glider in Rhode Island waters.🛩️

The 45th Anniversary Membership Meeting is Near

We’re less than one week out from the 2025 NAMAD Annual Member Conference.

Our crew is excited to head to the Wynn Las Vegas this year where we plan on getting plenty of exclusive podcast content and coverage of their powerful panels and seminars.

Join us August 26–29—save your seat today!

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

A lot of people are talking about AI in fixed ops. Laurie Halter actually did the research.

In this Auto Collabs episode, Laurie joins the crew to break down what’s really happening in service departments—from what AI tools dealers are actually using to why predictive maintenance isn’t happening anytime soon.

Her independent study cuts past the buzzwords and into what fixed ops teams actually need.

🔁 Today in History

  • 1864: Twelve nations signed the First Geneva Convention, establishing the rules of protection of the victims of armed conflicts. 🕊️

  • 1901: Cadillac Motor Company is founded. 🛞

  • 1902: Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first U.S. president to ride in an electric car. ⚡️

We appreciate you spending your time with us today, Friend.

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