TOGETHER WITH:
Howdy, Fam!
Talking about the weather is as old as talking. And sometimes it makes sense. “How is the weather at your house today?”
But if somebody asked, “How is the weather in the United States today?” You may just have to answer “yes.”
A whole country is too big to ask small questions about.
The automotive industry is, too.
So, today’s news is less about trying to narrow down a single statement about the industry’s health, wealth, and happiness, and more about explaining what customers are hearing, how they’re acting, and how we can respond.
Keep Pushing Back,
—Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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Inventory Is Back. Confidence Isn't.
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Yesterday, we looked at the eight million vehicles that never entered the market during the inventory shortages of the early 2020s and how that missing supply still affects affordability today.
This week, several new reports offered a look at the market from a different angle: not what's missing, but what's available.
Inventory is stable, price growth is slowing, and credit availability is improving. Relief, however, remains hard for many customers to find.
The Market Is Improving
According to Automotive News, new vehicle inventory opened June at 2.89 million units, or a 75-day supply. Kelley Blue Book reported that average transaction prices slipped slightly in May, while Cox Automotive's Dealertrack Credit Availability Index reached its highest level since 2022.
On paper, those are encouraging signs.
But the details tell a different story:
Only 20% of inventory is priced below $35,000
Average transaction prices remain near $50,000
30% of auto loans now exceed 72 months
More than half of financed buyers carry negative equity
The market is finding ways to keep deals moving, but it is doing it through a tighter mix: fewer affordable units, longer loans, and more equity carried forward.
Confidence Is Still the Missing Piece
That pressure shows up in consumer trust, too.
JD Power's 2026 Mobility Confidence Index found that awareness of autonomous vehicles continues to rise, but confidence remains largely unchanged. Consumers understand the technology better than they did a few years ago. They just don't trust it more.
The same dynamic may be playing out on showroom floors.
Customers have more information than ever. What many are looking for now is confidence. Confidence in the payment. Confidence in the financing. Confidence that they're making the right decision for their family.
Which brings us to one of the strongest themes from ASOTU CON's Year of the Human conversations.
Where The Rubber Meets The Road
If customers are carrying longer loans, rolling negative equity, and feeling uncertain about affordability, the job isn't simply explaining numbers. It's building confidence.
That was a consistent theme at ASOTU CON's Year of the Human session.
Carter Myers Automotive's Liza Borches challenged leaders to spend less time reviewing reports and more time observing customer and employee interactions.
Lithia's Diego Rojas emphasized creating growth opportunities through mentorship and exposure to new experiences.
Mohawk Chevrolet's Andy Guelcher boiled it down even further: make one personal connection with a team member every day.
None of those ideas requires a new tool.
They require leaders to spend more time in the service drive, on the showroom floor, and in conversations with employees who hear customer concerns every day. That's where affordability concerns, financing questions, and purchase hesitation show up first, often weeks before the numbers reflect them.
Fund the Future, One Fix at a Time
Vehicles for Change is helping people move forward in the most practical way possible: reliable cars for families and real training for future technicians.
And the impact is incredibly tangible:
A $50 gift can cover ASE testing fees.
A $100 gift can provide a student uniform.
A $250 gift can cover a student tool kit or textbooks.
A $6,000 gift can put a family in a car.
A $14,000 gift can train a tech for a lifelong career.
That means every donation has a direct job to do. No mystery. Just clear, meaningful ways to help someone gain mobility, skills, confidence, and a real path forward.
Help Vehicles for Change keep families moving and future techs learning.
🦷 Server Farm Fever
Oracle Doubles Down on AI
Oracle beat earnings expectations but rattled investors by announcing plans to raise another $20 billion to fund its AI infrastructure buildout.
OpenAI Eyes a Price War
OpenAI may cut prices as competition with Anthropic heats up, signaling AI tools could soon get significantly cheaper.
Workers Aren't So Sure About AI
Roughly half of Americans worry AI could replace jobs in their household as layoffs continue across tech.
🧯 Moving Parts
Amazon Moves Further Into Freight
Amazon opened its trucking network to outside businesses, sending freight stocks lower and raising new questions about logistics competition.
UAW Strike Ends at Key Supplier
The UAW reached a tentative agreement with axle supplier Dauch Corp., ending a 10-day strike tied to GM truck components.
BYD Brings 5-Minute Charging North
BYD is preparing to launch megawatt-class charging in Canada, promising up to 250 miles of range in about five minutes.
Toyota's Reliability Reputation Tested
More than 270,000 Toyota trucks are now tied to engine failure recalls, creating a major quality challenge for the brand.
🪑 Sideline Snacks
Solar Passes Coal
Solar generated more U.S. electricity than coal for the first time during a month, marking a major energy milestone.
World Cup's Next Marketing Stars
With Messi and Ronaldo nearing the final chapters, brands are watching a new generation of global soccer stars emerge.
1963 – The film Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, is released in US theaters. It was the most expensive film made at the time.
1966 - The U.S. Senate passed the legislation that would become the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. It introduced the country's first mandatory federal safety standards for motor vehicles.
1987 - During a speech at the Berlin Wall, U.S. President Ronald Reagan famously challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
Thanks for reading, Friend! Flow State Friday starts now.
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