🚗 Dealers: NADA Wins + a Hands-Free Wave

TOGETHER WITH

As always, NADA has been a blast, and we’re grateful to be living and working in the greatest industry in the world!

Huge congrats to this year’s TIME Dealer of the Year, Dave Wright!

Dealers like you are undeniable proof that this industry is one worth fighting to get into and working to thrive in.

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

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If you haven’t stopped by CarRx at Booth 5143W yet, today’s your last chance.

They’re bringing serious strategy (and a bit of nostalgia) to the NADA Show floor—with classic arcade games, retro giveaways, and a fresh look at how real-time vehicle data is helping dealers level up service, retention, and inventory ops.

Dealers swinging by are getting quick wins:

You’ll find them in West Hall by the café. No appointment needed, but now is your last chance to schedule here.

In the U.S., the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents brands like GM, Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen, and Hyundai, is lining up behind the Trump administration’s plan to sharply dial down federal fuel economy requirements. Their argument is simple: EV sales growth has cooled, government support is fading, and the previous CAFE targets were set so high they’re not realistic anymore.

But the industry is not signing on without conditions. Automakers want regulators to keep credit trading, the system that lets manufacturers balance compliance across their fleets. They’re also asking NHTSA not to strip out credits tied to efficiency tech, including improvements like more efficient air conditioning. NHTSA estimates the proposal could cut average upfront vehicle costs by about $930, but it would also increase fuel use and emissions over time.

Up north, Canada is expected to make a similar pivot.

Reports say Ottawa plans to replace its EV sales mandate with a new fuel efficiency standard and credit system, while bringing back popular consumer EV incentives. The move follows pressure from automakers and provinces to drop targets that aimed for 60% EV sales by 2030 and 100% by 2035.

Dealers should expect a longer runway where internal combustion, hybrid, and EV inventory all stay in the mix, and “credits” do more of the policy heavy lifting than hard mandates.

Every year, distracted driving puts millions of drivers at risk.

According to the most recent NHTSA data for 2023, more than 3K people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers and nearly 325K were injured. That accounted for about 8% of all traffic fatalities and nearly 13 % of injury crashes nationwide.

That reality is pushing lawmakers beyond basic texting bans and toward broader hands-free rules. South Carolina and Iowa are two of the most recent states to make the shift, with Florida also taking steps in that direction.

South Carolina’s hands-free law took effect in September 2025, with a warning period built in. Full enforcement begins February 28, 2026, when drivers can be cited for handheld phone use.

Iowa’s hands-free law became active July 1, 2025, and its warning period ended December 31, 2025. As of this year, Iowa drivers are fully subject to enforcement.

Florida already bans handheld phone use in school zones and work zones. A broader statewide hands-free bill has been introduced for the 2026 session but has not yet passed.

For employers, fleets, and everyday drivers, that means updating policies, training, and habits to match the new reality on the road.

Safer driving isn’t just good for compliance. It’s also good for…ya know, staying alive.

Get a first look at the new season of The Truth About Car Dealers before anyone else.

See you there?

Thanks for reading, Friend! We’re saying a little prayer that your travel is safe, easy, and to a place where everybody knows your name.