TOGETHER WITH :
Howdy Friend!
It’s Monday again, and we’re just ~14 days from ASOTU CON in Hanover, MD.
Are you on the fence? Do you respond to personal Q&A sessions? Let’s set something up!
Reply to this message, and some members of the MTC team will set up a video call to get you over the line.
Keep Pushing Back,
- Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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What’s shifting right now in auto retail
Service revenue is slipping, OEMs are narrowing focus, and new tech requirements are getting closer. These are the pressures showing up in pricing, inventory, and customer conversations right now.
Dealerships are losing service customers to quick lube chains
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Service retention is weakening.
Dealership service transactions dropped 13% while quick lube shops gained share, largely on price.
This is happening even with free maintenance programs in place.
What’s behind it:
Dealership prices are rising faster than competitors
Customers are choosing lower-cost options for routine work
Follow-up visits are not guaranteed, even early in ownership
Routine service drives long-term value. When customers leave for basic work, it reduces future opportunities.
Driver monitoring tech is coming to new vehicles by 2027
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Federal law requires automakers to add impaired driving detection systems to new vehicles. The rule is still being finalized, with rollout expected starting in 2026–2027.
These systems use cameras and sensors to track attention and signs of impairment. If a driver is flagged, the vehicle can limit operation or prevent driving.
Estimated added cost: $100–$500 per vehicle
Automakers have raised concerns about reliability
Data handling policies will vary by manufacturer
Closest thing to a built-in co-pilot that never looks away.
Prime the Path to Pickup
A better handoff starts with a better starting point.
Amazon Autos helps move more of the early shopping work into a familiar online path, so your team can spend less time rebuilding the deal from scratch and more time helping the customer move forward.
Bring your questions to ASOTU CON, and discover how Amazon Autos can fit into your process.
Stellantis is putting its money behind four core brands
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Stellantis is concentrating its investment on Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, and Fiat. Other brands remain in the portfolio but will play more targeted regional roles.
What do these points to:
More resources behind high-volume, high-margin brands
Increased use of shared platforms and technology
Less emphasis on evenly supporting every brand
China is turning cars into software platforms.
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Chinese automakers are accelerating the use of AI inside vehicles.
The focus is on systems that respond to driver input, handle more tasks, and improve interaction inside the vehicle.
Key direction:
Automakers building their own chips and software
Faster development cycles
Stronger link between vehicle performance and software capability
EV growth is still moving forward
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Kia reported continued growth in electrified vehicles:
EV sales up 54% year over year
Hybrid sales up 32%
Growth is being driven by product expansion and incentives, even as overall demand fluctuates.
Where rubber meets the road:
Customers are hearing pieces of these stories. Keep explanations simple and specific.
Service pricing: explain the difference in value or expect customers to shop on price
Driver monitoring tech: position it as a safety feature and explain how it works in plain terms
Brand changes: focus on the models and brands receiving the most investment
EVs: match the vehicle to the customer’s routine and budget
Clarity wins. If customers understand what they are getting and why it costs what it does, decisions move faster.
A car’s profit story starts long before it hits the front line.
VINCUE helps dealers manage that full lifecycle with real-time data in one place, so every decision from stocking to turn has a clearer path to profit.
At ASOTU CON, they’re bringing that conversation to the Main Stage with a focus on efficiency, profitability, and growth across the inventory process.
Make time for VINCUE while you’re there and see how sharper inventory decisions can move the whole store.
🤖 AI: 20K jobs cut at Meta and Microsoft has people worried the AI labor crisis is here.
🛒 Retail: Despite inflation and gloom, garden retail is up YoY.
👽 Weird: Researchers Have Discovered a THC-Free Cannabis Compound That May Replace Opioids
1521 – Explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed at the Battle of Mactan by forces led by Lapulapu. This moment marked a turning point in early European exploration of the Pacific and is often remembered as a rare instance of successful indigenous resistance against a European expedition.
1945 – Near the end of World War II, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was captured by Italian partisans while attempting to flee. His capture led to his execution the following day, symbolizing the collapse of Fascist rule in Italy.
1994 – South Africa conducted its first fully democratic national election, allowing Black citizens to vote for the first time. Nelson Mandela was elected president shortly after, marking the official end of apartheid and a major shift in global human rights history.
Monday again, Friend!
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