For decades, the dealership service model has been largely reactive: a vehicle breaks down, the customer brings it in, and the dealership service team performs the repair. This break/fix mentality has been a stable, but ultimately limited revenue model. However, the combination of today’s advanced vehicle telematics and cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now fundamentally changing this dynamic, promising to transform the service department from a reactive repair center into a…

The only chatbot built exclusively for dealers – powered by the industry’s largest dataset of VIN and shopper data, it delivers real-time VIN-level intelligence, market insights, and merchandising optimization to improve profitability.  

DETROIT — Lotlinx, the auto industry’s first and only VIN Performance platform built to help…

The automotive market in 2025 has been characterized by elevated vehicle prices and consequently, a steadily growing reliance on leasing to manage consumer payments. For lenders and dealers, this trend elevates the stakes attached to a single, crucial figure: the lease payment.

While sales professionals have long known that leasing is a product focused almost entirely on the basis of the payment—it’s 100% about the payment, not the price—the industry is now waking up…

The rhythm of an auto dealership is a constant, energetic hum. Sales teams work the showroom floor, service bays are filled, and the F&I department finalizes deals. But in the midst of this controlled chaos, a silent threat lurks in the back lot: hidden inventory risk.

For too long, dealers have operated with a critical blind spot, relying on lagging indicators like rising days on lot or unexpected markdowns to signal a problem. By the time a vehicle shows up on a stale…

Digital modernization and proactive inventory management remain key as aged inventory and rising prices challenge profitability, with Lotlinx customers outperforming market benchmarks 

DETROIT (July 22, 2025) — Lotlinx, the auto industry’s first and only VIN Performance platform built to help dealers maximize profitability, announced today its…

Auto dealers today are under constant pressure to operate more efficiently, forecast more accurately, and make faster, data-driven decisions. From inventory management to customer engagement, traditional methods of running a dealership are being re-evaluated in favor of smarter, scalable approaches rooted in automation and intelligence, which means successful dealers are constantly forced to keep pace with ongoing change. 

Predictive modeling is now…

In today’s workplace, supporting employee well-being requires more than reactive benefits and one-size-fits-all coverage. With financial stress on the rise and employees increasingly worried about healthcare affordability and long-term security, dealership employers must adopt a more proactive, comprehensive approach to benefits communication. A key opportunity lies in one of the most misunderstood benefits to help employees: life…

The automotive dealership model is facing yet another modernization opportunity—this time driven by artificial intelligence, specifically generative AI and GPT-style technologies. These tools, which allow users to query complex data systems using natural language and automate time consuming repetitive tasks, are increasingly being explored across commercial vehicle operations for their potential to increase efficiency, simplify analysis, and improve…

As economic uncertainty continues to weigh on consumers, vehicle affordability continues today as a driving issue in the auto retail sector. High interest rates, lingering inflation, and constrained supply chains have converged to create a complex marketplace—one where both consumers and dealers are navigating a delicate balancing act between price sensitivity and profit margins.

In response, dealers are looking to leverage AI and machine learning as a strategic tool to maintain…

Today’s auto dealerships are constantly seeking innovative ways to differentiate themselves and enhance their profitability. One such opportunity lies in the strategic use of limited warranties, not just as a vehicle sales tool, but as a cornerstone of a sophisticated wealth-building program.

While the utilization of limited warranties has become commoditized, integrating these warranties into a comprehensive reinsurance or DOWC strategy can provide significant financial…

The automotive dealership model is constantly facing change, especially in the types of vehicles retailers can service. In particular, as the commercial vehicle market shifts toward opportunities for electrification within their vehicle fleets, local dealerships are being called upon to do more than sell vehicles. They must become strategic partners in their customers’ sustainability journeys – for both passenger vehicles and that of fleet customers. This reimagination of business…

With today’s “always connected” digital economy, identity is currency. For the automotive industry—spanning rentals, dealerships, insurance providers, and financing institutions—that currency is increasingly being challenged. The numbers are staggering with U.S. auto lenders facing an estimated $9.2 billion in fraud loss exposure. ¹ This surge in identity-based fraud is not only draining revenue but also undermining trust and operational integrity across the industry.

At the heart of…

The automotive retail industry is experiencing a fundamental modernization. While much of the conversation has centered around electrification and digital retailing, another powerful force is quietly changing the way dealerships operate—intelligent machines. Often associated solely with sales or advertising automation, machines are increasingly being used to optimize back-end dealership strategies in areas like inventory allocation, pricing, merchandising, and aged inventory…

From Margins to Mobility: Why Auto Dealers Must Rethink Fleet Service for the Connected and Electric Age

U.S. auto retailers have had a longstanding relationship with local commercial and business fleet customers, especially in the servicing of vehicles in the fleet. Rapidly changing updates to connected vehicle data is offering an opportunity for retailers to further grow this business, but their technology proficiency to properly leverage this data poses…

The May 7, 2025, enforcement of the REAL ID Act marks a new moment for identity verification in the U.S.-and auto dealerships are squarely in the crosshairs. As the federal government now requires all Americans over 18 to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID for domestic air travel and access to certain federal facilities, the auto industry must also deal with the ripple effects on its own processes for verifying customer…

The first quarter of 2025 opened with a mix of optimism and uncertainty for the automotive industry. While March delivered a sharp 19% rebound in new vehicle sales—largely driven by consumers rushing to purchase ahead of tariff price adjustments—the earlier months of the quarter were marked by a slight decline. Used vehicle sales, on the other hand, showed steady resilience, increasing 10% quarter-over-quarter.

Beneath these headline figures, however, the market revealed deeper…

LLMs, Agentic AI, and Vertical AI: How Machines Are Improving Dealer Retail Operations

As dealers face rising complexity in inventory management, pricing, and profitability, especially with the 25% tariff on imported vehicles, machine-driven technologies are stepping in as vital tools—not just to handle data, but to make better, faster business decisions.  

From fluctuating vehicle values and evolving consumer trends to aging inventory and regional market…

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has significantly reduced funding for federal financial regulators. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is struggling to operate, with its staff unable to access their headquarters, supervisory exams suspended, and enforcement cases being abandoned. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) fired 700 employees on the last day of February^[1].  Even the Office of the Controller of the…