AutoConverse: Recent Episodes
Ryan Gerardi
People, ideas, and technologies that influence how we are connected and the way we get around.
autoconverse.substack.com
In this episode: GM CEO meets with senators on self-driving cars - wants to test its self-driving cars all over California; General Motors to use ChatGPT tech for in-car virtual assistant; Tesla to launch solar power charging feature in app; SpaceX Launches 40 OneWeb Satellites; Chinese electric car battery maker CATL targeted in US bill blocking tax credits; Plus…A discussion about how AI is changing car shopping.
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In this episode: Hacker Cracks Toyota Customer Search Tool; Toyota Partners With Yahoo For Crown AR Effort; Ford forms automated driving subsidiary from Argo AI's remains; Ford earns Postal Service’s latest EV contract; Ford patents autonomous vehicle repossession; BMW launches demonstration fleet of hydrogen cars that use fuel cells from Toyota; Plus…the sudden rise of AI-powered chat, and how one company is using AI to change how you get insurance quotes and safety recalls.
In this episode: Hacker Cracks Toyota Customer Search Tool; Toyota Partners With Yahoo For Crown AR Effort; Ford forms automated driving subsidiary from Argo AI's remains; Ford earns Postal Service’s latest EV contract; Ford patents autonomous vehicle repossession; BMW launches demonstration fleet of hydrogen cars that use fuel cells from Toyota; Plus…Calls for Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to resign; the sudden rise of AI-powered chat; and how one company is using AI to change how you get insurance quotes and safety recalls. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
Get full access to AutoConverse at autoconverse.substack.com/subscribe
In this episode: Recent train derailments have Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in the hot seat; Hyundai and Kia launch service campaign to prevent theft of vehicles targeted by social media challenge; Hyundai wants to simplify EV ownership with new subscription program; Ford sells majority stake in Rivian, plans to build EV battery plant with Chinese partner; General Motors Digs Into Mining Business; Tesla agrees to double supercharger network, open to all EVs; SpaceX tests global Starlink roaming service; Plus…important answers about residential solar power for your home. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: Florida pulls $2 billion from BlackRock in largest anti-ESG divestment; SpaceX Gets Green Light To Launch 7,500 More Starlink Satellites; Tesla extends FSD access; GM supports EV shoppers with a call center; Mercedes-Benz to introduce acceleration subscription fee; Sony-Honda autonomous EV with a PS5; Trend of the Year - Tech Layoffs. Plus, a conversation about the used car market, Carvana’s looming bankruptcy, and the fate of push-button car shopping. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: House Passes Bill to Avert a Rail Strike; Amazon is gutting Alexa; Neuralink faces federal probe, employee backlash over animal tests; Tesla delivers its first electric semi trucks; Domino’s buys 800 Chevrolet Bolt EVs; Ford’s new EV dealer network; Toyota Uses Hydrogen Like Gasoline; Honda will start US production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in 2024; Rolls Royce to create the world’s first hydrogen powered aero-jet-engine; Renewable energy predicted to surpass coal by 2025. Plus, a conversation about the illusion of privacy. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: COP27 Talks Begin With Deal to Discuss Climate Reparations; Ford exec rings alarm on EV charging and battery raw materials; Hyundai Ranked 1st in Global Hydrogen Car Sales; BMW plans to invest $1.7 billion in U.S. to produce electric vehicles in South Carolina; Canoo to build battery manufacturing facility in Oklahoma; Everledger and Ford introduce battery passport pilot; Can EV Buses act as “batteries on wheels?” Plus: Record high auto finance interest rates, and what really is an instant cash offer for your vehicle? Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: Snap and Amazon partner on AR shopping for eyewear; Volkswagen to go fully electric by 2033; GM touts millions of miles driven with Super Cruise; Sunrun to offer smart home charging stations; create 17-MW energy storage virtual power plant in Puerto Rico; GM plans to onshore critical battery component manufacturing processes; Europe adopts law requiring Apple to support USB-C chargers; Saudi Arabia Breaks Ground on The Line Megacity - SpaceX Dismantles Hyperloop Test Tunnel. Plus…How your tires might be causing roadkill you never imagined. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: Musk expands his empire by completing the purchase of Twitter; Ford and Volkswagen pull the plug on robocar unit Argo AI; GM ready to power all US facilities with renewable energy by 2025; Toyota to launch large-capacity Sweep Energy Storage System from reused electrified vehicle batteries; Wind Turbine Blades Can’t Be Recycled, Piling Up in Landfills; SpaceX starts accepting Starlink for RVs orders. Plus, rising demand for electricity and how electric vehicles are impacting the scrapping business. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: Jay Leno Teams Up With General Motors To Build A Jet Car; Kanye West to buy conservative social media platform Parler; UberEats to deliver pot in Toronto; Circle K gas stations are adding weed for convenient pickup; GM takes on Tesla with its own solar power and energy storage system; Tesla launches a Wall Connector for non-Tesla vehicles; AWS and BMW develop cloud platform for connected cars; SpaceX Unveils Starlink Internet Services for Private Jets; IRS releases details on how your tax rate could change next year: TikTok Parent ByteDance Planned To Use TikTok To Monitor The Physical Location Of Specific American Citizens; Plus: How an AI concierge service will benefit auto shoppers. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff. Thanks.
In this episode: Inflation keeps getting worse; Alex Jones ordered to pay nearly $1B; TikTok chases Amazon with plans for US fulfillment centers; SpaceX provides Florida with Starlink satellites after Hurricane Ian, GM launching new business to connect homes and business with EV chargers and energy storage; Plus…A discussion on the adoption of EVs and the surprising return rate - EV owners going back to gas powered cars. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: Honda, LG announce $4.4 billion US battery factory for EVs; GM Set To Invest $491 Million Into EV Upgrades For Indiana Plant; Intel breaks ground on its $20b chip plant; General Motors To Be First Client Partner For NBCUnified; Tesla Cranking Out 6,500 Powerwalls, 9K Battery Packs A Week In Nevada; GM's self-driving car unit to offer driverless rides in Phoenix, Austin this year; Tesla is building four enormous Supercharger locations in California; General Motors and Kroger launching electric grocery cart; GM to sell up to 175,000 electric vehicles to Hertz through 2027; Why is a NASA spacecraft crashing into an asteroid? Plus…Auto industry insider shares crazy Info about the centralized bank system and the impending used car bubble. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: We pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II who passed away last week at the age of 96; A look at looming corporate job cuts; California energy hypocrisy, Royal Caribbean to deploy Starlink Satellite Internet with SpaceX; Nissan LEAF bi-directional charging approved; a breakthrough with plastics and diamonds; and more. Plus…more car buying tips with industry insiders including tax credits for brick and mortar business owners who supply recharging services for EV owners. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew. Support this podcast with our affiliate link and earn free stuff.
In this episode: California set to ban sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035; Toyota and ChargePoint partner to offer home and public charging; Department of Energy wants feedback on how to recycle lithium-ion batteries; Biden administration launches airline customer service dashboard for canceled or delayed flights; Elon Musk says self-driving Tesla could be ready by the end of the year; Plus, what is the “scam” behind EVs, and what to expect when buying a new car today.
In this episode: President Biden signs the Inflation Reduction Act. What will it actually do? Transportation Department proposes new rules for refunds with airlines; Nissan launches financial framework to fund electrified vehicles, mobility; Raytheon Technologies to Test Hydrogen and Ammonia as Clean Power Fuel Sources; Plus…What to know about ESG Ratings, and a glimpse into at BEV development and natural resources with the Kwak Bros. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew.
In this episode: Senate Democrats pass budget package; Automakers scramble to decode EV Tax credits; Apple eyes fuel purchases from dashboard as it revs up car software; Ford secures battery cell capacity to support EV run rate for late 2023; GM is expanding its hands-free Super Cruise system to 400,000 miles of roads; GM to Punish Buyers Who Flip High-Demand Vehicles; and Toyota’s Push for Hydrogen Fuel Cells Over Electric Batteries; Plus…Meet Super AI Overlord Aaddin; and what to do about hypocrisy on carbon emissions. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew.
In this episode…US Gasoline Prices Fall to Two-Month Low With Pump Pain Easing; Automakers Plan to Build Fewer Cars to Keep Prices Higher; World Economic Forum Says It Is ‘Time to Look Beyond’ Private Vehicle Ownership; Tesla-Hertz Partnership Expands to Sixteen New Cities; JetBlue to buy Spirit Airlines to become the fifth-largest US carrier; and more. Plus…Jeremiah Fox on Dealing with Adversity, and Plensy Chief Revenue Officer Brandi Kolosky talks about her company’s patent-pending auto lending solution on blockchain. Brought to you in part by Morning Brew.
In this episode…Airline sales soar, along with chaos; Pete Buttigieg launches $1B pilot to build racial equity in America’s roads; Virgin Galactic postpones first commercial flights to next year; Venice Plans to Start Weeding Out Cheap Tourists; Starbucks to close 16 stores citing personal safety concerns; Grubhub and Amazon offer Prime members one-year of $0 food delivery; Japan will begin locking people up for online comments; Automakers Are Starting to Drop AM Radio in New Cars: Plus…conversations with Allen Taylor and Scott Cunningham about Elon Musk buying Twitter, Regulation and Decentralization of Crypto, and more…See full video replay and show notes on this blog and Make 1984 Fiction Again by JP Sears.
In this episode…Uber settles disability lawsuit; Delta buys 100 Boeing Max planes; Snapchat comes to desktop and offers premium service; Ford is sticking with plans for non-negotiable EV pricing; Ford June sales disappoint; US Approves SpaceX's Starlink Internet for use with Ships, Boats, Planes; Scientists have created worms that can kill cancer cells; Scientists create algae computer powered by photosynthesis; Robotic surgeons lead to faster recovery. Plus…Cryptosocial Author Allen Taylor joins us for a discussion of his new book - How Cryptocurrency is Changing Social Media. See blog for details.
In this episode…Tesla Supercharging Network Expands to 35k Stalls; Tesla calling on Powerwall users to help support the grid; GM files patent application for anti-motion sickness technology for autonomous vehicles; Uber Eats pilots autonomous delivery with Serve Robotics, Motional; Plus…Why is the Biden Administration secretly shipping US oil reserves to China? And a discussion about auto shoppinng with three Great Women in Technology: Brandi Kolosky, Michelle Dillard, Kelly Saunders.
In this bonus episode…High Gas Prices, Inflation drama hits Hollywood, Toyota cuts vehicle production over global chip shortage, Airbnb: The party is over, Retail workers don’t feel safe, SEC vs. Ripple.
In this episode…President Biden is scrambling to find ways to reduce gas prices; Travel Armageddon in the Airline industry continues; Toyota introduces home storage battery system based on EV battery technology; Toyota Rolls Out First Battery Electric Car In Cautious Debut As Rivals Go Full-Throttle; Tesla Building The World's Largest Supercharger Station in the Mojave Desert; Plus…A conversation with AskOtto CEO about Frictionless Auto Shopping. See show notes and complete video replay at AutoConverse.com.
In this episode…Toyota to suspend output in Japan after supplier hit by cyberattack; JPMorgan bets metaverse is a $1 trillion yearly opportunity as it becomes first bank to open in virtual world; Elon Musk Says Tesla Accepts Dogecoin To Pay Turbochargers; Colorado to become the first state to accept cryptocurrency as payment for taxes; Intel set to reveal ‘energy efficient’ bitcoin mining chip; Ford and Sunrun partnering to advance home energy management using F-150 Lightning. Plus…a conversation with Dogeparty co-founder Ryan Baptiste and a special wellness segment with Life Coach Nikki Gangemi.
In this episode…today is the day the Freedom Convoy 2022 USA is set to arrive in Washington, D.C. Will this cause another disruption to supply chains, or even a bank run like in Canada? Also, a peek at our 4th Annual Super Bowl Commercial Review of mobility tech & connectivity ads; Plus, health and wellness tips for workplace culture.
In this episode…Host Ryan Gerardi meets with GM retailer Ryan Easter to talk about General Motors’ used car market coming this spring called CarBravo. Meanwhile, truckers in Canada form the ‘Freedom Convoy’ against government vaccine mandates inspire an international movement while also testing supply chains. Wisk Aero secures $450M from the Boeing company; UK self-driving startup Wayve raises $200M to scale up technologies; GM to Invest $6.5 billion at 2 Michigan Sites for EV and Battery Production; Smartcar Raises $24 Million To Help Connect Cars To Consumers; Mopar Debuts New Wall Chargers for Jeep 4xe & Chrysler Pacifica PHEVs; New Mexico May tax tickets to space on Virgin Galactic.
The future of auto shopping is up for grabs and startups such as Carvana are changing perceptions of what people think about their car buying experience. In this episode we hear from industry experts on the subject of what consumers expect and what it will take for dealers to thrive moving forward as contemporary auto retailers. This is the first of a two-part piece on the subject. Plus…Tesla Store Starts Accepting the Dogecoin for some merchandise; Tesla Owner Mines Bitcoin Ethereum With His Car; GM Says It Will Launch A Personal Self Driving Car By 2025; And, will your car be affected by the shutdown of Commercial 3G?
A annual tradition of Host & Producer Ryan Gerardi: A Look Back at the “coronavirus” in early 2020 and the following year’s Super Bowl; A Look Up at our interviews with DiveDesign Co-Founder Alexander Tholl about pet prosthetics and mobility, and with AskOtto CEO Eric Brown about earning rewards while car shopping; and a Look Ahead at what to expect from the podcast in 2022.
In this special final episode of Season 10 and 2021 we feature the complete live recording of our final MTC Show of the year with a nod to blockchain and mobility technology: SpaceX launches an Ethereum node to the International Space Station; Red Bull Racing Honda has confirmed a technical partnership with Tezos; Tesla Model Pi Smartphone Will Launch With Starlink Technology; Jaguar Land Rover Trials World’s First Blockchain Tech for Leather Supply Chain; Honda, Google Expand Collaboration On Connected Services.
In this episode…An in-depth analysis of the new Infrastructure bill with public transit lobbyist and podcaster Paul Comfort; a rehash of mobility tech and connectivity news; Electric Batteries, Not Engines, Drive New Mobility and AutoTech; plus…7 Ways Biden’s Infrastructure Bill Could Change Your Future Car.
In this episode...A look at the new bipartisan infrastructure bill and 7 ways the bill will affect the future car, Verizon and Nissan connect for car safety using 5G MEC, Facebook will shut down facial recognition system, EcoCAR EV Challenge,Tennessee approves incentives for Ford’s Blue Oval City project at the Memphis Regional Megasite, GM’s newest off-road, self-driving rover for moon, and Elon Musk’s surprising opinion about climate change.
In this episode...Ford becomes first major US automaker to mandate vaccines; Boeing Mandates Covid Vaccine for all U.S. Workers; The U.S. Airlines Most Likely to Delay or Cancel Your Flight, According to a New Study; Facebook just revealed its new name: Meta; GM will work with dealers to install 40,000 EV charging stations across North America; Hyundai to Launch Robotaxis in Las Vegas in 2023; Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Announces Plans For Space Business Park; Plus...Extended conversation with about COVID-19 vaccine mandates and requirements on local businesses and peoples’ careers.
In this episode...Hertz buys 100,000 Tesla EVs; Behavior-based car insurance; Southwest Airlines Flight Cancellation Problems Continuel; Tesla China Launches New Massive Delivery Center; Toyota to build a US battery plant as part of a $3.4 billion investment; GM in US to reach 100% renewable energy in 2025; William Shatner goes to space on Blue Origin rocket; Plus...Conversation with NYC Restaurateur about COVID-19 vaccine requirements for SOME indoor businesses in the 5 boroughs.
In this episode...Feds Taking a Harder Stance on Chip Shortage, May Suspect Hoarding; GM reminds workers to report vaccination status or risk bonus money; Ford says U.S. salaried employees required to disclose COVID-19 vaccination status; Tesla wants an exemption from COVID-19 rules so it can host a 9,000-person county fair at its Berlin Gigafactory; May Mobility Launches Semi-Autonomous Shuttle Service; Plus...How to the clutter from your space affects you, and how automobiles are becoming order-based on-demand purchases with How to Sell More Cars Author Terry Lancaster.
In this episode...Secret FBI Watchlist Leaks Online; T-Mobile confirms data breach of more than 40 million customers; Facebook Debuts Ray-Ban Story Sunglasses; Yelp adding COVID-19 Proof of vaccination requirements and guidelines; Drunk-Driver Detectors for Cars Part of Infrastructure Bill; Ford Recruits Robot Test Drivers; Toyota to spend $13.5B on electric vehicle battery tech; Apple rumoured to have purchased Chrysler's old test track; SpaceX's first all-civilian mission to launch in September; Plus.. Pandemic politics is killing people, but who is responsible? The unvaccinated? It’s not about freedom or personal choice anymore. It’s about the “safety” of all Americans.
In this episode...Sweden must repay $1.6M in bitcoin to convicted drug dealer; China Passes Sweeping Data Control Law Amid Escalating Tech Crackdown; Connected Driving: General Motors, AT&T to Equip Future Vehicles With 5G; Baidu unveils Level 5 self-driving vehicle; Plus...an Auto Shopper walks into a dealership to buy a unicorn Honda Pilot and makes a donation to a new charity. It’s a feel good story you won’t want to miss.
In this episode...COVID-19 vaccine mandates are coming; US Senate passes $1.5 Trillion dollar Infrastructure BIl; Mars-bound Starship Nears First Ever Orbital; Ford’s Detroit Smart Parking Lab will open next month; Tesla will pay $1.5 million to settle Model S battery throttling complaints; And...Interview with FinTech startup Chief Growth Officer Brandi Kolosky; Plus...8 cities around the world are putting their focus on biking and walking — not cars.
In this episode...Hyundai to invest $100 million in battery startup SolidEnergy; EU fines BMW and VW $1 billion for limiting emissions reduction tech; Audi expands traffic light connectivity; Billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson have now both gone to space; US Government Can Use High-Altitude Balloons to Provide Internet to Cubans; Disney, Facebook, Google, and Walmart issue COVD-19 vaccine mandates for workers; Plus...Interview with VOOM Co-Founder and CTO Ori Blumenthal on how usage-based insurance (UBI) is keeping pace with new mobility.
In this episode...Toyota scraps Tokyo Olympics ads in Japan, despite being banner sponsor; Trump lawsuits against Twitter, Facebook, Google over alleged big tech censorship; Argo, Ford to launch self-driving vehicles on Lyft ride-hailing app; Elon Musk says Tesla will open its Superchargers to other EVs this year; Plus...Interview with Mood Media Vice President of Global Brands Jonathan Wharrad about the combining the physical and digital worlds of auto shopping.
In this episode...SpaceX to send dogecoin-funded satellite to the moon; Ford begins MACH-E Deliveries in Norway and the all-electric F-150 Lightning; GM partners with 7 charging network sahead of EV push; Plus...what’s up with high used car prices and everybody wanting to buy you car? See more on our blog, End of the Combustion Engine, High Car Prices, and Why Everybody Wants to Buy Your Car.
In this episode we learn about Counterparty, a Bitcoin protocol that opens up new possibilities on the blockchain for things like trading cards, but can it be used for things like vehicle ownership and warranties? Also, an update on EV developments with Tesla, Toyota, GM, Ford, and Hyundai, plus a preview to why used car prices are soaring.
In this episode we feature our show from the Wednesday after Super Bowl LV where special guests Joe Webb and Robin Chandley provide their analysis and commentary on the automotive ads and some of the fringe mobility tech and connectivity ads such as Uber Eats and Amazon Alexa. See complete details on our blog including the original live stream recording.
In this episode we feature our conversation with Benjamin Dykstra from DealershipLife.org which provides training resources for car dealerships. Benjamin is on a mission to change the tune that consumers often hear about dealerships in advertising. We also talk with a Ford dealer about their deliveries of the all-new Bronco, and we meet with the purveyor of the new auto shopper resource AskOtto and get first-look at the company’s new car matching quiz. Go to www.autoconverse.com/askotto to learn more.
In this episode we feature Host Ryan Gerardi’s conversation with CarGurus Consumer Insights Analyst Ali Chapman to discuss the company’s third edition of the COVID-19 Sentiment Study: How the Pandemic Impacted the Automotive Industry in 2020. Leading up to the conversation is a sneak preview to our discussion panel from the MTC Show that day talking about the audio drop-in app Clubhouse with a group of Automotive Marketing Pros.
The AutoConverse podcast is back with its first new episode in over six months, featuring a one-on-one conversation with Modal SVP Matt Weinberg talking about his company’s new partnership with Honda and how that impacts Honda shoppers.
Also in this episode: Ford Mustang Mach-E: Green Car Reports’ Best Car to Buy in 2021 and GM may build more Hummer EVs due to overwhelming response, plus more mobility tech and connectivity news.
Another mashup of live stream recording sessions of the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show. This episode covers three of our four most recent sessions: One from April 22 that included Bill Sattree, Jay Wertzberger, and Mike Phillips where we talked about states reopening and effects on auto retail; One on April 29 that features highlights from Host Ryan’s live debate with friend Tiffany Simonsen and Jay about wearing face masks; and one from May 13 that features our first ‘2-Minute Drill Down’ which includes Stephanie Robbins and Joe Webb, Jay and Ryan talking about police drones and insurrection in the United States.
This episode features highlights from three separate interviews in January on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show before any of us knew that a New World Order was developing. First up is Bestmile Founder & CEO Raphael Gindratt on Optimizing Mobility Services With Fleet Orchestration. The second is 321 Ignition Founder and CEO Lyamen Savy on the importance of Mobile-First websites for auto retailers. The final is with Matthew Fanelli from MNI Targeted Media on reimagining business with AI marketing.
This episode is a mashup of conversations about fixed operations from January through March that reveals how undetected COVID-19 was and how quickly it became the unassuming disruptor that it was. In it we review the online auto parts business of 2019, hear how dealers recruit and develop service technicians, and we see first-hand how dealers are adopting COVID-19 protocols and safety measures.
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has given everyone reason to worry. And dealing with a challenging time like this is a lot harder when you focus solely on the negative. Conversely, looking for that silver lining isn’t about ignoring the problem either. And while this episode is meant to identify some slivers of hope, it's also a call to take a stand for Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
In this episode we highlight pre COVID-19 rhetoric about the importance of auto retailers adapting not only to certain technologies but also fundamental principles and practices, and how now with stay in shelter ordinances auto retailers are being forced to embrace many of these ideas in order to stay in business.
In this episode we highlight segments of conversations from two different Auto Retail Marketing webcasts leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, quarantine, and shutdown of the auto industry. The first conversation occurred in early February, just prior to the 2020 NADA Show. The second conversation took place a month later, one day prior to the NBA calling off the Jazz-Thunder game just prior to tip-off which sparked a global shutdown of all major group activities and events. Nobody on either panel had any idea of what was about to ensure.
In this episode we bring 4 fixed operations specialists to the table – Jarrod Kilway from Germain Automotive Partnerships, Owen Moon from FIXED OPS DIGITAL, Ed Roberts from Bozard Ford Lincoln, and Greg Noonan – Fixed Operations Consultant to talk about the importance of taking control of your recall business. View the original live stream and complete conversation on our blog.
In this episode we talk about autonomous passenger and fleet mobility with Beep, Inc. CEO Joe Moye. Leading up to the conversation, Orange County Florida had just been awarded a $20 Million Federal BUILD Grant to “reimagine mobility in the region,” and Beep, Inc. was part of the reason this grant allocation had come together. And in the news...Caterpillar’s autonomous vehicles may be used by NASA to mine the moon and build a lunar base; Singapore expands test site for autonomous vehicles. See original show on our blog.
In this episode we feature excerpts from 3 separate panel sessions about the used car business. From late-2019 market and auction trends to comprehensive data analyses and today's technology trends that are making it possible for dealers to make smart decisions and gain increased marketshare like never before.
In this episode we feature the key highlights from a live panel discussion held on one of our Auto Retail Marketing Webcasts. Google My Business became a major part of the discussion, and the increasingly more significant role it is playing for auto retailers. The panel includes two auto retail marketers on the retail side, and two on the vendor side. View the original live stream on our blog.
First impressions and customer experience matter to OEMs because the next dealership is only a phone call away for today’s ready-to-purchase tech-savvy customer. So what is the one score brands must pay attention to in order to identify gaps in the dealership sales process to increase profitability and quickest to revenue? Find out in this conversation with an Auto Retail Operator, a BDC Trainer, and an OEM Strategist as we discuss the CallSource's recent Inbound Phone Shopper Experience Study. View the original live stream on YouTube.
Meet Jon, a Chicagoland auto shopper who in this episode shares his complete story of finding his Lexus GS on eBay listed by a dealer in Florida. Listen to how Jon researched the dealer, built trust, purchased a CarFax, and handled all communication with the dealer via SMS, and signed all the documents electronically. It's a fascinating story that reveals deep insights about today's shopper and a savvy dealer.
Reality is, this episode isn't strictly about "broadcast hysteria" and the "art of fake news." That does come up during our conversation about Orson Welles's 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds. Also in this episode we talk about SoftBank-backed Fair, Inc. cutting 40% of its workforce, plus talk about "bringing the heat" to the consumer experience. If you want the complete conversation, see the original live stream recording on YouTube.
In this final episode of 2019 we take a look back, a look up, and a look ahead by featuring highlights from our year-end season 5 finale of the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show that featured 5 show guest alumni plus your host Ryan Gerardi. And while the primary focus was to talk about Tesla becoming 3rd largest automaker in the world, Uber's fallout with the city of LA over their electric scooters, and the rise and fall of WeWork, we also got sidetracked with a slew of other important topics which aren't featured in the podcast but which can be experience in the original YouTube recording.
Highlights from our panel discussion about how to turn parts obsolescence in the fixed ops department into revenue, and how to leverage YouTube to service your fixed ops marketing campaigns. This conversation was featured on the Fixed Ops Marketing Panel Discussion Series as part of our Auto Retail Marketing Webcast Series. For the complete conversation, visit this link on AutoConverse.com.
In this special episode we feature a star-studded lineup of guests including El Patronn, Paul J Daly, and Micah Birkholz who joined your host Ryan Gerardi live from Boston at the CarGurus Navigate Conference along with Clearshift Founder Jeff VanderWal and Remora, Inc. President Christian Jorn. As you can tell from the title, there's a lot going on in this podcast. Enjoy and feel free to catch the original live stream recording from our website: Not Your Dad's Car Lot - Live from Boston.
This month our Used Car Marketing Dealer Strategy Session features a live web chat with Lotpop owner Jasen Rice and your host Ryan Gerardi talking about Used Car SAAR rates remaining steady in September, Used Car Sales continued hot streak, rising depreciation, Ally Auto's recent investment into Fair, and Costco's used car program gaining attention. View the original live stream or visit our website for the complete breakdown.
This podcast features a conversation Fixed Operations Director Ed Roberts alongside FIXED OPS DIGITAL CEO Owen Moon and RevolutionParts CEO Ibrahim Mesbah talking about how declining collision repair is threatening long term dealership profitability, and what dealers can do to counter it. View the original live stream on YouTube and on our blog.
This week on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show it's #CuriousEventsDay and we welcome Special Guest Ashley Karr, Head of B2B Marketing at CarGurus about an upcoming and curious event called Navigate '19 - a user conference designed to educate attendees on solutions to major challenges that dealerships face today, including areas like digital marketing, strategy, and leadership.
Also in the news..Toyota's New Augmented Reality Shopping Experience: A Shift In The Car Buying Journey? The 7-year Auto Loan - America’s Middle Class Can’t Afford It’s Cars; and The Implausibility of Intelligence Explosion.
View the original live stream on YouTube or visit this podcast on the AutoConverse Blog.
This week on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show it's NameYourCarDay and we welcome Special Guest Troy Blackwell from NuVinAir to talk with us about pain points in dealerships and how creativity, support, and clear communication are essential to the future success between auto makers and retailers.
Also in the news: Tesla on track to surpass 100k sales last quarter; Update on the GM - UAW Strike
View the original live stream on our website.
In the Age of Digital Retailing, there are many opinions about how to improve the auto shopper experience. But can the auto shopper experience actually be improved? One person thinks so – Eric Brown - an Automotive Entrepreneur with experience in building high-growth companies in media, internet technology, health care, and automotive verticals. Brown believes the auto shopping experience can be improved, and he’s setting out to do it with his latest start-up – AskOtto.com. View the original live streaming recording on AutoConversion.net.
This week on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show it is #RespectDay and we honor the day by encouraging people to focus on ways in which they can be respectful to others. We also welcome two (2) separate guests today:
- Tony Gomes from Honda Americas to share his story about the Takata airbags recall replacement strategy, and
- Ashok Kartham from Mize to talk with us about the connected customer experience through warranty and service, and enlisting your service technicians in proactive business growth.
Other news items this week include:
- Ford agrees to sell Canvas to Fair, bowing out of vehicle subscriptions.
- Cox Automotive Invests $350M In Electric Car Maker Rivian.
- GM workers on Nationwide strike
Watch the complete show with show notes on AutoConverse.com.
While the U.S. economy continues to show strength, the auto industry is feeling the pressure of affordability issues, a general saturation point with new-vehicle sales and an influx of off-lease products. As a result, vehicle inventories continue to rise, prompting dealers and automakers to push new incentives to keep sales flowing. These is the primary talking point of this month’s Used Car Marketing Dealer Strategy Session. View original live stream on YouTube.
This week on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show we welcome HyreCar SVP of Brian Allan to talk about how how Rideshare solutions such as HyreCar are providing alternative revenue streams for Auto Retailers. View original live stream on YouTube: Can Ride-Hailing Offset Decline in Car Sales? - Conversation with Brian Allan from HyreCar
Can autonomous driving can be done without the need for costly and time-consuming HD mapping technology? One company thinks so - Imagry. Imagry uses a highly intelligent, vision-based approach called mapless autonomous driving that doesn’t require HD mapping, allowing the market for autonomous vehicles to scale and commercialize more rapidly at less cost. In this episode we meet with Imagry Founder & CEO Adham Ghazali. View the original live stream on our website.
Digital Dealer is where top dealers go to get ahead of the technology curve, delivering the largest array of industry speakers, peer-to-peer opportunities, and exhibit hall offerings – all carefully designed to impart groundbreaking strategies. And in this episode, Ryan Gerardi sits with FIXED OPS DIGITAL Co-Founder Owen Moon and Mike "the Car Guy" Correra for a complete recap of the 15-plus interviews they conducted over with the industry's top thinkers and personalities during the 3-day event. View the original live stream on YouTube.
This week on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show it’s Lighthouse Day. The lighthouse has been a staple of culture in the world since we built boats to sail the seas. And today we honor the silent, but bright, guardians of our coastlines and ships. Also on the docket today: The Fed jumps into the FinTech race; Is Ride-Hailing facing Reality?; and Insights from AutoIntel Summit with Special Guest Austin Ledgerwood from Cover Genius. View the original live stream recording on YouTube.
In this episode of the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show we honor World Ranger Day and meet with DrivingSales Director of Operations and Media Bart Wilson for a preview of the 10th Annual DrivingSales Executive Summit scheduled this Fall. Ryan Gerardi and Bart talk about the keynote speakers slated for the summit, the new "Beast Mode" feature, and other activities including why fixed ops managers should be attending DSES and other industry events. View the original live stream on YouTube.
This week on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show it’s #PioneerDay. We honor the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 – the spacecraft that brought the first humans to the moon and back. We also welcome first-time special guest Sean Welsh, Host of '5 Minutes with Sean…Maybe 10' and the 'Car Biz Chronicles' to talk with us about the B2B Media Strategy for his company – Car Biz Done Better, and of course what is wrong and right with the car business. On the show we talk about CDK divesting its Digital Marketing business and the the value of auto industry conferences and events. View the original live stream on YouTube.
How much of the used vehicle market will traditional auctions be left with after disruption? Is “after disruption” even a point in time? These are the primary questions we seek to discuss on this month’s Used Car Marketing Dealer Strategy Session. According to an Assessment & Analysis of the Current Used Vehicle Market by Edgewood Systems, this is the situation:
- Auction Sales Volume Dropping as much as 40%
- Finding the Cars Customers Want online
- Auction Channel is Now migrating Online
View the original live stream recording on YouTube.
In this session, we welcome Atlanta Business Video Founder and Executive Producer Megan Roberge to talk with us about the four stages of video marketing success: 1) Pre-Production; 2) Video Capture; 3) Post-Production; 4) Video Marketing. Specifically we look at the Portfolio section of her company website and talk about the budgets that went into specific client projects.
View the original live stream on YouTube
This week on the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show it’s Don’t Step on a Bee Day. It’s also Nikola Tesla’s birthday. Happy Birthday Nikola! On the show we welcome Jason Unrau from AutomotiveCopyWriter.com and Katherine Swan from Intelichek which provides mystery shopping and expert analysts for Dealership Service Managers. We briefly discuss Team USA's FIFA Women World Cup Championship, Boeing partnering with Kitty Hawk to produce VOTL passenger drones, and Tesla's secret batter cell lab.
View original live stream on YouTube
Even as used-vehicle sales and revenue are on the rise, dealers are facing increased competition. The industry's most prominent new competitor in the used-vehicle market, online startup Carvana, debuts at No. 8 on Automotive News' list of the top 100 retailers based in the U.S. ranked by used-vehicle retail sales. Also in this episode, Black Book Index dips for 5th consecutive month, how rising depreciation will affect the used-vehicle market, and do features, options and packages impact which car you buy? View the original live stream on YouTube.
In this special edition of the Mobility Tech & Connectivity Show we open up by honoring American Automotive Icon Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca, best known for spearheading the development of Ford Mustang and Pinto cars, while at the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s, and then later for reviving the Chrysler Corporation as its CEO during the 1980s. Also on the show we talk about Amazon turning 25, GM's Robotaxi Fleet, and President Trump's historic visit with Little Rocket Man in North Korea. View the original live stream on YouTube.
In this episode we welcome first-time guest and Dealer SuperHero Shaun Raines for a conversation about auto retailers, the vendor community, and where it's all headed. News topics include: Walmart kickstarting a $1 Trillion Driverless Delivery Market; GM to introduce 20 all-electric vehicles by 2023, and more. View the original live stream on YouTube.
According to Autonomic CEO Gavin Sherry, our guest in this week's episode - "YES!" Cars are quickly becoming smarter and more interconnected than ever before. New V2X capabilities will not only innovate the driving experience but also help connect separate ecosystems in which the consumer operates daily. These separate ecosystems must begin to work in tandem, but an introduction to untapped V2X possibilities will help open the door for conversations across these individual players. View the original live stream on YouTube.
June 5th was #HotAirBalloonDay as your hosts Ryan & Terry open up with talk about a Ford-GM merger being rumored. The two also discuss Merrill-Lynch slashing its sales forecast for EVs over the next 10 years before talking about why being busy is a modern sickness and the importance of doing 'nothing' more often. View the original live stream recording on YouTube.
In this episode from our live weekly webcast your host Ryan Gerardi is joined by two special guests from Dealer Teamwork - Co-Founder Eric Miltsch and Chief Sales Officer James Klaus. The two are embarking on a quest to enhance the way auto retailers connect with consumers, and they discuss their strategy for connecting with these retailers to get their message out. The crew also cover a few elements from Eric's annual 'Automotive Predictions' release. View the original video stream on YouTube.
This week on the show we have a special Double Header edition where feature two different guests back-to-back. First up is Dane Saville Host of Reunion Marketing's new Automotive B2B media initiative - KPI Cafe. After that is flexdrive Senior Vice President Stephane Ferri talking about vehicle subscriptions, the automotive consumer experience, and flexdrive's newly formed partnership with Hyundai Capital America. Watch the original live stream recording on YouTube.
What did the used-car market look like after the first full month of Spring? Slower than March, but still above 3 million unit sales for the month, with a seasonally adjusted annualized rate north of 39 million, according to one industry observer. In this monthly update on the used car business we welcome industry veteran Stu Zalud to opine on supply and demand, auctions, used Tesla vehicles, and what a customer is worth. View the original live stream on YouTube.
In this episode we meet with RelayCars Head of Business Development Dave Weber to talk about the new Virtual Reality automotive experience that puts consumers in the driver's seat of hundreds of vehicles. With RelayCars, shoppers have the power to choose their vehicle category, year, make, and model from an extensive VR library and explore vehicles inside and out in full 360° stereoscopic 3D. Lots of visual in this episode which you can view in the original recording on YouTube.
Your host Ryan Gerardi shares his thoughts and insights on the Kid Rock Chillin' the Most Flying High Island Jam from the Hard Rock Hotel and Resort from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. From brand loyalty to the consumer experience, this special episode is a fresh take for the AutoConverse Podcast as we head into our 4th season. View the video here on YouTube.
Revenue from new car sales and collision repair is softening and dealers are saddled with the pressure to grow service and parts sales. Finding new revenue channels and maximizing existing ones is critical to hitting 100% absorption in the dealership.
In this episode, we welcome industry experts Ibrahim Mesbah and David Rozek to discuss solutions for achieving profitability in the fixed ops department through establishing an eCommerce presence, specifically by selling parts online, forging wholesale relationships, and best practices to capture the most selling opportunities.
Mesbah is CEO of RevolutionParts and Rozek is an Automotive E-Commerce Specialist.
View the original live stream on YouTube.
In this mashup of personalities and subjects, we close out Season III with a zany nutty bang. Your hosts Ryan Gerardi and Terry Lancaster are joined by Special Guests Amanda Ryan and Steve Roessler for a whirlwind of conversation that opens up in Season 8 of Game of Thrones and ends with a conversation about Marriott and Airbnb. Along the way we talk about rogue employees, banning gossip, and dystopia, and bizarre Google Maps street images. View the original live stream on YouTube.
Auto shows have been around more than 100 years now. And they have long since been a main stay for auto makers to attract new customers. But with auto makers experimenting more recently with the idea of not exhibiting at select auto shows, are they making a mistake? In this episode of our live weekly webcast, the original live stream that you can view here on YouTube, we welcome Chicago Automobile Trade Association Director Mark Bilek to share with us just how much impact the Chicago Auto Show alone can have in the consumer marketplace.
Most dealers would agree that when it comes to the acquisition of used cars, the sourcing challenge isn’t necessarily a scarcity of volume. It’s acquiring the cars that sell the fastest and with the best potential margins. In this episode, we sit down with industry veterans Jasen Rice from LotPop and Gary Wade, a retired automotive executive to discuss the different ways dealers can source wholesale used vehicles with dependability. View the original live stream recording on YouTube.
In this Special Anniversary Episode we welcome 3 familiar faces - Mike "The Car Guy" Correra, Mike Phillips, and Terry Lancaster for a candid conversation about Uber's IP filing, Disney's new streaming TV service DisneyPlus, Verizon 5G, and the ramifications of government regulation in big tech and social media. View the original live stream on YouTube.
This episode includes an update and conversation on the Boeing 737 Max planes being grounded, a conversation about the idea of regulating social media that stems from Great Britain's new plans to to do, and a conversation about bringing business media television programming to Smart TV. Hosted by Ryan Gerardi during our live weekly webcast and featuring Special Guests Dan Vega and Michael Garrison from BLU Success Television. View the original live stream recording on YouTube.
After providing an update on the grounded Boeing 737 Max planes, Host Ryan Gerardi explores the state of the trucking industry, and its future around self-driving trucks, with Special Guest Ian Coburn, Author of the soft skills sales education book - The Customer is Never Right. View the original live stream on YouTube.
In this episode, ProSource Finance Director Julie Yatchak joins us for a special edition of Video Marketing Hacks for Auto Retail to share some of her tips, tricks, and best practices with the use of video in the F&I department. ProSource provides F&I services for automotive retailers, RV dealers, motor sports, heavy duty truck, marine, and avionics dealers. View the live stream recording on YouTube.
In this episode we have an in-depth conversation with retired automotive executive Gary Wade about the used cars business, specifically in how startups such as Carvana are have the luxury of satisfying investors by assuring market share growth over profit. View the live stream recording on YouTube.
This week on the show we welcome special guest Jude O'Connor from AdColony to talk about the company's 2019 Global Car Buying Survey of more than 600 participants worldwide to learn about behavior, dealership visits, device usage, and ad engagement. AdColony provides mobile in-app video ads for app developers and advertisers. View the full video replay on YouTube.
When we think of video, we typically think of the video content itself. What is the video about? Who is meant to view the video? And unless you’re in the advertising business, you’re not necessarily thinking about where it’s hosted and what is going on behind the scenes. In this episode, we talk with Tim James, COO of Flick Fusion, the auto industry’s most robust video marketing platform that provides about video hosting, streaming, syndication, and AI-driven video creation. View the live stream recording here.
SpaceX and NASA look to bring human spaceflight back to the USA. FedEx following suit with Amazon and UPS on delivery drones. BMW introducing Natural Interaction (gesture and voice command) in the 2021 iNext. But that's only the half of it. The other half is three guys in MarTech talking about tacking and incentivizing consumers to do wild and crazy things - SHOP! View the full video replay on YouTube.
Carmax is an undisputed leader in the used car business who also has freedoms in vehicle acquisition that the average dealer does not. Carvana on the other hand is a newbie player in the space, but one that seems to be embracing the importance of vehicle acquisition. In this episode we feature a panel of used car industry veterans to discuss what's behind this move by Carvana and what it might mean for franchise dealers. View the full video replay on YouTube.
This Week in Mobility Tech: Elon Musk Gets in Trouble for Tweeting
BMW Wants You to Talk with Your Car; BMW and Daimler Team Up As a One-Stop Mobility Shop; Peugeot Plans to Re-enter US market, and
VW Unleashes a Pissed Off Toaster. Read blog and/or view full video replay.
Auto shopper behavior is no doubt an elusive activity to understand, and respond to. Marketing metrics and analytics tell us a lot, yet waste in dealer ad spend seems rampant. In this session we bring together two dealers and a direct target marketing specialist - for a conversation about consumer behavior, third-party automotive advertising providers, dealership website analytics, and ROI on ad spend. View the full video replay.
In this episode we welcome back auto retail marketers Gray Scott and Dave Rozek along with first-time panelist Michael Langenberg from Confluence Local Marketing to talk about Voice Search Optimization (VSO), why and how to make sure your dealership website can be found by people using Voice Search. View the full video replay on YouTube.
From softening prices to speculation on 2019 SAAR, margin compression, and the auction business, this episode has it all. Hosted by Ryan Gerardi and featuring Chip Dorman from Torque Analytics, the two talk about how OEMs affect trade-in values and squeeze profits from dealers, where dealers go wrong with acquisition, and what they can do about it.
In this episode we welcome back Mike Phillips for another special 'Streamers and Casters' edition. Mike is a producer and host of multiple shows, live streams, and podcasts. In this conversation we recap our streaming and casting endeavors from 2018 and look ahead to 2019 at things like branding, technology, distribution, etc. Recorded live on our YouTube channel in January 2019. View full video replay here.
In this episode we take a gander down Super Bowl lane to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of this year's NFL Super Bowl LIII TV commercials. If these ads are a collective metaphor for 2019, we can expect a year with more robots, less corn syrup, more 90s nostalgia, and overall less surprises. Hosted by Ryan Gerardi and Terry Lancaster, and joined by Special Guest John Couture.
In this episode, recorded from our live weekly broadcast, we look at the agenda and activities for the nation's largest auto, which runs from February 9 through 18. Prior to the show there are two media days where Host Ryan Gerardi will be prowling the exhibit halls, capturing the most innovative automotive and connectivity tech and conducting live streaming interviews for the AutoConverse Facebook Page. Ryan is joined by Dave Rozek, a Chicago-area auto retail marketer, who also will be chronically the Chicago Auto Show during Media Days. View the original live stream on YouTube.
In our 3rd installment of the PPC Hacks web cast series with Experian Automotive, we explore the data behind the metric that identifies people on your website most likely to buy. The metric is referred to as HVU which stands for High Value User. A website visitor on a dealership website that meets specific behavioral criteria over a period of time demonstrates a 14% purchase transaction rate, nearly double that of a BDC. This is the data, and the scientists behind the study that uses the sales attribution metric. View the live web chat on our YouTube channel.
A rundown of keynote speakers and planned activities for NADA 2019 in San Francisco this weekend with hosts Ryan Gerardi and Terry Lancaster, and two special guest appearances. View the live stream recording on YouTube.
Third Party Automotive Listing Sites such as CarGurus and Cars.com take a lot of heat from dealers and industry pundits. Is this heat well-deserved, or are they just an easy target? In this episode, we meet with two auto retail marketers who buy from these providers, and two auto retail consultants who work with dealers on maximizing their advertising budgets. During the session, we gain perspective and insight from multiple angles, and size up the situation from several different points of view. View the original live stream on YouTube.
In this episode, Chris and Axle join Ryan on his weekly show for an off-the-cuff live recording experience. These are the subjects that come in during the session: Voice Search Optimization; Bell Nexus, the Hit of CES; World Record Egg; Eavesdropping with Apple Air Buds; ‘Tubro’ - GMs Restructure Plan; Bad Buick Commercials; CDK websites now support Goals in Google Analytics. View the live streamed video recording on YouTube.
The luxury car market is growing, and so are the number of manufacturers making them. In February 2014, Chinese auto-parts supplier Wanxiang Group purchased assets of Fisker Automotive for $149.2 million in a bankruptcy auction. These assets included design, a plug-in hybrid powertrain, and a manufacturing facility in Delaware. Karma Automotive was formed in October 2015. In this episode, Karma Orange Country Store Director joins us to talk about this growing market segment, and the technology behind his cars. View the live stream recording here.
In a recent conversation, vAuto executive and used car marketing veteran Dale Pollak explains why he says that calendars do not accurately measure profitability of vehicles. The myth, Pollak states, is that vehicles have diminished profit opportunity as they age according to calendar days. But Pollak says this is not true. In this episode, we sit down with three auto industry pundits to break down and analyze the thinking behind Dale's message, and the many different factors that go in to measuring and monitoring vehicle age and profitability. Catch the full video replay on YouTube, recorded Dec 6, 2018.
We all know that new car shoppers exhibit specific preferences. As they say, "There's Nothing Like that New Car Smell," but how should dealers be spending their paid search dollars to best attract them? In this episode, we explore the smartest ways to capture new car shoppers through paid search, by optimizing and tracking your New, Make Model (NMM) keyword campaigns differently. The session is brought to you by Experian Automotive, and it is based on Experian's 2018 Sales Based Attribution Study. See the full video replay on YouTube.
In our first episode of Season III which kicks off 2019, Ryan and Terry welcome each other back from the holidays. Ryan asks Terry about his interview with Mark Schaefer, Author of the new book Marketing Rebellion. The two talk about humans marketing vs. machines, making connections and relationships. They also talk briefly on the idea of visiting and living on Mars, stemmed from Elon Musk's recent announcements about commuting people to Mars for $200k. View the full video replay on YouTube.