Podcast
Automotive State of The Union
Hosted by More Than Cars Media Network · EN
Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier don’t just read headlines, they make the most important connections across car dealerships, general retail, tech, and culture. The goal? To help automotive leaders think clearer and move faster in a world that refuses to slow down. Whether you’re running a rooftop, building a brand, or just trying to keep up with everything shifting in the business of selling cars, this is your regular stop for a shot of news, insight, and a little bit of chaos…always rooted in people-first thinking. From the showroom to Silicon Valley. From Wall Street to Main Street. Paul and Kyle connect the dots, keep it real, and make it make sense. Learn more at https://www.asotu.com
132episodes
Episodes
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We Cheer NADA's $3M Commitment to Cancer Patients
3d ago00:09:22Tap to summarizeEpisode 1400: Chris Reeves joins Kyle to break down NADA's $3M donation to the American Cancer Society, why it matters, and how the auto industry continues to make an impact beyond the showroom. NADA is putting the industry's commitment to community on full display, announcing a $3 million, three-year investment in the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery program. The partnership will help thousands of cancer patients get free rides to lifesaving treatment while highlighting dealers' long tradition of giving back. NADA will donate $3 million over three years to the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery program, helping provide transportation for cancer patients. The program has already provided nearly 10 million free rides over the past 30 years with the help of roughly 6,000 volunteers. Every $1 million funds approximately 20,000 rides, meaning NADA's commitment could directly support around 60,000 patient trips, with matching gifts potentially extending that impact even further. The donation reflects the collective impact of franchised dealers and industry partners whose support of NADA makes large-scale community investments like this possible.
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How One Concert Is Changing the Way Dealers Think About Giving Back
4d ago00:14:15Tap to summarizeEpisode #1399: During their time at the ATAE Summer Conference, Paul and Kyle sit down with Zach Doran, President of the Ohio Auto Dealers Association to talk about how dealers need to amplify the impact they’re making in the community. Show Notes with links: What happens when an auto dealer association thinks bigger than an industry gala? Concert for a Cause is bringing dealers, consumers, and major country artists together to support local charities and strengthen community connections. The Ohio Auto Dealers Association transformed its former industry-only charity gala into Concert for a Cause, a public event that keeps the charitable mission alive while inviting the entire community to participate. This year's concert features Trey Pendley, Chase Rice, and headliner Chris Young, with proceeds benefiting Canine Companions and Charity Newsies, organizations serving people across Central Ohio. Doran says dealers already invest heavily in their communities, but this event gives the public a chance to see that impact firsthand while strengthening the reputation of neighborhood dealerships. Beyond raising money, the event aims to inspire other dealer associations to create their own signature community events that celebrate dealers' role as local leaders and bring people together around a shared purpose. "We're changing some people's lives for the better, long after the music stops." — Zach Doran 0:00 – Why Concert for a Cause was created 1:45 – Bringing the community—and big-name artists—together 4:45 – Why dealers need to tell a better story 8:20 – Building trust through community involvement 11:20 – The vision for Concert for a Cause and what's next
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TikTok For Recruiting, Hyundai Robot Coworkers, The Mall Comeback
5d ago00:10:39Tap to summarizeEpisode #1398: Today we're talking about TikTok's evolution into a serious dealership marketing and recruiting tool, Hyundai doubling down on humanoid robots with Boston Dynamics, and why America's malls are quietly making a comeback as shoppers look for more than just stores. Show Notes with links: TikTok has moved beyond dealership experimentation and into the mainstream marketing mix. Dealers are using the platform to reach younger shoppers, showcase inventory, promote service offers and recruit technicians. TikTok launched Automotive Ads in 2025, matching users with relevant vehicles, pricing, offers and live dealer inventory. Dealers say the platform is especially effective for reaching shoppers early in the buying journey and building awareness through short-form video. As TikTok becomes a bigger sales tool, dealers can't forget compliance. The FTC says social media posts are advertisements and expects the same pricing and disclosure standards as any other marketing. The service lane is seeing benefits too, with dealers using TikTok to promote maintenance specials and drive fixed-ops traffic. Rohrman Fixed Ops Director Austin Conroy said, “I don’t have an issue with hiring technicians anymore.” Hyundai is going all-in on bringing robots to the factory floor. The move could reshape manufacturing, but it's also raising fresh questions about the future of automotive jobs. Hyundai is buying SoftBank's remaining stake in Boston Dynamics, making the robotics company a wholly owned subsidiary. The 3rd largest automaker in the world plans to deploy Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot at its Georgia plant beginning in 2028, starting with parts sequencing before expanding into assembly work by 2030. The announcement comes as Hyundai's South Korean union ramps up strikes, arguing increased investment in robotics and AI threatens future manufacturing jobs. Union leaders estimate nearly 2,000 workers will retire annually through 2032 and warn that failing to replace them could shrink union membership by roughly 40%. New data shows shopping centers are seeing more visitors across the board in 2026, with consumers continuing to seek out destinations that combine shopping, dining and entertainment in one trip. Open-air shopping centers led the way in the first half of 2026, with visits up 4.7%, while indoor malls and outlet centers also posted year-over-year gains. June continued the trend, marking another month of increased foot traffic across all three mall formats. The growth isn't being driven solely by higher-income shoppers. Data suggests a broader mix of consumers is returning to malls despite continued caution around discretionary spending. Researchers say malls are benefiting from their mix of retail, restaurants and entertainment, giving shoppers more reasons to make a single trip. 0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier 2:54 TikTok Becoming An Essential Marketing Tool For Dealers 4:55 Hyundai Completes Boston Dynamics Takeover 7:43 Mall Traffic Increasing in First Half of 2026
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Ford on the Factory Floor, EVs Staying Young, and Siri Finally Smart
6d ago00:12:01Tap to summarizeEpisode #1397: Ford leans on Toyota's Gemba management philosophy to improve quality, China's EVs are being upgraded like smartphones, and Apple's smartest Siri yet hints at a future where AI—not apps—becomes the new user interface. Show Notes with links: Ford's quality turnaround may have less to do with recalls and more to do with management. CEO Jim Farley says one of the most important tools he's brought from Toyota is the "Gemba" walk: getting leaders out of conference rooms and onto the factory floor to solve problems alongside frontline employees. A Gemba, meaning "the actual place," is a lean management practice where leaders observe work firsthand, ask questions, and remove barriers instead of relying on reports. Farley says he's refined his Gemba walks over seven years, shifting from checking on culture and safety to digging into engineering, supply chain, and organizational design issues. The approach appears to be paying off. While Ford still leads the industry in recalls, it just ranked #1 among mass-market brands in J.D. Power's 2026 Initial Quality Study after years of quality-focused operational changes. "I watched very senior people at Toyota go to the line, find problems, go to the operator... and then try to problem-solve to help the team." — Jim Farley If you think Americans hang onto cars for a long time, China is playing a completely different game. The average EV on Chinese roads is just 1.8 years old, highlighting how quickly the country's electric vehicle market is evolving—and how much cars are starting to behave like consumer tech. China's EV boom didn't really take off until after 2021, and EVs now account for roughly 60% of new vehicle sales, naturally making the fleet incredibly young. Ownership habits are changing too. About 90% of China's new energy vehicles are replaced within five years, compared to 70% of gas-powered vehicles staying with owners longer than five years. Rapid improvements in batteries, software, driver assistance, and in-car technology mean a three-year-old EV can already feel outdated, much like replacing an old smartphone. Apple’s long-promised Siri overhaul has finally arrived in the iOS 27 public beta, and early impressions suggest it’s the smartest Siri yet. While it still has some rough edges, its ability to understand context and take action across apps offers a compelling glimpse at Apple’s AI future. Siri AI shifts the experience from opening apps first to simply asking for what you want. It can search the web, understand what's on your screen, and complete multi-step tasks like creating calendar events from emails. The biggest win is contextual awareness. Siri can answer questions about webpages, use information already on your screen, and dramatically reduce the need to jump between apps and browser tabs. Natural language can still trip Siri up, with slight wording changes producing very different results, reminding users this is still a beta experience. Third-party apps won't unlock Siri's full potential until they add support through Apple's new "entities" and "intents" framework, making this rollout as much about developer adoption as AI itself. "It's impressive, but what truly matters still comes next. Developers need to add support for Siri AI to live up to its potential." — David Imel of The Verge
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CA Brings Back EV Rebates, Japan Standardizes Parts, Dealer Buy Store Where He Started
1w ago00:12:47Tap to summarizeEpisode #1396: California revives EV rebates after the federal tax credit disappears, Toyota leads an effort to standardize parts across Japan's auto industry, and Missouri dealer Eric Gentry returns to where his career began as he launches his own dealership group. Show Notes with links: California is putting its own money, plus apparently some OEMs’, behind EV adoption. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $270 million rebate program aimed at first-time buyers, reviving state incentives as federal support retreats and EV sales growth continues to cool. First-time buyers can receive $3,500 toward a new EV, while used-EV buyers can qualify for $1,750. Eligibility is limited to new vehicles priced at $50,000 or less and used EVs priced at $25,000 or less, keeping the focus on more affordable models. The program is being funded by California and several still-unnamed automakers, with participating brands expected to be disclosed next month. California is also fighting federal EV policy rollbacks through lawsuits and a regulatory “backstop” designed to preserve stricter emissions standards. “Donald Trump is doing everything in his power to pollute our air and surrender the clean car industry to China on a silver platter. California is putting its foot on the accelerator,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. Facing fierce competition from China and mounting technology costs, Toyota Chairman Koji Sato is leading an unprecedented push for Japan’s automakers to cooperate on standardized parts. The idea: compete on software and innovation—not steel grades and wire harnesses. Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki are exploring shared standards for commodity parts like steel, plastics, and wire harnesses to cut costs and boost efficiency. Sato says standardizing wire harnesses alone could increase supplier productivity by more than 10x, freeing up resources for EVs, software, batteries, and advanced manufacturing. The effort comes as Japanese automakers face growing pressure from Chinese competitors, who are winning market share with faster development cycles and lower costs. The first "Japan standard" components could arrive within the next year or two, though analysts question whether seven competing OEMs can truly align on common specifications. "Unless things change, we will not survive," said Toyota Chairman Koji Sato. After buying out his longtime business partner Troy Duhon earlier this year, Missouri dealer Eric Gentry has purchased a second Chevrolet-Buick-GMC store, the same dealership where he started selling cars in 1994. Now he's building a dealer group with a hometown approach and a focus on fixed ops. Gentry acquired the former Hulett Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership in Camdenton, Missouri, giving him two stores as he begins building an independent dealership group. His path to ownership included literally "betting the farm"—his aunt used her farm as collateral so he could invest in a Ford dealership partnership back in 2014. Gentry plans to invest heavily in service, adding lifts, upgrading technology, and even installing air conditioning in the shop to help recruit and retain technicians. He's also bringing marketing in-house, using GM's digital advertising tools with help from his daughter, while focusing on faster used-car inventory turns between his two stores. "I spent a lot of money a few weeks ago to go back to working 12 to 14 hours a day... I thought I was kind of done with that, but I'm loving it," said Eric Gentry.
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Websites Win Service, CarMax Gives Back, Europe Pumps the Brakes
1w ago00:13:37Tap to summarizeEpisode #1395: Today we’re looking at why dealership websites are outperforming phone calls in service scheduling, celebrating CarMax’s recognition for community impact, and heading across the Atlantic, where regulators may soon let satellites and software decide just how fast your car can go. Dealership websites are winning the service scheduling race, according to Pied Piper’s latest study. Online requests scored 10 points higher than phone calls, showing that smoother digital processes can reduce friction, protect customer loyalty, and keep fixed ops revenue from leaking to independent repair shops. Pied Piper evaluated 4,163 service requests across 31 dealer groups, using more than 40 customer experience and revenue-related criteria. Website scheduling averaged 71 out of 100, compared with 61 for phone requests. About one-third of dealership service appointments now begin online. MileOne Autogroup led the rankings with a score of 80, followed by Group 1 Automotive, Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, Napleton and Bergstrom. AI was not the secret sauce. Top-performing groups used strong management, consistent processes and active monitoring rather than relying heavily on chatbots. Pied Piper CEO Fran O’Hagan said, “The only people who know it’s failing are the customers,” emphasizing the need for leaders to measure scheduling performance continuously. CarMax is getting recognition for more than moving used cars. The retailer has been named a 2026 Civic 50 honoree, highlighting how employee volunteering, community investment, and purpose-driven leadership can strengthen both a company’s culture and the communities it serves. The Civic 50, organized by Points of Light, recognizes the most community-minded companies in the U.S. CarMax was honored for its employee volunteering, community investment, and broader social impact strategy. General Motors was the only other strictly automotive company on the list, alongside automotive-adjacent brands such as Experian and USAA. The recognition reflects a growing expectation that companies build community engagement into the employee experience, not treat it as a side project. CarMax’s Leslie Parpart said the award reflects “associates who show up for their communities with care, intention, and a genuine commitment to making a difference.” The European Union may be preparing to take speed enforcement out of drivers’ hands. A proposed expansion of Intelligent Speed Assistance could electronically limit new vehicles to posted speeds by 2030, raising major questions about map accuracy, driver control, and what happens when the car gets the limit wrong. Vehicles sold in the EU already use Intelligent Speed Assistance to warn drivers when they exceed the detected speed limit. The proposed system would go further by using GPS, map data, and cameras to prevent vehicles from exceeding posted limits, though a temporary override may remain available. Accuracy is the biggest concern. Thatcham Research found current systems correctly recognized speed-limit changes only 74.3% of the time. Incorrect data could create dangerous situations, including vehicles suddenly being limited well below surrounding traffic speeds. One source described today’s warning systems as temporary, saying, “Eventually we will just fix the speed of the car so you can’t go over the speed limit.”
Transcribe →Is July the 'Saturday' of the Year?
1w ago00:09:08Tap to summarizeEpisode 1394: Chris Reeves joins for a conversation about pronunciation and days of the week, plus a look at a unique bracket challenge.Ancira Auto Group turned March Madness into a win for the community with its “Bracket for a Cause” Charity Challenge alongside Sports Star 94.1 FM. Boerne Champion High School FFA Chapter took home the top prize, earning $50,000 to support student programs and activities. The Children's Bereavement Center received $10,000 after submitting the bracket that finished furthest from perfect—missing by an impressive 59 points. It's a fun reminder that in automotive, everybody wins when dealers invest back into the communities they serve.
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AI Call Lawsuit, Benstock on 84 Month Loans, US Winning World Cup Visitors
2w ago00:13:36Tap to summarizeEpisode #1393: AI call recording lands in court, Brian Benstock questions whether 84-month loans are costing dealers lifelong customers, and World Cup visitors discover America's unexpected attractions—from Walmart and Buc-ee's to Waffle House and ranch dressing. Show Notes with links: A federal judge has dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing AutoNation of using AI to record, transcribe, and analyze customer phone calls without consent. The ruling wasn't about whether the technology is legal—it came down to jurisdiction. The lawsuit claimed AutoNation's call platform, powered by Invoca, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed customer calls using AI without callers' consent. Plaintiffs argued the practice violated California's strict privacy laws, but the judge ruled the case couldn't proceed because AutoNation wasn't specifically targeting California with the technology. The court noted the system is used nationwide, with California making up less than 17% of the dealerships using the platform. The decision leaves the broader question of AI-powered call recording unresolved, as more dealerships adopt conversational AI and call analytics. "AutoNation was merely operating a nationwide system that incidentally reached California through its subsidiaries," wrote U.S. District Judge André Birotte Jr. Yesterday, we had Brian Benstock on for a mid-year check-in. He said winning in today's market isn't about chasing the dealership next door, but about building culture, keeping customers in the ownership cycle, and pulling service business back from independent repair shops. Benstock says culture can't be copied across rooftops. Each store needs its own identity. He thinks the real service battle isn't against the dealer down the street—it's against independent repair shops, where roughly 80% of service work is happening. He believes every F&I deal should strengthen the dealership's relationship with the customer, not just maximize backend profit, challenging dealers to ask, "Whose name is on your building? It’s not your F&I manager’s." He argues long-term financing quietly hurts customer retention, while leasing keeps drivers coming back. Two Honda leases in a row give him about a 70% chance of earning a third. "What's the data say on return to the dealership for somebody on an 84-month loan? Nobody knows that answer." — Brian Benstock Team USA may be out, but millions of World Cup visitors are discovering a different side of America. From Walmart singalongs to Buc-ee's road trips and ranch dressing souvenirs, everyday U.S. brands are becoming unexpected fan favorites. International fans have been turning American staples into must-visit destinations between matches, all while posting it on social media. Australian supporters went viral chanting "We're going to Walmart!" while Buc-ee's and Waffle House have become social media sensations for traveling fans. Hidden Valley Ranch became such a popular souvenir that TSA reminded travelers to pack it in checked bags, prompting airports to sell bottles after security. Beyond the matches, the tournament is giving visitors a memorable taste of everyday American culture—and creating unexpected brand ambassadors. "Great food, great prices, and friendly staff. 10/10, we will be coming back," posted German World Cup traveler Freddy after a late-night stop at Waffle House.
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Brian Benstock’s Mid-Year Check In: Busy, Lousy, but Always Great
2w ago00:16:51Tap to summarizeEpisode #1392: At the halfway point of 2026, Brian Benstock joins us to unpack the biggest challenges—and biggest opportunities—in retail automotive. From navigating uncertainty and scaling dealership operations to building a culture of trust, it's a candid conversation packed with practical insights for dealers. Brian Benstock is one of the most respected voices in automotive retail. He's the Vice President and General Manager of Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura in Queens, New York, a longtime dealer principal, and a regular contributor on the future of automotive retail, customer experience, digital transformation, and dealership leadership. He says the auto business is delivering exactly what dealers signed up for: uncertainty. From affordability and tariffs to scaling dealer groups and building trust, his message is simple—focus on what you can control and keep serving customers. Benstock describes the first half of the year as "busy, lousy, and great" all at once, citing economic uncertainty, tariffs, global conflicts, and shifting regulations as part of the new normal. As dealer groups grow, he says success comes from operating as an enterprise—replicating best practices across rooftops instead of treating each store as an island. He believes dealership culture is a competitive advantage, arguing that a "culture of trust" drives employee engagement and creates a better customer experience. Benstock says the best operators aren't waiting for conditions to improve—they're staying disciplined, adapting quickly, and focusing on the customer experience instead of chasing headlines. "Affordability matters... We've got three of our most popular vehicles under $300 a month. That's nine bucks a day for some of the best transportation you can buy." — Brian Benstock 00:00 – Intro with Paul J. Daly & Brian Benstock 03:35 – Thinking Like an Enterprise 04:37 – Scaling Culture Across Every Store 11:21 – Why Affordability Still Wins
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Made in China, Built on Data, Powered by Happy Teams
2w ago00:12:20Tap to summarizeEpisode #1391: China is becoming the global R&D hub for legacy automakers, Ken Garff shows how a 70-store dealer group is laying the data foundation for AI, and a new workforce report reveals why predictable schedules, strong culture, and generational differences matter more than ever for employee retention. Show Notes with links: For decades, Detroit exported engineering to China. Now the flow is reversing. GM, Volkswagen, and Renault are increasingly turning to Chinese R&D teams, not just to build cars, but to develop the technology that could power their next global vehicles. GM's China-only Buick Electra E7 topped 10,000 sales in its first month, and despite the American badge, it was designed entirely by GM's China engineering team with SAIC. GM is reportedly planning to use the China-developed Xiao Yao EV platform for a future Cadillac Optiq and may export the Electra E7 to South Korea. Automakers including Volkswagen, Renault, Hyundai, and Audi are giving Chinese engineering teams more autonomy. German automakers now conduct roughly one-third of their R&D in China, up from just 12% two years ago. "Legacy automakers are manufacturing companies trying to adapt to a world of tech. They went to the place—China—where they know they're going to find tech talent." — Pedro Pacheco, Gartner Every year at ASOTU CON, we talk about building a data foundation for operations. Well, Ken Garff Automotive Group with 70-plus dealerships across nine states did just that, rebuilding its data infrastructure to connect billions of records, speed up decision-making, and prepare the business for the next wave of AI tools. The family-owned dealer group replaced a decades-old on-premise reporting system with a cloud-based data platform built on Snowflake for storage and Domo for analytics and dashboards. The new architecture brings together sales, service, finance, and third-party data, allowing the group to securely manage more than 4 billion records from across the business. One immediate win: the new system eliminated roughly 400 hours of employee wait time each month that had been tied to generating a single service department report. With the data foundation now in place, Ken Garff is exploring AI applications including service desk chatbots, data analysis tools, and stronger governance. "I think of us as a data company that sells cars." — Steve Peterson, Director of Data Engineering Turns out happier employees aren't just about bigger paychecks. A new workforce study found retail employees rank among the happiest shift workers, with predictable schedules, supportive teams, and greater autonomy proving just as important as compensation. Retail workers reported 82.6% positive sentiment at the end of their shifts—second only to hospitality—and had the lowest rate of negative sentiment among the industries surveyed. The report credits improvements in shift consistency, wage transparency, and predictable scheduling for helping boost morale across retail. Researchers found the biggest drivers of happiness were autonomy, clear job expectations, supportive teammates, and meaningful customer interactions. On the flip side, chronic understaffing, physical exhaustion, low-control work environments, and high emotional demands were the strongest predictors of unhappy employees. Among today's core workforce, Gen Z stood out as both one of the happiest and the most stressed generations, while Millennials reported the lowest overall happiness. 0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier 2:37 Legacy OEMs Turn To China For R&D 5:47 Ken Garff Builds Data Foundation 9:30 Retail Employees Are Happiest Shift Workers
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