Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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Hertz’s controversy and the future of automotive inspections
The issue isn't the technology for precise vehicle inspection; it's how it’s utilized.
Brad Kokesh • Nov. 26, 2025 -
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Why automakers are rethinking over-the-air update strategies
Vehicle manufacturers are reconfiguring their software strategies to ensure costs better align with returns from the promising technology.
Mike Gardner • Nov. 24, 2025 -
Mario Tama via Getty Images
In automotive lending, AI and people are better together
Technology should empower, not replace, human judgment. AI can predict probabilities, but people understand possibilities.
Aaron Bickart • Nov. 17, 2025 -
Permission granted by Gary Witzenburg
Nissan packs looks, technology into new Sentra
To our eyes, the all-new sedan appears fresh, larger and more upscale than its predecessor and other competitors in the segment.
Gary Witzenburg • Nov. 12, 2025 -
Mario Tama via Getty Images
Dealers embrace efficiency, boost ROI
Clock-speed tracking, buying center and other tools ensure dealers acquire the right mix of vehicles at the right prices.
Jim Leman • Sept. 23, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Jobs for Auto Techs There for the Taking
The staggering levels of student loan debt typically spark suggestions that students should consider learning a trade. One trade often goes overlooked, despite a growing shortage: the auto technician.
Bill Hanvey • Sept. 12, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Hertz, Amazon and Used Cars
An open letter to Mike Stanton, president of the National Automobile Dealers Assn.
John F. Possumato • Sept. 5, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | How Dealerships Can Power the EV Shift
By charging batteries at night during off-peak hours and discharging during expensive peak periods, dealers can protect gross margins even as energy prices fluctuate.
Stuart Thompson • Sept. 4, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Five Things to Know About the FTC’s Safeguards Rule
Your customers want to be able to trust you with their data during a purchase. Breaking that trust by exposing their information to hackers could mean losing their business.
Adam Crowell • Sept. 4, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | How to Turn Warranty Work Into a Profit Center
As warranty claims rise, so does OEM reimbursement; however, from an operational standpoint, dealerships must be ready to capture that revenue.
Jim Roche • Aug. 25, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Reclaim Market Share by Moving Ad Spend Upstream
Dealers sticking with local broadcast and OTT are seeing stronger direct leads that close faster and at better margins.
Adam Armbruster • Aug. 21, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Adapting to the Post-Incentive Era of EVs
The One Big Beautiful Bill will deny consumers and fleets access to key credits for vehicles and infrastructure, but advanced manufacturers may still benefit through targeted investment and production incentives.
Thomas Alongi • Aug. 18, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Auto Marketing AI: Data Quality is Key
Automakers who treat AI readiness as a strategic mandate—not just a technical hurdle—will capture long-term value.
Ellen Gates • Aug. 5, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Tech Overload Is Blocking Profits in Your Service Lane
Disjointed tools force advisors into tedious admin work, stealing face time with customers. Here’s how to restore human connection and boost repair order values.
Euwart Anderson • July 31, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Think Outside Your (Desking) Box
Rethinking dealership desking strategies in a changing marketplace.
Damon Walker and John Stephens • July 29, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Automotive OEMs’ Best Lightweighting Practices
Ultimately, it takes more than innovative materials to optimize your approach to lightweighting. It also requires an innovative mindset.
Nuria Ignés • July 23, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Smarter Financing: Why Dealers Must Rethink How They Choose the Right Lenders
As lender programs grow more complex, relying on gut instinct or outdated methods in the F&I office can slash margins and sink deals.
Phillip Battista • July 16, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Auto Tariffs and the Virtual Sensor Market
While localization could offer long-term benefits such as reduced reliance on foreign suppliers and greater control over intellectual property, it comes with significant short-term costs.
Boaz Mizrachi • July 10, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Raising the Bar for EV Charger Reliability
There’s a century of innovation and infrastructure keeping fuel pumps online, but those systems aren’t always in place for EV chargers.
Merrick Glass • July 8, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Rise of the Robotaxis: A New Era in Mobility
As the industry transitions from demonstrations to scaled deployment of robotaxis, two challenges now define the path forward: durability and cost-efficiency.
Kobi Marenko 2 • June 30, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Want Quality Referrals and Higher Closing Rates? Try This
Retail referral programs offer dealers exclusive access to high-intent buyers, built-in marketing support and simplified pricing structures – all while reducing sales friction and boosting customer loyalty.
Honey Mae Kenworthy • June 25, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Fraud Is Getting Smarter. Your Defense Strategy Should, Too.
It's time to move beyond consumer-first strategies and embrace AI-powered tools that can spot deepfakes, doctored documents and synthetic identities before they derail your deals.
Tom Oscherwitz • June 23, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Auto Shows Aren’t Dead — They’ve Just Moved Down the Funnel
Auto shows are shedding their glitzy, media-centric past and reclaiming their true purpose: driving mid- to lower-funnel engagement.
Kevin Mazzucola • June 10, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Disruptions Mean Leaders Must Energize Teams
There’s plenty that industry leaders must do to leverage this era of disruption into success.
Alex Adamopoulos • June 6, 2025 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Industry Voices | Luxury Automakers Leverage AI-Powered Marketing
One of the most significant advantages of AI-driven marketing is its ability to create hyper-personalized customer journeys. Predictive analytics plays a central role in this transformation.
Jake Parker • June 3, 2025
