Automotive State of The Union

ASOTU Podcasts
  • 5.0 (30)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED DAILY

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

  1. 6H AGO

    Steve Greenfield on Dealer-Built Tech Products, BYD’s Stock Drop and More

    Shoot us a Text. Episode #1278: We’ve got Steve Greenfield joining the show today as a dealership-born AI platform lands a full cash exit and gears up for U.S. expansion—while China’s red-hot EV market hits a margin-crushing price war. A Dubai-born AI platform built by former dealership operators just scored a full cash exit. AlgoDriven has been acquired by San Francisco-based Emergence, delivering a full exit to investors including Oman Technology Fund, 500 Global, Social Capital, and Automotive Ventures.Founded in 2017, AlgoDriven provides AI tools for used-car appraisal, pricing, damage detection, and inquiry management—now used in 1,000+ dealerships across 10 countries.The platform analyzes over $25 billion in used vehicles annually and claims one in three used cars sold in Australia runs through its tech.The acquisition fuels expansion into the U.S. and Latin America while accelerating advanced AI development across valuation, inventory, and customer engagement.CEO Glenn Harwood said, “We built the product we wished we’d had ourselves… bringing data, intelligence, and automation to the used-car lifecycle—helping dealers price better, trade smarter and respond to customers faster.” China’s EV juggernaut is hitting turbulence. Even as BYD surpasses Tesla in global EV sales, investors are backing away. A brutal price war, shrinking subsidies, and 400 competing models have turned the world’s hottest EV market into what analysts are calling an industry “wartime” shakeout.BYD’s stock has fallen roughly 40% from its May peak, as January EV deliveries dropped 33% year-over-year and overall Chinese EV sales slid nearly 20%.Nearly 400 EV models are now for sale in China—more than double 2019 levels—with 100+ launched in just the past two years, fueling margin-crushing competition.Government incentives are fading. China reinstated half of its 10% vehicle purchase tax this year, with the full tax expected to return after 2027.Analysts estimate up to 40% of China’s auto production capacity is sitting unused, creating excess supply and accelerating the price spiral known locally as “involution.”Scott Kennedy of CSIS said the industry is entering a “wartime period,” predicting the field will shrink from hundreds of EV makers to just a handful long-term.Today’s show is brought to you by ESi-Q. ESi-Q measures employee satisfaction and provides actionable insight into what’s driving employee engagement and turnover - before employees leave. Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    15 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Breaking Down The Tariff Situation, Plug-In Lambos, Return of the iPod

    Shoot us a Text. Episode #1277: The Supreme Court narrows emergency tariffs—but most auto duties remain, reshaping pricing and payments. Lamborghini shelves its EV plans in favor of hybrids. And Gen Z is ditching smartphones for iPods, chasing simpler tech in a distracted world. In our ASOTU daily email this morning, the team broke down the recent tariff news and what they mean for dealers. While one layer of trade pressure is gone after the Supreme Court’s ruling, most auto-related tariffs affecting dealers and buyers remain in place. The ruling targeted emergency tariffs under IEEPA, not those imposed under Sections 232 and 301—where most auto exposure still sits.Steel and aluminum levies remain active, keeping pressure on parts, repair costs, and supplier pricing.VIN-level data shows uneven price impact: Canada-built vehicles up nearly $4K, Japan-built up ~$3.3K, Germany-built ~$2.8K, and Mexico-built over $1.5K.Pricing is largely baked into 2026 MSRPs, so expect stabilization—not rollbacks. Incentives and allocation will move before stickers do.Bottom line for dealers: focus on payment certainty, availability, and clear next steps—not promises of price drops.Lamborghini is officially backing away from its all-electric ambitions. CEO Stephan Winkelmann says the brand’s customers just aren’t ready—and going all-in on EVs risks becoming an “expensive hobby.” The Lanzador EV, first shown in 2023, has been quietly canceled after internal debate stretching into late 2025. Instead, by 2030, every Lamborghini will be a plug-in hybrid.Winkelmann says the “acceptance curve” for EVs among Lambo buyers is flattening and “close to zero.” Gen Z is rediscovering the iPod—and not just for the nostalgia. With schools banning connected devices and digital burnout on the rise, Apple’s discontinued music player is becoming a low-tech escape hatch from the algorithm-driven chaos of smartphones. Google Trends shows 2025 searches for iPod Classic and Nano up 25% and 20% year-over-year.Refurbished iPod sales have climbed an average of 15.6% annually since 2022, according to Back Market.Students are using iPods as a workaround in phone-restricted schools—offline music without the distraction.The vibe shift? A simpler, distraction-free tech era that “felt more hopeful”—and a reminder that sometimes less tech is more freedom.Today’s show is brought to you by ESi-Q. ESi-Q measures employee satisfaction and provides actionable insight into what’s driving employee engagement Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    15 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Dealer Count Down - Throughput Up, Used EV Values Rollercoaster, Consumers Delay Big Purchases

    Shoot us a Text. Episode #1276: The 2026 dealer census shows fewer franchise points but stronger per-store sales. Tesla resale values rise while other EVs slide post-tax-credit. And consumers are shifting away from big-ticket purchases, focusing instead on repairs, durability and value. The latest Automotive News dealer census shows a network that’s slimming down—but getting stronger. As OEMs right-size their footprints, throughput is climbing and single-brand stores are on the rise.The U.S. starts 2026 with 18,300 dealerships—just 11 fewer than last year—but total franchise points dropped 1.5% to 29,387.Exclusive, single-brand stores rose 1.2% to 13,351 locations as automakers continue network consolidation strategies.Buick (-20%), Lincoln (-9.9%) and Jaguar (-25%) all shrank networks intentionally, boosting per-store performance in the process.Average franchise throughput across the industry climbed 4.1% to 532 vehicles in 2025, with Toyota leading at 1,736 units per store, up 8%.19 brands improved throughput in 2025 — but 24 saw declines, including 12 brands down more than 10%. As networks shrink, the gap between healthy franchises and struggling ones is widening fast. When the $7,500 EV tax credit disappeared, most used EV prices fell. Except Tesla. While mainstream electric models lost value and OEMs started discounting hard, Tesla resale prices actually climbed — changing the whole picture.Used Tesla prices rose 4.3% since the credit ended, while other used EVs dropped an average of 3.6%.Because Tesla makes up such a big slice of the market, overall used EV prices actually rose 3.5% — but that’s a bit of a mirage.Lower-cost EVs like the Kona Electric, ID.4, Niro EV and Mach-E all lost around 5–6% in just a few months. The Porsche Taycan was the only non-Tesla model to see a price increase, at 4.1%Used EV market share fell 20% in four months, suggesting mainstream buyers aren’t rushing in — even with heavy new-EV discounts. Consumers are still spending — just not on the big stuff. Higher interest rates and tight housing turnover pushed shoppers towards smaller upgrades and essential repairs in 2025 — a trend expected to continue through 2026.Spending slowed across income groups late in 2025, especially households under $40K and over $150K.Large discretionary purchases like furniture and mattresses slowed sharply, while décor, kitchen items and maintenance held up.Home improvement spending softened for a third straight year but remains above pre-pandemic levels. Today’s show is brought to you by ESi-Q. ESi-Q measures employee satisfaction and provides actionable insight into what’s Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    15 min

  4. 4D AGO

    3 Miles, A Snowstorm, Quintuplets and a New Chevy Suburban

    Shoot us a Text. Today on the show, Chris Reeves joins Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier (with a brief appearance by Producer Nathan Southwick). After they remind Nathan of how many days are in February, they get into the story of how the West Herr Automotive group recently served a mathematically unlikely family: quintuplets. A family of nine, suddenly trying to answer one simple, real-world question: “How do we fit everybody?” So West Herr stepped in with a 2026 Chevrolet Suburban and took “transportation” off the list of things a mom with five babies in the NICU should have to solve alone. That’s the thing we’ll keep reminding the world about: dealers don’t just sell cars. Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    10 min

  5. 5D AGO

    How Carvana Will Sell 3M Cars Per Year, Used EV Cost Curve, Gemini 3.1

    Shoot us a Text. Episode #1274: Today we unpack Carvana’s push toward 3 million annual sales and what ADESA means for scale, a new study showing used EVs winning on long-term ownership math in a firm wholesale market, and Google’s Gemini 3.1 Pro raising the stakes in the accelerating AI arms race. Carvana is doubling down on its bold goal of selling 3 million retail units annually by 2030–2035 — and ADESA is the engine under the hood. After a record 2025, the company says the runway is real. Carvana sold 596,641 vehicles in 2025, up 43%, with revenue jumping 49% to $20.3B. Net income hit a record $1.9B, and Q4 adjusted EBITDA reached $511M.CEO Ernie Garcia outlined a four-part plan: increase staffing, integrate retail production lines into more ADESA sites, build new lines, and eventually develop greenfield inspection centers.The company plans six to eight new ADESA integrations in 2026, with full buildouts costing $30–35M per site and adding 40,000 units of annual capacity each.We’ve got something a little tactical from this morning’s Automotive State of the Union email: A new University of Michigan study says three-year-old EVs now deliver the lowest seven-year total cost of ownership in the U.S. And in today’s firm Q1 wholesale market, that early depreciation story matters even more. Researchers reviewed 260,000 used listings across 17 cities, modeling price, depreciation, financing, insurance, maintenance, energy, and resale. In most cases, used BEVs came out cheapest to own.The key? Front-loaded depreciation. EVs drop harder in years one through three, lowering second-owner acquisition cost. After that, curves normalize — with battery warranty remaining as a major variable.With more off-lease EV volume coming, the opportunity is simple: buy where depreciation already did the heavy lifting and let the second buyer win on the math.Google just dropped Gemini 3.1 Pro, and early benchmarks suggest it may be one of the most powerful large language models yet. As the AI arms race heats up, the leap in “agentic” performance is turning heads across tech. Gemini 3.1 Pro is currently in preview, with general release coming soon. Observers say it’s a significant jump from Gemini 3, which was already considered highly capable last November.On independent benchmarks — including Humanity’s Last Exam — Google says the new model significantly outperformed its predecessor.Today’s show is brought to you by ESi-Q. ESi-Q measures employee satisfaction and provides actionable insight into what’s driving employee engagement and tur Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    11 min

  6. 6D AGO

    GM Bets on Lean Inventory, AI Taking Chips From Cars, The Power of Storytelling

    Shoot us a Text. Episode #1273: GM is staying lean to outmaneuver the next sales slowdown. AI’s appetite for memory chips could spark a new supply squeeze across autos and tech. Retailers are proving that telling better stories sells. Show Notes with links: General Motors is rewriting its inventory playbook, running 30–40% leaner and hoping that tighter supply, stronger cash flow, and faster decision-making could turn the next cycle into a competitive advantage.S&P Global Mobility forecasts U.S. sales down 2.5% to 15.8M units as affordability and softer EV demand weigh on the market.GM is targeting a 50–60 day supply versus the pre-pandemic 100+ days.Leaner inventory gives GM more flexibility to adjust incentives in a downturn without crushing profitability.Dealers have felt the squeeze, especially on affordable models, prompting GM to stage select Trax and Trailblazer units at ports to speed delivery.CFO Paul Jacobson summed up the strategy: “It’s easier to do when you have less inventory in the system because you can just respond much more quickly.” Just when the auto industry thought it survived the chip crisis, here comes round two—this time powered by AI. Data centers are devouring global memory supply, forcing automakers to brace for tighter supply, higher costs, and potential production headaches.AI data centers are soaking up global DRAM and memory production, with Western Digital and Seagate already sold out of most 2026 capacity.Memory chip prices have jumped 90% quarter-over-quarter, prompting PC makers like Dell to raise prices 15–20%.Tesla’s Elon Musk says the solution may be vertical integration: “We’re going to hit a chip wall if we don’t do the fab.” Retailers are doubling down on something we at More Than Cars know well—storytelling sells. Brands are shifting from simply stocking products to crafting narratives that spark emotion, build loyalty, and turn casual shoppers into long-term fans.Nordstrom says department stores no longer “introduce” brands—they help tell their story and build deeper consumer connection.Five Below credits curated social storytelling—merchandising and marketing working together—for stronger engagement with younger shoppers.Under Armour’s Kevin Plank says brands must inspire emotion: “The world does not need another capable apparel and footwear manufacturer. The world needs hope and they need a dream.” Today’s show is brought to you by ESi-Q. ESi-Q measures employee satisfaction and provides actionable insight into what’s driving employee engagement and turnover - before employees leave.Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    10 min

  7. FEB 18

    Uber Joins The Charging Game, Cybercab Rolls Out, Nuclear Reactor Flies

    Shoot us a Text. Episode #1272: Uber drops $100M to power up its autonomous future., Tesla’s first Cybercab rolls off the line with no wheel and no pedals — but is FSD ready? Meanwhile, the U.S. military airlifts a next-gen mini nuclear reactor. Uber is doubling down on autonomy with a $100M bet on charging infrastructure, aiming to lock in self-driving scale before competitors do. As Tesla, Waymo, and others race for robotaxi dominance, Uber wants to own the backbone.Uber will invest over $100M to build DC fast-charging hubs at autonomous depots and high-traffic “pit stop” locations.Initial rollout hits the Bay Area, LA, and Dallas before expanding nationwide.Uber is partnering globally with EVgo, Electra, Ionity, and others through “utilization guarantee agreements” to accelerate charger deployment. Tesla’s first Cybercab has rolled off the line at Gigafactory Texas — a purpose-built robotaxi with no steering wheel, no pedals, and no human fallback. It’s the purest expression yet of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving vision… and its biggest bet.Cybercab depends entirely on Tesla’s FSD software — the same system currently powering its Austin and San Francisco robotaxi pilots.In Austin, that fleet has logged roughly one crash every 57,000 miles, compared to Tesla’s own cited human average of 229,000 miles per crash — raising real questions about Cybercab readiness.Musk says Tesla needs 10 billion miles of data to achieve safe unsupervised driving, a threshold projected around mid-2026 — before additional training, validation, and debugging.The U.S. military just airlifted a next-generation mini nuclear reactor to Utah — the first time a modern modular reactor has flown on a military aircraft. It’s part of a broader push to fast-track advanced nuclear for national security and grid resilience. Three C-17s transported Valar Atomics’ unfueled Ward 250 reactor to Hill Air Force Base for testing.The system will begin testing at 250 kilowatts and can scale to 5 megawatts — enough to power roughly 5,000 homes.As Utah Gov. Spencer Cox put it: “Energy is not just an economic issue… it is a national security issue as well.” Today’s show is brought to you by ESi-Q. ESi-Q measures employee satisfaction and provides actionable insight into what’s driving employee engagement and turnover - befo Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    14 min

  8. FEB 17

    Winter Slows Sales, Ford’s Battery Pullback Costs Jobs, Amazon In-House AI Agents

    Shoot us a Text. Episode #1271: January sales slid as winter storms and shrinking EV credits cooled demand. Ford’s battery pullback shows how policy whiplash hits jobs fast. Amazon is going all-in on its own AI shopping agent. According to the latest NADA Market Beat: January sales came in at a 14.85M SAAR, down 4.1% year-over-year and the lowest January pace since 2024Severe winter storms affected store traffic late in the month, while EV share dipped and hybrids continued to shine.Incentives averaged $3,335 per unit (+5.6% YoY, -5.5% vs. December), landing at 6.6% of MSRP—still well below the pre-pandemic ~10% norm.Translation: OEMs and dealers still have discounting headroom if demand needs a boost.BEV share fell to 6.6% (-1.9 pts YoY) amid the absence of federal EV tax credits.Hybrids are humming right along as they climbed to a 12.6% share (+0.5 pts YoY), continuing their steady momentum.Inventory at 2.53M units, down 9.2% YoY; expected to hover there through the first half before building later in the year.NADA is forecasting a 16m SAAR Ford’s abrupt exit from its battery JV with SK On has left 1,600 Kentucky workers jobless just months after production began. While locals are pointing fingers at Ford, the unraveling of EV tax credits and shifting policy winds added serious pressure to an already cooling EV market.Ford scrapped its multibillion-dollar SK On partnership just four months after batteries started rolling off the line in Kentucky, cutting 1,600 jobs.The elimination of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit and relaxed CAFE standards cooled demand, with Ford admitting “the operating reality has changed.”Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear blamed federal policy, saying 1,600 workers lost jobs “solely because” EV credits were eliminated.Workers like Joe Morgan say Ford misread the market, with one employee adding, “At the end of the day, whatever the government policy would be, the company made the decision.”The plant will remain open under full Ford control, pivoting to battery storage production with about 2,100 jobs—well short of the 5,000 originally promised. As AI shopping agents multiply, Amazon is betting customers will skip the middleman and stick with the retailer they already trust. CEO Andy Jassy says in-house AI will win on experience, accuracy, and loyalty—even as AI-driven retail traffic surges nearly 700% year over year.Amazon argues shoppers want four things: broad selection, low prices, fast delivery, and trust—and Jassy says retailers outperform “horizontal agents” on delivering all four.AI-driven referral traffic to retailers jumped 693% year over year during the 2025 holiday season, signaling rapid adoption of third-party tools.Jassy criticized horizontal agents, saying they lack shopJoin Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

    12 min
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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

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