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Automotive State of The Union
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
Episodes
1322 episodes
FTC Re-do, Making Sense of Farley, Auto Makes Weapons
Episode #1322: Dealers brace for long-awaited FTC answers, Ford walks a tightrope with China partnerships, and automakers could be heading back to wartime production. Show Notes with links:https://nada.zoom.us/webinar/regis...
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11:10
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Price Transparency Training, Autonomy Big 3, Organizational AI Disconnect
Episode #1321: Dealers double down on price transparency training, a new autonomy “Big Three” takes shape with Waymo, Tesla, and Uber, and AI boosts worker productivity but struggles to move the needle at the organizational level.
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13:51
CarMax Goes Older, Rivian Reuses, Resale Finds New Buyers
Episode #1320: Today we unpack how CarMax is leaning into older inventory, Rivian is powering plants with old batteries, and resale is becoming the new customer acquisition engine for brands.Show Notes with links:<...
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14:05
Top 150 Grew Without Adding Rooftops, Amazon Autos Adds OEMs, Slate Ramps Toward Production
Episode #1319: Dealers prove growth doesn’t require more rooftops, Amazon inches into car sales with real-world friction, and Slate Auto raises $650M to bring its affordable EV vision closer to production reality.Show ...
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12:04
Auto News Top 150 Dealer Rankings, Tesla Signature Series, Gas Prices Send Shoppers Online
Episode #1318: Penske climbs the dealer ranks as consolidation continues, Tesla sends off Model S/X with a pricey Signature Series, and $4 gas is pushing consumers online.Automotive News’
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11:17
How To Find The Center of Your Community and Create A Long-Term Partnership
Today, Head Writer Chris Reeves joins Paul and Kyle to talk about how the Haselwood Auto Group has already raised over $80,000 for their local YMCA through their April campaign, and it's only April 11th!
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9:47
AI-Powered Sales Kiosks, What To Consider When Buying An EV, SAAS vs AI
Episode #1316: AI hits showrooms, EV owners share real-world truths, and SaaS fights for relevance in the AI era.A South Korean startup is pushing
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14:24
Broker Sales Aren’t Retail, Kia Plans US Pickup, Scout Delays (Again)
Episode #1315: Kia and Toyota draw a hard line on broker sales, Kia sets its sights on the U.S. pickup market with electrified trucks, and Scout’s timeline keeps slipping—pushing its EV ambitions years behind schedule.In a d...
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11:40
Ford Struggles With Aluminum Tariffs, Waymo Stops In NYC, AI BS Meter
Episode #1314: Ford eats billions in tariff-fueled aluminum costs, NYC hits pause on robotaxis to protect drivers, and a new benchmark shows AI still struggles with common senseFrom NADA re FTC: “NADA expressed disappoint...
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12:28
FTC = Failure To Clarify, Chargers On The Mend, Elementary Collision Repair
Episode #1313: An FTC webinar that raised more questions than answers, a new fix for broken EV chargers, plus collision repair education starting in elementary school.The much anticipated webinar hosted by NADA to, which ...
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13:00
Senators Say No To China, Training Techs To Talk, Stop-Start Shuts Down
Episode #1312: Lawmakers push to block Chinese EVs, TruVideo trains the next-gen tech to sell service with video, and stop-start tech may be on its way out as drivers—and regulators—hit the brakes.Three
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13:40
A Car Take Apart Day At A Science Center - And The Dealer Who Made It Happen
Today, we've got a special interview with Bill Knight of Bill Knight Automotive, about how he's built a culture of giving back to the community, and particularly the special event they've hosted with their local Discovery Center to bring in jun...
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13:03
OEMs Talk Affordability, Tesla Misses In Q1, Why Buyers Are Taking Longer Than Ever
Episode #1310: The market squeeze is real as affordability reshapes buying behavior across the board. Tesla feels the EV slowdown while Rivian pivots toward value, and new data shows Gen Z shoppers aren’t impulsive, just taking their time.<...
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11:08
Q1 Sales Cool, New Vehicles Debut at NY Auto Show, Artemis II Launches To The Moon
Episode #1309: The market cools after a hot start to 2025, the New York Auto Show brings fresh product and EV momentum into focus, and NASA launches humans back toward the moon for the first time in over 50 years.March...
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13:21
NY Auto Forum Takeaways, Hallway Conversations > Keynotes
Episode #1308: Live from the New York Auto Forum (brought to you by our friends at Force Marketing), we unpack the real conversations shaping the industry, and why sometimes a chat in a hallway is more impactful than anything said on stage (did...
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12:13
Live from the NY Auto Forum, Checking in on Chinese OEMs in Mexico, GM Bets On Big Gas Trucks
Episode #1307: Today we’re at the NY Auto Forum (thanks to our friends at Force Marketing) for a day of interviews and content with some of the industry’s finest. Plus, Chinese brands promise profits in Mexico but miss on execution, while GM be...
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9:43
$8B Off-Lease EV Loss, 800 Mile Range in 5 Minutes, Gen Z Ditches Brands
Episode #1306: A surge of off-lease EVs could bring billions in losses and create new opportunities for dealers. Meanwhile, battery breakthroughs are back in the spotlight, and Gen Z is reshaping how brands earn attention and loyalty.
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12:08
How A Weekly "Touch-A-Truck" Event Is Recruiting Employees 15 Years In The Future
Today, Head Writer Chris Reeves brings a story from our good friends at Carter Myers Automotive of how they do a weekly "Touch-A-Truck" event with the goal of showing kids that retail auto is an industry worth fighting to join.
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10:17
Doc Fees Must Be Included In Advertising, GM Grows Tech Number, Gen Alpha Starts Spending
Episode #1304: The FTC gave NADA clarity on their recent warning letters, GM has significantly cut down on their technician shortage and Gen Alpha is flexing their spending power.The FTC gave NADA direct clarity on advertising...
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12:46
China’s Dealer Meltdown, Stellantis Parking Police, AI Can't Actually Learn
Episode #1303: China’s price war is crushing dealers while a quirky Stellantis policy highlights a very different retail reality here at home. Plus, a new AI test reshapes how we define intelligenceChina’s brutal ...
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12:45
20 BYD Dealerships In Canada, Afeela Canceled by Sony-Honda Mobility, FedEx Goes Same Day
Episode #1302: BYD sprints into Canada with big retail plans amid tight EV quotas, Sony and Honda hit pause on Afeela as EV reality sets in, and FedEx jumps into the same-day delivery fight as Amazon raises the bar yet again.T...
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10:36
GM Takes Next Autonomous Step, EV and Hybrid Searches Surge, Zoox Expands
Episode #1301: GM hits the road with eyes-off autonomy testing, used EV demand rises as gas prices climb, and Zoox pushes into new markets while chasing Waymo in the robotaxi race.GM is putting its next
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11:40
(EP 1300) EV Deals Are Hot, GM's Charging Chain, A Strong Retail Year?
Episode #1300: EV bargains are stacking up as gas prices climb, GM patents a daisy-chain charger that could end the wait-time headache, and the NRF says retail is growing in 2026 but the spending power is concentrated at the top.Gas pric...
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10:48
How MileOneCares Makes Supporting Their Communities A Recurring Event
Today, Chris Reeves joins Paul and Kyle to talk about the monthly and weekly events that MileOne holds for their communities with car seat distributions and teen driver courses.
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10:31
John Bozzella Paints The Path For China to Bypass US OEMs
Episode #1298: The Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella joins Paul and Kyle to discuss his automotive news op-ed that lays out the case for a recent Washington state piece of legislation that could pave the way for Chinese autom...
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16:17