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CBT automotive newscast: May 20, 2022

Inside Automotive:

Why pay plans for express auto technicians need to change – Don Reed
How are you compensating your auto technicians? Today on Inside Automotive, we’re pleased to welcome back Don Reed, CEO of DealerPRO Training, one of the nation’s top fixed-ops training platforms for dealers and host of the CBT show, Service Drive, to discuss how service pay plans look today. Watch the complete segment here.

Headlines:

According to an analysis from Cox Automotive this week, new vehicle prices are continuing to rise, and new inventory is still low due to ongoing supply chain issues. For the month of April, the average listing price of a new car remained over $45,000, and inventory totaled 1.13 million units at the end of the month. The data also showed that fuel-efficient vehicles and hybrids were the most in-demand vehicles as gas prices stayed at record-high levels.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into a fatal accident that may have resulted from a Tesla vehicle’s advanced driver assistance technology. The technology has been under scrutiny for some time, with growing concerns that the vehicles operate improperly or drivers fail to pay attention when they are in use.

Sources say Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is expected to announce today that Hyundai has plans to invest over $7 billion in the southern portion of the state. The announcement came after sources told Reuters earlier this month that the automaker has plans to build a facility in Georgia that will produce electric vehicles.

Delivery vehicle startup Gatik announced yesterday that it has gotten approval to deploy the first of its autonomous vehicles on the streets in Kansas. Gatik would not say if deliveries would be made at this time. Still, the company has partnered with Walmart and already has fully autonomous vehicles delivering packages in Arkansas.

News & Opinion:

automotive marketingNew to automotive marketing analytics? These 3 options can help you get started
In the past, traditional marketing was based a lot on trial and error. Dealerships would try different tactics and then wait to see what resulted in the most sales. However, with the advent of big data and analytics, marketers now can track and measure the results of their campaigns with unprecedented accuracy. You can see which strategies are working and which ones need to be tweaked by using analytics. In addition, you can also track customer behavior and identify trends. As a result, analytics has become an essential tool for automotive marketing. Using data to guide your decisions can ensure that campaigns are more effective and efficient. Read More

key managementRevamp your automotive key management system with digital solutions
Two decades ago, a simple lockbox in the dealership was all it took to secure keys for all your inventory. It was likely left open all day and only locked at night, and any staff that needed keys had unmitigated access. Couldn’t find a key? Rifle through the file folder for the spare. But those days are gone. Additional key security has been necessary, and even with a vigilant watch over the key box at the podium or behind the receptionist, keys go missing. Vehicles are stolen with no damage as keys are unaccounted for, either left in a car or desk. Those losses are tough to swallow even when they’re fully insured, and most of all, the losses are entirely unnecessary. Read More


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CBT News
CBT News
For over 11 years, CBT News has been informing and helping automotive retail professionals grow their businesses and thrive in their careers through an awarding-winning, on-demand streaming platform. With exclusive interviews featuring the biggest names in the industry, daily newscasts, up-to-date market data, and exclusive articles covering the latest trends, CBT News is your #1 source for auto industry news and content.

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