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Computer vision is here, and it promises to improve dozens of processes in auto dealerships. Computer vision, also known as visual AI, is a type of artificial intelligence that leverages security cameras to turn them into intelligent eyes that can recognize patterns and processes for the purpose of improvement.

The way to think about this type of AI is to imagine hiring a dozen assistants for your employees to walk the showroom, the lot, the service drive and the shop. These assistants are trained to ensure customers are greeted in a timely manner, look for process bottlenecks, alert employees when problems arise and assist with manual data entry. They are not designed to replace employees; instead, they help employees do their jobs better.

An example of a process AI can improve is vehicle exchange — sourcing and acquiring vehicles from service customers. Many dealerships have one or more vehicle exchange specialists whose job is to ask custo…

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday increased its benchmark rate target 0.25 points to 5.25-5.5 percent, a decision that could leave auto dealerships and customers coping with higher interest rates on auto loans. It is the highest U.S. central bank policy rate in 16 years.

The Federal Reserve's benchmark interest rate decisions affect the price lenders pay to borrow money, costs that might be passed on to consumers in the form of higher interest rates.

The Fed had hiked its target rate 5 percentage points prior to the July 26 move through a series of increases dating to March 16, 2022, when it bumped the benchmark from a 0-0.25 range to 0.25-0.5 percent. It had stood at 5-5.25 percent since May 4, 2023. The Fed has raised rates 11 out of the last 12 meetings.  

"The (Federal Open Market) Committee will continue to assess additional information and its implications for monetary policy," the Fed said in language that was little changed from its June st…

Goodyear Chief Technology Officer Chris Helsel joins the show to talk about new technologies as well as the Goodyear Ventures fund he leads. Stellantis says earnings and revenue gained momentum during the first half of the year. And some big automakers challenge Tesla with their own new EV charging network.

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UAW President Shawn Fain this month criticized Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares for not attending the opening of contract negotiations that he calls "the most critical set of bargaining in this company and our workers' history."

Tavares on Wednesday defended his absence, saying he doesn't need to be everywhere and has a "very powerful leadership team in North America" with the authority to lead those discussions.

He said he understands the union's "posturing" but believes it doesn't add "any value to what we need to do and what we must do for our employees."

UAW negotiations kicked off this month, with Fain visiting Detroit 3 plants on the first day instead of doing the ceremonial handshakes of years past with automakers.

"I will be where I think will be the most useful to the organization, to our employees," Tavares said during a media roundtable Wednesday. "With our local management, we have everything we need to have constructive, open-minded an…

WASHINGTON — The head of a major automotive trade group told a House panel Wednesday that the U.S. risks falling behind to China if it does not move forward on a federal regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.

John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, likened the situation to the transition to electric vehicles, citing China's early strategic investments in EV technologies and its control of battery supply chains.

"Do we want this safety technology to exist and the vehicles to be built and to operate here in the U.S. instead of China? This is a question that can only be answered by federal policymakers," Bozzella told lawmakers at a hearing convened by a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

In written testimony, Bozzella further elaborated on this issue, explaining that federal legislation that addresses regulatory barriers is "essential" to the development of AV technology and U.S. leadership, citing the demise of Ford- and…

TOKYO – Nissan has agreed to invest up to 600 million euros ($663 million) in Renault’s electric vehicle spinoff Ampere under a finalized deal to restructure the companies’ longstanding alliance.

In announcing the rebalanced partnership in a statement on Wednesday, Renault and Nissan said they plan to complete the “definitive agreements” in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Nissan will become a “strategic investor” in Ampere and have a seat on its board.

The deal ends 10 months of negotiations and rebalances a long-term partnership that was thrown into turmoil by the 2018 arrest and ouster of former alliance Chairman Carlos Ghosn.

“The agreements that have been signed today allow us to step into the next chapter of the alliance,” Jean-Dominique Senard, chairman of the alliance, said in a joint statement. “They strengthen our long-standing partnership and will maximize value creation for each alliance member. This also lays the foundations for a new…

WASHINGTON — Auto safety and consumer advocates on Tuesday urged Congress not to advance autonomous vehicle legislation that they say lacks "common sense" safeguards and regulations to protect road users.

"With nearly 43,000 people killed on our nation's roadways in 2021, it is clear that we need our leaders and policymakers to advance proven solutions to address this public health crisis. There is no independent evidence that AVs will do so," Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, told reporters during a virtual press event Tuesday.

"In fact, what we do know is that the AVs on public roads have caused havoc," said Chase, citing one human death and more than a dozen incidents where self-driving cars "put firefighters and the public at risk."

The criticism comes ahead of a House hearing scheduled for Wednesday to consider separate draft legislation on AVs from Reps. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and Debbie Dingell, D-…

The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance has requested information from automotive seating supplier Lear Corp. as part of an ongoing investigation into forced labor and environmental abuses in Brazilian supply chains of products sold in the U.S.

The committee has been investigating the relationship between cattle ranching and deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon for the past two years, focused largely on Brazilian meat production company JBS.

Lear sources 70 percent of the leather for its popular car seats from Brazil, predominantly working with JBS and two other companies, all three of which are "hide producers known to source cattle from areas of the Amazon that have been illegally used for cattle production and which receive weak oversight from the Brazilian government," according to a July 24 letter from the committee to Lear CEO Ray Scott.

Lear's potential link to forced labor is murkier. Cattle is one of the products the U.S. Department of Labor's B…

Mazda North American Operations said it is recalling certain 2014-18 Mazda3 and 2016-21 CX-3 vehicles.

In the affected 227,335 U.S. vehicles, the rearview camera image may not display properly, according to a July 14 recall report from NHTSA.

On certain vehicles, the rearview camera wiring harness may become damaged from vibrations during normal vehicle use or closing the liftgate due to improper design of the harness fastener. Connector pins may wear out, causing high electrical resistance. Due to these defects, the rearview camera may display a distorted or flickering image. Distorted or flickering camera images while reversing could affect driver judgment and increase the risk of a crash, the report said.

For all recalled vehicles, Mazda dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge.

Mazda submitted nine field rep…

Performance auto entrepreneur Ely Reeves Callaway III died July 11 after sustaining injuries in a fall. The Callaway Cars and CEO was 75.

Callaway founded Callaway Cars in 1977 in his garage in Old Lyme, Conn. A former Formula Vee champion driver, Callaway learned engine building, chassis tuning and component fabrication while dreaming of becoming a professional race car driver. After running out of funds to keep racing, he put those skills to work building prototype turbocharger systems on a car borrowed from a driving school where he was working.

His first product success was an aftermarket turbo kit for BMW. The company's designs went on to deliver for Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Land Rover, Mazda and General Motors.

"Reeves always strived to make the finest vehicles and products, and then improve them. His support of our customers, partners, and team members was unwavering," COO Mike Zoner said in a statement. "We shall carry his v…

In a surprise move, GM is bringing back the Chevy Bolt based on the automaker's Ultium battery platform. Meanwhile, GM’s earnings surged in the second quarter. Plus, Motional’s Balajee Kannan talks about the state of the robo-taxi business in 2023.

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GM Financial said on Tuesday that elevated interest rates hurt its second-quarter earnings, which were down 31 percent year over year, despite an uptick in loans and lease originations.

The captive on Tuesday posted second-quarter earnings of $571 million, down from $829 million in the same quarter of 2022. Earnings before taxes for the quarter were $766 million, down from $1.1 billion the same time last year.

"GM Financial delivered EBT adjusted of over $750 million, down close to $350 million year over year, in line with expectations and primarily due to a higher cost of funds and lower net lease vehicle income, partially offset by increased finance charge income from portfolio growth and a higher effective yield," said CFO Paul Jacobson in the automaker's second-quarter earnings call with investors.

The lender said in its fourth-quarter and year-end earnings call in January it expected earnings to normalize in 2023 after strong credit performance and …