IRVINE and CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Autobytel on Tuesday rolled out a new initiative it's calling AutoPilot. The program is meant to deliver pre-qualified buyers to dealers through a vehicle-buying service for consumers who receive financing from their local credit union or bank.  Executives also shared the credit union that will be AutoPilot's premier partner. They indicated […] [Read More]

CHICAGO — Familiar models again topped the annual American-Made Index from Cars.com. The site determines this list based on vehicles' percentage by cost of their parts that are made domestically, where they are assembled and how popular they are among U.S. buyers. For the second year in a row, the Toyota Camry led the way as […] [Read More]

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Sparked by the growing owner penetration of iPhones, BlackBerrys and other smartphones, J.D. Power and Associates used its latest study to gauge how passionate potential buyers or current owners are about their vehicles having some of the same technological capabilities. Turns out, the interest in key communication- and connectivity-related features for their […] [Read More]

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — To help the company make the most of technology, GE Capital Fleet Services has launched a Technology Client Advisory Board composed of leaders from various GE clients who will share their thoughts on how GE Fleet can improve when it comes to technology and contribute their insight for the development of products […] [Read More]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — AutoUSA has introduced a used-vehicle inventory listing marketing program for dealers that allows them to showcase their used models daily on some of the Web's most frequented free classified sites. In using the POWER Listings program — which is powered by Cargigi — all a dealer has to do is give authorization for used-vehicle […] [Read More]

IRVINE, Calif. — Certified pre-owned vehicles appear to be one of the best purchase options when the primary driver will be a teenager. That's the sentiment shared by consumers who have recently been shopping at Kelley Blue Book's website and participated in series of surveys. According to Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence, the largest amount of […] [Read More]

PORTLAND, Ore. — Chrome Systems has rolled out a new online tool for fleet professionals designed to give them the ability to efficiently research and configure vehicles to meet the needs of their customers. Carbook Pro also allows them to present their work via built-in quote worksheets and a multitude of customizable reports. As most in […] [Read More]

ROCHESTER, Mich. — Foresight Research revealed Friday that results are now available for its study on vehicle shoppers' usage of the Internet and social media. One of the key findings concerns social media. In 2009, almost 13 percent of all new-vehicle buyers used some form of social networking to share information on their purchase decision. Meanwhile, […] [Read More]

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. — The DealerTrack Mobile AAX solution, what dealers can use for vehicle appraisals, is now available on additional smartphone platforms. DealerTrack executives on Thursday revealed the tool now can be accessed on smartphones using the Android 2.0 operating system. Earlier this year, DealerTrack began to offer the Mobile AAX iPhone application and the […] [Read More]

CARMEL, Ind. — Dealer Services Corp. of Indiana and its chief information officer Chris Brady have been on an award-collecting tour this month. A total of four honors have come their way stemming from the completion of ERP consolidation to develop and deploy predictive analytic technology to help in forecasting revenue and make real-time adjustments. Among […] [Read More]