During a keynote presentation at last year’s convention hosted by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association, Cox Automotive chief operating officer Mark O’Neil remarked how a 1960s cartoon, "The Jetsons," foretold the future with things like flying cars and other machines that completed tasks for people.
Another development surfaced this week toward a world O’Neil mentioned; this time involving autonomous vehicles and groceries.
Cruise and DoorDash announced they are partnering to pilot food and grocery delivery by Cruise’s autonomous vehicles through the DoorDash platform. The testing program will begin in early 2019 with an initial focus on the San Francisco market.
Cruise Automation was founded in 2013 by Kyle Vogt and Dan Kan with a shared a vision to transform mobility through the large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicle technology. In 2016, Cruise partnered with General Motors to help scale this vision as the company deployed its first test fleet of self-driving vehicles. Since then, Cruise has continued to develop its technology, while receiving additional backing from SoftBank and Honda.
Cruise has fleets on the road in California, Arizona and Michigan.
“Delivery is a significant opportunity for Cruise as we prepare to commercialize our autonomous vehicle technology and transform transportation,” said Dan Ammann, who recently left GM to become Cruise chief executive officer. “Partnering with DoorDash will provide us with critical learnings as we further our mission to deliver technology that makes people’s lives better and more convenient.”
DoorDash, founded in the summer of 2013, is a technology company that connects customers with their favorite local and national businesses in 3,000 cities across the United States and Canada.
DoorDash explained that it will use Cruise autonomous vehicles to test and improve the efficiency of getting food and groceries from DoorDash’s merchants to its customers’ doors. As part of the program, select DoorDash customers will receive deliveries from their favorite restaurants via a Cruise autonomous vehicle.
In addition to ready-made restaurant meals, the partnership will also explore grocery fulfillment via Cruise vehicles for select grocers already partnered with DoorDash.
DoorDash and Cruise expect to evaluate and develop safety, operational and other learnings in the pilot.
“We are excited to partner with Cruise to develop our expertise in the autonomous vehicle delivery space,” said Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash. “We see autonomous vehicles playing a major role in the future of delivery as consumer behaviors continue to shift online, and we are confident Cruise’s leading technology will help us scale to meet growing consumer demand.”
A New York City-based online dealership now can help its customers with dings, dents and other unsightly ramifications from crashes and mishaps.
Signature Auto Group this week announced it will now be administering full services through its body shop partner, Auto Group Collision.
Through the new arrangement, Auto Group Collision will now be able to offer its clients everything from starting their lease, to helping with lease returns, as well as any accident issues.
“We are always looking for new ways to extend our collision repair offerings and services, which is why we are so excited to be adding on the premiere services available through partner Signature Auto Group,” said Dennis Roitman, of Auto Group Collision. “We want everyone to know they can now handle everything from lease negotiations and policies, to accidental problems, right on our platform.”
Auto Group Collision is a full-service collision repair facility that aims to repair vehicles back to the pre-loss condition, including limited lifetime warranties.
“After 12 years in business providing lease support and consultative feedback to everyone in the greater New York City region, we are always looking for new ways to extend our proprietary services,” said Vladimir Shpigelman, founder and chief executive officer of Signature Auto Group.
“We thank Auto Group Collision for this extended arrangement, and can’t wait to support even more hard-working people with the leasing repair and assistance they deserve,” Shpigelman added.
For more information about Auto Group Collision, visit www.autogroupcollision.com.
For more information about Signature Auto Group, visit signatureautoworld.com.
Another consignor is enhancing its remarketing efforts by leveraging technology and high-level mathematics.
On Thursday, Sagent Lending Technologies announced the integration of Manheim Market Report (MMR) into its suite of business process outsourcing (BPO) solutions for its remarketing operations. With this integration, Sagent now can leverage MMR as a key input into its proprietary pricing algorithms, enabling it to more accurately and competitively price vehicles.
Sagent remarketing specialists using MMR can search with a full VIN number or just the first 10 digits of a VIN number. They can also search using qualifiers such as the year, make, model and style of a vehicle.
“While our resale values were already above industry averages, this integration to MMR allows us to further improve our performance — ensuring that lenders are getting increasingly greater resale results from their inventory,” says Stephen Bissett, vice president of client services at Sagent Lending Technologies.
“Continual and meaningful data integrations are something that our clients have come to expect from Sagent over the years, and those integrations are something that we’re more than happy to deliver upon,” Bissett continued.
Manheim director Sarah Bannister added, “Manheim and Sagent have been long-time partners, and this integration is indicative of our common goals. Greater pricing accuracy leads to stronger performance and results, something that we both aim to deliver for our clients.”
While much of the country currently is gripped by a wintry-like chill, CDK Global is collaborating with J.D. Power’s NADAguides to help dealers turn units especially for times when sunshine and warm temperatures return.
On Monday, CDK Global announced the integration of the division of J.D. Power and its NADAguides vehicle pricing data and information with Lightspeed EVO Dealer Management System (DMS). The integration is designed to provide recreation dealers using CDK Lightspeed EVO DMS with access to critical vehicle data and information for RVs, boats, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorcycles and other powersports vehicles listed on NADAguides directly through their DMS.
“This integration will give our recreation dealers fast and easy access to the critical vehicle data available through NADAguides directly through their DMS,” said Kris Denos, vice president and general manager of recreation and heavy equipment at CDK Global.
“This will not only speed up their ability to pull this information but also provide a faster and more personalized experience for their customers,” Denos continued.
Denos went on to mention the integration into the Lightspeed EVO DMS will help recreation dealers by connecting the data and information provided by NADAguides with the tools that business functions such as sales and F&I, accounting, service and parts operations need to function.
“The integration of our data into the CDK Lightspeed EVO DMS provides dealers with a perfect match of products and services,” said Lenny Sims, vice president of business development and strategy at J.D. Power’s NADAguides division.
“This will enable a faster, more accurate and efficient way to do business on a daily basis,” Sims added.
Recreation dealers currently using CDK Lightspeed EVO DMS who are interested in learning more about the NADAguides integration can visit CDKGlobalRecreation.com/Nada-Guides or contact their local CDK sales representative.
Dealerships using AutoManager now can check Carfax reports to learn when a vehicle that’s new to their shop last had its oil changed, brakes serviced or sparkplugs changed.
According to an announcement distributed on Tuesday, AutoManager has enhanced its DeskManager dealer management system (DMS) so that shop technicians have integrated access to Carfax information. Dealerships participating in the myCarfax Service Shop program can use shop-dedicated Carfax tools within DeskManager to see vehicle-specific details and prior maintenance work reported.
Having this information can help shop managers and technicians more accurately assess maintenance needs, reduce parts-ordering errors, and increase ticket averages.
“I’m pleased that through our strategic partnership with Carfax, our service shop dealers can access vehicle history and specs, by just entering the vehicle’s license plate,” said Kami Tafreshi, chief executive officer of AutoManager. “This functionality not only saves time, but also gives our dealers a huge amount of historical information regarding the vehicle — that was not available to them before — for free.”
Atsushi Suzuki, chief executive officer of Eco Drive Auto Sales and Leasing in Torrance, Calif., described what the capability has meant.
“We can check the service history of our customers, tell them what they need and the best part is that this info is coming from Carfax,” Suzuki said.
DeskManager users also can register customers with the free myCarfax service, alerting those customers when it’s time to return for their next service visit and when new recalls are issued. The one-click registration button automatically can designate the dealership in myCarfax as the customer’s favorite service location, helping to increase customer loyalty and retention.
In addition, nearly 900,000 customer reviews can help drive new business to participating myCarfax Service Shops.
“Dealerships that successfully build relationships with customers often see greater loyalty and retention in service and sales,” said Vern Poyner, general manager at Carfax.
“The myCarfax Service Shop program and myCarfax app helps foster those relationships, bringing repeat and more frequent business to participating dealers,” Poyner went on to say.
Store personnel that leverage Auto/Mate Dealership Systems now do not have to toggle between screens as they complete their work for customers.
On Monday, Auto/Mate announced the integration of its DMS with Kelley Blue Book Values. Auto/Mate customers no longer have to visit another website or utilize a separate application to calculate the value of a vehicle.
Kelley Blue Book Values for new vehicles include Invoice, MSRP and new car fair purchase price. Kelley Blue Book Values for trade-in vehicles include typical listing price, used-car fair purchase price, lending and auction.
“The trade-in valuation process is one of consumers’ least favorite parts of buying a car,” said Mike Esposito, president and chief executive officer of Auto/Mate. “Consumers trust Kelley Blue Book valuations, and being able to quickly assess that information allows salespeople to complete the sale faster and increase customer satisfaction.”
Kelley Blue Book can help streamline the vehicle trade-in and purchase process from online to in-showroom with information and services to promote confidence among all parties involved. Valuations can be accessed through the desk/mate and vehicle merchandising modules in the sales suite.
“With the latest valuation information readily available, buyers and sellers can make the best possible vehicle decision,” said Damon Bennett, senior director of syndication for Kelley Blue Book.
“Both parties come to the table with the same trusted information, helping facilitate the negotiation with ease, using data backed by more than 90 years of expertise,” Bennett went on to say.
Auto/Mate's integration program, Open/Mate, is based on open standards, allowing third-party vendors to easily integrate with the DMS.
For more information, visit www.automate.com.
National dealer management system (DMS) provider Autosoft recently announced a new integration with VinAudit, a provider of automotive historical data.
This partnership is designed to give Autosoft dealers access to affordable vehicle history reports that are National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) compliant.
Founded in 2012, VinAudit, an official access provider for NMVTIS, has built a robust database of automotive records. VinAudit's vehicle history report covers the key areas, including:
— Title records
— Junk, salvage and insurance records
— Theft records
— Lien, impound and NS export records
— Sale records
— Title brands
Dealers can also see the estimated market value and ownership costs of a vehicle. Dealers can view a sample report at this website.
Reviewing a full VinAudit report before every transaction can help dealers acquire clean inventory and helps customers purchase with confidence. Dealership employees can simply click a button in Autosoft's Sales and F&I vehicle screens to register and access VinAudit reports.
“As a small technology company out to deliver ‘the data without the brand,’ VinAudit is excited to partner with Autosoft to enable dealers to pull up instant vehicle history reports at a fraction of traditional costs,” VinAudit chief executive officer David Wu said. “It doesn’t get much easier than this.”
Autosoft president and chief executive officer Bryce Veon added, “Our dealers depend on us for an innovative, efficient, and profitable dealer management system. We are excited to add VinAudit integration to our Connect program and give Autosoft customers an affordable way to access their vehicle history reports.
“The features of this integration will help our dealers maximize their profit potential and increase their customers’ confidence,” Veon went on to say.
On Tuesday, HyreCar landed its fifth new industry partnership since July.
HyreCar, the carsharing marketplace for ridesharing, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Shift Technology to deploy that firm’s artificial intelligence-driven fraud detection solution to optimize its insurance claims processes and deliver an exceptional customer experience.
Based on Shift’s 75 percent accuracy rate in identifying potentially fraudulent claims — more than twice the current industry standard of 30 percent — HyreCar said that it anticipates that deploying Shift’s Force solution will significantly reduce fraudulent claims within six months.
HyreCar’s relationship with SHIFT (not to be confused with Shift Technologies, the retail platform) arrived as HyreCar already landed partnerships with other industry stalwarts such as PassTime as well as the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association.
HyreCar’s unique business model matches owners of idle vehicles with drivers who wish to take advantage of the “gig economy” aspects of the ridesharing industry. This untraditional pairing of drivers and vehicles presents a number of different challenges specifically related to how vehicles and drivers are insured. HyreCar contends that it has solved this problem by creating policies designed to protect both the drivers and the vehicle they are driving in the event of an accident.
Since the HyreCar model “decouples” the vehicle and driver, vehicle owners must be confident that they will be compensated in a fair and timely manner should their vehicle be damaged.
“We are proud to announce our partnership with Shift Technology, whose AI capabilities we believe will enable us to dramatically improve the efficiency of our insurance claims process, allowing us to make timely payouts to vehicle owners,” HyreCar chief executive officer Joe Furnari said.
“By vertically integrating services like Shift Technology on our platform, we are better able to quickly scale inventory, which in turn drives customer retention, reduces costs and increases revenue,” Furnari continued.
Using Shift Technology’s Force within their claims process can enable HyreCar to operate at “Internet speed” during the claims verification process. The ability of Force to quickly, efficiently and accurately leverage vast amounts of data results in clear, actionable insights about the claims being processed.
In cases where a claim may be fraudulent, Force can identify which indicators make the claim suspicious, and empower fraud handlers to take the most appropriate course of action as it relates to settling and/or rejecting the claim.
“At the same time HyreCar is changing the ridesharing industry, they’re also pushing the envelope when it comes to insurance innovation. Shift Technology is a company passionate about using AI to improve and reinvent the insurance claims process. It’s only natural we would end up working together,” said Jeremy Jawish, chief executive officer and co-founder of Shift Technology.
“Our AI-driven solutions designed for today’s insurers gives companies like HyreCar the capability to support new, digital-first business models and drive greater speed and accuracy in the claims process,” Jawish continued.
HyreCar now has plans in place when traffic or parking infractions happen involving vehicles associated with its marketplace for ridesharing.
On Wednesday, HyreCar announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with TIKD, a leading liability management solutions provider to the shared mobility industry. TIKD plans launch a ticket management pilot program for HyreCar vehicle owners in California, Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland.
The company explained owners on the HyreCar platform will have a seamless interface with TIKD’s ticket management service as an added benefit of operating on the HyreCar platform. As part of this service, TIKD will pay tickets on behalf of HyreCar vehicle owners and collect from the drivers involved in a traffic or parking violation, reducing the stress to vehicle owners and eliminating the burden of collecting payment from drivers.
TIKD said will cover all costs associated with the ticket process, including fines and court costs, with no exceptions.
“We believe this partnership will be extremely valuable to vehicle owners and dealers within the shared mobility space,” HyreCar chief executive officer Joe Furnari said. “By vertically integrating services like TIKD on our platform, we are better able to quickly scale inventory, which in turn drives customer retention, reduces costs and increases revenue.”
Megan Broccoli, co-founder of TIKD, added, “We’re thrilled to support HyreCar with our proprietary technology solution, further improving an already positive vehicle owner and driver experience.
“TIKD is committed to solving the pain of compulsory fines, and this is an important step towards fulfilling that commitment,” Broccoli went on to say.
Digital license plates are gaining momentum in the Golden State with franchised dealers leading the charge.
Reviver Auto, creator of the digital license plate Rplate Pro, on Thursday announced it has partnered with the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) to make the Rplate Pro more easily accessible to the customers of the organization’s more than 1,200 franchised dealers.
The Rplate Pro is designed to transform the 125-year old stamped metal license plate into a sleek, digital, high definition display that can offer new efficiencies and benefits. The Rplate’s connected car platform will soon automate DMV renewals, replacing legacy stickers with digital decals and add new levels of personalization to the license plate.
In addition to offering a unique opportunity to reach the millions of new-vehicle purchasers with the Rplate, the California New Car Dealers Association will work with Reviver Auto to educate its members on how the Rplate technology works and about the value it can bring to their dealership customers.
“California’s auto dealers, who serve the largest car market in the U.S., have always been ahead of the auto technology curve and eager to offer their customers the latest and best innovations for their vehicles,” said Neville Boston, chief executive office of Reviver Auto.
“We are thrilled to work in partnership with CNCDA to enable their members to meet the growing consumer demand for the Rplate Pro, which offers a unique value proposition to both consumers and dealerships,” Boston continued.
In addition to enabling users to automatically renew DMV registration, the Rplate can allow consumers to view their vehicle’s telematics and customize the look of their plate by changing the background (black to white / white to black) and adding DMV-approved cause or personal messaging, such as "Support Our Troops," "God Bless America," and "I’d Rather Be Running."
As a truly cutting-edge and unique aftermarket product, the Rplate, which also is meant to beautifully integrate with today’s vehicle styles, can offer dealers an additional way to differentiate their dealerships and add value for their customers.
“CNCDA is excited to announce our new partnership with Reviver Auto. We are eager to assist in facilitating our members’ ability to bring this unique and potentially game-changing technology to their customers statewide,” CNCDA president Brian Maas said.
