A product partnership between DataOne Software and consultancy firm SBD has resulted in a software product called VehiclePlannerPlus, which provides competitive intelligence and vehicle product planning.
The product helps with OEM marketing and vehicle planning activities, allowing automotive analysts to use a single tool to create, configure and export insights.
As a result, the typical effort to create complex tables and graphs to support the decisions of data analysts and planners is shortened.
DataOne Software, a Dominion Enterprises company, said SBD had a solid foundation for the technical aspects of VehiclePlannerPlus. But the team needed a data partner with exacting data sets, which the company said could boost the provided insights.
“Our biggest challenge in developing our product was around the descriptions behind the normalized definitions of different features. SBD innovation director Andrew Hart said in a news release.
Hart also said, “We were building the intelligence to support the tool but needed to do a lot of work on combining features and making sure we were doing like to like comparisons. That’s where DataOne was able to shine.”
The result was a combination of DataOne’s accurate data with SBD’s strong technology, according to DataOne, noting that the two companies brought planning and insight to manufacturers to deliver insights in minutes rather than days.
DataOne said the companies also produced innovations for additional channels such as dealers and insurance providers.
“Our strong partnership with SBD led to additional opportunities within the product, beyond the original scope of the project,” DataOne president Jake Maki said.
Maki also said, “We were not only able to help them bring their manufacturer solution to market, but to create revenue streams through additional channels as well. This is a great example of the advantages an innovative company can realize by working with a strong data partner.”
ReviverMX Inc. is developer of what it describes as the world's first digital license plate, and the plate works through an encrypted app with the ability to renew auto registration without paperwork and display various designs and banners.
On Tuesday, ReviverMX said Black Star Fund has made a “significant six-figure” equity investment in the company.
Black Star described Reviver’s digital license plate as an industry-changing technology. The company said the plate offers potential to affect tens of millions of people.
ReviverMX says Black Star is known for taking stakes in early-stage tech companies founded by African Americans.
Reviver’s plates can also flash stolen vehicle and amber alerts.
In addition, the plates can tell the vehicle owner where he or she left the vehicle and if it has been driven outside a selected radius.
Reviver co-founder Neville Boston says the plates by next year could feature the ability to pay tolls and parking, as well as summon roadside assistance.
These features, plus the plates’ aesthetic beauty, could allow Reviver to achieve strong growth in 2021, Black Star chief executive officer and founder Kwame Anku said in a news release.
Reviver’s Rplate and Rplate Pro are currently sold in California and Arizona.
The plates are legal for driving across all 50 states. Eleven other states are planning to adopt Reviver plates.
The company is currently selling the plates through channels such as automotive dealerships, affinity groups such as professional sports teams and college alumni associations, and to small-to-medium commercial fleets.
Over the past few years, Black Star has invested in technology companies that it says went on to gain strong market penetration. Among these companies are virtual reality entertainment company CEEK; smart vending machine company PopCom; and intelligent software app Mixtroz.
“We are thrilled to have Black Star Fund as an investor in Reviver,” Boston said. “Additionally, Kwame Anku’s advice, guidance and key venture capital relationships have been invaluable to our growth strategies, including our plans to go public in 2021.”
“Ever since I met Neville Boston and studied the rather remarkable technology he helped develop,” Anku said.
Anku continued, “I have remained optimistic that its application to the automotive sector could be a highly transformative event for that industry. I can readily envision a scenario where digital license plates will one day become standard equipment in many parts of the world. I am further optimistic that 2021 may be the bridge to this trend.”
Electronic lien and title technology firm DDI Technology has expanded its national footprint into the state of Minnesota as a certified provider of Electronic Vehicle Title & Registration services, or EVTR.
With that expansion, Minnesota becomes the fifth state to offer DDI Technology’s Premier EVR services.
DDI is a subsidiary of IAA Inc., and DDI’s secure, web-based software system provides dealer management system integration and the ability to perform out-of-state registrations and titling. The software system is compliant with the Minnesota Drive system for motor vehicle transactions.
Premier EVR provides dealers with multiple support channels, and DDI describes Premier EVR as a transaction-based service that does not require monthly contracts or startup fees.
The initial pilot program for EVTR in Minnesota included five dealers and began on Monday, which is the same date all Minnesota dealers were required to use MNDRIVE to perform vehicle registrations and print permits. All other Minnesota dealers can begin using EVTR starting Jan. 11, after the conclusion of the pilot program.
“We are very excited to continue DDI’s national expansion by bringing our electronic titling & processing services to auto dealers in the Minnesota market,” DDI vice president and general manager Ann Gunning said in a news release. “In addition to providing dealers with our secure and seamless technology, we will also have Minnesota-based account representatives on hand to assist our Premier EVR customers.”
“DDI’s expansion in the EVTR market is a major component of our overall growth strategy,” said IAA vice president of client solutions and DDI president Tab Edmundson. “The ability for dealers to use DDI’s technology to transact with state Deputy Registrars and Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) will drive dealership success by reducing transaction times and providing seamless integration.”
Mike Bliss says car keys are now “more complex than ever.”
Bliss is vice president of sales and marketing at automotive key replacement company, Car Keys Express, and he said consumers are facing difficulty in finding retailers that cut keys, “especially high-security, laser-cut keys.”
Because of that, Car Keys Express has released a mobile application that it says can create fully operational car keys through the use of consumers’ mobile phones.
"Our new app puts key replacement — literally — in consumers’ hands,” Bliss said in a news release.
“Pick,” “Pic,” and “Pair” are the three steps in the process, and for that first step, the consumer uses the app to pick his or her vehicle from a list. Then, he or she takes a picture of the key. Car Keys Express ships the customer a new, already-cut key.
The consumer then “pairs” the key to his or her vehicle with the included “EZ installer.” The installer plugs into the vehicle’s standard diagnostic port.
The app is free of charge.
“Digital spare” keys is another feature of the app, and the company says with that feature, users can protect themselves against future loss. With digital spare, users can keep a digital version of their keys in secure cloud storage. If a customer’s key is lost or damaged, he or she can request a replacement.
“Instead of having to go to a dealership to replace a key, you can reach in your pocket and replace it yourself with your phone,” Bliss said.
The app won the “Best New Product” award at the 2019 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, an automotive parts industry trade show.
"We transformed key replacement in the B2B channels we serve, and we’re gaining strong footholds in retail," Car Keys Express LLC founder and chief executive officer Mark Lanwehr said in a news release. “The app is a quantum leap for our direct-to-consumer business and it will serve as a platform for other new technologies we're working on that will change the automotive key replacement landscape forever."
A video about the product is available.
Automatic Labs says its new connected car assistant transforms most vehicles into connected vehicles that deliver safety, maintenance and convenience features. And it does all that through an install-it-yourself adapter and mobile app.
The company also announced that for $99.99, its connected car assistant is available for purchase from Amazon.com, Best Buy and BestBuy.com, Crutchfield.com and CarToys.com, as well as at Automatic.com, and more retailers are scheduled to join.
The $99.99 purchase price includes three years of free Automatic Select service, which includes services such as crash alert and engine light diagnostics. Drivers also receive six months of free premium services such as roadside assistance and real-time location monitoring and sharing.
Most vehicles model year 1996 or later can be transformed into connected vehicles with Automatic’s adapter and app. Because of that, drivers receive access to Automatic Labs safety and convenience features, such as:
— Crash alert, which detects when a serious collision occurs. It allows responders to contact the driver, send emergency services, and get in touch with a driver’s emergency contacts.
— Roadside assistance, which sends towing and roadside services to a driver’s location when help is needed.—Real-time vehicle location monitoring and sharing, which shows where car is parked in a crowded lot or street. It can keep a driver connected with family while out on the road.
— Engine light diagnostics and vehicle performance monitoring, which allows the driver to gain insights on vehicle performance and identify issues when check engine light is on.
— Integration with smart home devices, which allow actions such as open garage door, adjust thermostat, and turn on house lights, on your way to or from home.
— Cashless toll payment processing, which is powered by Automatic subsidiary PayTollo, an Automatic subsidiary, which pays tolls on major toll roads and bridges in select states.
Automatic’s new service is also equipped to receive over-the-air updates. That allows the addition of the next connected car feature at any time with an in-app update.
“We are very excited to re-introduce the Automatic Connected Car Assistant to the marketplace for drivers at an affordable price and at many of the most popular retailers nationwide,” SiriusXM’s executive vice president and division president, connected vehicle Joe Verbrugge said in a news release. “Automatic provides safety and convenience features that seamlessly empower drivers of all ages and experience levels to drive with certainty and security.
“By making Automatic available to drivers on Automatic.com and at major retailers, as well as part of a service bundle offered at automotive dealers nationwide, we are bringing the power of connectivity to as many cars on the road as possible.”
In addition to direct-to-consumer availability, Automatic’s Automatic Dealer Program is a service bundle that automotive dealers can provide to consumers with their new and pre-owned vehicle purchases.
The Automatic Connected Car Assistant is powered by AT&T’s nationwide LTE-M connectivity.
The Automatic device collects detailed information about each vehicle’s geolocation, use, operation, performance and maintenance status in order to operate, maintain, and provide the features and functionalities of the Automatic service.
A new partnership aims to transform independent and specialty auctions’ static vehicle merchandising pages into “interactive digital experiences.”
Auction Edge, a technology provider for independent auto auctions; and automotive digital merchandising company SpinCar are now working together to bring 360° Walkarounds to the auctions. The companies say that the technology helps wholesale vehicle buyers explore every aspect of a vehicle’s interior and exterior condition. That means independent auctions and consignors can offer more transparency to the auction process.
Auction Edge says the new integration makes it the first auction technology company that offers interactive vehicle display pages to wholesale buyers and sellers.
Auction Edge’s national wholesale marketplace—EDGE Pipeline—as well as EDGE Lookout, which powers websites for various U.S. independent auto auctions, are among the Auction Edge platforms through which SpinCar’s technology is available.
SpinCar notes that its 360° WalkAround and Feature Tour technology brings the physical showroom experience to car shoppers wherever and whenever they want. The company notes that car shoppers across 15 countries have experienced more than 200 million virtual WalkArounds.
“We're incredibly excited for this partnership with Auction Edge,” SpinCar chief executive officer Devin Daly said in a news release. “As the auction industry continues to move online, building trust between wholesale buyers and sellers is critical. We look forward to working with Auction Edge to enable independent auctions and vehicle sellers to harness the power of advanced digital merchandising technology for greater transparency and business success.”
Auction Edge senior vice president of auction systems Julie Warpool added that independent auctions are a “thriving channel” for vehicle transactions.
“Working with SpinCar is a natural fit as we continue to enhance our ecosystem of tools to help independents serve buyers and sellers with greater transparency and more options for evaluating vehicles,” Warpool said.
A new report from eLEND Solutions asks the question: Is digital retailing promising more than it can deliver? And Nick posed more questions to eLEND Solutions chief executive officer Pete MacInnis about this report and more for this Auto Remarketing Podcast episode recorded during NADA Show 2019.
MacInnis explained during the conversation that although digital retailing and its many definitions is being touted as the future of automotive retailing, this dealership survey indicated that a key hurdle remains. That challenge is many standalone digital retailing tools or platforms quoting inaccurate and/or misleading payment information to consumers, which are ultimately creating more skepticism with buyers and expensive rewrites and unwinds for dealers.
According to the survey, dealers who adopt digital retailing tools are striving to deliver a frictionless buying experience, including more transparency about the “deal,” but these same surveyed dealers report that basic payment calculator estimator tools are actually getting in the way of their desire to evolve.
In fact, a total of 87 percent of dealer respondents agree that it’s common for payment estimator tools to provide inaccurate or unrealistic payment expectations. And it is impacting sales, as 74 percent reported that well over a quarter of deals that include digital retailing-provided payment terms have to be rewritten
And the majority lose more than 60 percent of those sales, according to the survey that’s available here.
MacInnis offered an array of suggestion to reverse these trends during the podcast that can be found below.
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A digital retailing and messaging company has released what it describes as the first reputation enhancement product for dealerships.
ActivEngage has released AcceleRater, which the company says will help dealerships get more customers and increase revenue. It produces more 5-star ratings for dealerships with every review engagement, according to the company, which added that the product helps give dealers more control over ratings, reviews and revenue.
The company says the product targets shoppers who have had a positive experience at any point in the buying process. That strategy can help dealerships generate more and better reviews, the company added, noting that pilot stores have seen a 100-percent increase in positive feedback from customers with every review engagement.
ActivEngage noted that AcceleRater possesses all of the major capabilities of traditional reputation management tools. Those functions include monitoring and responding to reviews, accessing rich data, and launching review request campaigns.
But the traditional tools only offer dealerships a “reactive approach” to customer feedback, ActivEngage president Ted Rubin said in a news release. A reactive approach means dealerships have “little or no control over when and where shoppers leave reviews,” he added.
“AcceleRater works in tandem with reputation management efforts to help dealers gauge customer perception throughout the entire shopping experience and proactively get more reviews,” Rubin said.
ActivEngage vice president of operations Carol Marshall added that millions of interactions have produced billions of dollars for the company’s dealership customers.
“This has helped make ActivEngage an authority in customer experience,” Marshall said. “Always looking to enhance dealer-customer interaction, we saw the untapped potential of customer feedback to help dealers acquire more customers.
"We hear positive remarks from shoppers in many of our conversations. Now that feedback can translate into a better online reputation for our dealers," Marshall went on to say.
Electric vehicle designer and manufacturer Fisker describes founder Henrik Fisker as an “EV pioneer” and a “world-renowned, American automotive icon.” Among his company’s highlights through the years is the Fisker Flexible Solid-State Battery, which the company says “is ushering in a new era in fast charging, safety and range.”
Now as part of its new development of “affordable, luxurious and technologically advanced electric vehicles,” Fisker plans another company highlight with the release of a new all-electric SUV design, priced below $40,000. The company noted in a news release that the SUV is Fisker’s first in an upcoming lineup of three all-electric vehicles that it promises will be affordable.
Using the phrase, #ReinventTheSUV, Fisker notes that the all-electric luxury SUV is “shattering old notions of what an SUV can be.” The company described the vehicle as “a futuristic, elegant muscular EV with clean surfaces and a dramatic shape.”
“The affordable mass market vehicle features captivating design touches that have been traditionally reserved for supercars in the past,” the company said in a news release.
The company added that it is developing a larger line-up of “affordable, luxurious and technologically advanced” electric vehicles. Launching after the SUV will be the Fisker EMotion luxury electric sedan, which the company describes as the brand’s low-volume flagship model. Fisker will introduce the EMotion to the market after an affordable model becomes available.
“As the ultimate symbol of future emerging technologies, the high-end EMotion will retake the stage as patented Fisker Solid-State Battery technology becomes ready for vehicle application and commercialization,” the company noted, adding that it will release more information and timelines at a later date.
“Our flagship, low-volume EMotion luxury electric sedan will be the first model to feature Fisker Solid-State batteries, targeted to deliver more than 500 miles of range with a single, quick charge,” Henrik Fisker said in a news release.
For the SUV that will launch first, Fisker is touting what it describes as some of the vehicle’s “never-before-seen, high-tech user experiences," including:
—An extended open-air atmosphere is possible with the touch of a button, and Fisker says that will occur “without compromising the rugged and safe structural integrity of an SUV.”
—The vehicle’s spacious interior includes what the company describes as “a modern aesthetic and high-quality materials.”
—Dashboard features will include a large heads-up display and a user interface that will control what Fisker describes as “emerging in-vehicle technologies.”
Fisker also describes some of the vehicle’s “future-forward technologies” that it says are now integral to the design of the vehicle. A small, center high-mounted, behind-glass radar replaces a traditional grill. The company notes that a traditional grill is no longer a necessity on an EV.
A “parametric pattern” exists at the lower front of the vehicle. In that area, air cooling is directed only as needed. In addition, the company states that lower body aerodynamic features “add more stimulating visuals.”
The SUV will be available in four-wheel drive with two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear. An extended range (target of approximately 300 miles) will come standard, and an enhanced +80 KWh lithium-ion battery pack will make that range possible.
The vehicle will be available with optional 22-inch wheels.
Pricing is set at a base price below $40,000. The company anticipates final pricing and a drivable prototype to be revealed by the end of 2019.
Fisker plans to sell direct to consumers, and a nationwide concierge service model is also in development. The company also plans to begin accepting early deposits near the production start date. Fisker will share more information on timelines and a website link at a later date.
The vehicle subscription industry is no longer just an exciting concept. It has matured to where it is now an increasingly proven model. At least that is the view of Clutch Technologies president Vince Zappa. Clutch is an automotive software platform that offers vehicle subscription and mobility services.
Zappa said in a news release that new research proves his point about the maturation of the industry. Clutch Technologies, along with mobility and data analytics company, Arity, announced what it says is the first major piece of empirical research regarding driver risk profiles and insurance claims for consumers using vehicle subscription services.
The research shows that when subscribers joined the subscription service, their risk profiles showed similar distributions to those seen in traditional personal automotive insurance. In addition, the subscribers performed similarly to initial risk estimates once they joined the service.
The research also shows that traditional screening and risk measurement models from personal auto insurance are adequate to gauge the risk profile of car subscription drivers.
Clutch has long believed that driving risk does not change when a consumer moves from owning to subscribing, Zappa said. The research confirms that belief, he added.
“Arity has helped us validate that our technology can help our automotive customers acquire the subscribers that they want to target,” he said.
For the study, during the initial subscription registration process, Clutch applied screening technologies to identify each consumer’s estimated driving risk. Arity and Clutch then studied how predictions of risk compared to actual performance for these drivers using the subscription service. Clutch used Arity's proprietary model, Arity PreQual, to score 1,456 Clutch drivers across 228,000 driving days of data.
Clutch noted that since it began using PreQual as a major input of its risk management technology, Clutch’s car subscription providers have reduced premiums up to 20 percent year over year.
Clutch's and Arity's analysis of how Clutch’s actual claims compared to the predictions of Arity's model provided data that automotive insurance companies can review as more car subscription services enter the market.
Clutch's screening technology combines identity verification, motor vehicle records, Arity's PreQual scoring of driver risk, and other behavioral data that can predict risk, and companies can use the data to acquire an attractive subscriber base, according to a news release. The research showed the type of screening and risk evaluation technologies that are useful for vehicle subscription providers.
Senior vice president of Arity Data Science Grady Irey noted that the study’s findings could be “a first step and catalyst” to connect more mobility providers with insurance carriers. It will help increase the confidence of those parties that their drivers will operate the vehicles safely, Irey added.
Clutch continues using Arity PreQual in its screening process and is studying how to further study driver risk profiles with Arity. Clutch is also working with large insurance carriers to bring products to market to support its dealer and OEM customers.
