Leo Michael Cartoons - Q1 2023

Consumers will likely struggle to make payments on their auto loans, especially with the Federal Reserve planning to keep raising interest rates.

One day, auto lenders might not need to call the repo man. Instead, the car could just drive itself to an impound lot, according to a patent application filed by Ford engineers.

Pedestrian fatalities have risen 18 percent in the past three years.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was victimized by thieves in Las Vegas in February. The giant frankfurter was parked outside a hotel just off the Strip when someone cut the catalytic converter out from under its bun.

The nation's public charging network, with its steep learning curve and fussy technology, is proving to be a challenge for an auto industry working hard to sell consumers on electric vehicles.

Dealership executives who answered Automotive News’ 2023 Dealer Outlook Survey say economic conditions that took root in the last year have caused their concerns about maintaining profits to grow. Several now believe rising interest rates and a potential recession, on top of intensifying vehicle affordability challenges, could ultimately disrupt their business this year.

As shoppers weigh the charging and cost drawbacks of EVs, many are once again casting their gaze at internal combustion models.

Supply constraints that have suppressed vehicle inventories for two years appear to be easing, meaning dealerships soon may have more vehicles on the ground. More choices will mean heightened competition, so some dealerships introducing newer employees to the fundamentals of selling.

For dealers, having unsold inventory brings additional carrying costs with added floorplan expense. But it also means a return to a more traditional form of automotive retail.

CarMax, Carvana and Vroom will not air advertisements during Super Bowl LVII. Carvana made a splash last year with a 30-second spot, while Vroom aired commercials in 2021 and 2022.

The U.S. Treasury Department says that electric vehicles leased by consumers starting Jan. 1 can qualify for up to $7,500 in commercial clean vehicle tax credits, a decision that makes those assembled outside North America eligible.

What had been a seemingly bottomless pool of fast cash for EV startups appears to be drying up.