More shoppers with stellar credit ratings -- enticed by growing supplies of late-model cars and light trucks, and turned off by new-vehicle prices -- are headed to independent stores for their next used vehicle.

Fewer dealers say they are worried about high interest rates in the latest Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index survey. A year ago, the issue was smoking.

Audi Warwick, a Penske Automotive Group store in Rhode Island, developed its own feeder system three years ago to alleviate high turnover on the sales floor and in the service bays.

Financial services companies are launching apps in hopes of collecting a greater volume of consumer data in exchange for offering features that customers will value.

While such loans have risen from a small base nationwide, they are not climbing at all lenders — because of differing views, policies and portfolios. Lenders who support, or at least tolerate, longer loans believe it is now easier to calculate risks because of improvements in underwriting metrics and the use of alternative data.

The arrangement between Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. and car-shopping and financing platform Modal is one example of an emerging trend of captive lenders partnering with financial technology companies to expand the availability of digital retailing tools to consumers.

Jim Hackett says taking content out of vehicles, which Ford calls "reductive design," is helping the automaker tackle consumer affordability challenges in the new-vehicle market.

Former megadealer Bernie Moreno, now president of luxury subscription-service provider Drive Options, says subscription services could make traditional auto finance models obsolete.

A study finds consumers are hesitant to utilize online tools prior to entering the dealership. One possible cause? They don't understand the difference between preapprovals and prequalifications.

A new software tool that flags anything fishy in a loan application helps dealerships fight synthetic-identity fraud.

In October, the company launched a "sell from home" option for customers, using online software to source used vehicles directly from consumers.

Mitigating the loss of its partnership with Mazda is a goal for Chase Auto in the coming year. The lender also aims to reinforce the benefits of its diversified credit businesses with other automakers and dealers.