AE eMagazine

Faulty Takata Air Bags May Not Be Replaced for Months

U.S. safety regulators do not expect Japanese auto parts maker Takata Corp to be able to fully supply replacement parts for millions of defective air bags until January or later, and urged Takata and the automakers it supplies to seek additional parts from other companies, reported Reuters. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has ... Read More »

GM CEO Mary Barra on Tesla: ‘We just want a level playing field’

DETROIT – Shortly before Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill deemed by some as “anti-Tesla” into law last week, General Motors released a statement throwing its support behind House Bill 5606, reported MLive. “We believe that House Bill 5606 will help ensure that all automotive manufacturers follow the same rules to operate in the State ... Read More »

CNW Expects Solid Increase in October Sales

BANDON, Ore. — CNW Research reported this week that it expects October sales to improve substantially from a year ago despite several indices showing weakening consumer confidence. The firm, however, said the measurements don’t go hand-in-hand. CNW’s Art Spinella wrote in his firm’s monthly newsletter that national confident measurements cannot be used to determine sales ... Read More »

Edmunds Buys Dealer Texting Startup

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Edmunds.com has acquired mobile startup CarCode, a service that lets customers and dealers engage in one-on-one text messaging. It is the first acquisition for the online car shopping website. The technology will be used in Edmund’s dealership network and will be provided as a complimentary service for shoppers. “Car shoppers are ... Read More »

AutoNation to Cut Spending on Third-Party Lead Providers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — AutoNation reported record F&I gross profit per vehicle retailed, with the dealer group’s F&I operations now averaging $1,401 per copy. The gain in back-end profitability, along with strong performances in used- and new-vehicles sales as well as parts and service, drove a 10% increase in third-quarter revenue from last year. AutoNation ... Read More »

Braman Motorcars Implements LoJack Inventory Management

CANTON, Mass. — LoJack Corporation has deployed its LoJack inventory management system with South Florida’s Braman Motorcars, a top 30 dealer group. The new inventory management system will help deliver an accurate location of vehicle inventory across multiple lots, helping to minimize the time required in the regular dealer inventory process. LoJack is working with ... Read More »

Approved Death Claims Related to GM Ignition Switch Recall Hits 30

DETROIT – The number of approved death compensation claims related to a recall of a faulty General Motors ignition switch has risen to 30, reported MLive. The number of claims was at 29 last week, after rising from 19 such claims in September. The claims were approved by a fund set up by GM to ... Read More »

Hudson Cook, LLP Announces Michael Benoit’s Receipt of Auto Finance Excellence Award

HANOVER, Md. – Michael Benoit, senior partner in Hudson Cook, LLP’s automotive finance group, has been honored with a 2014 Auto Finance Excellence Award, which recognizes achievement and contribution to the automotive finance industry. The award was presented on October 7, 2014 at the Auto Finance News’ annual Auto Finance Summit in Las Vegas, NV. ... Read More »

Don't Get Bitter, Get Better

Takata Chairman Apologizes for Causing Concern

Takata Corp.’s chairman and chief executive officer issued an apology in response to an auto-safety crisis created by flaws in its air bags, reported Bloomberg. “We deeply regret that the recent recalls of vehicles equipped with our airbags have likely raised significant concerns and troubles to our product users, our customers, shareholders and other stakeholders,” ... Read More »