Automotive Digest

The Urgent Need for Software Safety to Make Autonomous Vehicles “Safe”

The Current Situation with AV Software:

There is NO Safety Software for Autonomous Vehicles

Getting the software “right” is the challenge

Making AVs More “Safe” is a Big Need for OEMs & the Industry

Presently no government or regulatory controls for AV Safety

Solutions Being Advanced:

Core focus of Carnegie Mellon Professor Phil Koopman is AV Safety

Published number of Hot Papers & Research on Software Safety

Founded EdgeCase Research to manage SW & AV Unknowns

Books include “Better Embedded Systems Software”

Works with Autonomous Stress Testing of Autonomy Architectures (ASTAA)

For more papers, publishing, and speaking from Phil Koopman, CMI.

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News You Need to Know

How Much of the Used Vehicle Market will Traditional Auto Auctions like Manheim be left with after Disruption?

Assessment & Analysis of the Current Used Vehicle Market by Michael Pochan, Lecturer, CEO, Software Engineer and professional educator with Carnegie Mellon credentials.

WHAT IS THE SITUATION?:
1) Auction Sales Volume Dropping as much as 40%:
2) Finding the Cars Customers Want online :
3) Auction Channel is Now migrating Online:
4) Mercedes Benz Credit selling off-lease vehicles directly online

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT:
Be aware of trend & consider adopting online bidding & auctions.
Mecum Auctions & other auctions are taking on-phone bids also
Top 30% of UC dealers continue to find cars for customers online.

Franchise & Independent Dealers & UV buyers should take a minute & review the implications of the increase in online used vehicles sales. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unsold Vehicles hit Ten Year high in May — Panic or Price or Prepare?

Dealers and Used Vehicle Marketers Becoming Alarmed by Rising Inventories

The high number of unsold vehicles across the industry retreated slightly, but
78-day supply was the highest number for summer selling season since reached 85 days in 2009.
Half of the total unsold cars and light trucks in May were either General Motors, Ford or FCA

See, Ingest, and act on the stats and content of the Automotive News industry alert. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Tell Me Again Why New Car Buying Can’t Be Online

Current Car Buying Process is in Peril

87% of Americans dislike something about car shopping at dealerships
61% feel they’re taken advantage of while there.
86 % of car shoppers conduct online research before visiting a dealership
Vehicle buyers are increasingly seek to accomplish entire purchase online.
Reality: Consumers have no choice but go to a Dealership.And they don’t like it.
Dealers need to do more to work with buyers who seek to buy on line
Traditional dealer business model could be in peril

See positioning & recommended action-ables from Mike Pochan, Founder of LeaseTek and respected automotive industry leader and analyst _________________________________________________________________________

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Industry People

Jan ThompsonSenior vice president of marketingZoyte USA-HAAH Automotive Holdings, - 12/31/1969

Zotye, is the Chinese automaker with plans to launch retail operations in the United States in late 2020, has added one of the industry's most respected marketing veterans to its leadership team.

Jan Thompson has been named senior vice president of marketing for Zotye USA and its parent company, HAAH Automotive Holdings, which is headquartered in Lake Forest, Calif.

Thompson, named one of Automotive News' 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry in 2005 and 2010, has led marketing activities at Mazda, Toyota and Nissan in North America. She also has been executive vice president of Omnicon Group and vice president of Advanstar Communications Inc.

She most recently was Ipsos' senior vice president, North America lead, and she will remain on the board of directors at Auto Web, an automotive media and marketing services company in Irvine, Calif.
Her appointment is effective March 1, HAAH said in a statement.

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Follow The Leaders

Mark Ugar, VP, Strategy & Development

AutoWeb has created a new role of vice president of strategy & development
Mark Ugar was the senior VP of business development & strategic partnerships at YP Holdings. Held positions Hearst Corp. & Microsoft

What AutoWeb president, Jared Rowe, said about new position at AutoWeb

" Mark brings a wealth of experience in corporate development and strategic planning to AutoWeb,” . “He will oversee all of our strategic partnerships and manage corporate and business development initiatives across the organization.“

This role is imperative as our approach to partnerships needs to be retooled to ensure that we stay in front of the changing digital media and automotive retail landscape. Mark’s strategic planning efforts will ensure that we are continuously adapting to meet the needs of consumers and effectively compete for our clients’ marketing budgets,”

Mark's Assessment of new challenge:

AutoWeb’s digital marketing platform has proven to be a highly-efficient advertising solution for OEMs and dealers across the country.

Focus will be on AutoWeb’s business development efforts and revitalizing its strategic partnerships, while implementing the necessary strategic planning functions to ensure our platform remains at the forefront of the automotive shopping experience.

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