Automotive State of The Union
Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier don’t just read headlines, they make the most important connections across car dealerships, general retail, tech, and culture. The goal? To help automotive leaders think clearer and move faster in a world that refuses to slow down.
Whether you’re running a rooftop, building a brand, or just trying to keep up with everything shifting in the business of selling cars, this is your regular stop for a shot of news, insight, and a little bit of chaos…always rooted in people-first thinking.
From the showroom to Silicon Valley.
From Wall Street to Main Street.
Paul and Kyle connect the dots, keep it real, and make it make sense.
Learn more at https://www.asotu.com
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 14 minutes
- Episodes
- 1139
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
$70,000 of Generosity
The first weekend of September! Head Writer Chris Reeves joins Kyle Mountsier to discuss how the auto industry ramps up its community contributions in the fall towards the end of the …
Mary’s Millions, Elon’s Trillions, Japan Tariffs to 15%, OpenAI’s Certification Push
Episode #1138: Mary Barra and her GM peers are selling big while Tesla bets even bigger on Elon. A new U.S.–Japan trade deal lowers tariffs and boosts investment in auto-related secto…
VinFast Bets on Dealers, ID.4 Production Pause, Charging Cables Optional
Episode #1137: VinFast leans into a dealer-driven strategy while VW puts the brakes on ID.4 production despite rock-bottom lease pricing. Meanwhile, Porsche unveils a slick wireless c…
EV Tax Credit Extension-ish, Cadillac’s Comeback, Coding Gets Easier and Complicated
Episode #1136: An IRS update that could save EV buyers thousands, how Cadillac is quietly staging a luxury comeback and the deeper impact of AI on software development—and whether vib…
How One Dealer Monetized Charging, BYD Battles Discounts, Google’s Nano Banana
Episode #1135: Friendly Chevy’s charging park is pulling in revenue and conquest sales, BYD takes a profit hit in China’s price war, and Google’s “Nano Banana” might just beat ChatGPT…
Can a free van turn an 8 year old into an engineer?
Today, Paul and Chris bring you a story about Jacob Miller, a high school senior living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Jacob has big plans for being only eight years old and he jus…
Economist Jonathan Smoke Says The Market's Not Crashing—It’s Accelerating
Episode #1133: Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke joins Paul to talk tariffs, pent-up demand, and why Q3 might be best experienced with a little Abba. It's a data-rich conv…
Dealers Care About The Tech, Special Guest Shane Wilson of Connected Dealer Services
Episode #1132: As we kick off the last day of the NAMAD Annual Meeting, Paul J Daly and Erroll Bomar III reflect on how they’ve been witnessing dealers lean in on technology in order …
Strong August for Automotive Industry, NAMAD Day 1 Takeaways
Episode #1131: Live from Day 2 at the NAMAD Annual Meeting with co-host Erroll Bomar III! We recap our biggest takeaways from the first day of amazing conversations and content, plus …
Robots Still Need People, Gen Z Buys IRL, Tax Credit Relief
Episode #1130: As we gear up for our NAMAD coverage in LasVegas, Paul and guest co-host Ben Hadley are digging into the IRS's EV tax credit extension, how Gen Z balances screens with …
AN All-Stars, Inventory Game-Changers, AI’s E-Comm Takeover
Episode #1129: Today Steve Greenfield joins Paul again as we spotlight the 2025 Automotive News All-Stars, including a few friends of the show. We also talk about some industry icons’…
When a Minivan Becomes a Miracle
On this Saturday, Chris joins Paul and Nathan to talk about the frequency of a 5 Fri-Sat-Sun month and how auto dealers just keep on giving.
Mohawk Honda did more than hand over a key.…
EU & US Work Out Trade Deal, EchoPark Boosts Sonic, Gen AI Retail Traffic
Episode #1127: We’re diving into major tariff relief for EU carmakers, Sonic Automotive’s EchoPark outpacing expectations, and how generative AI is rewriting the rules for online reta…
Hertz Sells on Amazon, VinFast Expands Dealer Network, Atlas Robot Gets Handsy
Episode #1126: Today we’re joined by Steve Greenfield and talking about Hertz vehicles showing up on Amazon, VinFast’s new San Diego dealership kicking off a coast-to-coast franchise …
Affordability Is the Battlefield, Close Now or Cry Later, Target’s Intern CEO
Episode #1125: Today, we’re talking affordability trends, lead follow-up gaps, and a CEO who worked his way from intern to the top at Target.
- At the halfway mark of 2025, the Dave Cant…
Fixed Ops Golden Metrics, Inventory Levels Off, Robotaxi Roulette
Episode #1124: Today we break down the latest Fixed Ops Golden Metrics, showing where service departments are winning and where there’s room to grow. We also look at how dealer invent…
Rivian’s Credits Crunch, Ex-Tesla Superchargers, CEO Confidence Rebounds
Episode #1123: Today we cover Rivian’s fight over frozen EV credit revenue, ex-Tesla talent launching Hubber to fill urban charging gaps, and a sharp rebound in CEO confidence as rece…
The Man Behind Ford’s Revamp, Mitsubishi Gallery Store, ChatGPT 4o’s Comeback
Episode #1122: Ford’s Doug Field maps a Silicon Valley–style path to a $30K EV truck, Mitsubishi debuts a luxury-inspired “Gallery” store concept, and OpenAI brings GPT-4o back after …
EV Infrastructure Wins, Longest-Range Tesla, Drone That Won’t Quit
Episode #1121: We cover the rapid growth in EV charging infrastructure even as EV sales plateau, Tesla’s China-only 500+ mile Model 3, and a solar-powered drone that just stayed airbo…
M&A Sugar High Ends, SDV Shifts, and the Quiet Cracking Crisis
Episode #1120: Today we cover Presidio’s latest report showing dealership profitability gaining stable ground. We look at how automakers are shifting from solo efforts to shared platf…