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Episode #1099: It’s Saturday, which means Chris Reeves is back in the studio with another story that brings all the feels.

This time it’s about Speedway Subaru in Indianapolis. When a service advisor found out a longtime customer had lost everything in a house fire, including the dog that saved their life, he didn’t just offer sympathy. He took action. The team came together to donate a car and provide essentials to help the family rebuild.

We talk about what it means to be oriented toward people, how a culture of awareness makes stories like this possible, and yes, somehow we get into Dungeons & Dragons too.

Story Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/speedwaycars_subarulovepromise-speedwaycares-speedwaysubaru-activity-7349806799643893761-r1Xg/?rcm=ACoAADx8cGUBDLlEN_DFCU9c17qutER63LD65xg

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

Shoot us a Text.

Episode #1098: Rivian is laying foundations in Georgia with a new East Coast HQ and massive EV factory. A brave deacon turns his F-150 into a life-saving shield, and gets rewarded. And OpenAI's latest ChatGPT upgrade puts real-world task management on autopilot.

• Rivian is plugging into Atlanta as it sets the stage for its next major manufacturing move. The EV maker is launching an East Coast HQ to support its second plant, with big plans to expand.
  • The Atlanta office opens late 2025, expands in 2026 to support the nearby Georgia plant.
  • An initial staff of 100 will grow to around 500.
  • The new $6B+ factory in Stanton Springs to begin vertical construction in 2026 which will produce R2 and R3 models starting 2028, span 16 million sq. ft., and employ 7,500.
  • CEO RJ Scaringe: “Atlanta embodies so much that makes Georgia great — top talent, exceptional creativity, and a desire to always be moving forward.”

• Some heroes don’t wear capes, they drive F-150s. When Richard Pryor saw a man pulling a weapon outside Crosspointe Church during Vacation Bible School, he didn’t freeze. He floored it. The deacon used his truck to stop what could’ve been a tragic day in Wayne, MI.
  • Though he saved countless lives that day, unfortunately his truck didn’t survive the harrowing incident after taking a round and crashing
  • When Demmer Ford heard what Richard had done, they handed him the keys to a new 2025 F-150 as a gesture of appreciation for his courage and quick action.
  • We may not all have Richard’s bravery, but every one of us has the power to do something that matters. The key is keeping your eyes open and your heart ready.

• OpenAI has launched a game-changing upgrade to ChatGPT, giving it its own virtual computer. This move turns the AI into a fully-fledged assistant that can execute complex tasks—start to finish—without skipping a beat.
  • ChatGPT Agent can now handle real-world work like analyzing competitors, booking travel, and updating spreadsheets, all from your single prompt.
  • It blends the strengths of previous tools—Operator and deep research—into one powerful, task-completing system.
  • The AI can click, scroll, code, and summarize, even logging into your Gmail or GitHub (with permission) to grab the info it needs.
  • New benchmarks show it beats human-level accuracy across investment banking, data science, and spreadsheet modeling tasks.
  • “You’re always in control,” says OpenAI. “You can take over the browser, pause tasks, or get a real-time progress summary.”
  • Starting today (July 17–18), it’s available to Pro, Plus, and Team subscribers. Just toggle “Agent Mode” in the tools dropdown during any chat

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

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Episode #1097: In today’s episode, we dig into why the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and NADA are in disagreement on state franchise laws, Stellantis’ quiet hydrogen retreat, and why pop-up shops are punching above their weight in modern retail strategy.

• The Alliance for Automotive Innovation has called on the DOJ to review state franchise laws, sparking a fierce response from NADA and highlighting long-standing tensions between OEMs and dealers.
  • The Alliance argues some franchise laws create unnecessary costs, ultimately hurting consumers and competitiveness.
  • The letter targets laws restricting new dealership locations and third-party time guides for warranty work.
  • NADA President Mike Stanton labeled it a “broadside attack” and called for a unified defense of the franchise model.
  • Don Hall, CEO of VADA, said: “If there is such a thing as a holy war in the franchise world, it’s a holy war.”
  • In response to backlash, John Bozzella, President of the Alliance clarified: “We support the dealership franchise model. Period. Full stop.”

• Stellantis is backing away from hydrogen-powered vehicles, shelving its fuel-cell van program as infrastructure and economic realities dim the tech’s near-term future.
  • The automaker will no longer launch its hydrogen-powered Pro One vans originally planned for France and Poland.
  • Stellantis cited poor infrastructure, high costs, and low midterm viability for light-duty hydrogen vehicles.
  • R&D resources will be redirected toward electric and hybrid vehicle development.
  • Staff at impacted plants will be reassigned, and the company is reassessing its stake in hydrogen joint venture Symbio.
  • “The hydrogen market remains a niche segment, with no prospects of midterm economic sustainability,” said COO Jean-Philippe Imparato.

• Pop-up retail is evolving from a buzzy trend to a proven strategy, with brands large and small embracing short-term storefronts to build awareness, test products, and drive limited-time sales.
  • U.S. pop-up shops generate ~$80B annually, with projections hitting $95B by 2026.
  • 80% of retailers who've opened a pop-up call it a success; most spend under $5,000 to launch.
  • Goals include building brand awareness (66%), deepening customer connection (63%), and launching products (46%).
  • Retailers range from e-commerce-only to full brick-and-mortar operations.
  • As Sarah Rudge wrote: “Pop-up shops have become more than just a retail trend — they’re now a strategic tool.”

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/