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Episode #1110: Today we cover Trump’s sweeping auto tariffs, Tesla’s not‑so‑autonomous “Robotaxi” rollout, and the rise of agentic checkout in online retail.

Show Notes with links:

• President Trump’s country-by-country auto tariff deadline has arrived, setting off a new round of trade negotiations and recalibrations for global automakers.
  • Canadian tariffs rise to 35%, though most USMCA-compliant vehicles dodge the hike.
  • Mexico earns a 90-day delay on new tariffs, holding at 25% on non-U.S. content.
  • Japan and South Korea cut tariffs to 15% with total pledges of $900B to U.S. industry
  • Japan is also willing to take American imports based on U.S. standards, meaning American OEMs don’t need to make a different car.
  • “You can take the car you make in Detroit, put it on a boat and send it,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

• Tesla’s long-hyped “Robotaxi” expansion into the Bay Area looks more like a rebranded Uber than a self-driving revolution. The cars run under Tesla’s app but still rely on humans behind the wheel.
  • Each car has a “safety monitor” in the driver’s seat, making it equivalent to an Uber driver using Tesla’s supervised Full Self‑Driving system.
  • The California DMV and Public Utilities Commission expressed concern after hearing Tesla employees discuss an imminent Robotaxi launch, even though the company has not applied for the required permits.
  • Politico reported that Tesla’s counsel reassured regulators, claiming the rollout was limited to employees, friends, family, and select members of the public.
  • Tesla is now actively recruiting “vehicle operators” in nine additional U.S. cities to replicate the Bay Area service.

• “Agentic checkout” is the latest frontier for artificial intelligence. Payment giants, tech platforms, and retailers are all racing to build systems that let AI handle more of the shopping journey.
  • Mastercard, Visa, Google, and PayPal are each rolling out agentic checkout platforms, designed to let AI act as a shopper’s digital assistant.
  • PayPal is upgrading its decades‑old systems to handle the heavier transaction loads expected from AI‑driven commerce.
  • Experts say the winners will be payment providers and e‑commerce platforms that build the infrastructure for AI agents rather than compete with them.
  • Michelle Gill, GM of small business and financial services at PayPal said that The general sense in the industry is that “rather than competing, these stakeholders increasingly collaborate to harness the potential of agentic AI.”
  • Mastercard’s Co‑President of Global Partnerships, Sherri Haymond, said retailers won’t need to replace entire platforms: “I would encourage merchants to have an open mind, and to lean in and do the work to make their environment accessible in this

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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Episode #1109: Today we’re digging into Ford’s $3B tariff troubles, why commercial EV fleets are booming even as consumer demand cools, and how OpenAI’s new “Study Mode” could change the way students learn (without just handing out the answers).

Show Notes with links:

• Ford Motor is bracing for a tougher financial year as U.S. tariffs on vehicles, steel, and aluminum cut deeper than expected. Shares dipped 3% after the automaker raised its tariff cost estimate by half a billion dollars.
  • Q2 results were down $800 million from tariffs, less than GM’s $1.1 billion hit.
  • Full-year tariff cost now projected at $3 billion, up from $2.5 billion.
  • Ford sees 80% of U.S. sales from domestic production, cushioning some impact.
  • CFO Sherry House said tariffs on Mexico and Canada stayed higher for longer than expected, with steel and aluminum levies adding to the strain.
  • CEO Jim Farley: “We see there’s a lot of upside depending on how the negotiation goes with the administration.”
• While consumer EV demand has cooled, the commercial EV market is charging forward, with fleet operators driving massive growth. The shift presents new opportunities — and challenges — for dealers, utilities, and policymakers.
  • Commercial EV registrations soared 274% to nearly 25,000, led by delivery vans, utility trucks, and big rigs.
  • Class 2 EVs used for work jumped 69%, while light consumer EVs slipped 2%.
  • Amazon already runs 25,000 Rivian vans, building its own charging network of 32,000+ stations.
  • Dealers remain a critical link, but many fleets report visiting stores where sales teams weren’t ready to support EV conversions.
  • Calstart’s Jacob Richard said state incentives and programs are key “When looking at that total cost of ownership, you kind of need to have those upfront incentives in the near term.”

• OpenAI is taking a swing at the “CheatGPT” label with a major update designed to help, not hand out answers. The new “study mode” in ChatGPT aims to guide students through learning rather than doing the work for them.
  • Study Mode is live for all users now, with ChatGPT Edu access coming soon.
  • It uses Socratic questioning and scaffolded responses to build understanding.
  • Offers personalized support and quizzes for deeper learning.
  • Students are calling it “a live, 24/7, all-knowing office hours.”
  • OpenAI is partnering with Stanford to evaluate its real educational impact.
  • “It helped me finally understand a concept I’d struggled with for months,” said one college tester.

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/

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Episode #1108: Today we’re joined by Ben Hadley to talk about Toyota’s exports to the US rising in June, and get Ben’s thoughts on AI use by dealers and tech partners.

Show Notes with links:

• Despite U.S. tariffs on Japanese auto imports, Toyota kept exports rolling in June, posting record-breaking sales powered by booming hybrid demand and resilient U.S. shipments. The move highlights both consumer appetite and Toyota’s ability to shrug off trade turbulence.
  • Toyota’s U.S. exports rose 16% in June, totaling 52,745 vehicles.
  • Global sales hit 937,246 vehicles for the month, a 2.7% increase.
  • First-half sales reached a record 5.54 million, with electrified models leading growth.
  • Hybrid sales in North America jumped 38% to 651,000 vehicles.
  • A Toyota spokeswoman credited “strong demand” but declined comment on future tariff impacts.
• OpenAI is taking a swing at the “CheatGPT” label with a major update designed to help, not hand out answers. The new “study mode” in ChatGPT aims to guide students through learning rather than doing the work for them.
  • Study Mode is live for all users now, with ChatGPT Edu access coming soon.
  • It uses Socratic questioning and scaffolded responses to build understanding.
  • Offers personalized support and quizzes for deeper learning.
  • Students are calling it “a live, 24/7, all-knowing office hours.”
  • OpenAI is partnering with Stanford to evaluate its real educational impact.
  • “It helped me finally understand a concept I’d struggled with for months,” said one college tester.

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/