The rise of fraudsters manipulating images and text of loan documents is posing a significant threat to auto dealers and their customers.InformedIQ In recent years, while artificial intelligence has empowered dealers and lenders to enhance their businesses, it has also provided fraudsters with sophisticated tools to perpetrate financial fraud.   One of the most concerning developments…

Thirty-eight states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico saw fatality decreases, one state was flat, and 11 saw traffic death increases. Pexels/Taras Makarenko U.S. road deaths fell in the first half of the year by 8%, even as Americans clocked more miles. The decrease continued a decline that started last year after a pandemic-era surge. The…

Hyundai and Kia models continue to have an outsize presence among the 10 most stolen vehicles in the U.S. Vehicle theft continues to fall from the spike that erupted during the pandemic, heading down toward pre-Covid levels. Thefts fell 23% year-over-year in the first six months of 2025 to slightly more than 334,000, according to…

The auto industry is no exception to the penalties and violations we’re seeing all around us.  Pexels/Anna Shvets Fines, fines, everywhere the fines … Oh wait, that is supposed to be “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign,” from the 1970 hit “Signs” by Five Man Electrical Band. The song was later covered by Tesla – the…

Pexels/Kindel Media Electric-vehicle sales rose globally in August, juiced from different directions as U.S. government incentives wind down on one end and European Union emissions curbs inspire adoption on the other. EV deliveries increased 5% over July and 15% year-over-year to 1.7 million units, according to Rho Motion data. The EU has aimed to bar…

The Nissan Murano is among the 2025 vehicles getting high quality and satisfaction scores among polled drivers for their media features. Though problems with vehicle media have fallen slightly, infotainment features continue to bedevil the average driver. Responding to J.D. Power’s latest auto media quality and satisfaction poll, drivers noted two fewer problems per 100…

Jerry Lacour and Jim Ziegler made lasting marks on the auto sector that they devoted their careers to, and many colleagues have looked to them as examples of the right way to do business. Pexels/Jan Van Bizar The greater auto retail industry recently lost two heavyweights in products developer Jerry Lacour and F&I training leader…

Spectrum Automotive chose the date of the first Model T’s production for the national industry holiday. Spectrum Automotive Holdings secured a national holiday recognizing the greater automotive industry, choosing Oct. 1 for the observance because that date in 1908, the first Model T was produced from Henry Ford’s now famous assembly line. The company says…

  IIHS has a goal of cutting U.S. road deaths by 30% by 2030. Pexels/Erik McIean Driver impairment-detection technologies will be added to vehicle safety criteria of a major ratings group this decade. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety told representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving that it plans to add the criterion by 2030,…

Average full-coverage auto insurance policies will jump 7% by the end of 2025, Insurify predicts. Pexels/Pixabay Car insurance shopping surged last year as a record number of drivers sought better terms. Insurify data show 45% of auto insurance policy holders researched other carriers in an effort to bring down their costs, making for the highest shopping…