Consulting firm Charles River Associates started work this month on a fair lending study ― commissioned by the American Financial Services Association ― meant to assess the effectiveness of the current dealer compensation model and evaluate costs and benefits of alternative approaches. The independent study stems from concerns expressed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about the potential pricing disparities that may occur as a result of dealer participation. Results are expected in 12 to 16 weeks, an AFSA spokeswoman told Auto Finance News.
