CarLabs readies phase 2 of AI-chatbot for Kia Motors Finance

Kia Motors Finance customers will be able to make account-specific queries online as soon as the first quarter of 2020, CarLabs.AI Chief Executive Martin Schmitt told Auto Finance News. The AI-chatbot developer integrated a navigational chatbot onto the captive’s website in April, which directs customers to the right resource and answers questions such as, “When […]

• Bianca Chan
• August 13, 2019
• Customer Experience, Exclusive, Innovation & Technology

Fair’s Georg Bauer Joins Auto Finance Innovation Summit for Fireside Chat

Auto Finance News will host Fair’s Co-Founder and President Georg Bauer at the 4th annual Auto Finance Innovation Summit for a fireside chat on Wednesday, May 15, at 9:05 a.m. PT. The event will take place at the Omni San Diego on May 14-15, directly following the Auto Finance Sales & Marketing Summit. Check out […]

• Nicole Casperson
• March 6, 2019
• Innovation & Technology

How Daimler-BMW’s $1.1B Mobility Venture May Affect Finance Operations

Despite Daimler AG and BMW Group’s $1.1 billion investment in a mobility and ride-hailing joint venture, the companies’ captives will continue to operate as competitors. “The core business with vehicles will remain unaffected, and the competition in the premium market will be maintained,” Daimler Financial Services spokesman James Ryan told Auto Finance News. “This also […]

• Nicole Casperson
• March 1, 2019
• Innovation & Technology, Risk Management, Update

Daimler Joins BMW in $1.1 Billion Mobility Bet to Rival Uber

Daimler AG and BMW AG are pouring more than 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) into their joint car-sharing and ride-hailing businesses to take on the likes of Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. The German venture, which is estimated to become the world’s largest car-sharing operator, will weigh purchases of startups or established players, along […]

• Bloomberg News
• February 22, 2019
• Innovation & Technology, Risk Management

Leasing’s New Look: Financiers Give Lease Options a Makeover

From the February issue: With new-car purchases lagging and used-values increasing, captives and OEMs are reimagining lease products to keep their customer bases growing. Roughly a decade ago, 1.4 million new vehicles were leased — a 16% penetration rate. Fast forward to 2019, and lease volume is expected to reach 4.1 million, with penetration as […]

• Nicole Casperson
• February 13, 2019
• Features, Innovation & Technology, Risk Management, Sales & Marketing

4 Auto Initiatives to Watch in 2019

While slowing car sales, an unpredictable tariff war, and a growing affordability issue could all make for a tough 2019, there are a number of auto initiatives that are looking to take off next year. Among them: Fair The used-car leasing app company has its sight set on global expansion in 2019 – and it’s […]

• Bianca Chan
• December 28, 2018
• Innovation & Technology

USAA Bank Tees Up Subscription Services at Auto Experience Lab

USAA Bank’s Auto Experience Lab is working to enter the subscription service market, but even after seven years of development, rollout for that service is still “under the queue of projects to complete,” James Spears, assistant vice president at USAA Auto Experience, told Auto Finance News. Much of the work in the lab is dedicated […]

• Monica Melton
• December 24, 2018
• Innovation & Technology

Lease Demand for Tesla Model 3 Beats BMW, Mercedes

Consumers seek leases on Teslas 26% more often than on Mercedes-Benz vehicles and 20% more frequently than on BMWs, Scot Hall, executive vice president of operations at car lease transfer marketplace Swapalease.com, told Auto Finance News. Currently, Tesla offers leasing options on its Model X and Model S variants but not on the lower-priced Model […]

• Nicole Casperson
• November 7, 2018
• Sales & Marketing