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Automotive spent years patching old systems together and now AI is forcing the industry to confront what should have been rebuilt a long time ago.

Misty Tippets of Podium joins the show with a perspective the industry badly needs: one foot in modern SaaS, the other in the reality of retail automotive. With a background in agency work, Salesforce implementations, and enterprise tech, she brings an outsider’s clarity to one of the biggest questions dealers are facing right now: why does adopting new technology still feel so messy, expensive, and fragmented?

This conversation quickly moves past the usual AI hype and gets to the deeper issue underneath it: infrastructure. Misty breaks down why bolt-on AI tools are already falling behind, why month-to-month vendor culture may be doing more harm than good, and why fixed ops could be the biggest overlooked opportunity in the market right now. It’s a sharp conversation about contracts, data, operational discipline, and the narrow window dealers still have to leap back to the front of the pack.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 AI Moved Fast Dealers Went From “Maybe” to “We Have No Choice”

2:22 Why Misty’s Tech Background Made Automotive’s Systems Gap Impossible to Ignore

4:24 What Salesforce Implementations Reveal About How Underbuilt Auto Tech Really Is

6:01 Dealers Don’t Actually Want Salesforce, They Want Modern Systems That Finally Fit 2026

7:35 Automotive May Be Years Behind on the Data Foundation It Needs

9:47 The Bolt-On AI Era Is Ending Faster Than Most Vendors Want to Admit

12:04 COVID Gave Other Industries a Reason to Rebuild Automotive Mostly Kept Selling Cars

13:49 Fast Onboarding Sounds Great But Some Tools Should Take 90 Days to Get Right

14:39 Month-to-Month Contracts Might Feel Safe But They Can Quietly Kill Real Partnership

18:46 The Vendors Winning Trust Aren’t Selling from a Distance They’re Sitting Inside Dealerships

20:20 This Isn’t Really an AI Conversation It’s a Technology Reckoning the Industry Delayed Too Long

21:23 The Biggest AI Opportunity in Auto May Be Fixed Ops Not the Sales Floor

Connect with Misty Tippets at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistytippets/

Learn more about Podium at https://www.podium.com/

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At the NY Auto Forum, Lance Woelfer, Vice President of Automobile Sales at American Honda, breaks down a major shift in strategy as the EV transition slows across the U.S. market. While early momentum was driven by government incentives and aggressive timelines, changing consumer demand and infrastructure gaps are forcing automakers to rethink their approach.

This conversation goes beyond headlines to explain why Honda is doubling down on hybrids and value-driven vehicles instead of rushing further into EV expansion. From affordability pressures to regional demand differences, the focus is shifting toward flexibility—meeting customers where they are, not where the industry expected them to be.

Woelfer makes a clear case: the future isn’t one-size-fits-all. With EV adoption still in the single digits, dealers need the right mix of hybrid, gas, and electric options to serve their markets effectively. This is a practical look at how product strategy, pricing, and consumer behavior are reshaping the next phase of automotive retail.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro

0:20 Lance Woelfer’s Role at American Honda

1:00 The Current State of EV Strategy

2:00 Why Honda Shifted Away from Certain EV Plans

3:10 The Impact of Government Incentives and Infrastructure

4:20 Why Consumer Demand Isn’t Matching EV Supply

5:30 The Role of the Prologue in Honda’s Lineup

6:40 What Happens After the EV Lease Cycle Ends

7:50 Hybrid Vehicles as the Bridge to the Future

9:00 Global vs U.S. EV Strategy Differences

10:10 EV Adoption Rates and Market Reality

11:20 Living with Past Industry Decisions

12:20 What Dealers Are Asking For: Affordability

13:30 Balancing Hybrid and Gas Production

14:40 Why Regional Demand Shapes Inventory

15:50 The Importance of Flexibility in Product Mix

17:00 The Honda “Base Station” Concept Explained

18:20 Expanding Customer Experience Beyond the Vehicle

19:30 Final Thoughts on Consumer-Centric Strategy

Connect with Lance Woelfer at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-woelfer-62a6a861/

Our coverage of the NY Auto Forum is brought to you Force Marketing. Learn more at https://www.forcemarketing.com/

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At the NY Auto Forum, Tom Castriota, former NADA Chairman and Owner of Castriota Chevrolet, breaks down the growing pressure dealers are facing from regulation, affordability challenges, and shifting market dynamics. With increased scrutiny from the FTC around pricing practices, the industry is being pushed toward greater transparency—creating both clarity and new competitive realities.

This conversation goes beyond compliance to explore what’s happening at ground level. From inconsistent pricing practices to the need for a level playing field, the discussion highlights why most dealers actually welcome clearer rules. At the same time, broader challenges—like limited inventory and rising vehicle costs—continue to make affordability the biggest issue facing the market.

Castriota makes a clear case: the future of the industry depends on trust and accessibility. With fewer affordable vehicles, aging trade-ins, and monthly payments out of reach for many consumers, dealers must navigate a complex environment where transparency, value, and inventory strategy all intersect.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro & Tom Castriota Background

0:36 FTC Crackdown on Dealer Pricing

0:58 What “Clear Pricing” Actually Means

1:24 Why Dealers Want Industry Cleanup

1:42 FTC Enforcement & Consistency Across Industries

2:06 Fee Transparency & Legal Ambiguity

2:26 Level Playing Field for Dealers

2:47 Competing Against Misleading Pricing Tactics

3:25 Why Transparency Builds Trust

3:50 Right to Repair Debate Introduced

4:08 What “Right to Repair” Really Means

4:31 Risks Around Data Access & Privacy

5:04 Why This Raises Consumer Data Concerns

5:22 Global/Data Risks (Including China Concerns)

5:58 Status Update: Legislation Slowing Down

6:19 Affordability Still the Core Issue

6:38 Inventory Shortages Across Key Models

7:06 Why Consumers Can’t Afford Current Prices

7:32 Aging Vehicles & Trade-In Challenges

7:47 Impact on Used Car Supply

8:10 Why Industry Growth Is Capped Near-Term

Our coverage of the NY Auto Forum is brought to you Force Marketing. Learn more at https://www.forcemarketing.com/

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

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🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions