Press Releases
EyeQ Monitoring Launches New Automated Cycle Time Offering for Automotive Dealers, Powered by AI Video Monitoring | WardsAuto
EyeQ Monitoring introduced a new automated cycle time solution at the 2026 NADA Show for auto dealership service bays, using AI video surveillance and license plate recognition to objectively track vehicles from arrival to completion, helping dealerships identify bottlenecks, optimize scheduling, and enhance customer experience.
Advanced Dealer Solutions Promotes Justin Marsh to Vice President of Dealer Services | WardsAuto
On May 4, 2026, Advanced Dealer Solutions announced that Justin Marsh has been promoted to Vice President of Dealer Services, where he will lead strategic, training, and growth initiatives for dealers.
Japanese automakers dominate top three U.S. auto rankings as new YouGov report highlights shifting demand in 2026 | WardsAuto
The YouGov report 'Driving brand preference: U.S. auto rankings 2026', released on May 6, 2026, shows Toyota ranking first among U.S. auto brands, followed by Honda and Subaru, with Japanese automakers sweeping the top three. The report also notes that price is the primary factor in car purchases, SUV demand dominates, electric vehicle adoption is only 9%, and hybrids are more popular.
FocalPoint’s Precise+ delivers high-precision GNSS for ADAS in the toughest environments | WardsAuto
Focal Point Positioning announced on May 13, 2026, the launch of Precise+, a high-precision GNSS software-defined receiver technology for ADAS and autonomous driving. Based on patented Supercorrelation®, this technology suppresses cycle slips in the carrier phase domain, enabling RTK/PPP to maintain continuous lock in challenging environments such as tree cover and urban canyons. In Thetford Forest tests, Precise+ achieved 80 cm (99th percentile) accuracy, while competing products had errors exceeding 3 meters. The company's CEO stated that this technology expands the operational domain of high-precision positioning, allowing OEMs' existing investments to deliver value in real-world road environments.
Apex Motorcar Portraits Debuts at Asilomar During Monterey Car Week 2026 — Framing Automotive Excellence for a Cause | WardsAuto
From August 7-14, 2026, Apex Motorcar Portraits will create a temporary photography studio along the Pacific coastline near the Asilomar Conference Grounds, offering custom portrait sessions for car enthusiasts and visitors, with a portion of proceeds donated to California State Parks.
Roadmap Conference Heads to Seattle for Its 15th Year | WardsAuto
The Forth Roadmap Conference, the nation's leading electric transportation event, will convene in Seattle for its 15th anniversary from September 13-15, 2026. Produced by the non-profit Forth, the event will gather policymakers, automakers, utilities, and tech innovators to address fleet electrification, charging infrastructure, and equitable access. Featured plenary includes leaders from Google, Microsoft, and Waymo.
TEST DRIVE TO GO ANNOUNCES TEST DRIVE EXPERIENCE INTEGRATION WITH COX AUTOMOTIVE BENEFITING CUSTOMERS NATIONWIDE | WardsAuto
Customer experience AI platform Test Drive To Go announced the completion of an integration with Dealer.com, a Cox Automotive company, providing automated test drive scheduling services for mutual dealer customers nationwide. The system can collect driver's licenses, insurance, and other information in advance, and automatically notify dealer staff, with a reported test drive show-up rate of 93%.
Arch Systems and HARMAN Named 2026 Automotive News PACE Award Finalist | WardsAuto
Arch Systems and HARMAN jointly announced that their collaboration project, "Scaling Factory Intelligence with Agentic AI," has been named a finalist for the 2026 Automotive News PACE Award. By transforming real-time manufacturing data into actionable operational decisions, the project has delivered significant results across multiple HARMAN plants worldwide, including approximately 30% capacity growth, a 37% improvement in defect rates, and a 6 to 8 percentage point increase in overall equipment effectiveness.
BUILT FOR THE BUYER WHO DREADS THE DEALERSHIP: TEST DRIVE TO GO LETS SHOPPERS SKIP THE PRESSURE AND BOOK A TEST DRIVE ON THEIR OWN TERMS | WardsAuto
Test Drive To Go (TDTG) launches an AI-driven self-service test drive booking service, allowing consumers to choose their own time and location on dealer websites without phone calls or sales pressure. Data shows that 58% of car buyers encountered dealer experience issues in 2025, while TDTG dealers achieve an average closing rate of 23%.