2016 was a great year for the automotive industry. There were months with booming sales, huge technological strides, marketing advancements, and more. Check out what the top 5 things many of you thought influenced 2016 in automotive.

1. Digital marketing vs. traditional. Digital marketing surged forward even more in 2016, accounting for most of dealership’s marketing budgets. Kristy Elliott says, “We ditched all traditional marketing almost 2 years ago, and rely only on digital. We are up 45% in new car sales, with really good grosses.” 


2. Trends turned from car ownership to ride sharing. Ride sharing became increasingly important in 2016, with many companies working on technological advancements to improve that experience. Manufacturers are even jumping on board and coming up with ways to get involved. These ride sharing advancements though are sometime nerve-wracking for dealers. Owner Allen Turner says that dealers are sometimes “fearful of what we don’t understand or can’t scheme out.”


3. Increase in SUV/truck sales, decline in sedans. 2016 showed us a bit of a decline in sedan sales and an increase in larger vehicles. Some manufacturers like FIAT created larger cross-over vehicles to keep up with the demand.


4. Recalls have almost become the new normal. The average number of recalls per manufacturer was about 1 a month. Allen Turner adds, “Consumers also seem to be less concerned than the dealers, lawyers, manufacturers, and the government about these recalls.”


5. Car-buying services have become everyday life. Most consumers don’t think twice about car-buying services during their shopping experience. Allen Turner again adds, “True Car isn’t a buzzword around the dealership anymore, like Carfax was in its infancy.”

 

These and many other changes made 2016 a crazy year in automotive. Check out our full news article about 2016 for a deeper look at the year in review.

Originally Posted By Bradford Wernle at Automotive News

Thirty two years ago today, I walked in the door at Crain Communications as a newly hired reporter for a startup publication called Crain’s Detroit Business. Today, my 32nd anniversary, is also my last day working for the company that has given me so many opportunities. I am retiring to move on to new adventures.

In parting I’d like to recall some past adventures, thank a few people and offer an observation or two.

My Automotive News career began with a journalistic disaster. Strictly speaking, I became an Automotive News reporter one November day in 1994 when I boarded a creaky Air Ukraine Tupolev Tu-154 jet in Kiev, Ukraine, bound for the industrial city of Zaporizhia in the south of the country, one of the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union.

I had come to Ukraine on my last assignment for Crain’s Detroit Business, a sibling publication of Automotive News, where I had worked for 10 years. I spent a month in the gorgeous old Habsburg city of Lviv, Ukraine, teaching a class in journalism and communications at the Lviv Institute of Management, a fledgling business school. I wrote a series of stories for Crain’s Detroit about Ukraine’s efforts to move from communism to a market economy.

The flight to Zaporizhia was unnerving. As the plane climbed steeply aloft, the aisle carpeting, which wasn’t tacked down, slid past us toward the back of the airplane.

But I was determined to impress my new editors at Automotive News with my journalistic enterprise. I had arranged the trip to Zaporizhia to tour the factory of AvtoZAZ, a Soviet-era company that made two cars virtually nobody has heard of (justly so): the Tavria and Zaporozhets, a car with the nickname of the “hunchback” for its insect-like form.

Arriving at the factory, I saw dozens of people standing in the cold. My translator explained these were customers, who had come to take delivery of cars they had ordered months or years ago. One small problem: When I entered the plant manager’s office and introduced myself as a representative of the world’s top automotive trade paper, the gentleman politely declined to allow me inside for a tour.

Fortunately Editor Edward Lapham didn’t rescind my job offer after this fiasco. I fared better in Moscow, where I wrote a story about entrepreneur Mark Thimmig and Trinity Motors, the General Motors dealership he was running. Moscow was a wild west, gangster town in those days. We were chauffeured around the city in an armor-plated Chevrolet Caprice driven by an armed former special forces agent. One of the vehicles the dealership offered for sale was a Chevrolet Suburban outfitted by O’Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Co.with inch-thick windows, AK47 gun ports in the doors and a button that would spray black oil on the windshield of any pursuing vehicle.

There have been few boring days since. A few random thoughts and thanks:

Big break No. 1: Not long after I joined Automotive News as marketing reporter, Lapham summoned me into his office to inform me he was adding a beat to my list of responsibilities. Our used-car reporter had resigned and Ed was assigning me to cover auto auctions and used cars. Seeing my crestfallen look, Ed hastened to cheerily reassure me: “Don’t worry, it will only take up 10 percent of your time.” Famous last words. That percentage was quickly turned on its head. Ed had just handed me a golden opportunity. I made my name nationally covering the advent of the CarMax and AutoNation used car superstores and the ensuing retail revolution.

Big break No. 2: One day in 1998, a typewritten notice was posted on the bulletin board at Automotive News. Automotive News Europe Editor Richard Johnson was seeking a reporter to fill a vacancy in London. It was an opportunity I had dreamed of since that first day in 1984 when I noticed Crain Communications had a London office. And so it was that I moved from covering the retail revolution to following Ford of Europe, Jaguar, Bentley, Land Rover, Volvo, Rolls-Royce and MG Rover. From winter testing Volvos on the frozen Gulf of Bothnia north of the Arctic Circle to driving Bentleys on the twisty roads of Tuscany, the job was a dream come true.

Biggest flop: The DaimlerChrysler merger. I took a whirlwind 36-hour trip from London to Frankfurt to New York and back to cover the massively hyped first day, which included a strange interview with a hyper, chain-smoking Juergen Schrempp and oddly subdued Bob Eaton. It was an epic mismatch of corporate and national business cultures.

A gentleman’s gentleman: I still miss former Ford Motor Co. COO, the late Nick Scheele, one of the kindest, smartest, toughest men I ever knew. During a lull in the activities on a media trip to open a new Ford Otosan Kocaeli plant east of Istanbul, Turkey, I leaned up against a railing and got fresh white paint on my suit jacket. Scheele, master of ceremonies on the big day, noticed my predicament. “Brad, you should know better than to touch anything at a car plant when corporate executives and politicians are in town for a visit,” said the then-chairman of Ford of Europe with a broad grin. “It’s highly likely there will be fresh paint around.” I scarcely had time to reply before Scheele told me he was going to find someone to clean the paint off my jacket. And sure enough, within moments, he returned with a man with a can of solvent and a white cloth to wick the paint out with a clean white cloth.

A diesel devotee disillusioned: I returned to Detroit after seven years at Automotive News Europe full of evangelical fervor for passenger car diesels. I preached tirelessly to skeptical friends about the incredible torque, effortless power, miserly fuel economy, quiet operation and virtually odorless exhaust. I still believe in oil burners, but to those friends who bought Volkswagen diesels at my recommendation, I apologize.

Generosity and legends: I got to meet a fair number of larger-than-life legends in the retail business including Red McCombs of Red McCombs Ford in San Antonio and Bert Boeckmanof Galpin Motors in Van Nuys, Calif. Many dealers were incredibly generous with their time and knowledge. To name just a few: Bill Wallace of Wallace Auto Group in Stuart, Fla.; Jim Seavitt of Village Ford in Dearborn, Mich.; and Don Lee, president of Lee Auto Mall in Auburn, Maine. They always gave me the straight story, regardless of whether it pleased the factories or not.

Most gut-wrenching story: Chrysler’s termination of 789 dealers during its 2009 bankruptcy. Their stories were heartbreaking. I never felt so helpless as a journalist.

Quotable: The auto industry needs more executives who know the world beyond its cloistered confines. Love him or hate him, FCA Chairman Sergio Marchionne is never boring -- quoting Albert Einstein, Charles Dickens, Niccolo Machiavelli and Ralph Waldo Emerson, among others. One of my favorites: talking to dealers about Chrysler’s financial health at the 2010 dealer announcement show in Orlando, Marchionne brought down the house when he said, “When I present figures like these, I am conscious of President Lyndon Johnson's admonition: 'Did you ever think making a speech about economics is a lot like pissing down your leg? It seems hot to you, but it never does to anyone else.’”

What scares me most: The 2008 and 2016 elections demonstrated how dangerous it can be when ill-informed politicians try boiling the intricacies of this uniquely complex industry down to Twitter-size soundbites. In the 2008-09 financial crisis, we came perilously close to losing General Motors and Chrysler to political grandstanding. In the recently concluded election, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump railed against regional- and global trade agreements. Critics have a point. Trade agreements haven’t benefitted everyone equally. But the industry is global and badly needs consistent, carefully negotiated trading regimes to thrive. Without those, investments will freeze and momentum will stall.

And so: When I walked in the doors 32 years ago, I was a liberal arts major who saw business reporting as a mere way station en route to a more glamorous life as a music critic or arts writer.

What I have learned is that the auto industry is a mother lode of fascinating tales featuring an endlessly absorbing cast of dramatis personae.

All you have to do is figure out what beautifully sculpted, technologically groundbreaking machine customers are going to covet 3-5 years from now. Then you have to set vast teams of engineers, designers, purchasers, suppliers and marketers working feverishly on your new baby 24/7 and hope the arrow you shoot today hits its intended target in the still evolving future.

How difficult could that possibly be?

When you're in sales, you need something to make each day a little better. Which is why we love Sales Humor.  The only downside to Sales Humor is sometimes they are so accurate, they make us want to laugh and cry at the same time. Check out 10 of our favorite memes of 2016 from Sales Humor.

Check out the top 25 Sales Humor Memes here.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

WASHINGTON -- A federal judge said Volkswagen AG has reached an agreement in principle to provide "substantial compensation" to the owners of about 80,000 3.0-liter polluting diesel vehicles, a key hurdle to resolve the German automaker's emissions scandal.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, during a hearing today in San Francisco, did not disclose the amount of owner compensation, which is not included in a $1 billion settlement announced earlier this week between VW and U.S. regulators. Half of the compensation will be paid at the time Breyer gives final approval of the settlement. Some fixes for the 3.0 liters may not be approved until 2018, Breyer said. 

Earlier this week, Volkswagen reached the $1 billion settlement with U.S. regulators, offering to buy back about 20,000 of the vehicles, fix the remaining 60,000 and pay $225 million into an environmental trust fund to offset the vehicles' excess emissions.

The settlement covered luxury VW, Audi and Porsche vehicles with 3.0-liter engines. With the agreement, Volkswagen would spend as much as $17.5 billion in the U.S. to resolve claims from owners as well as federal and state regulators over polluting diesel vehicles in addition to compensation for the 3.0-liter owners. 

Volkswagen spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said the automaker was pleased with the agreement in principle, but said details will remain confidential for now.

Breyer said the final agreement must be filed with the court by Jan. 31, and he expects to hold a Feb. 14 hearing to approve the deal.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also expected to back the deal, Breyer said.

Volkswagen, the world's No. 2 automaker, could still spend billions of dollars more to resolve a U.S. Justice Department criminal investigation and federal and state environmental claims and come under oversight by a federal monitor.

It is possible a deal could be reached before the end of the Obama administration, said sources briefed on the matter.

Breyer in October approved VW's earlier settlement worth about $15 billion with regulators and the U.S. owners of 475,000 polluting diesel vehicles with smaller 2.0-liter engines, including an offer to buy back all of the cars.

VW lawyer Robert Giuffra said today the automaker has offered buybacks to nearly 200,000 customers and 104,000 have accepted the offer at a value of nearly $2 billion.

VW had agreed to pay $5,100 to $10,000 in compensation to each of the U.S. 2.0-liter owners. If the new settlement follows the pattern, it could add $400 million to $800 million to the 3.0-liter settlement.

But funds from a separate settlement with German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH are expected to defray VW's compensation costs.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

Honda R&D Co. has entered into discussions with Waymo, Alphabet Inc.’s new standalone company, to use technology that will enable self-driving capabilities in Honda vehicles.

If discussions lead to a formal agreement, Honda Motor Co. would become the second automaker to work with Waymo, formerly known as the Google self-driving car project. The talks mark another step in Waymo’s move towards commercialization of its autonomous technology.

The automaker said in a statement Wednesday that it is hoping to learn how Waymo’s sensors and software can be integrated into Honda vehicles through collaboration between both companies’ engineers.

As part of the potential agreement, Honda could also provide vehicles to Waymo’s self-driving fleet. The current fleet -- which Waymo published photos of on Monday -- is comprised of about 30 of Waymo’s own “Koala” cars and 100 Chrysler Pacifica minivans, provided by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles following a deal reached in May.

Honda has said that it plans to introduce vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities on public roads as soon as 2020.

Waymo introduced itself as an independent company last week.

At a press conference, Waymo CEO John Krafcik said it was in talks with automakers but could not disclose details. He added that the company would not manufacture vehicles on its own, but would focus on developing self-driving technology for purposes such as trucking, logistics, ride-hailing and licensing to automakers.

Teaming up vs. going alone

The moves illustrate how carmakers, faced with the high cost of developing autonomous driving tech in-house, are separating into those going it alone, such as General Motors and Ford Motor Co., and those teaming up to spread the costs.

Honda already has tie-ups with tech startups, notably with Southeast Asian ride-hailing service Grab.

It has been working alone to develop cars that can drive themselves on highways by 2020 while stressing vehicles will always require drivers. But it said it was interested in the approach of Google's self-driving car project -- now Waymo -- to develop fully autonomous, driverless cars.

"There's only so much technology a company can develop while focusing on one specific approach," Honda spokesman Teruhiko Tatebe told Reuters. "By approaching it from multiple angles it's possible to come up with new innovations quicker."

At the same time, technology firms such as Waymo have started to form partnerships with automakers to finally get their technology -- seven years in the making in the case of Waymo -- into more vehicles.

"You've got Google, which is engaging with another automaker to apply its technology into different vehicles and different platforms," said senior analyst Jeremy Carlson at researcher IHS Automotive. "From Honda's perspective, you get a close-up look at some of the most capable technology in the industry today."

Artificial intelligence

Honda has been developing automated driving functions and ways to connect vehicles to the internet, as well as artificial intelligence to enable vehicles to "think" while driving.

With Waymo, Honda said it may provide vehicles modified to accommodate the startup's software -- as Fiat Chrysler has done with its Chrysler Pacifica minivans. It also said there was potential for "close" cooperation between Honda and Waymo engineers.

A Waymo representative said the company was "looking forward to exploring opportunities to collaborate with Honda."

Reuters contributed to this report.

In an earlier post, I discussed why dealerships should seek out consumer generated content. So hopefully now it’s more clear why it’s a good idea to seek out consumer generated content, but how do you make that content work for you? I have three easy steps to help you harness consumer generated content and have it help your brand.

1. 

   Make dealership reviews easily accessible on your site.

   If people are talking about your dealership, brag about it! It’s important to have reviews that are easy to find. Showing this content prominently identifies that you have good reviews, and maybe even reviews that aren’t so good that are taking care of and willing to talk about. It’s also important to respond to negative reviews and try to make them right, so people can see you are always working to improve. This kind of content uses the real language of consumers, and makes people trust the review, and you, even more. Bazaarvoice finds that using consumer generated content helps dealerships get a 15% increase in natural search traffic.

2. Include vehicle reviews on your website as well.

   Giving people the option to really find out what people do and don’t like about specific cars can really help them trust you, and enjoy the buying experience even more. Transparency and honesty coupled with the real wording and details of actual reviews will help customers want to use your site, and shop at your dealership. Bazaarvoice has found that leveraging this kind of consumer content can increase time on site by 143%, as well as can get 90% more page views.

3. Use social media to your advantage!

   Many consumers are talking about your manufacturer or dealership on social media, so it’s time to take advantage! Respond to negative statements and help get people happy, share social media posts and interact with people online. Doing this will help other consumers, and the consumer posting, understand that you’re real people behind the dealership, and that you want them to be successful. Spending time and energy working with consumers removes purchasing barriers, and Bazaarvoice finds that there can be as much as a 50% increase in high-value conversion events.

Making consumer generated content work for your brand and dealership doesn’t have to be difficult! By just simply showing off what people are saying, making sure that your dealership is honest and transparent, and interaction with people online, you can increase your traffic and gain the trust of the customer.

Industry-First Initiative is Latest Development in Beverage Alcohol Leader’s Continued Push to Combat Drunk Driving and Promote Responsible Drinking

NORWALK, Conn. – Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol, today introduced “Decisions,” a first-of-its-kind virtual reality (VR) experience that puts consumers of legal drinking age in the middle of a fatal drunk driving crash. This launch represents the company’s latest innovative approach to educate and meaningfully impact consumers about the importance of responsible decision-making when drinking.

Diageo has brought Johnnie Walker, the number one blended Scotch whisky in the world, to the forefront for the rollout of this new initiative, given the brand’s work globally launching the Join the Pact program. Through Join the Pact, Johnnie Walker in key markets across the globe has urged consumers to stop drunk driving by having them take a pledge to never get behind the wheel while intoxicated, and encouraging their friends, family members and loved ones to do the same. Johnnie Walker has been an early pioneer in this space by paving the way with Join the Pact and now presenting this virtual reality experience to further reinforce responsible drinking. To date, Join the Pact has received 2.6 million commitments globally and has delivered roughly 630,000 miles of safe rides home. Additionally, Johnnie Walker continues to innovate and make strides in the digital space, as the new “Decisions” experience comes on the heels of the brand’s recently launched Digital Mentorship program, which offers two unique digital experiences for consumers across Amazon Alexa and Bots for Facebook Messenger.

With the purpose of showing the repercussions of getting behind the wheel after a night of excessive drinking, “Decisions” follows the journeys of three different vehicles and their passengers. The stories of each individual group – all unrelated at the outset – unfold as the viewer discovers the different motivations that led to each group’s night out. In one vehicle, three friends are heading to a party. Filled with laughter and excitement, their story shows the carefree spirit fueled by the many possibilities that may lie ahead. In another vehicle, the story focuses on an adult woman celebrating a breakthrough in her career. The third and final vehicle explores the touching relationship of a husband and wife during their first date night since the birth of their new baby. All three storylines, and vehicles, ultimately converge in a tragedy that the viewer will be able to see, hear and feel.

Through the use of immersive VR technology to share this story, Diageo powerfully highlights the negative impact that one bad decision can have on multiple lives. With consumer interest in VR continuing to grow, Diageo is using it as a way to bring consumers closer to an important issue facing many communities across the U.S.

“With Thanksgiving and the holiday season right around the corner, the dangers of drunk driving should be on all of our minds as we celebrate with friends and family. Although drunk driving fatalities are at an all-time low*, every single drinking and driving death can and should be avoided. It carries additional weight this time of year. On average, 728 people are injured or killed in drunk-driving crashes each day during the holiday season**, and this issue will continue to be incredibly important to Diageo,” said James Thompson, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Diageo North America. “With VR technology on the rise both in consumer interest and utilization, we believe this is the ideal method to directly and emotionally impact consumers. It was a natural fit for Johnnie Walker to lead given the brand’s work with their ongoing Join the Pact initiative. Through Join the Pact, Johnnie Walker continues to encourage consumers around the world to commit to not drive drunk, and now with ‘Decisions’ aims to continually raise awareness for the cause.  These days, it’s easy for us to be desensitized to certain issues unless we live them out firsthand. Our hope is that this will be truly jarring for people and will help inform responsible decision-making while enlisting their advocacy in the ongoing fight against repeat, hardcore drunk drivers.”

The VR program is being spearheaded by Diageo’s Digital and Culture & Partnerships teams, who have engaged partners such as Facebook, YouTube and The New York Times to help drive support and distribution for this project. Joining Diageo behind the scenes is digital agency VaynerMedia, who is helping the company with the creative vision, production, development and distribution.

Consumer interest in VR continues to grow rapidly, with the number of active users set to reach 171 million by 2018***. 

Diageo is making a long-term commitment to the technology and over time will develop additional user experiences that will address the many issues around decision-making when you’re drinking. Recognized globally for setting the standard in social responsibility and responsible marketing, this is the latest pacesetting initiative from Diageo to remind adults to drink sensibly. Whether it’s pioneering “Safe Rides Home” designated driver activations or leveraging apps such as Uber to remind consumers there are alternatives to getting home if they’ve been drinking, Diageo is continually looking for new and inventive ways to reach consumers via emerging platforms and technologies.

The release of “Decisions” comes on the heels of Diageo’s recently announced two-year partnership agreement with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, entitled “Road Safety Initiative for Cities,” which involves a collaboration to build institutional and individual capacity to reduce traffic deaths and injuries, and to improve road safety globally. Training runs in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin and Central America, with a focus on countries with the highest death rates related to road traffic accidents. More than 60 countries have been invited to participate. The training activities will reach approximately 6,000 participants who will be a mix of government officials, young people, and other relevant stakeholders, through training workshops for government officials at the national and local levels, awareness-raising road shows for young people and high-level conferences on the issue.

Consumers of legal drinking age can access “Decisions” through Facebook 360, YouTube 360 and NYT VR. It is also compatible with all VR headsets, including Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, and Google Daydream.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

###

*Drunk driving fatalities have decreased 53% since 1982.  Source: 2014 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2015.

**National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, 2015

***(Statista, “Statistics and facts about Virtual Reality (VR)”, 4/6/16) 

 MANAMA, Bahrain, Dec. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Leading automaker GAC Motor has released its best-selling GS4 in Bahrain at the grand new car launching ceremony from December 9 to 10 at Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre. The company exhibited eight GS4, eight GA6, two GS8 and one GA8 at the two-day launch event, which attracted more than 20,000 people attending.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/8000551-gac-motor-gs4-bahrain

"This was the largest new car release event in the history of Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," said Adel Hubail, CEO of Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company. "The GS4 launch gained wide attention from the Bahrain public and the local customers spoke very highly of the flagship SUV and GAC Motor. As a local dealer, I have great confidence in GS4's future performances in the Bahrain market."

Released worldwide at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in 2015, GS4 represented a new era for SUVs. The advanced GS4 has the 200T engine which puts fuel consumption at 6.3L/100km, the lowest of cars in the same class, the peak torque is 202N.m/1500rpm and it has the 7-speed G-DCT transmission which guarantees 0.2s extremely quick gearshift.

GAC Motor signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Bahraini dealer National Motor Company (NMC) in April 2015 and officially debuted in the market in October 2015. Now there is one main showroom and 13 secondary distributors in Bahrain.

The Middle East market is a key region in GAC Motor's international strategy, according to Yu Jun, general manager of GAC Motor. The company has achieved strong accomplishments in the Bahrain market, tripling the sales in the one year since entering the market and became the best-selling Chinese auto brand in Bahrain with 1 percent of the market share. At the grand GS4 launch, GAC Motor's distributors in Bahrain also received new orders of GS4.

Bahrain has no automobile manufacturing industry, hence the intense competition among international brands. The overall auto market in Bahrain saw a decline this year due to the removal of fuel subsidies, GAC Motor is able to achieve the sales breakthrough in Bahrain and Middle East with our best quality products and services, surpassing other companies who have entered the Bahrain market much earlier.

This year GAC Motor has developed two distributors in Nigeria and won the government official vehicle orders over other Japanese and South Korean brands. With strong product quality and positive brand image, GAC Motor has launched the SKD project in Nigeria and assembled the first batch of GS4 successfully, laying a solid foundation for GS4's release in the Middle East.

Both GAC Motor and their partners in Bahrain will reinforce the future investments to further increase the car sales in Bahrain next year, changing people's previous impressions with Chinese auto brands and make history in the global market.

About GAC Motor

A subsidiary of GAC Group, GAC Motor develops and manufactures premium quality vehicles, engines, components and auto accessories, achieving a year-on-year growth rate of 111% until November, 2016, the highest among all Chinese brands in the corresponding period. GAC Motor ranked 5th, among all brands in J.D. Power Asia Pacific's 2016 China Initial Quality Study, the highest of all Chinese brands for the fourth consecutive year.

Congratulations to Richard Rikess for his top November blog, Which Language Can Close Leads. We caught up with Richard to learn a little bit more about how to close leads, while balancing not being overly pushy. Thanks Richard, and congratulations! 

Driverless cars are the subject of chatter from many people. Tech and car experts agree: It isn’t so much whether driverless cars will happen, but when.

But with more connected cars comes concerns for hacking: Driverless cars need the internet, and the internet is full of bullies and thieves. Those people could take over a car, subjecting it to dangerous behavior. They could also steal the data that helps a car function, or they might even be able to hack into electronically controlled roadway systems.

As these cars approach reality for everyone, you need to arm yourself with knowledge about what they do and what the risks are. This graphic from Vound-Software can help.