Amit Maheshwari, Max Steckler and Jason Barrie will serve as the AI-enabled dealership conversation platform’s executive leadership team. +

Spyne and Cox Automotive have joined forces to automate CRM updates with real-time data generated by Vini AI’s sales and service calling, chat, scheduling and follow-up communication suite. +

A narrowing yield spread and a remarkable recovery in approval rates pushed Dealertrack’s Credit Availability Index to 103.7 in May, improving by 7.3% year over year to reach its highest level since April 2022. +

Kelley Blue Book reports an average transaction price of $49,220 in May, down 0.5% from April but up 1.2% year over year amid heavier incentive spending. +

Healthy March and April sales improved many dealers’ moods, but Cox Automotive’s Q2 survey finds growing anxiety over factors beyond their control. +

The Cox Automotive/Moody’s Analytics Vehicle Affordability Index increased from 35.1 in March to 35.2 in April after five months of incremental improvement. +

Kelley Blue Book reports trucks and SUVs are largely to blame for April’s average new-vehicle transaction price of $49,461, a 1.8% year-over-year increase. +

Former PCMI and Cox Automotive executive Autumn Dennis has been named vice president of sales for TecAssured, where she will lead sales, growth initiatives and enterprise partnerships. +

Cox Automotive’s acquisition of Fullpath’s customer data platform and marketing automation tools will give dealers the ability to create personalized customer experiences at scale. +

Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics report higher incomes, steady interest rates and increased incentives offset a near-$50,000 average transaction price in March. +