SAN FRANCISCO and IRVINE, Calif. — Autobytel has teamed up with DriverSide for a re-launch of its MyGarage in the fourth quarter of this year. DriverSide is powering the service, which will be housed in a personalized ownership section on Autobytel.com. The re-introduction of MyGarage will kick off a series of products and services from Autobytel […] [Read More]

DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford recently announced that for 2010, the automaker has awarded 13 University Research Program grants to 12 different schools throughout the world. The research funding is designed to support exploration of a wide range of new ideas and technologies that could benefit future Ford vehicle development, according to the automaker. The newly added […] [Read More]

SAN FRANCISCO — Jumpstart Automotive Group recently announced it has added PluginCars.com to its portfolio of automotive website publishers.   PluginCars.com becomes the 13th exclusive publisher in a group that currently consists of Vehix.com, Consumer Guide Automotive, JD Power Autos, Shopping.com Autos, Car and Driver, Road & Track, Cycle World, CarSoup.com, U.S.News Autos, HybridCars, CarGurus and TrueCar.   […] [Read More]

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Nissan North America will soon offer a new Dealer Business System to help its dealers with added functionality and better organizational flow thanks to a multi-year applications services agreement with HP Enterprise Services revealed Wednesday. The DBS will include new features and upgraded functionality, as well as what officials call a "state-of-the-art" platform built with […] [Read More]

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Selig Technologies is the latest company to roll out a hand-held tool meant to help dealers and auction company management access vehicle information quickly. Executives touted VIN Viper as a mobile device with a built-in VIN scanner that's capable of instantly returning real-time data from a host of proprietary sources. Providers that Selig […] [Read More]

DALLAS – USAVehicleFinder.com reached a new vehicle listing threshold Monday. Officials indicated the active listings on their site now total more than 1 million. While management said the website still is in its early stages of development, the team believes the new number marks a major milestone in building out the brand. To grow the listings as quickly as possible, […] [Read More]

ATLANTA — Though women are commanding more of the auto purchasing power these days, they are more likely than men to find the whole vehicle-shopping process stressful. With that in mind, AutoTrader.com has unveiled a new guide for female shoppers to confidently navigate the ins and outs of auto buying. AutoTrader.com created the Roadmap to Car […] [Read More]

LONG BEACH, Calif. — There is a new game on Facebook in the "FarmVille meets Hot Wheels" mold, according to its developers, that gives automakers the chance to not only connect with consumers via social networking, but showcase their products, as well. Cie Games developed Car Town, which can be accessed at www.cartown.com or www.facebook.com/cartown. Explaining […] [Read More]

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — J.D. Power and Associates believes 77 percent of new-vehicle buyers use the Internet during the shopping process. So which websites do these potential buyers use the most? Turns out, more than two-thirds of these shoppers visit at least one manufacturer website in the six months leading up to purchase. J.D. Power pinpointed […] [Read More]

PORTLAND, Ore. — Chrome Systems has rolled out a new online tool designed to help dealers develop on their website a "virtual accessories department" to move these items, which can certainly help to raise profits for stores when added to car sales.  Accessories Essentials can be incorporated into a dealer's website, officials noted, and is meant to be a […] [Read More]