December 8, 2000: At NACE, the annual conference and exhibition for the automotive collision repair industry, GM, DCX, Ford, and Bell & Howell announced the formation of a joint venture, rocking the parts e-commerce world. The unnamed joint venture will launch an OE-only parts e-commerce exchange whose purpose is to assist dealers sell more genuine parts-no aftermarket or salvage parts. This is strictly through the franchise dealer channel, for the dealers, by the automakers. Learn more at www.oeconnection.com, the initiative's web site.
Autodaq Corporation, a business-to-business e-commerce automotive and remarketing company, has announced that it has secured an additional $33 million in private financing, led by new investors Madison Dearborn Partners, Inc and Clayton Venture Group. www.autodaq.com
The Cobalt Group, a provider of e-business products and services to the automotive industry, has announced a new agreement with Kelley Blue Book, an Internet source for new and used car value-pricing reports to offer auto dealers new and used car pricing for web sites. www.cobalt.com
Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler unit have agreed to common standards for Internet communications. In a news release, they said their agreement to common networking standards will make it easier for dealers to shift to the web the systems they use to communicate with factories, track inventory and manage service. Currently, there is a hodgepodge of often incompatible systems.
The Reynolds and Reynolds Company has acquired DealerKid, a provider of electronic customer marketing and relationship management software and services for automotive retailers. www.reyrey.com
Since early last summer, Toyota has been deploying Dell's PowerApp.web appliance servers throughout their North American dealerships to give their dealerships the ability to download via web browsers a variety of Toyota/Lexus brand product information from Toyota's headquarters, including videos, sound files and graphics, among other electronic resources. This information has armed consumers with the knowledge they need to help them make the right purchase decision, as well as arm mechanics and salespeople with the latest information. To keep information current, the information is downloaded each night and can be remotely updated by any of the Toyota/Lexus dealerships at any time, providing customers with the latest and greatest information on what Toyota has to offer. In addition, Dell's custom factory integration system has the latest image from Toyota, so each server that goes out to the dealers throughout the deployment, has the most up-to-date information pre-loaded.
NADA Appraisal Guides, a publisher of appraisal guides for used vehicle values, has announced that its automotive pricing information will be featured online at AutoTrader.com (www.autotrader.com). As part of this alliance, the nadaguides.com link will receive prime placement on AutoTrader.com.
General Motors has launched a test of its Internet-based ordering system intended to help deliver custom vehicles in less than half the time it currently takes. GM started the pilot test this week for Minneapolis-area customers buying the Oldsmobile Alero. Instead of the current 55 to 60 days to get the vehicle, GM executives say the new online, build-to-order system will reduce the waiting period to 15-20 days.
Ford Motor Co. launched a similar pilot last May in two Canadian communities. Its test includes three vehicle lines: the Windstar, Taurus and Focus. GM's test is an expansion of a pilot program with seven Oldsmobile dealers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Consumers can check inventory throughout the entire Twin Cities market by logging on to GM's main consumer web site: www.gmbuypower.com. Shoppers will be guaranteed an online price significantly below the sticker price.
ADP Dealer Services Group announced the acquisition of Traver Technologies, Ltd. Traver provides front-end training and consulting packages for Business Development Centers to nearly 300 dealerships throughout North America.
Omni Financial Corporation (World Omni) today announced a new addition to its offering of loan and loan-related services for dealerships around the country. World Omni I has selected e-fin, LLC, to provide the very latest in Internet-based auto credit transactions. As an indirect auto finance channel, e-fin, LLC (www.efin.com) is the first and most comprehensive online service of its kind. The technology is designed specifically to enhance the lender/dealer transaction process, allowing both parties to share information and build relationships in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
"World Omni's primary focus is the automotive industry and third-party servicing, partnering with dealers to help them succeed," says Lou Feagles, president of Financial Services, World Omni. "The electronic channel that e-fin has developed for us will take the communication, marketing and processing exchange between us and our extensive, national dealer network to a whole new level."
"World Omni's philosophy and reputation reflect the very reason why we developed this type of electronic financial channel in the first place," states e-fin chief executive officer David A. Sinclair. "We help elevate and enhance the excellent business already being conducted among industry leaders like World Omni and successful dealers, making the exchange of loan information and related marketing functions easier, faster and more efficient than ever before possible."
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