NOVEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

How AI is Changing How Consumers Shop for Service

Recently, OpenAI launched its own AI-powered web browser called ChatGPT Atlas to usher in a new era in web search that could unseat Google Chrome as the default directory for search. For almost two decades, dealers and repair shops have been leveraging search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) strategies to gain a leg up on connecting with consumers using browser search for vehicle sales and service. All of that is about to change dramatically, as internet users perform these searches in browsers enabled and filtered with artificial intelligence.

In a recent paper released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the media and marketing company highlighted AI's effectiveness in driving the next wave of growth. Consumers are leveraging intelligent assistance to change how they research, compare and make purchases. Nearly 40% of all US consumers use AI to create $260 billion in global e-commerce, with more commerce on the horizon. For franchise dealerships looking to influence consumers as they shop for cars and vehicle servicing, the time to understand this shift is now. The auto industry was late to the internet party, but this latest technological evolution will not be so patient.

IAB partnered with Talk Shoppe to release a first-of-its-kind study — When AI Guides the Shopping Journey: Opportunities for Marketers in the Age of AI Driven Commerce. Through 450+ digital ethnographies and a survey of 600 U.S. consumers, the research explores how shoppers use AI alongside other online services and where brands fit into the new path to purchase...Read the article on the Yahoo website or download the study from IAB.

Let the NADA 2026 Party Planning Begin!

NADA 2026 Las Vegas is fast approaching, but the party is already starting! Together with our host Update Promise and other sponsors, the team at Recall Masters cordially invites you to a cocktail reception at Grand Prix Plaza (GPP) in Las Vegas. The venue is a 39-acre entertainment complex and home to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, an F1 event. GPP features interactive attractions like the F1 X 4D exhibition and the F1 DRIVE go-karting experience on part of the Strip Circuit, along with the F1 HUB for food, simulators, and merchandise. Test your driving skills at the official F1 karting attraction where guests can race high-performance karts on a section of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. The karts include features like DRS technology and LED steering wheel displays. If you're not ready for the road, you can also test your driving skills on racing simulators or visit the 4D exhibition of F1 history. This event is limited to dealership staff and event sponsors. Click here or on the RSVP button above to reserve your driver’s seat.

To schedule a meeting at our private retreat just minutes away (transportation provided) with the Recall Masters team, please complete and submit this form or email Joe Vraneza, at joe.vraneza@recallmasters.com. Thanks! We look forward to seeing you at NADA 2026!

Recall Masters Appoints Phil Huff as President to Drive Next Phase of Growth

Recall Masters, a leader in automotive recall management and retention solutions, has appointed Phil Huff as President. Huff brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience across high-growth B2B SaaS, private equity, and technology-enabled services, with a proven record of scaling companies and driving successful exits.

Throughout his career, Huff has guided organizations through pivotal growth periods and successful acquisitions. While at eLynx, he led the company through a period of exponential growth as their CEO, culminating in its acquisition by Black Knight. As President and CEO of Platinum Data Solutions, Huff spearheaded a tenfold increase in revenue, leading to its acquisition by CoreLogic.

Earlier in his career, he served as a Venture Partner at CincyTech, advising emerging SaaS and data-driven tech startups on growth, capital strategy, and go-to-market...read the full press release on the Recall Masters website.

Recalls are Reshaping Franchise Dealerships

This Article Originally Appeared in the September/October Issue of Fixed Ops Magazine

Americans are driving older cars more than ever. That simple fact is changing the service landscape: more miles, more wear, and more opportunity — but not necessarily for franchised new-car dealerships. Over the next decade the growth of older vehicles on the road will drive a steady rise in service and parts demand, and dealers who adapt can turn that into a durable profit engine. Those who don’t will risk further defection to aftermarket providers.

Earlier this year, S&P Global Mobility reported the average age of cars and light trucks in the United States reached a record 12.8 years in 2025, up from 12.6 years in 2024 – a continuing multi-year trend of gradual growth. That means a larger share of the fleet is now squarely in the “repair-first” age band.

Data from the Federal Highway Administration and Bureau of Transportation translate into tens of millions of vehicles entering the 6–14 year “sweet spot” for repair demand. Put bluntly: more vehicles older than 6 years means more repair needs per vehicle per year. S&P estimates that more than 110 million vehicles already sit in that prime aftermarket age range — roughly 35 to 40% of the fleet — and the number is expected to grow further...Download the pdf tear sheets from the Fixed Ops Magazine article.

In Recent Recall Campaign News

Ford Recalls Almost 1.5 Million Due Faulty Backup Cameras

Ford is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse. A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary. Read more about this recall campaign on the NHTSA website.

Rearview Camera Failure Leads to Toyota Recall of Almost 400K

Toyota is recalling certain 2022-2025 Tundra, Tundra Hybrid, and 2023-2025 Sequoia Hybrid vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview image not to display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility." A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will update the multimedia display software. Read more about this recall campaign on the NHTSA website.

More Recall Campaign News

For more recall campaign news, visit our consumer site MotorSafety.org

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