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If you’ve ever wondered why some dealers win online and others don’t, it often comes down to one thing: who has better data.

JATO might not be a household name for most people in automotive retail—but quietly, for 40 years, they’ve been the data backbone behind the industry’s biggest decisions. In this conversation, Head of Retail Paul Hilton reveals how JATO has become the global source of truth for vehicle specs, pricing, options, EV attributes, and competitive insights, fueling everything from OEM strategy to dealership retailing. And even though they power 52 countries, he’s clear: the real opportunity—and the work he’s obsessed with—is giving U.S. dealers the data advantage they’ve been missing.

Paul breaks down why today’s shoppers arrive smarter than ever, why dealers are often under-equipped to match that knowledge, and how accurate option-level data can redefine used-car merchandising, valuation, and online conversion. From the complexities of EV specs to the rise of plug-ins, to why rear USB-C ports now matter more than anyone expected—this is a rare, candid look at the invisible infrastructure shaping retail automotive’s next era.

Timestamped Takeaways:

00:00 – The global data company you’ve never heard of

01:21 – What JATO actually does

02:21 – Why retail is where the real action is

03:06 – How data shapes a shopper’s decision

04:13 – The truth about VIN decoding and valuation

05:24 – EV complexity no one is talking about

06:36 – Why U.S. buyers care about range more than anyone else

07:12 – The future JATO wants to build for dealers

Connect with Paul Hilton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-hilton-27434917/

Learn more about JATO: https://www.jato.com/

Our coverage of Automobility LA is brought to you by our friends at Cars Commerce: https://www.carscommerce.inc/

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Most people think casinos and car dealerships live in different worlds. Until you hear Sal Scheri talk about guest experience.

As COO of Agua Caliente Casinos, Sal lays out exactly why customers will drive past multiple competitors just to get to a place that consistently delivers a better feeling — and why most businesses still underestimate what “hospitality” actually means.

From premium spas to high-energy gaming floors, Sal explains how his team builds sensory-driven experiences that make people want to come back. He also shares the story of starting his career handing out towels on an Atlantic City beach and working his way up to running one of the most respected hospitality brands in the West. This conversation is equal parts practical and memorable — especially for anyone who serves customers for a living.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro

0:35 Why a casino shows up at the LA Auto Show

1:52 Cars, customers and casino giveaways

2:16 How hospitality has shifted to full guest experience

3:11 What makes a “favorite place” and why details matter

4:42 How they create reasons for customers to choose them

5:38 Why modern luxury is slowing down, not speeding up

6:47 Rest as part of the hospitality experience

6:54 Sal’s start: handing out towels in Atlantic City

8:19 What keeps Sal in the business decades later

9:02 Closing

Connect with Sal Scheri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saverioscheri

Learn more about Agua Caliente Casinos: https://aguacalientecasinos.com/

Our coverage of Automobility LA is brought to you by our friends at Cars Commerce: https://www.carscommerce.inc/

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

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✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions

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Autonomy isn’t the future of new cars—it might be the future of used cars too.

A friend’s death pushed Will Bright to ask one question:

Why don’t most cars on the road have the safety tech that could save lives?

What he uncovered was staggering—road fatalities up 50% over the past decade, only 10% of vehicles equipped with modern pedestrian detection, and a 40+ year timeline before OEM technology reaches the full U.S. fleet.

So he built Safe Ride: a palm-sized retrofit that gives almost any car built since 2010 automatic braking, lane centering, adaptive cruise, and 100-meter pedestrian detection. Dealers have already claimed the first 5,000 units.

This conversation is a look at the future of safety—not through new car production, but through upgrading the millions of vehicles already on the road.

Timestamped Takeaways:

00:00 – The device that changes everything

01:25 – When tragedy forces a new mission

03:12 – The uncomfortable truth about road deaths

04:31 – Can you really retrofit safety into any car?

05:59 – The line between assistance and autonomy

07:13 – Why dealers jumped on the first 5,000 units

08:39 – Fixing the fleet we already have

Connect with Will Bright: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbrght/

Learn more about Saferide: https://getsaferide.com/#hero

Our coverage of Automobility LA is brought to you by our friends at Cars Commerce: https://www.carscommerce.inc/

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

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🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. Automotive State of the Union
2. ASOTU CON Sessions