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Managing 76 dealerships and 11% of Toyota’s U.S. sales isn’t about control—it’s about trust, care, and showing up better every day.

Marcus Williams oversees Toyota’s Los Angeles Region—76 dealerships across Southern California representing 11% of Toyota’s total U.S. sales. That scale brings constant pressure, but Marcus’s approach stays remarkably grounded. His focus centers on leadership development, operational alignment, and making sure dealers are equipped to take care of guests across the entire ownership journey.

In this conversation, Marcus opens up about how Toyota thinks about affordability at the factory level, why captive finance and residual values matter more than most people realize, and how AI is already reshaping service and customer communication. He also shares his leadership philosophy rooted in Kaizen, care, and trust—and why consistent human connection still outperforms any tool or process when it comes to long-term success in automotive retail.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Starting at Toyota’s 1-800 Line Changed How Marcus Leads

2:22 Why One Toyota Region Controls 11% of U.S. Sales

5:30 The Daily Conversations OEMs and Dealers Are Actually Having

6:57 Expanding the Dealer’s Role Beyond Selling the Car

9:04 Who Really Owns the Customer Relationship

9:56 How Toyota Builds Vehicles With Affordability in Mind

11:12 Why Toyota Is Investing in Its Own Battery Production

12:21 Using Residuals and Rates to Keep Payments Manageable

13:51 Care and Trust as the Foundation of Leadership

15:42 What It’s Like Managing 76 Dealerships at Once

17:01 How Dealers Should Be Using AI Right Now

19:46 What Makes a Speech Connect With People

Connect with Marcus Williams at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-williams-b3a1175/

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Live from the Washington, DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026, Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier sit down with Alex Kwanten, Managing Editor of U.S. News Autos, to unpack what “affordable” really means in today’s car market. Fresh off presenting U.S. News’ annual Best Cars for the Money awards, Kwanten explains how affordability goes far beyond sticker price—factoring in transaction prices, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and long-term ownership costs that most shoppers overlook.

Drawing on deep experience covering both the media and retail sides of the industry, Kwanten shares which vehicles truly deliver value, why hybrids are exploding in relevance, and how buyers can lower monthly expenses without sacrificing quality. From the Kia Niro’s standout value to the surprising affordability of the Chevy Equinox EV—and the hidden insurance costs of premium EVs—this episode offers a grounded, data-backed look at how consumers can actually win in a market that still feels intimidating.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 – Live From the DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026

0:36 – Why Affordability Means More Than Sticker Price

1:10 – How U.S. News Calculates “Best Cars for the Money”

1:49 – What Really Drives Long-Term Cost of Ownership

2:10 – Service, Insurance, and Fuel Are the Big Three

3:13 – Why the Awards Expanded to More Hybrid Categories

3:53 – The Kia Niro: One of the Best Values in the Market

4:58 – Why Hybrids Can Lower Monthly Costs Over Time

5:35 – When EVs Are Actually the Cheapest Option

6:40 – How Where You Live Changes EV Economics

7:45 – The Chevy Equinox EV Surprise

8:49 – Why Teslas Are So Expensive to Insure

9:51 – Technology, Repairs, and Insurance Risk

Connect with Alex Kwanten at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexkwanten/

See all the Winners of the Best Cars For the Money Awards: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-cars-for-the-money

Public Policy Day 2026 is brought to you by Saferide. Learn more at Saferide.ai: https://www.saferide.ai/

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Live from the Washington, DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026, Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier sit down with Brian Skalovsky, Director of Battery Recycling at Cox Automotive, to unpack one of the least understood—but most critical—parts of the EV conversation: what actually happens to batteries after they leave the vehicle. Skalovsky explains why battery service speed is one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption, how Cox’s EV Battery Solutions division can turn three-week repair nightmares into 48-hour turnarounds, and why keeping EV owners in their vehicles is essential for long-term brand trust.

The conversation goes deep into battery longevity, recycling, and the emerging circular economy behind EVs. Skalovsky breaks down how battery packs are repaired, repurposed, or recycled into “black mass,” how recycled materials can feed directly back into new battery production, and why the U.S. still lacks enough domestic processing capacity. From fleet electrification to shifting battery chemistries and the real risks of second-life energy storage systems, this episode delivers a grounded, inside look at how EV sustainability actually works—beyond the headlines.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 – Live From the DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026

0:34 – What a Director of Battery Recycling Actually Does

0:50 – Why Fast Battery Repair Is Critical to EV Adoption

1:43 – The Service Experience That Pushes EV Owners Away

2:26 – How Long EV Batteries Really Last

2:47 – Why Battery Technology Keeps Getting Better

3:53 – How EV Batteries Are Broken Into Three Paths

4:19 – Why Recycling Capacity Can’t Keep Up Yet

5:12 – Fleet Electrification and Why It Works So Well

5:38 – How Battery Chemistry Is Changing

6:34 – Solid-State Batteries and the Long-Term Horizon

6:59 – Second-Life Batteries and the Insurance Problem

8:11 – Why Recycling Back Into Batteries Is the End Goal

Connect with Brian Skalovsky at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-skalovsky-6aa8a5354/

Learn more about Cox Automotive's EV Battery Recycling at https://www.coxautoinc.com/ev-battery-solutions/

Public Policy Day 2026 is brought to you by Saferide. Learn more at Saferide.ai: https://www.saferide.ai/

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Live from the Washington, DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026, Kyle Mountsier and Paul J Daly sit down with Drew Ferguson, Head of the Office of Policy and Government Affairs at Hyundai Motor Group, to unpack how automakers navigate uncertainty without losing focus. As policy shifts, geopolitical pressure builds, and affordability dominates the conversation, Ferguson explains why Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis have stayed steady—by doubling down on value, innovation, and long-term investment in the U.S. market.

Drawing on his experience as a former member of Congress, Ferguson offers a rare inside look at how automotive policy actually gets made—and why education matters more than lobbying theatrics. He breaks down how government affairs can advocate for consumers by helping lawmakers understand the real-world impact of regulation on choice, pricing, and the entire automotive ecosystem. From affordable innovation like the Hyundai Ioniq lineup to the $1.5 trillion economic footprint of the auto industry, the message is clear: when policy ignores the consumer, the ripple effects hit everyone—from factory floors to dealership showrooms.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 – Live From the DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026

0:11 – How This Quarter Exposed the State of the Auto Industry

0:50 – Why Hyundai Hasn’t Lost Focus Despite Policy Shifts

1:37 – What Hyundai’s Value Leadership Says About the Market

1:58 – Meeting Customers Where They Are Through Innovation

2:51 – What Government Affairs Really Does for Consumers

3:22 – Why Most Policymakers Don’t Understand Auto Manufacturing

4:01 – How Policy Decisions Ripple Through the Entire Economy

5:34 – Why Education Is the Real Purpose of Policy Day

6:00 – The Auto Industry’s $1.5 Trillion Economic Impact

6:40 – Why Consumer Choice Must Stay at the Center of Policy

7:13 – How One Policy Decision Sends Shockwaves Everywhere

Connect with Drew Ferguson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hon-drew-ferguson/

Learn more about Hyundai's North American Manufacturing: https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/why-hyundai/hyundai-in-america

Public Policy Day 2026 is brought to you by Saferide. Learn more at Saferide.ai: https://www.saferide.ai/

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Live from the Washington, DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026, Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier sit down with Erin Keating, Executive Analyst at Cox Automotive, to challenge one of the most repeated headlines in the industry: the $50,000 new car. Keating breaks down why average transaction price is often misunderstood, how it reflects buying behavior rather than availability, and why affordability isn’t as broken as many believe. With data from Kelley Blue Book and Cox Automotive, she explains what’s actually happening on dealer lots—and why there are still plenty of vehicles under $35,000 moving at scale.

The conversation goes deeper into the downstream effects of affordability on the used market, including a major shift that’s just beginning: used EVs as the next affordable alternative. Keating explains why battery degradation fears haven’t materialized, how data from Manheim auctions is changing consumer confidence, and why dealers who invested early in EV education are now ahead of the curve. While consumer sentiment remains cautious, the data tells a calmer story—one where choice still exists, technology is improving, and the sky isn’t falling if you know how to read the numbers.

0:00 – Live From the DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026

0:47 – Why the $50,000 Average Price Is Misunderstood

1:52 – Average Transaction Price vs What’s Actually on Dealer Lots

2:18 – Why Affordable Vehicles Are Still Selling at Scale

3:05 – How Affordability Is Changing Used-Car Buying Behavior

3:33 – Used Vehicle Supply Is Finally Starting to Recover

4:10 – Why Used EVs May Become the Next Affordable Option

4:58 – Dealers Who Leaned Into EVs Are Now Ahead

5:35 – Why Consumer Sentiment Feels Worse Than Reality

6:08 – Battery Degradation Fears Didn’t Come True

6:35 – What EV Battery Health Data Is Actually Showing

7:19 – Why EVs Are Just Another Powertrain Now

Connect with Erin Keating at https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinfkeating/

Learn more about Cox Auto at https://www.coxautoinc.com/

Public Policy Day 2026 is brought to you by Saferide. Learn more at Saferide.ai: https://www.saferide.ai/

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As auto loans stretch longer and negative equity piles up, one former prosecutor explains why transparency—not pressure—might be the most profitable move dealers can make.

Robert Steenbergh didn’t come up through the showroom—he came from the courtroom. After years as a prosecutor and later representing dealers as an attorney, Robert saw both sides of the auto industry’s biggest tension point: compliance versus profitability. What surprised him most wasn’t dealer intent, but how over-regulation, fear-based selling, and rushed F&I processes quietly eroded trust with customers.

In this conversation, Robert breaks down why today’s affordability crisis isn’t just about higher prices—it’s about longer loan terms, growing negative equity, and decisions that feel “possible” today but hurt both dealers and customers tomorrow. From bi-weekly payment acceleration to why fully compliant dealers actually see higher penetration, this episode challenges some of the most common assumptions in modern F&I—and offers a practical path forward that benefits everyone in the deal.

Timestamped Takeaways

00:00 – You Were There, But You Weren’t There

01:44 – From Prosecutor to the Car Business

03:26 – Why Compliance Feels Impossible for Dealers

04:10 – Transparency Is More Profitable Than Fear-Based Selling

05:56 – Training, Tracking, and Firing to Protect Trust

06:45 – Customers Don’t Say No Because of Information

08:06 – Why F&I Feels Like a Timeshare Experience

10:07 – The Case for Putting F&I Education on Dealer Websites

12:18 – The Real Risk of 84- and 96-Month Auto Loans

13:38 – The $6,500 Negative Equity Wake-Up Call

14:00 – How Bi-Weekly Payments Accelerate Equity Without Pain

17:49 – Using AI to Design the Next Product, Not Just the Next Feature

18:49 – Turning Affordability Into a Retention Strategy

22:10 – Trust Isn’t a Buzzword—It’s a System

Connect with Robert Steenbergh, Esq. at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsteenbergh/

Learn more about AutoPayPlus at https://autopayplus.com/partners/

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Live from the Washington, DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026, Paul J Daly sits down with John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, to unpack the rapidly shifting landscape of U.S. auto policy. With fuel economy rules under revision, autonomous technology advancing, and affordability under pressure, Bozzella shares what he’s most focused on ahead of an upcoming conversation with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy—and why the stakes for consumers, dealers, and manufacturers have never been higher.

The conversation expands into global competitiveness, with a sharp focus on China, tariffs, and the ripple effects of Canada opening its market to Chinese vehicles at dramatically lower rates. Bozzella offers context on why a “6% tariff” now sounds shockingly low, how this move could influence USMCA negotiations, and why election-year politics complicate long-term auto policy decisions. The episode closes with a look ahead to the NADA Show, where collaboration—not surprises—remains the guiding principle between policymakers, OEMs, and dealers.

Timestamped Takeaways:

0:00 – Live From the DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026

0:34 – What John Bozzella Wants to Ask the Secretary of Transportation

1:20 – Fuel Economy Rules and Their Impact on Price and Choice

1:51 – What the Alliance’s Merge Conference Set in Motion

2:15 – Why Competitiveness Became the Core Auto Policy Theme

3:29 – Chinese Vehicles Enter Canada at Low Tariff Rates

3:57 – Why a 6% Tariff Now Sounds “Ridiculously Low”

4:35 – Is Canada Testing the Waters Ahead of USMCA Review?

5:30 – How This Could Affect U.S. Negotiating Leverage

5:50 – What Bozzella Focuses On at the NADA Show

6:20 – Coordinating With Dealers, OEMs, and State Associations

6:52 – Why Better Questions Lead to Better Auto Policy

Connect with John Bozzella: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-bozzella/

Learn more about the Alliance for Automotive Innovation: https://www.autosinnovate.org/

Public Policy Day 2026 is brought to you by Saferide. Learn more at Saferide.ai: https://www.saferide.ai/

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Live from the Washington, DC Auto Show during Public Policy Day 2026, Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier sit down with Will Bright of SafeRide AI to unpack what autonomy really means—and what consumers actually want from it. After experiencing SafeRide’s technology firsthand in a Toyota Corolla, the conversation cuts through the hype around full self-driving and focuses on a simpler truth: people don’t want robot cars, they want safer and more convenient driving. Bright clearly explains the five levels of autonomy and why Level 2 driver assistance is where real, scalable impact happens today.

Drawing on his background as the founder of Drop.com, Bright explains how community-centered design—not tech obsession—led to SafeRide’s product strategy. Instead of building futuristic features for luxury vehicles, SafeRide brings advanced safety and driver-assist capabilities to everyday new and used cars through dealerships. The episode explores affordability, dealer adoption, insurance savings, and why reducing driver fatigue may be just as important as preventing accidents. The result is a grounded, practical vision for autonomy that meets consumers where they already are.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 – Live From the DC Auto Show at Public Policy Day 2026

0:28 – Experiencing SafeRide AI in a Real-World Drive

1:14 – The Five Levels of Autonomy Explained Simply

2:05 – Why the Line Between Level 2 and Level 3 Matters

2:35 – People Don’t Want Robot Cars, They Want Safer Driving

3:17 – Why 90% of Consumer Products Fail

4:10 – How Community-Centered Design Shaped SafeRide

5:30 – Safety and Convenience Beat Full Autonomy

6:31 – Who Will Adopt Driver Assist Technology the Fastest

7:23 – Bringing Level 2 Safety to Any New or Used Vehicle

8:40 – Why There Are No New Buttons or Learning Curves

9:30 – How Advanced Safety Can Lower Insurance Costs

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

Public Policy Day 2026 is brought to you by Saferide. Learn more at Saferide.ai: https://www.saferide.ai/

⭐️ 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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