Jun 9 2015
Is there a difference between a VIN decoder and a VIN check? What information is available from decoding a VIN number? Does a VIN check provide vehicle history data? All of these are valid questions that many consumers and even automotive industry professionals are unsure about.
Read MoreTopics: Automotive Data, VIN, Vehicle Equipment, 3rd Party Mapping
May 28 2015
If you have kept up with the news or social media on any level, then the Takata airbag recall should ring a bell. It has been deemed the largest recall in U.S. history, totaling almost 34 million vehicles (1 in 4 on the road). The NHTSA has thus far listed 11 manufacturers with multiple models affected by this recall. So far the list consists of BMW, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. Let's not forget about their sister companies such as Acura, Infiniti and Lexus.
Read MoreTopics: Automotive Data, VIN, Vehicle Equipment, Dealers, 3rd Party Mapping
May 26 2015
Remember the days when an 8-track player in your car, or multi-disc changer (for the millennials), was the best thing since sliced bread? Today, if your car doesn't have an auxiliary port or Bluetooth capability it would be considered prehistoric. As smartphones have become more of a standard, a simple connecting cable doesn't quite cut it anymore. Infotainment systems (information and entertainment) are the new auto industry standard.
The bottom line is that cars supporting music entertainment needs, as well as readily available information through smartphone integration is essential for many vehicle shoppers. Unfortunately, choosing a vehicle with the perfect infotainment system is more complicated than it was with previous entertainment systems.
Read MoreTopics: Mobile, Auto Manufacturers, Automotive Technology
Apr 28 2015
Mobile devices are becoming a standard means of browsing the internet, researching products and services, and making purchases online. According to Global Web Index, 80 percent of internet users own a smartphone and 47 percent own a tablet. With these kinds of statistics, you better believe that your website is receiving a significant amount of its traffic from mobile users - unless you fell subject to the latest Google algorithm update last week.
Read MoreTopics: Mobile, Vehicle, Parts & Services, Insurance, Automotive, Dealers
Apr 20 2015
Getting stranded on the side of the highway, or even worse, on a dirt road far from civilization is one of a driver's worst fears. These fears have driven many consumers to seek various roadside assistance services for peace of mind when the time arises.
Read MoreTopics: Mobile, Insurance, Roadside Assistance
Mar 13 2015
The process of underwriting for auto insurance policies involves many steps and needs to account for a number of risk variables. The vehicle specifications are just one piece to consider when assessing risk. Some others include client demographics, geography, and driving history.
As the variety of available vehicle safety equipment continues to increase, so does their effect on insurance risk ratings. It’s important that underwriters utilize the right resources to help them understand the options available, thereby saving them time and increasing process accuracy.
Read MoreTopics: Automotive Data, Safety, Insurance, Automotive Technology, Vehicle Equipment
Feb 13 2015
It's been a couple of months since we last put together a list of ten awesome auto industry blog articles. Since then, there have been plenty more share-worthy blogs to sift through!
Similar to part one, the blogs we've shared below are from all different segments of the auto industry, providing value for several auto niches. Topics range from vehicle maintenance and safety to best practices for marketing your automotive business to both B2B and B2C.
Read MoreTopics: Mobile, Marketing, VIN, Insurance, Automotive Technology, Vehicle Equipment
Dec 30 2014
In light of the new year approaching and all the top 10 New Year's resolution lists/2015 predictions rolling out, we thought it'd be fun to write a News Year's article with a different twist.
Read MoreTopics: Fuel Economy, Automotive Technology
Dec 1 2014
According to Google, the majority of vehicle shoppers use digital channels during their research. Most of these online vehicle shoppers use more than one website before deciding on the vehicle they want to purchase. Let's look at ways to make these visitors convert.
Read MoreTopics: Auto Portals, Mobile, Dealers
Nov 17 2014
In this day in age, there's so much work to get done with such a small window of opportunity to do it in. Many of us have our time spread thin between work, family and social lives; so after a long days work, having to take more work home is less than ideal! This is where utilizing a 3rd party solution(s) becomes a necessity for many businesses.
The saying "time is money" applies to most all professions, however, maybe none more so than professionals in the automotive industry. Regardless of which segment you work in (auto sales, marketing, insurance, software development, logistics, etc.) there will be a number of items on your team's agenda that cannot be contracted to a 3rd party. Luckily, with vehicle data solutions readily available from trusted data providers, you are not stuck having to create a solution in-house. In fact, with the availability of delivered data, web services and hosted software solutions, integrating these products has never been easier.
Read MoreTopics: Automotive Data
