What Rob Cochran's 2026 Agenda Means for Auto Sales Teams
Rob Cochran, the incoming NADA chairman, is focusing on three fronts that will hit the showroom floor: direct-to-consumer sales models, potential changes to CAFE standards, and the growing role of AI in auto retail. Here's what that means for your pipeline, your pitch, and your team.
Direct-to-Consumer: Compete on experience, not just price
OEMs will keep testing direct channels. That puts pressure on dealers to deliver what a manufacturer website can't: speed, trust, and a memorable buying experience.
- Make buying feel effortless: instant trade valuations, one-page digital deal sheets, and same-day delivery options.
- Be transparent on pricing and fees-out-honesty beats undercutting.
- Own the relationship: VIP service plans, first-service scheduling, and proactive check-ins at 7, 30, and 90 days.
- Turn test drives into events: route maps, feature demos, and quick financing previews before the customer asks.
- Track and reward referrals like a core channel, not an afterthought.
CAFE standards: Expect product mix shifts and new talking points
Support for changes that reduce CAFE requirements could keep more ICE and hybrid options in the lineup. That affects inventory, incentives, and customer education-especially for budget-sensitive buyers.
- Know your mix: which trims hit efficiency targets, which carry incentives, and where hybrids are the easier sell.
- Update your trade-in script: fuel economy, maintenance costs, and warranty peace-of-mind still close deals on older ICE owners.
- Prep two playbooks-one if rules ease, another if they tighten-so you're never stuck rewriting your pitch mid-month.
- Stay current on policy changes via NHTSA's CAFE overview.
AI in auto retail: Use it for speed, respect the guardrails
AI can lift lead response times, follow-up quality, and pricing discipline. It can also create risk without the right checks. Monitoring AI isn't about fear-it's about standards.
- Set rules for AI usage: approved tools, data handling, and what reps can or can't automate.
- Audit vendor AI: ask how models are trained, what data they store, and how bias is mitigated.
- Train your team to spot AI errors: misquotes, compliance gaps, and tone misses in email/SMS.
- Document everything-especially consent for recorded calls and AI-driven messaging.
- Review marketing claims against guidance like the FTC's note on AI claims: Keep your AI claims in check.
Sales plays you can deploy this quarter
- Speed-to-lead SLA: sub-60 seconds for first response; AI drafts, rep sends. Track show rate lifts.
- Two-offer close: present an ICE/hybrid pair with total cost breakdown, not just monthly payment.
- Experience score: measure each step (greeting, demo, F&I handoff) and coach weekly on the lowest metric.
- Inventory alerts: text customers when a trim or color they want hits the lot; include 30-second video walkaround.
- Post-sale comp plan kicker: reward 30/60/90-day retention touches that convert to service appointments.
Team brief you can run in 15 minutes
- Direct-to-consumer risk: what OEMs are piloting and how we win on experience.
- CAFE update: which trims we prioritize and how we explain efficiency trade-offs simply.
- AI policy: approved tools, banned uses, and who to call when something looks off.
If you want structured training to get your sales team fluent with practical AI (without the jargon), browse the Complete AI Training courses by job. Pick one play, deploy it this week, and measure the lift. Small wins compound fast.
The headline: pressure is rising across channels, policy, and tech. The teams that standardize the experience, keep messaging crisp, and use AI with guardrails will take share while others debate strategy.
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