NADA 2025: Working in a Winter Wonderland

It was 70 degrees in New Orleans on January 18.

That's what I kept repeating to myself. Four days later, the city was blanketed by 10 inches of snow — the most they’ve seen in decades. The automotive industry is no stranger to rapid change. And much like they found a way to respond to recessions, cyberattacks, and a global pandemic, dealers managed to make it to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for NADA 2025.

Flights were delayed. Then cancelled. Multiple airports were shut down. But people were able to improvise, adapt, and overcome. The resilience of this industry is so impressive and it’s just one reason I’m so proud to be part of it. Once attendees made it to the show, they were locked in, focused, and ready to have some excellent conversations about the challenges they’re facing right now and how Reynolds can help.

Artificial Intelligence, Natural Evolution

I had so many conversations this year about doing more with less and making complex processes (like selling a car) simple. That's exactly what we set out to do with Spark AI, our unified data layer. It officially debuted last year at Reynolds Retail Summit but it’s already advanced considerably since then. At NADA, we showed off its latest iteration and a new product focused on fixed operations: Appointment AI. The newest addition to the Spark AI family makes scheduling an appointment easier for both customers and dealership employees.

The theme of using technology to create efficiencies was consistent throughout the Reynolds village. Our AutoVision team introduced everybody to Avery, a new AI assistant designed to make your job easier by handling the most tedious parts of managing a used vehicle operation. Avery can tell you what to buy a car for, what to price the car for, which store should stock it, and provide explanations behind its logic. In the Gubagoo booth, they unveiled Curator, a revolutionary Unified Intelligence Engine unlike anything the automotive industry has seen before. Curator creates a single unique view of each customer by bringing together every type of data across the dealership into one place.

Machines with Muscles

In addition to all of the wonderful Reynolds associates in the booth this year, we had some extra helpers doing the heavy lifting. These parts delivery robots were keeping our guests hydrated by delivering bottled water in the booth. They were a big hit and got a lot of attention. We’re always on the hunt for innovative technology that can help service departments be more efficient. With these droids handling the trip to the parts department, techs can spend less time waiting on parts and more time turning wrenches!

Putting the "New" in New Orleans

There were multiple brands under the Reynolds umbrella that looked a little different than they did last year. AutoVision had a new booth and launched a brand new website just before the show. American Guardian Warranty Services also had a new booth and they announced a new automated process for filing claims straight from the RO in Advanced Service. And we welcomed TSD Mobility Solutions into the Reynolds village after acquiring them in August. Everything we showcased in New Orleans is designed to work as part of Reynolds Retail Management System and the workflow of our customers, improving their efficiency and the consumer experience.

NADA is always memorable, but this year’s show is one I definitely won’t be able to forget anytime soon. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it despite the crazy weather conditions. For those who weren’t able to get to New Orleans and see everything we have to offer, I have some good news. We’re hosting Reynolds Retail Summit: Amplify 2025 at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas on August 18 and 19 and registration is open now at reyrey.com/amplify. I’ve checked the forecast and it’s showing zero snow in Texas in August, so I hope to see you there.