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Episode #1060: Steve Greenfield sounds the alarm on rising repair and insurance costs, Tesla loses its charger deal on the New Jersey Turnpike, and Meta doubles down on AI-generated advertising—even as trust from brands wavers.

Show Notes with links:

• Collision repair costs are skyrocketing and insurance premiums are following suit. At ASOTU CON, Steve Greenfield broke down the challenges facing OEMs and dealers as vehicles become more complex, harder to repair, and more expensive to insure, saying “this has me more worried than anything else right now.”

• Tesla is pulling its chargers from the New Jersey Turnpike after the state awarded an exclusive deal to another provider. The decision led Elon Musk to cry foul, but the change seems more about contracts and control than conspiracy.
  • Tesla built 64 Superchargers across 8 Turnpike stations under a 2020 agreement.
  • NJ Turnpike Authority chose not to renew, awarding exclusivity to Applegreen.
  • Tesla calls the move disappointing but says it has 116 alternative stalls ready nearby.
  • Elon Musk called the decision “corruption” despite providing no supporting evidence.
  • Applegreen will now supply EV charging at all 21 Turnpike service areas.

• Meta is leaning hard into artificial intelligence, announcing plans to let brands generate entire ad campaigns with AI by the end of next year. While the potential for automation is high, many advertisers are questioning the transparency and reliability of Meta’s growing ad-tech empire.
  • Meta will allow brands to create full ad campaigns from a single product image.
  • Meta’s AI will personalize ads in real time based on user location and environment—e.g., showing a sneaker on a city street for urban users and on a hiking trail for rural ones.
  • This dynamic rendering aims to increase relevance and engagement, particularly for smaller advertisers with limited creative budgets.
  • Advertising made up 97% of Meta’s revenue in 2024, with much of it being reinvested back into AI.
  • Ad executives remain skeptical, with one saying, “No clients will trust what they spit out.”

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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