A lot of dealers thought the FTC’s pricing scrutiny ended in January 2025. It didn’t.
Impel Co-Founder and CEO Devin Daly sat down with Jim Fitzpatrick on CBT News’ Inside Automotive to unpack what’s really happening with automotive pricing transparency. Specifically, he covers where compliance risk now lives, and how AI fits into a business that is constantly pivoting as market conditions and regulatory environments shift beneath it. It’s a sharp, fast-moving conversation, and a preview of his upcoming panel at the CBT News Auto Leadership Summit on June 16th.
So here’s the short version. The pressure isn’t off. The first pricing conversation has moved off the lot. And ultimately, the dealers who get ahead of it will be the ones who treat transparency as an advantage, not a cost.
Why is automotive pricing transparency back in the spotlight?
Many in the industry assumed the issue was settled. However, the regulatory pressure quietly returned. In fact, in March 2026, the FTC sent warning letters to 97 dealer groups, reminding them that advertised prices must reflect the total price. Then Cox Automotive paused its “good price” and “great price” badges. And when the companies built around pricing data start rethinking how they present it, that’s a signal worth watching.
So the reality is straightforward. This shift is industry-wide, it isn’t over, and it isn’t just a dealership problem.
Where does pricing compliance risk live now?
For years, the first pricing conversation happened on the lot or over the phone. Today, that’s no longer true. Instead, most negotiation starts long before a customer walks in or calls. In fact, some buyers now use their own AI agents to negotiate the deal first.
As a result, compliance lives somewhere new. Everyone knows an advertised price has to be FTC-compliant. However, what many dealers miss is that a sales conversation where a rep quotes or discusses price, can itself count as a pricing disclosure. Consequently, compliance has moved out of marketing and ad copy, and straight into the CRM and the BDC.
Watch the interview
Here’s where to find the key moments
[00:00:50] — The “big sigh of relief” that didn’t last. Why the vacated CARS Rule lulled the industry into a false sense of security.
[00:01:15] — 97 warning letters. The March 2026 FTC notices that put dealer groups back on alert, plus why Cox pausing its pricing badges matters.
[00:01:50] — The first pricing conversation isn’t on your lot. Buyers are negotiating digitally, sometimes with their own AI agents, before they walk in.
[00:02:30] — The compliance blind spot. How a routine sales conversation in the CRM or BDC can count as a pricing disclosure.
[00:02:45] — Does AI make compliance better or worse? Devin’s answer hinges on one word: if.
[00:03:30] — “Show me.” Why every AI conversation creates a reviewable record, and why that’s a feature in this regulatory climate.
[00:04:10] — The end of information asymmetry. Gen AI put every price in the customer’s pocket. Here, Devin makes the case for embracing transparency.
[00:05:40] — Where dealers trip up. Getting disclosures right on add-ons, and how surfacing F&I earlier can help attachment rates.
[00:06:30] — AI in a cyclical business. Tariffs, interest rates, inventory swings, and why AI gets trained once and stays compliant.
How does AI help with pricing transparency and compliance?
Here’s the thing: AI helps only if it’s configured properly. When it’s set up correctly, an enterprise-grade AI platform can support consistent, compliant pricing conversations at scale — and update every one of them in real time the moment the rules change.
Moreover, AI brings two advantages a human team can’t match. First, it’s consistent. Second, it’s reviewable. Because every AI conversation creates a record, when a regulator says “show me,” the dealer has the documentation to back it up. In this environment, that’s a feature, not a risk.
What’s more, AI amplifies the team rather than replacing it. While the platform handles consistent, compliant outreach, the staff can focus on building the relationships that close deals and build loyalty.
The bottom line on automotive pricing transparency
Ultimately, the move toward transparency is already here. Gen AI put pricing at consumers’ fingertips, which means information asymmetry is fading fast. Therefore, the dealers who win won’t be the ones resisting the shift. Instead, they’ll be the ones embracing it.
Catch Devin live at the CBT News Auto Leadership Summit on June 16th in Washington DC. And if you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time.