On today's episode, we discuss the next normal for retailers, digital ads in refrigerated aisles, what the point of the Oscars is, the potential NFL+ streaming service, regulators coming for the app stores, what makes American cars unique, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Blake Droesch and Dave Frankland and director of reports editing Rahul Chadha.

Connected vehicles are changing the nature of transportation and mobility. Players in the traditional automotive ecosystem—including retailers and marketers—are using the massive amounts of data connected cars produce to enhance brand loyalty, create new revenue streams, and drive business growth.

Auto and parts and food and beverage will be the fastest-growing ecommerce categories; both will see double-digit growth but from a relatively small base.

Intel is planning for its future as a key EV chip supplier: A $19B investment in Germany brings it closer to a burgeoning automotive industry looking to pivot into EVs in the next decade.

Computers don’t need brake pedals, feds say: AVs are changing the vehicle regulation landscape, but driverless cars still lack the necessary training wheels.

Ford looks to become more competitive against Tesla: Ford creates a dedicated EV division while maintaining gas-powered cash cows, highlighting the need for massive changes in the automotive industry.

Of the 10 biggest digital retailers in the US, Carvana will see by far the fastest ecommerce sales growth this year. The online car dealer is poised to increase sales by 50.0% to hit $19.11 billion in 2022. This speedy growth will blow past Target’s 22.3% bump and Apple’s 22.0% boost.

Digital ad spending across several industries in the UK has been up-and-down the past two years. There will be across-the-board growth this year, but at uneven rates, ranging from 33.0% for travel to 7.8% for automotive.

After a complicated 2020, most industries in Germany will accelerate their digital ad spending growth in 2021. The rebound for travel and auto will underwhelm, but retail spend will soar.

Tesla’s ship-now-fix-later approach to car production is bad news for car safety: A litany of EV recalls reveals passenger safety faults that are fixable by software as an afterthought.

Telematics is becoming the norm in US auto insurance as drivers increasingly agree to being monitored in exchange for lower premiums.

On today's episode, we discuss some secret exclusive 2022 predictions, a new form of conversational commerce, copying Clubhouse, why Big Tech shareholders want answers, what a digital butler in your car could help you with, how the shift to hybrid work affected women, the best methods for sticking to your New Year's resolutions, and more. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst Paul Verna, analyst Blake Droesch, senior forecasting analyst Peter Vahle, vice president of research Jennifer Pearson, associate producer of podcasts Victoria Grace, and vice president at Insider Intelligence Marissa Coslov.

Sony is also developing its Vision-S prototype EV and will work with Honda to develop a line of cars. Volvo taps Unreal Engine for future EVs: The Volvo-Epic partnership will focus on improving EVs’ “human-machine interface” (HMI), which includes assistive technologies for the way car owners interact with their vehicle’s software, per The Verge.

However, given that President Biden’s goal is for half of all new car sales to be electric, fuel cell, or hybrid by 2030, with many old cars still on the road, a full transition to electric will take decades.

What this means for GM: Using its leadership position in EVs, GM can continue developing its electric cars and trucks while providing a unified platform for other car manufacturers to base their EVs on. Its open and collaborative stance, which runs counter to rival Tesla’s closed ecosystem, gives GM the potential to shape EV standards in North America.

Goodbye gas, hello gravity: Mining companies demonstrate how gravity can replace diesel as a fuel for trucks and trains. It could transform clean energy and help reduce mortality from pollution.

Average YOY used car prices in March spiked 40.5% for hybrids, 36.3% for EVs, and 29.6% for vehicles with other fuels types, per Torque News. The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid—one of the few cars with rooftop solar sold in the US—topped the charts, making a 63.9% leap. The Nissan Leaf, once the vehicle with the highest depreciation in the US, increased by nearly 50% in value YOY, according to Torque.