Like so many elements in auto finance, true drivers of economic growth are difficult to discern. Think back to the credit crisis, when it took a beat or two for the White House to realize that the demise of GMAC and Chrysler Financial meant the demise of the auto industry.Read More

What are the longer loan terms doing to auto affordability? The answer to this question is actually somewhat complicated. The average duration of a new-vehicle loan in the United States is now a record 67 months, according to Experian Automotive. Further, 75- and 84-month loans are becoming more common, lendersRead More

Why is it that auto finance isn’t more about the auto? Let me explain the question, which I have been thinking about for some time now. The “cool” part of auto finance is the auto. It is the physical element, the reason why the borrower is borrowing, the focus ofRead More

More than a few lenders have been holding their breath, anticipating a notable increase in interest rates. They might want to exhale now. I was surprised to read two new reports that implied interest rates might stay where they are — the US Treasury 10-year is at the wildly lowRead More

Quick quiz: How many patent applications were filed by Bank of America Corp., the 7th-largest auto finance company in the nation, in 2014? 97 3,145 251 14 No clue If you answered C, you were correct. (If you answered E, our sympathies.) A few of those 251 patent applications relate to autoRead More

There is often debate about what millennials think/want/need from financial services providers. But rarely do you hear from millennials on the matter. In the video below, millennials discuss what it is they want from a brand, as well as their lack of appreciation for the range of services provided by creditRead More

First, there was the Internet of Information. Then, presumably and as yet not fully realized, the Internet of Things. Next comes the Internet of Value. In a prescient presentation at the recent Bank Innovation 2015, Chris Larsen, the founder and CEO of Ripple Labs, a dynamic startup, described a future whereRead More

Not 10 seconds after Malcolm Butler of the New England Patriots intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass and sealed a Super Bowl win for the team, my 14-year-old daughter, who is no rabid sports fan, texted me this: Why didn’t they just run the ball? She was not alone. More than a fewRead More

With the auto lending sector facing intense scrutiny, auto financiers’ operations are coming under a harsh microscope. They have responded, however. Lenders have taken steps to refine underwriting practices, strengthen credit reporting functions, and track fee disclosures, among other changes. Considering all these actions in aggregate, it is clear that theRead More