Mike Darrow, chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association, talks about why his pro-import organization wants to keep Chinese vehicles out of the U.S. New-vehicle inventory holds steady in August, a good sign for the industry. Plus, a closer look at the Unifor-General Motors contract talks with Automotive News Canada’s Greg Layson.

Aug. 12, 2026 | AIADA chairman on call for Chinese auto ban; Unifor-GM talks

Automotive News Daily Drive

Dealers, could there be untapped revenue on your lot? Protective Asset Protection works with dealers to unlock new revenue streams through reliable protection products across most vehicle types. Visit ProtectiveAssetProtection.com slash Automotive News to learn more. Welcome to Daily Drive. For Wednesday, August 12th, 2026, I'm Kellen Walker in Las Vegas. Today on the show, new vehicle inventory holds steady.

The man who launched the Prius and put Toyota on the global map has died. And three former UAW presidents are joining forces to unseat Sean Fein. Plus, the chairman of one of Washington's most pro-import dealer associations explains why he wants Congress to permanently shut the door on Chinese vehicles.

It's not fair trade for auto manufacturers and dealers in the U.S. market to go up against brands that have the backing and support of the Chinese government. Let's run through all the news you need to know to keep up in the auto industry. New vehicle inventory was flat in August. And that's a good sign for the market. U.S. dealers started the month with about 2.94 million vehicles on lots, nearly unchanged from July.

That's a 78-day supply at current selling rates, according to data firm Catalyst IQ. Hybrids continue to move fastest, sitting at just 68-day supply for the fourth straight month. EVs clocked in at 90 days. And with just 21% of active inventory priced under $35,000, affordability is still an issue across the industry.

Hiroshi Okuda, the former Toyota president who championed the Prius hybrid and led the automaker's global expansion, has died at age 93. Okuda led Toyota from 1995 to 1999, a period when overseas deliveries surged and the Prius, launched years before electrification, became an industry battleground. Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported his death. Toyota confirmed it. His legacy is complicated.

Aug. 12, 2026 | AIADA chairman on call for Chinese auto ban; Unifor-GM talks

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.

Aug. 12, 2026 | AIADA chairman on call for Chinese auto ban; Unifor-GM talks

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast, not the earnings call.

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.