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Recorded live at the Alliance for Automotive Innovation's the Merge 2025, this episode features Michael Dunne, one of the most respected global analysts on the Chinese auto industry. From his vantage point tracking China for decades, Dunne delivers a blunt assessment: the biggest issue facing the auto industry today isn’t EVs, autonomy, or affordability—it’s China, at a scale most Americans still don’t fully see.

Dunne explains how Chinese automakers have gone from exporting one million vehicles to eight million in just five years, why 70% of those exports aren’t EVs, and how China is overwhelming markets across Europe, Asia, and the developing world. He warns that this moment is fundamentally different from Japan or Korea, calling it “15 Japans at once,” and argues that without coordination among allies, faster decision-making, and a complete rethink of cost, scale, and R&D, the U.S. risks falling behind faster than most leaders expect.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro — Live at Merge 2025 with Michael Dunne

0:27 Why the Top Three Auto Issues All Start With China

0:48 America’s ‘Island of Ignorance’ Problem

1:51 From 1 Million to 8 Million Exports in Five Years

2:13 The Surprise: Most Chinese Exports Aren’t EVs

2:35 How China Adapts Powertrains Market by Market

3:14 “This Isn’t Japan or Korea—It’s 15 Japans at Once”

3:51 How China Moves Faster at Half the Cost

4:14 Why a Domestic Price War Is Fueling Global Expansion

5:17 The Industries China Already Dominates—and Why Auto Is Next

6:21 Why the U.S. Needs Allies to Compete at Scale

7:03 The Shock of China’s Rapid Takeover in Europe

7:56 Why Consumers Are Driving the Shift

8:31 Where to Follow Michael Dunne’s Work on China

Connect with Michael Dunne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dunne-a696901a/

Sign up for the Dunne Insights Newsletter: https://www.dunneinsights.com/

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Recorded live at Merge 2025, this episode of Auto Collabs features Jeff Walker, Chief Commercial Officer of SDVerse, unpacking one of the most important—but least understood—shifts happening inside modern vehicles: the move to truly software-defined architectures. Jeff explains why SDVerse was created by GM, Magna, and Wipro, and how the platform helps OEMs discover, evaluate, and scale software from startups and suppliers across the globe—without slowing innovation or inflating cost.

As vehicles move toward high-performance compute, zonal architectures, and exponentially more code, Jeff makes the case that affordability, speed, and competitiveness depend on reuse and scale—not rebuilding the same software over and over again. From competing with Chinese manufacturers to reducing vehicle cost through smarter design, collaboration, and faster decision-making, this conversation connects the dots between software, consumer experience, and the future economics of the auto industry.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro — Live at Merge 2025 with Jeff Walker of SDVerse

0:35 What SDVerse Is—and Why It Was Created by GM, Magna, and Wipro

1:03 The Real Barrier Holding Back Automotive Software Innovation

1:38 Why Vehicle Software Still Feels Behind Consumer Technology

2:19 The Simple Features That Became Complex in New Vehicle Architectures

3:00 Software-Defined Vehicles Are More Complicated Than Most People Realize

4:17 From 50 Million to 800 Million Lines of Code—What’s Coming Next

5:06 How Legacy Automakers Can Compete with Chinese Speed and Flexibility

6:15 Why Software Scale Is Critical to Vehicle Affordability

7:59 The Cost Problem Hidden Inside Today’s Vehicle Development Model

9:01 What Industry Leaders Are Saying Behind Closed Doors at the GLC

10:59 Designing Cars More Frugally—Where Cost Can Actually Be Removed

12:17 Reuse, Commonality, and Letting Go of Reinventing Everything

13:32 What Jeff Hopes the Industry Looks Like 24 Months From Now

14:12 Why Policy Stability and Faster Decisions Matter More Than Ever

Connect with Jeff Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffwalkercco/

Learn more about SDVerse: https://www.sdverse.auto/

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Recorded live at the Alliance for Automotive Innovation's The Merge 2025, this candid conversation with Senator Bernie Moreno offers a clear look at how quickly sentiment in the auto industry has shifted. Just eight months ago at the New York Auto Show, many in the room were worried about the direction of the market, from economic uncertainty to concerns over EV mandates. Moreno explains why those predictions didn’t play out, how easing regulatory pressure opened the door for more consumer choice, and why American-made production has risen from 51% to 57% in that short window. His message is straightforward: when the industry has room to adapt, it performs better for consumers and for U.S. jobs.

He also warns that the next wave of disruption—autonomous vehicles—could repeat the same mistakes made during the EV rush if the sector doesn’t apply disciplined guardrails. From data rights to AV safety to harmonizing global vehicle standards, Moreno lays out a pragmatic blueprint for the future. And in a moment every dealer will appreciate, he closes with a direct, heartfelt message to retailers on what truly matters most in navigating this historic era of opportunity.

Timestamped Takeaways:

0:00 Intro — A live conversation with Senator Bernie Moreno at Merge 2025

0:35 Why Panic Spread in New York—and Why It Never Matched Reality

0:48 How Ending EV Mandates Shifted the Market Back to Consumer Choice

1:03 The Quiet Story No One Expected: A Jump to 57% American-Made Vehicles

1:20 Why This Became One of the Most Stable Years Dealers Have Seen

1:47 The Data Question the Industry Has Avoided for Too Long

2:00 Are We Repeating the EV Mistake With Autonomous Vehicles?

2:16 Why Autonomous Semis Could Be the Most Consequential Safety Debate Ahead

2:54 The Push to Harmonize Standards—and What It Means for Affordability

3:18 The Real Threat to the Next Generation: Cars That Are Simply Too Expensive

3:56 Moreno’s Advice to Dealers: Master the Basics, Block Out the Noise

4:13 A Light Moment—And Why Moreno Might Secretly Be Built for Consulting

Connect with Senator Moreno: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernie-moreno-4251884/

Learn more about the Alliance for Automotive Innovation: https://www.autosinnovate.org/

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