The eighth annual TalkAUTO Canada conference, hosted by Canadian Black Book and J.D. Power, welcomed more than 400 Canadian auto industry executives (OEM, dealer, finance, and supplier), along with media representation, on November 6 at the Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ont.
The conference tackled the theme of open source ownership in the auto industry, exploring the question of “who owns what” in the age of subscription services, connectivity, artificial intelligence, and Big Data.
“As a data analytics company, we are affected by questions and issues about, what data matters, where should we invest, how do we acquire data? These were some of the issues we directly tackled this year at TalkAUTO,” said Brad Rome, President of Canadian Black Book.
In his opening remarks, Rome praised the “amazing” sponsorship his organization has forged over the years with JD Power to co-host and organize the event. “The continued growth and attendance, sponsor support and industry recognition and success of the event motivates the great team of organizers,” said Rome.
J.D. Ney, Director, J.D. Power Canada, said the event continues to provide a forum for thought-leadership, from both industry insiders and outside perspectives. “Everyone, from attendees, speakers and sponsors left the day with some really insightful take-aways to help them improve their respective businesses.”
The event included a host of speakers that delved into topics directly connected to the event’s main theme of the conference, along with an Auto Industry Expert and F&I panel that changed to a Q&A session that helped stir lively dialogue.
Event attendees interviewed by Canadian auto dealer said they were impressed with the event, and how organizers are able to keep the topics relevant and current each year.
