NADA’s new chairman isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. Instead, he’s focused on tightening the bolts to build on big gains already won.
First things first: Speaking on the NADA 2026 Live Stage in Las Vegas, incoming chairman and dealer principal Rob Cochran, zeroed in on several core dealer policy issues, and the efforts aimed at addressing them.
NADA is involved in the Congressional Review Act efforts challenging the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and moving toward “one national guideline” for mileage and fuel economy, he explained.
The organization is very engaged in U.S. tariff discussions and the market volatility of the levies, which is an active policy area for NADA, added Cochran.
He also said NADA continues to work on EPA rules, noting there’s still work to do in that area.
Doubling down on NADA’s aggressive efforts to defend the traditional dealer model, the chairman said front-line dealer engagement is “essential” to overcoming direct-to-consumer sales models.
“We’re … aligned with the state associations … we have to vigorously defend that,” Cochran said about direct-to-consumer competition.
Why it matters: These issues directly affect profitability and day-to-day operations, from tariff-driven pricing and availability swings, to emissions and fuel-economy compliance costs and inventory mix, plus the long-term impact of defending the franchise model against direct-to-consumer moves. The goal is fewer conflicting rules and less policy whiplash so dealers can plan inventory, staffing, and investment with confidence.
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Bigger play: On a broader scale, the NADA chairman is pushing for the organization to be more strategic and forward-looking in helping dealerships improve their overall game in the business.
Customer experience is a top priority for Cochran, with a focus using customer research to identify pain/tension points in the buying/ownership process, then prioritize 1–2 near-term fixes.
AI is also a major agenda point, with NADA launching an AI task force consisting of outside experts and dealers, aimed at helping dealers better leverage the tech to improve productivity and stay connected to customers.
It’s important to look at, “All these different variables that we are facing and… how might that impact dealers and how we operate our businesses in three years or five years or seven years,” said Cochran.
Bottom line: Cochran’s message is two-track: keep pressing on the policy battles that shape dealer economics and market structure, while also helping retailers sharpen execution in the store, especially around customer friction points and practical AI adoption. For dealers, that combination is about protecting the model today and building an operating advantage for what the next few years bring.
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