The number of franchised car dealerships and their owners is expected to decline dramatically in the coming years.
That’s the prediction of Mark O’Neil, chief operating officer of Cox Automotive, a company with brands that include AutoTrader, Manheim auctions, Kelley Blue Book and Dealer.com.
Currently, there are about 16,800 dealerships or “rooftops,” about 2,000 fewer than a decade ago, according to the National Automobile Dealers Assn.
As the age of mobility evolves and the advent of self-driving cars approaches, fewer personal vehicles are expected to be sold. The number of dealerships will drop accordingly, predicts a Cox corporate-strategy study.
