The NADA Show 2026 in Las Vegas highlighted a clear shift for automotive dealerships: the industry is moving from technology experimentation to profit-driven execution. Under tighter margins, dealers are prioritising fixed operations, F&I performance, used-car efficiency, and operational discipline over growth at any cost. AI was positioned not as a feature, but as an integrated operating capability, delivering ROI in voice, service retention, inventory, and deal execution—provided it is well implemented and connected to core systems. For European dealers, NADA 2026 serves as a blueprint with guardrails: focus on backend profitability, unified data, and AI governance, aligning operational excellence with GDPR and upcoming EU AI Act requirements to scale automation safely and sustainably.