What happens when one of the most powerful car-shopping tools isn’t a website or a TV spot—but TikTok? With 1.9 billion users globally and more than 135 million in the U.S., millennials and young adults are spending nearly an hour a day on the platform—and many are using that time to discover and research their next vehicle. In this episode of The Culture Lane, K.C. Boyce, VP of Automotive, Mobility & Energy at Escalent, unpacks new research on TikTok car shoppers and what it means when your buyers’ first stop in the journey is a social feed.

In a moment when many companies are cooling on diversity, Kimatni Rawlins remains committed to steering The Driving Force Internship, a program that exposes HBCU students to a wealth of opportunities across the automotive industry. In this episode of The Culture Lane, the Automotive Rhythms founder talks about what it takes to keep the program moving forward amid a shifting—and often uncertain—landscape for diversity initiatives.

Auto insurance has become the biggest speed bump in the car-buying journey—Polly’s latest study shows buyers are spending hours comparing policies, with many delaying their purchase altogether as premiums climb, especially younger shoppers. In this episode of The Culture Lane, Polly’s vice president of distribution, Christopher Pres, breaks down what’s driving the crunch, how dealers and embedded insurance tech are stepping in, and what it all means for the future of buying a car.