The 2026 CAR Conference might be held in Cleveland, Ohio on April 15-16.
Mileage, age, and visual inspections have long served as the inspiration of car valuation in fleet remarketing. But as connected vehicle data becomes more accessible, those traditional proxies now not tell the total story.
That’s the main focus of “From Proxies to Performance: How Vehicle Health Signals Could Reshape Valuation,” a session going down on the 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR). The seminar might be led by Arun Rajagopalan, CEO and co-founder of Motorq.
Where Condition Assessments and Real-World Vehicle Data Diverge
The session will explore how most remarketing valuations depend on indirect indicators of condition — comparable to odometer readings and point-in-time inspections — slightly than direct measures of how vehicles actually perform and degrade over time. While those proxies simplify decision-making, they may obscure meaningful differences between vehicles that appear similar on paper.
Drawing on a comparative study, Rajagopalan will examine how the identical vehicles were evaluated using each traditional condition assessments and vehicle-sourced health data collected over time. Comparing the 2 approaches highlights where conventional valuation assumptions still hold — and where they start to diverge.
Attendees will gain insight into how more precise condition measurement could influence de-fleet timing, readiness decisions, and remarketing outcomes across buyers and sales channels. The session also looks ahead to how vehicle health data could reshape pricing confidence and valuation consistency as data-driven decision-making becomes more prevalent in fleet operations.
For fleet professionals navigating tighter margins and increased scrutiny of asset performance, the session offers a forward-looking view of how valuation models may evolve as vehicle data moves from supplemental input to core signal.
“As vehicles turn into increasingly software-defined, Motorq operates at the middle of the information layer that connects OEM systems, fleet operations, and vehicle lifecycle outcomes,” said Chris Brown, chair of CAR.
“With the information and evaluation Arun will provide, fleets and consignors might be armed for higher decision-making and better values at wholesale.”
In regards to the Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR)
Founded in 1995, the Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) has long served as a convening point for stakeholders shaping how vehicles move through the secondary market.
For many years, CAR has brought together consignors, auctioneers, fleet managers, dealers, and repair providers to look at the forces that influence vehicle values, remarketing channels, and operational outcomes.
In 2026, CAR returns with a renewed give attention to its original audience and purpose: representing the voice of business owners and fleet managers while addressing the total lifecycle of fleet vehicle remarketing.
Under the theme “Where smart fleet data meets higher vehicle value,” the conference will place greater emphasis on recognizing the worth of fleet-maintained vehicles, the role of information and transparency in resale outcomes, and the evolving policies, technologies, and platforms reshaping how vehicles are remarketed today.
CAR 2026 might be held in partnership with the NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA) and can coincide with NAFA’s Institute & Expo (I&E), aligning two of the industry’s most influential communities.
CAR begins with an awards ceremony and reception on April 15, and continues with programming on April 16.
For more information and to register, visit www.carconference.com.
This Article First Appeared At www.automotive-fleet.com
