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Recorded live at Merge 2025, this episode of Auto Collabs features Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan, a lifelong advocate for the auto industry and someone whose personal and professional history is deeply tied to it. From growing up with “Body by Fisher” in her blood to working more than three decades in and around automotive before Congress, Dingell makes a clear case for why the automobile remains a backbone of the American economy—and why that reality is often underestimated today.

The conversation spans culture, affordability, and global competition. Dingell reflects on how cars once defined identity and pop culture, why affordability now dominates consumer decisions, and how inconsistent policy has left automakers and retailers caught in the middle. She doesn’t shy away from the hard topics—EV whipsawing, competition with China, and the need for bipartisan certainty—arguing that without stability and intentional strategy, the U.S. risks falling behind in both economic and national security terms.

Timestamped Takeaways:

0:00 Intro — Live at Merge 2025 with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell

0:24 Why the Auto Industry Is the Backbone of the American Economy

0:53 Growing Up ‘Body by Fisher’—How Cars Shaped Her Career

1:45 Why People Don’t Love Cars the Same Way They Used To

2:12 When Cars Were Culture, Identity, and Personal Expression

3:21 Design, Style, and the Slow Return of Emotional Vehicles

4:11 Why Affordability Now Matters More Than Looks for Many Buyers

5:00 The Auto Industry as a Political Ping-Pong Ball

5:55 Competing With China Is an Economic and National Security Issue

6:04 The EV Whipsaw: From Mandates to Demonization

6:59 Why Uncertainty Is Crushing Investment and Confidence

7:57 What the Industry Needs Most Right Now: Certainty

8:27 Her First Car—and Why She Still Drives Both GM and Ford

Learn more about Debbie Dingell: https://debbiedingell.house.gov/contact/

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