Pub 11 2021 Issue 2

16 AUTOMOBILE DEALER NEWS ILLINOIS www.illinoisdealers.com S eeking to protect consumers who buy new cars in Il- linois, leading trade associations filed suit on March 25th against the Illinois Secretary of State and two ve- hicle manufacturers asking that a Cook County judge enforce existing state laws regulating sales. The Illinois Automobile Dealers Association (IADA) and the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) were forced to turn to the court after the Secretary of State “turned a blind eye” to unlicensed and unregulated sales of vehicles by Rivian Automotive, Inc. as well as potential future sales by Lucid U.S.A., Inc., according to the lawsuit. Illinois law requires new vehicle sales be conducted by licensed franchised dealers, not directly by manufacturers. “We have no choice but to file this lawsuit, both to protect con- sumers as well as the hundreds of franchised dealers across the state who contribute to the local economy,” said Pete Sander, President of the IADA. “We warned the Secretary of State’s of- fice that consumers will be the losers if it does not enforce the laws it is required to enforce.” Consumers Will Lose Under State’s Lax Enforcement Auto Dealers Sue Illinois Secretary of State By Colleen Dudgeon, Serafin