Release Marks First Substantial DIG Updates Since 2019
MCLEAN, Va., May 1, 2025– The Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail (STAR), automotive’s leading IT standards organization, announced that it has released multiple updates to its existing Dealer Infrastructure Guidelines (DIG) for retail automotive. The current DIG focuses on better definitions, business continuity and data management. It’s also more prescriptive in nature- providing added guidance for the automotive industry desiring to achieve the DIG recommendations.
“The updated STAR Dealer Infrastructure Guidelines directly address the dealership community’s call for support in navigating critical technology challenges—ranging from AI and mobility to data management,” said Dan Hoban, Vice President of Field Services for PDI Technologies. “In an industry where collaboration between dealers, OEMs, and technology partners is essential, having a trusted, shared standard is more important than ever. What makes these guidelines truly unique is the way the dealer community has come together to shape them. The result is a stronger, more unified approach to dealership technology—and ultimately, a better experience for customers at the dealership.”
To better meet the needs of its growing membership automotive manufacturers, technology providers, and retail automotive dealerships, the latest version of the DIG includes seventeen updates across seven different topics. Topics include vulnerability scanning, multi-factor authentication (MFA), continuous monitoring, data privacy, security policies, data management and AI governance. It also tackles key challenges like Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for the first time as well as best practices for data backup and network availability.
“The last year has been a tumultuous time for dealers when it comes to data security, so the launch of the 2025 DIG could not come at a better time” noted JP Garvey, Chairman of STAR and Dealer Principal of Garvey Auto Group. “For dealers, the DIG provides helpful guidelines on basic practices and data security minimums to protect their customers’ data, not to mention their own. For automotive manufacturers and technology providers it’s a key tool that allows better engagement with their dealer partners. I’m pleased to announce that the DIG will also be translated into both French and Spanish, in recognition of STAR’s emerging role as a global standards organization in automotive.”
Updated DIG documentation is available on the DIG standards section of STAR’s website.
About STAR
Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail (STAR) is a nonprofit organization whose members include dealers, original equipment manufacturers, retail system providers, and automotive-related industry organizations. STAR uses non-proprietary technology (IT) standards as a catalyst in fulfilling the business information needs of dealers and manufacturers while reducing the time and effort required to support related activities. Collectively, STAR develops industry standards and emerging technologies for the benefit of retail automotive dealers. Incorporated in 2001, STAR defines industry standards for automotive retail, standard architecture that supports global data interoperability, and standardizes the dealership IT infrastructure. To learn more about joining STAR, please visit starstandard.org or follow the latest updates on LinkedIn.
