The Car Coach – Lauren Fix
Every time tensions flare somewhere in the world, gasoline prices seem to jump overnight. Drivers expect it. The news blames geopolitics, oil traders blame uncertainty, and politicians blame each other. But here’s the question almost nobody is asking: if computers can raise prices within hours, why do they suddenly become so patient when it’s time to lower them?
Americans have lived with this frustration for decades. The price of crude oil climbs and gas stations respond almost immediately. Crude oil falls sharply, and suddenly we’re told to be patient. Refiners need time. Distributors need time. Retailers need time. Somehow, that urgency only seems to work in one direction.
Now, a new California lawsuit and a federal push to investigate gasoline pricing suggest there may be another piece of the story that deserves far more attention. It isn’t simply about oil markets anymore. It’s about artificial intelligence, algorithms, and whether software designed to maximize profits is quietly changing how fuel prices are set across America.
Kalibrate is a real pricing platform used by many of the country’s largest fuel retailers. The company markets its software as an advanced pricing solution that analyzes competitor prices, wholesale costs, local demand, traffic patterns, and countless other variables before recommending the “optimal” price at the pump. By the company’s own marketing, it serves many of America’s largest fuel retailers and convenience store chains. Retailers use the software because it promises to increase profit margins while remaining competitive.
There is nothing inherently illegal about using sophisticated software to help make pricing decisions. The concern begins when pricing software stops simply reacting to the market and starts shaping it.