As the global economy has generally come to a halt because of the coronavirus pandemic, certain essential services have remained available. Grocery stores (many of which now offer delivery), pharmacies, convenience stores, garbage collection, banks, and pet stores are some of the essential businesses allowed to remain open, at least in the US. But now the federal government is adding one more industry to that list: auto sales.

Last Friday, the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure announced that "Workers critical to the manufacturing, distribution, sales, rental, leasing, repair and maintenance of vehicles and other transportation equipment" are now considered essential. This now paves the way for auto dealerships across the country to gradually begin reopening their service departments and sales teams. Up until now, only employees who worked in dealer repair shops were allowed to work.