Transforming Car Retail Experiences Using AR & VR

The latest visual communication technologies have radically altered the way prospective car buyers shop, and the automotive industry in particular has seen considerable traction.

Previously, information about cars was mostly from the dealership’s sales staff, and customers had to physically visit a showroom floor to learn about the car they were interested in. Digitalized online showrooms changed this, and transformed customer expectations as well.

The new car buyers of today spend much more time shopping online and, as a result, visit fewer dealerships when they decide to actually buy a car. In order to be relevant to them, OEM brands and dealers have to adopt new technologies and implement them at their facilities quickly.

In this article, we will point out how two of the most promising trends, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), are making waves in the vehicle industry, and how they are transforming the car buying journey.

Driving Sales Performance

Together, VR and AR are redefining the way cars are sold in the automotive retail industry, and they are playing a big part in improving customer experiences.

More potential consumers than ever before are beginning their car buying process on the internet, and they have access to huge piles of data at every step of their journey. This has resulted in automotive retail shifting from a product-driven sales approach to one that is customer-centric. Car dealerships and other auto businesses are being made to bring about these changes, and new tech such as VR and AR are helping, by paving the way for digital car showrooms.

Entire product catalogs can be showcased on smartphones that are connected to a VR headset, thereby enabling interested customers to add or remove optional accessories, see what the paint color would look like in real life, and even listen to the car’s engine note. This isn’t a far fetched sci-fi idea. German car maker Audi has already put this technology to use in one of their London showrooms.

This level of customer interaction connects very deeply with car buyers, and it can yield impressive results, since purchasing a new car certainly includes an emotional element.

Changing Auto Marketing

In the case of car dealerships, technology such as augmented reality offers an improved way to exhibit their auto models.

Customers can check out different specifications and trim levels, and then engage in customizing them in the comfort of their home or on the showroom floor itself.

With AR, very realistic representations of cars can be placed in real world environments in order to enable potential customers to see what they will actually look like.

View Infinite Combinations Immediately

This is especially appealing in the case of high end and luxury car manufacturers. Many such OEMs offer customers a wide range of personalization options to make their car truly exclusive, and this means that several thousands of trim level and option combinations are possible.

Car dealerships are obviously unable to stock every single type of vehicle, and therefore customers could never see what their customization would look like, until they take delivery. With AR and VR, this problem can be eliminated.

Limited Inventory

Auto dealers were always plagued with the problem of being unable to display all the variants and colors of a particular vehicle to interested customers, due to limited inventory. Thanks to VR headsets, potential buyers are now able to experience the exteriors and interiors of these vehicles. They can even change colors and trim levels without the dealer having to unnecessarily add anything to their inventory.

Buyers can also specify their new car to the exact configurations they wish, and immediately see what the end result will look like.

Improving Customer Awareness

Providing customers with access to the technical aspects of a vehicle, such as DIY tips, is an integral part of the automotive sales process. AR offers customers a unique way to view and experience the features of a vehicle in a way that is easily understandable.

This is quickly becoming a trend, and automotive dealerships are actually using sales tools today that are based extensively on AR, in order to enable new buyers to visualize working on their car in an almost real world scenario.

The highlight of VR and AR is that car dealerships can create a rich and involving experience for clients. Right now, it’s being used for basic applications such as to see what a car looks like in different environments, and to give clients simple car care tips. However, with time, the potential of VR and AR technology is limitless.

For more information on how VR and AR can influence automotive retail, Contact Us.