Augmented reality is going to help the automotive industry improve and enhance their customers experience.
Augmented reality is going to give the customer the ability to experience showrooms and vehicles like they have never done so before. This will enable the customer to gather more information on different specs and features of a car to make a more informed and memorable purchase. Augmented Reality brings the showroom to the customer, allowing them to access and view cars within the comfort of their own home.
In order for car dealership to survive and thrive in an era of such technological advancements it is hugely important that they adapt to these changes accordingly. Many major car brands have already introduced augmented reality service to their customers. These include, Tesla, BMW, Mini, Audi and Jaguar to name a few. Here are the top 4 ways that augmented reality is going to change the motor industry.
Test Driving
With the latest advancements in augmented reality customers can now test drive cars without having to go to a showroom or dealership or even stepping foot in the actual vehicle itself. Volkswagen, the German automotive manufacturer, recently launched an augmented reality experience that gave prospective customer an experience of a test drive through three dimensional effects. You can check it out here.
Volvo have also jumped on the augmented reality train as well. They have introduced a smartphone app which allow users to take a test drive in one of their cars through some lovely backroads and enjoy fantastic cockpit views whilst also soaking in the interior and visibility of the car itself. Check out this video here that shows how it works. It’s certainly an interesting way to get potential customers excited for what they might be looking for in a car.
Spec and Features
Another cool feature of AR is it gives customers the ability to see beyond the hood of the car and see in one clear walkabout what exact features and specifications come with the car. Audi have done an incredible job with their Audi Virtual Experience in their showrooms by allowing prospective customers in their showrooms to wear a VR headset that will show them exactly what specs are on what cars all in the space of 10 minutes. It gives prospective customers an overview of the entire vehicle but also access to a virtual host who will act as their guide throughout their experience.
Customisation
Ever wonder what your potential new car will look like outside your front garden? Well with BMW’s new app called I Visuliser , you can do exactly that. It gives users the ability to completely customise their potential new car. From the outside colour and alloys to the inside seat material. This is a great way for prospective customer to get a feel for what colours and specs would suit them best. Red might be too flashy outside their white house so maybe a nice subtle black would be nice. Check out the demonstration video here of how it all works.
Having this level of customisation at the hands of the customer is a fantastic way to not only enhance the customers overall experience with the brand but to make you stand out from the crowd. The prospective customer can create their ideal car right in their hands and don’t have to just imagine what their ideal car would potentially look like.
Virtual Showrooms
Virtual/Augmented reality gives users the ability to go to certain places without leaving the comfort of their own home. Virtual showroom for car dealership are only just on the horizon. Retail outlets like IKEA have already adopted this idea and applied it to their home showrooms. These advancements will give customers and dealers an experience like none other before. It will be a great opportunity for dealerships to track the analytical stats of their online visitors and give them a chance to capture information as well as the details. Check out Skoda's virtual showroom here.
Virtual showrooms will soon become like a second shop for most. Online showrooms will give dealerships the ability to target customers that may not be ready to step foot into a real life showroom but still want to check out the latest models. This is crucial in this day and age as a vast majority of customers won't step foot into a real life show room until they have conducted enough research online.