Automotive retailers now actively embrace new innovative technologies. The IT and automotive industries, in spite of all their differences, still have one thing in common. They are closer to a wider range of consumers than any other technical sector. Cars and IT have universal appeal. Together they are creating exciting customer experiences, presenting the industry’s latest cutting edge designs and truly innovating automotive retail.

Today, topics explored in automotive publications increasingly overlap with themes discussed in IT magazines and journals.

Cars are now normally equipped with advanced electronic operating systems. A computer system based on Windows CE is used in the latest BMW seven series. It is impossible to imagine a contemporary car without fuel injection controllers, a variety of sensors and actuators. So top manufacturers are not only innovating automotive retail, the cars are also adopting high-tech solutions to optimize performance.

How the latest technologies are innovating automotive retail

Automotive retail is taking full advantage of the most up-to-date disruptive sales technologies. The biggest brands are embracing the opportunities opened up by the latest showcasing technologies, innovating automotive retail in the most imaginative ways.

Audi

The German car brand is innovating automotive retail by opening a new type of automobile store – a virtual showroom. In this new type of store, clients can see any model (full-size) and choose a color as well as all other customizable alternatives.

These stores have big screens. Visitors must be in front of the screen and regulate their actions with hand or feet gestures. A virtual assistant helps to understand the navigation. In front of the screen, there is a special camera that captures all of these movements. The multi-sensor panel provides the opportunity to look at the interior of the car and even to see what is under the hood.

These showrooms are due to open soon around the world in the twenty largest cities.

Bugatti

The lionshare of advertizing budget in the automotive industry tends to be spent on participation in any kind of Motor Show. Brands that are presenting vehicles at these shows are innovating automotive retail on the front line.

At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015, Bugatti unveiled a full-sized model of their virtual reality hypercar, the Vision Gran Turismo, which was developed for a computer racing series. The progressive design language allows customers to imagine how the real new Bugatti concept car will look. Fueling consumers’ imagination is an indirect, but nonetheless creative way of innovating automotive retail.

Porsche

The German brand opened an interactive platform in Moscow called “Sound of Porsche – the history of the brand.”

The exhibition space is divided into several zones. In one of them visitors can take a virtual trip on the Porsche 911. The video series is accompanied by various sounds of the car. In addition, there is a design area in this space. Also visitors can watch the movie about the history of the brand.

Volvo

Volvo and Microsoft have developed augmented reality glasses known as HoloLens. This is a big step in innovating automotive retail. The new device will be offered to customers while they are choosing a car to buy. HoloLens glasses will be available at the automaker’s dealerships. Wearing glasses, a client can estimate the automobile in 3D format, change the color and configuration of the model as well as to explore the specification and design of the machine.

So far, the technology has its drawbacks. For example, using Hololens the client cannot come very close to virtual objects and treat them as the picture as they may be distorted or completely disappear.

Whisbi is innovating automotive retail making live online video streaming showrooms for companies like Toyota, Volkswagen, Fiat and Audi. Improving their digital communications with customers, bringing the real store experience online, selling more and better.

Find out more about how we have been helping Fiat to sell cars online here.