Automakers Investigating Use of AR and VR for Extending Their Marketing reach

There was a point when it was never possible to think that augmented reality or virtual reality would ever have anything to do with the automotive world. That scenario has changed now, with the advent of smart technology and connected cars.

Many automakers have used virtual reality to offer test drives to potential customers. They get to experience almost every aspect of driving a new model without even taking it out of the showroom. Peugeot and Audi are brands that have used virtual reality at auto shows to provide fans with the experience of driving their cars using virtual reality.

Virtual reality can be effectively used by auto manufacturers to get people who are checking out their models online to walk into their showrooms by giving them an augmented reality experience which will allow them to test drive cars from the comfort of their own home.

A study conducted by Autotrader revealed that 75% do online research as part of the purchase process. So, those manufacturers who use AR and VR to give people a virtual tour of vehicles of interest and test drives have an edge. Augmented and virtual reality can be used to reaffirm the consumer’s choice to purchase a vehicle.

In the future, companies need to offer browsers an immersive digital experience which can be customized based on consumer behavior, website personalization and hyper-targeted campaigns. Real-time data collection can help automotive marketers design custom AR and VR experiences which can truly connect with customers on a true one-to-one level based on their preferences, age group and lifestyle.

In this emerging field, cross-device attribution will play an increasingly important role. Identifying a user’s device ID, cookies, IP address, and factors like search history, time on a site, product page views, and other unique data can help develop an in-depth understanding of the potential customer. This will allow marketers to come up with the most appropriate campaign targeting an individual consumer. Users will use multiple devices and it will be important to track and connect all of their areas of interest to create a seamless experience tailored to their unique behaviors.

As the trend continues to develop, marketers in the auto world will have their work cut out keeping pace with the technology and using it to the maximum possible extent to come up with successful and meaningful campaigns.