Modern consumers are comfortable buying almost anything online. But until recently, most consumers still purchased vehicles in person at dealerships rather than online. However, the COVID-19 pandemic left many consumers with no other choice but to shop online for a new car and now, things may never go back to business as usual.
In 2018, only 1% of U.S. car buyers purchased their vehicle online. In 2020, however, nearly 30% of all new car sales were completed online. Based on these statistics, it’s clear that the consumer car buying journey has changed.
The car buying process no longer begins inside a dealership’s showroom–it starts online. That’s why so many automotive companies, including Toyota, are now embracing new technologies that make it easier for consumers to shop online.
One of these technologies is augmented reality, which is used to power the innovative RelayCars’ Toyota augmented reality showroom experience. How does this augmented reality showroom work? Why should automotive consumers visit this showroom? Here’s what you need to know:
How Does An Augmented Reality Showroom Work?
Before learning how this type of showroom works, it’s important to understand the technology that powers it. Augmented reality is technology that allows the user to superimpose photos, audio, and other digital elements onto their real world environment. In other words, it allows the user to blend elements of the digital world and real world together.
Augmented reality showrooms use this technology to create a realistic automotive showroom experience for users. The technology allows the user to superimpose lifelike digital models of various vehicles onto their real world surroundings. Because the digital models are so realistic, the user will feel as if they are actually standing in front of the vehicles.
Thanks to this technology, automotive manufacturers and dealers can offer consumers the chance to visit a showroom without ever leaving home.
What to Do Inside the Toyota Augmented Reality Showroom
There are many reasons why consumers may want to step inside a Toyota augmented reality showroom, including:
- Explore Vehicles
- Learn About Different Models
- Personalize Vehicles
- Make Purchase Decisions
Explore Vehicles
The Toyota augmented reality showroom gives consumers the chance to explore various Toyota models just like they would if they were actually inside a dealership’s showroom. Once inside the showroom, consumers can walk around the outside of the vehicle, rotate it to see it from every angle, and zoom in or out to view it from different vantage points.
Automotive consumers can even explore the interior of each vehicle inside the augmented reality showroom. They can sit in the driver’s seat to see what it’s like behind the wheel. Then, they can turn in any direction to examine every inch of the vehicle’s interior.
This gives consumers the opportunity to explore vehicles in an entirely new and exciting way. They no longer need to look at pictures of cars and wonder what the vehicle would look like in real life. Now, they can find out just by stepping inside an augmented reality showroom.
Learn About Different Models
There are no sales representatives inside an augmented reality showroom, which means consumers can’t turn around and ask someone a question about a vehicle. However, the showroom presents consumers with a wealth of information about each vehicle they are exploring. This allows them to learn about different models on their own.
Automotive consumers can see general specs for every vehicle inside the augmented reality showroom. Some of the specs they will have access to for each vehicle include:
- Make and model
- Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)
- Engine horsepower
- Top speed
- Time it takes for the car to travel from 0 to 60 mph
Consumers won’t need to visit another website or conduct their own research to get the information they need. Instead, they can find everything they are looking for directly within the augmented reality showroom.
Personalize Vehicles
Automotive consumers will also get a chance to personalize the vehicles they are exploring inside the augmented reality showroom.
For example, say a consumer wants to explore the latest Toyota Corolla model inside the augmented reality showroom. Once they select this model, they will have the option to personalize it by changing the exterior color. They can see all of the exterior paint colors that this specific model comes in before making their selection.
Once they choose a color, it will be applied to the vehicle so they can see exactly what it would look like. The paint colors that are shown in the showroom are accurate representations of what the colors look like in real life. This way, consumers won’t need to search Google images to see what a specific Toyota model looks like in different colors. They can explore all of their options within the Toyota augmented reality showroom.
Make Purchase Decisions
Buying a car is a big financial commitment, so some consumers may have trouble making a purchase decision. But fortunately, visiting the augmented reality showroom can help automotive consumers decide which vehicle they want to purchase.
Inside the showroom, consumers can explore different vehicles to learn more about their options. They may even discover makes and models that they weren’t considering prior to entering the showroom.
Then, they can compare the specs of each vehicle to narrow down their options. This will help them decide which vehicle is right for them. The final step is personalizing it to decide which exterior color they like best.
All of the information they need to make a purchase decision is available within the augmented reality showroom.
What Are the Benefits of Visiting the Toyota Augmented Reality Showroom?
Some of the many benefits of visiting the Toyota augmented reality showroom include:
- Convenient
- Reduces Time Spent At Dealership
- Improves the Overall Shopping Experience
Convenient
Looking at Toyota vehicles inside an augmented reality showroom is far more convenient than visiting a dealership’s showroom in person. Automotive consumers can now get the same dealership showroom experience without ever stepping foot outside of their house.
There’s no need to make an appointment, travel to a showroom, or carve time out of the day for the trip during normal business hours. The augmented reality showroom is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so consumers can visit it at whatever time is most convenient for them. This is one of the main benefits of the augmented reality showroom experience.
Reduces Time Spent At Dealership
Automotive consumers can reduce the amount of time they spend at the dealership simply by using the augmented reality showroom during the car buying process. If they visit the augmented reality showroom, they can skip the trip to the dealership’s showroom. This will drastically reduce the length of their trip to the dealership.
Plus, the augmented reality showroom gives them access to all of the information they need to make a purchase decision. As a result, they won’t need to talk to sales representatives to learn more about their options or get help deciding which vehicle to purchase. They don’t even need to visit the dealership until they have made a decision and are ready to make a purchase.
All consumers need to do once they arrive at the dealership is complete their paperwork. They can get in and out of the dealership quickly thanks to the augmented reality showroom.
Improves the Overall Shopping Experience
Visiting an augmented reality showroom can significantly improve the overall car shopping experience for consumers.
All of the information they need to make a purchase decision is in one place, so consumers won’t need to spend hours visiting different websites to conduct research. This can simplify and speed up the car buying process for consumers.
Reducing the time spent at the dealership improves the overall shopping experience, too. This is because automotive consumers dread spending hours inside a dealership in order to purchase a new car.
In fact, one study revealed that customer satisfaction in the car buying process tends to decline after 90 minutes inside a dealership. By reducing the length of the trip to the dealership, the augmented reality showroom may increase customer satisfaction in the car buying experience.
How Can You Experience the Toyota Augmented Reality Showroom?
Step inside the RelayCars augmented reality showroom to begin exploring your favorite Toyota models. The RelayCars showroom is easy to use, so you don’t need to be tech-savvy to make the most out of your virtual trip.
The RelayCars augmented reality showroom has an extensive library of over one thousand different vehicles. Even if you’re interested in browsing Toyota models, you may want to stick around to explore your other options.
Inside the RelayCars showroom, you can tour models from countless automotive manufacturers, including Toyota, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Chevrolet, Honda, Kia, Volkswagen, and more. The showroom is constantly updated with new models, so keep checking back to see what else there is to offer.
The best part? You don’t need a pair of augmented reality glasses or a headset in order to access it. You can visit the RelayCars virtual showroom using your smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you’re ready to explore Toyotas, visit the RelayCars augmented reality showroom today.