Auto VR Inc. | TechBiz by DCAJ

AutoVR, designed to enhance sales efficiency and reduce costs in the dealership business

AutoVR is the world’s most user-friendly sales support tool focused on car dealerships. Utilizing 3DCG and VR technology, potential buyers can comfortably explore various car models using our custom-developed, world-first handheld accessory, avoiding the discomfort of traditional straps due to hygiene and neck strain. With a VR headset, they can view exteriors, interiors, body color options, multiple seat configurations, optional parts, and how the car looks in different environments and times of day. Meanwhile, sales staff can efficiently manage the buying process by showing vehicles in VR using a PC or tablet, even when physical models are unavailable.

– Problems faced by automobile dealers

Due to the store size and parking space, there is a limit to the number and types of vehicles that dealers can display and test. In addition, the cost of procurement and maintenance of display and test-drive vehicles is usually borne by dealers, so increasing the number and variety of vehicles on display increases the cost burden on them. It is unrealistic to expect each store to have a vehicle lineup that combines all vehicle types, grades, body colors, and options. Sales staff often have to deal with customers without having the car on display that the customer wants. When the customer wishes to see the actual vehicle, the sales staff sets a new date to meet with them, and then moves the vehicle to another dealership so that the customer can see the vehicle. This transfer of vehicles between stores incurs costs in terms of sales staff work time and fuel costs. In addition, postponing a business meeting can lead to lost sales opportunities, such as customers becoming less willing to purchase or leaving for other stores. What if there are no cars on display or for test drives at other stores that customers want to check out? In this case, the sales staff will use catalogs, websites, videos, and other promotional content available at the store to negotiate with the customer, but if the customer wants to see the actual vehicle, the difficulty of closing the deal will be higher than if the customer wants to see the actual vehicle. Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, it is impractical to prepare all vehicles for display and test drive. Therefore, dealers are seeking a new sales style that allows them to conduct business negotiations in a timely and efficient manner, regardless of whether or not they have vehicles on display and they are seeking a solution that will be useful in establishing such a new sales style.

– Creating a new sales style together with dealers

Auto VR is a joint venture between Infinite Loop, a game development company based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and Sojitz Corporation, a general trading company. Currently, the company offers “AutoVR,” which allows customers to view the interior and exterior of a vehicle and consider body colors and options in VR, and “AutoWEB,” which allows customers to easily consider the purchase of vehicles and options in the store or at home on a tablet or PC web browser, mainly for Toyota dealerships. The two companies are jointly promoting the establishment of a sales model that does not rely on display or test-drive vehicles.

– Continuing to enhance convenience and practicality for both dealers and customers

AutoVR allows the user to experience the system without the need for a strap of head-mounted display, which conventionally must be worn on the back of the head. Customers who have shied away from VR experiences for reasons such as hair style and hygiene can now use VR to consider car purchases by lowering the psychological hurdle. In addition, to make it as easy as possible for sales staff to use the system in business meetings, the system provides an intuitive operation screen and omits the boundary setting process.

By using AutoVR, customers can proceed with business negotiations while viewing the car’s interior and exterior, body color variations, options, etc., at the store. Even if there is a car on display, the customer does not have to move from a meeting booth and can proceed with the purchase in comfort. This is especially useful when the cars on display are outdoors and it is snowing, raining, or extremely hot. The customer can also check the view from the driver’s seat. The color of the seats can also be changed, which will be very helpful for customers who are considering customizing the interior. In addition, two cars can be placed side by side at the same time and compared to see the differences in model, grade, body color, and options installed. This will help customers who are torn between multiple options to make an efficient purchase decision.

– Boosting the sales activities of car dealers through the use of data

The data from the viewpoints of customers who have experienced AutoVR can be collected and visualized as a heat map to determine which parts of the car they were interested in (see image below). By collecting, storing, and analyzing data on interest in the parts of the car indicated by the viewpoint for each combination of customer and car, it is possible to improve the sales approach, for example, by finding out what kind of car introductions and proposals for each customer attribute will increase the customer’s willingness to purchase and lead to higher closing rates.

– Going after the global auto sales market

In Japan, where overall car sales are on the decline, the AutoVR technology will be accepted as a new service because of the importance of improving sales efficiency and retaining existing customers. However, cars run all over the world and dealers are located all over the world. The issues that can be solved by AutoVR are not limited to those in Japan. After confirming the needs in Japan, AutoVR will head to the U.S. market, where it plans to exhibit at CES 2025 as the first step in its overseas expansion, to acquire business partners and to see the response overseas. they are eager to see what the particepants from over the world think of AutoVR, and thier challenge will begin.