In an era of mass customization and customer demand for premium shopping experiences, how can an automobile vendor showcase countless car option packages in a way that feels polished and high-end? The concept of “virtual stores” isn’t new, but historically the technology and execution of virtual shopping hasn’t produced an experience that would entice a $20,000+ car purchase…until now. By creating a virtual showroom with the latest display and augmented reality technologies, Dassault Systèmes’ Virtual Garage is set to change the way the auto industry sells cars.
Peugeot Citroen, the second largest auto producer in Europe, is using Virtual Garage at the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show to unveil the new DS 3 model, the latest automobile from its premium DS brand. The new DS 3 offers more than three million possible combinations of features, trim packages and colors, so to fully demonstrate the customization options, Peugeot is using the Virtual Garage to create an immersive virtual-reality experience for visitors.
At Peugeot’s booth, wearing an HTC Vive headset and controlling a joystick, visitors can virtually view, explore and interact with the new DS 3. They can also change the roof and body colors and choose the trims and interior décor. With each change, visitors can “see” their customized DS 3 updated in real time, and with more than three million possible combinations, they’ll have quite a few options to choose from. Vendors can also use a single physical car in a showroom as a blank canvas to showcase hundreds of options and color packages, which are projected onto the car with the help of interactive displays.
The Virtual Garage was developed in response to today’s mass-customization phenomenon, and the platform provides automotive companies like Peugeot with a dynamic new way to showcase their premium offerings. By using existing CAD vehicle data for true-to-life displays, this solution delivers a stunning experience for prospective buyers, and allows vendors to produce customized marketing assets, enhanced web configurators, or other interactive in-person experiences with the cars that involve 3D projection mapping, augmented reality, and more.
The goal isn’t just to create a higher-quality car brochure. Research has shown that high-impact and scalable visual experiences like the Virtual Garage give prospective customers an immediate emotional buy-in at dealerships, trade fairs and special events. When customers feel empowered throughout the buying process – whether that occurs through creating their own unique color scheme, or enjoying gamification elements, or connecting with the brand over their favorite communication channels – they are far more likely to develop a positive opinion of the brand and to finalize the purchase. By using the Virtual Garage to introduce the new DS 3, Peugeot can showcase its new premium auto in a way that creates an emotional connection with the customer.
In KMPG’s 2015 Global Automotive Executive Survey, it concluded: “In coming years the automotive sector will need to achieve a fine balance between its traditional product- and technology-driven past and its potentially ubiquitously connected consumer lifecycle-centric and service-driven future.” The Virtual Garage is going to help auto manufacturers achieve that balance by speaking to connected consumers in the language they’re most familiar with – with stunning infinitely customizable images that are available on-demand.
