Connected Cars and the Dealership Experience

Safer driving. Easier parking. Access to WiFi, music, videos and more at the click of a button. These are commonly discussed benefits of the connected car. A new emerging topic is what these new developments mean for automotive dealerships. Internet of Things (IoT) innovations are paving the way for improved dealership operations, which in turn benefit consumers.

Here’s how your local dealership or repair shop could be changing in the very near future:

Improved Customer Service: Looking to purchase a white 2010 Audi A6? Now, with IoT technology and applications, your local dealer can find that exact model on the lot at the click of a button. Connected car technology makes it easier than ever for dealerships to manage their inventory, and locate specific cars across different lots. It’s also now possible for dealerships to access information about which vehicles have low batteries ahead of time – so you’re able to test drive whatever car you choose without delay! The dealership experience becomes much smoother and efficient. Dealership employees are more connected to the vehicles they’re selling, allowing them to access information quickly, offer standout customer service, and make the dealership experience fun, not frustrating.

More Efficient Vehicle Maintenance: Telematics solutions today report on vehicle diagnostics, instantly alerting drivers to potential problems like engine issues. a world where you can pull up to a car dealership or repair shop, and technicians instantly start working to solve the exact problem your vehicle is having. It’s a personalized maintenance experience unique to your car, where technicians make the needed repairs and routine maintenance, saving you time.

What Benefits Dealers Benefits You: As connected car technologies continue to develop, we’ll see more solutions where technology that benefits the dealer will ultimately benefit the consumer. For example, a car dealership may use a device that plugs into the OBD port on all their vehicles, to help manage inventory, protect vehicle assets, and get diagnostic reports. And that same device will still be there once you officially have the keys. As the owner, you can put that technology to good use, with up-to-date location data, instant crash notifications, and more.

To say the global connected car market is growing by leaps and bounds is an understatement. These advancements are widespread and diverse – and they go beyond your car to all sectors of the automotive industry. Change is coming, and it’s as close as your vehicle in your driveway, and soon at your local automotive dealership.