How Meta is driving customer experiences and dealerships into the future.
Today, purchasing a vehicle involves research, trips to dealerships, handshakes and negations but what if all these steps could take place in the comfort of your own home? Yes — even the handshakes. In a recent webinar, Meta (formerly Facebook) described how they’re paving the way for customers and dealerships to connect in the Metaverse by creating new fully immersive digital spaces. Are auto buyers ready to take on the Metaverse? In a survey by YouGov, 70% of intended car buyers believe the Metaverse is the future when purchasing a vehicle. This jumps to 80% for Millennials and Gen Z buyers. The Auto-verse is here, buckle up and get ready to redefine test drives, shop vehicles by sight, and build new worlds to grow your brand.
What does purchasing a car in the Metaverse look like?
Barry Christie, Global Creative Lead at Meta, revealed some of the long-term tools Meta is crafting for consumers and dealers as we drive into the future.
Test Drives
Forget the days of painstakingly scheduling a test drive. In the Metaverse, you will be able to drive your prospective car on any road and on your time. You can experience how your new vehicle handles different terrains, no matter the season or location: snow in the summer, mud on a dry day or even your daily commute. In the future, by creating a rich, immersive experience, by allowing consumers to touch the car’s finish and feel the road, Meta is getting consumers closer to the vehicle by expanding the capabilities and accessibility of dealerships.
Interact Through Wearables
Through wearable technology such as augmented reality glasses, consumers will be able to see a car they’re interested in and shop the vehicle right there, no more waiting when you get home to recall and research the vehicle that caught your eye, just hoping you got a good look of the brand and model. In that moment, an intended buyer can learn more about the specific vehicle, explore features, and schedule a test drive all in one quick glance.
Create a Virtual World
At the 2022 Cannes Lions creative festival, Mini Cooper debuted the brand’s new MINIverse in Meta Quest’s free virtual reality space, Horizon Worlds, becoming the first auto brand to create a world within the Metaverse. In the MINIverse, visitors can customize their own Mini Cooper and race against friends on a mind-bending track. By working with Meta pros to create a lasting world in Meta, Mini is taking a step to grow their audience and interact in new ways while proving their fun-to-drive principle. This is the next step beyond dealerships, allowing customers to connect while creating new and lasting experiences with a brand.
How can dealerships prepare for the Metaverse?
Familiarize yourself with growing technology
Dealers can take the first steps to prepare for the future by using and becoming proficient in the technology available today. By using Instagram’s augmented reality filters, customers can view a car from any angle and customize from anywhere, bringing the showroom to their living room. Meta’s virtual reality headset, Quest, allows dealers to host meetings in virtual space, allowing consumers to sign paperwork and interact with prototypes. Dealers and brands should begin exploring the 10,000+ worlds within the Horizon Worlds. By learning how people engage in the digital landscape, dealerships can be empowered to discover new ways their brand can evolve in the Metaverse.
From virtual test drives to creating a new world, the possibilities for dealerships and brands are more exciting than ever. By understanding digital spaces today, dealers will be equipped with the tools needed to succeed in the Metaverse. As more consumers drive off into the Metaverse, dealerships can be confident and ready to help them find the car that meets their needs in the physical world.
