Digitalization of car selection platform content – video information is more attractive to young people
Young people are an important customer group in the future automotive market, and due to their more fragmented time and more active habits of daily exposure to live streaming and short video related content, live streaming and video related automotive information are more attractive to them. According to a report released by market research firm CTR, among automotive information applications, Dongchedi, Autohome, and Yiche rank among the top in terms of active users, with a clear leading advantage. Compared to August 2022, the number of active users of Dongchedi and Autohome showed a high growth trend in September, and users continued to concentrate on top platforms. At present, the proportion index of users in apps such as Dongchedi and Youjia is relatively higher in the age group of 24 and below.
It is worth noting that female consumers’ demand for automotive consumption and automotive information content continues to grow. In order to further match female users’ demand for automotive information, industry leading platforms provide more female automotive related information services at the search and content presentation levels. At the same time, the sinking market has a huge user base, and from the trend of changes in the proportion of new energy vehicle sales, the demand for cars in the sinking market is gradually releasing. The demand for automotive information that matches it will also see growth. Compared to the data from 2021 and 2022, the proportion index of users in third tier and below cities on automotive information top platforms has shown significant growth.
Increasing proportion of online automobile transactions – enriching online car purchasing experience through multiple platforms and modes
By comparing and selecting multiple platforms, making online reservations, and completing transactions – the traditional car purchasing model that relies on 4S stores is undergoing a transformation. Nowadays, major car companies have launched online car viewing and purchasing services, especially live car sales, which are particularly popular. People can now complete the process of selecting and purchasing cars online. In addition to the manufacturer’s direct sales model, there are also different business models such as the integrated e-commerce platform entry model, vertical e-commerce B2C and C2C models, providing people with different online car purchasing service experiences. Prospective car owners can choose a more suitable car purchasing model from a wider range.
At the same time, technological breakthroughs continue to refresh the online test drive experience. Make online 3D test driving of virtual cars possible through headworn devices such as VR viewing and 3D virtual exhibition halls. For example, BMW once collaborated with VR equipment manufacturer Pico to provide a VR viewing experience; Starting from 2016, American online car retailer Vroom has gradually changed its online car viewing and purchasing process. Users wear VR helmets, conduct 360 ° virtual test drives, and access vehicle information including year, price, horsepower, interior kits, etc; Porsche also launched relevant VR test drive applications in 2020.
In addition, with the release of policies and market demand, the second-hand car market will continue to recover in 2022 on the basis of overall growth in 2021. The increase in demand has led to an increase in user activity on online second-hand car trading platforms. Data shows that the number of active users on top second-hand car trading platforms, including Guazi second-hand cars and Car 300, showed a significant growth trend in 2022.
In car entertainment office system – creating a third living space for car owners
When using the car, Intelligent Internet provides various services such as maps, music, voice customer service, etc. When parking and charging, you can also play games, work, and enjoy connected life. Modern people’s car life is becoming increasingly ‘digital’.
Firstly, map services, which not only have navigation functions, but also integrate real-time road conditions, route planning, peripheral services and other functions, have become a necessity for people’s car life. 3D vision, city level immersive navigation, lane navigation, AR navigation, etc. continuously improve navigation accuracy, and real-time public transportation, parking services, refueling and charging, etc. continuously expand service boundaries, allowing users to enjoy a richer driving experience. Currently, in map navigation apps, users are mainly concentrated in Gaode Maps, Baidu Maps, and Tencent Maps. Among them, Gaode Map had a monthly active user count of 477.831 million in September, with an average daily usage time of 11.5 minutes. According to statistics, the user volume is high, and the average daily usage time per person is also relatively higher. At the same time, some users will use two or even three or more navigation applications simultaneously.
With the updating and upgrading of in car entertainment systems, in car entertainment systems are becoming more diverse, such as in car music, radio, in car games, in car movies, in car karaoke, in car office, etc. Consumers’ in car life is becoming increasingly rich. Some new power car companies have models with built-in high-performance chips and graphics cards, making gaming functions more powerful. The central control large screen integrates home cinema systems to provide a cinema level viewing experience. More car companies have transformed the rear seat space into a mobile office area, turning the car space into a remote office in just one second by finding a suitable place to park.
Intelligent parking “No matter how confusing it is, you can still find a way” – the entire process of refueling and charging is intelligent and efficient
In response to the problem of “difficulty in parking and finding cars”, smart parking enhances users’ parking experience. Map platforms and parking vertical platforms continuously promote functions such as intelligent recommendation of parking spots, intelligent navigation of parking spots, intelligent parking fees, and intelligent car finding in parking lots, allowing even confused car owners to find their way home. Refueling and charging consumption is the basic consumption of vehicles, and refueling and charging platforms continuously enrich consumer experiences. In addition to on-site guidance, efficient refueling and charging, and seamless payment, services such as car washing, repair and maintenance, insurance, and shopping have also been added, allowing consumers to experience intelligent and more efficient refueling and charging services throughout the entire process.
In addition, with the continuous popularity of new energy electric vehicles, the demand for car charging by users has led to the development of charging service apps. Data shows that there are currently over 500000 monthly active users of multiple automotive charging apps. Meanwhile, gasoline vehicles still dominate the main market, with a relatively higher monthly active user base for automotive refueling applications. Maintenance and upkeep is an important part of consumers’ continuous use of vehicles, and the maintenance and upkeep scenarios are constantly upgraded to provide a smooth online and offline experience, making users’ “behind the car” lifestyle consumption more extreme. With the advancement of technology and algorithms, the functions and services of the automotive community are constantly being optimized and iterated. Communication between users and cars, between users and brands, and between users has become more intelligent, efficient, and vivid. More and more automotive brands are providing and upgrading more intelligent automotive interactive life experience platforms for users.
Car companies will provide personalized services – car spaces will interact efficiently with life scenes
How will the “digital” car life develop in the future? According to the CTR survey, there are differences in the car life needs of different groups of people in different scenarios and the same users in different scenarios. The platform provides more personalized services in content supply and function point implementation based on the differences, improving the utilization rate of functional services and greatly improving user satisfaction. With the development of technologies such as the Internet of Things and mobile communication, some cars have now achieved real-time linkage with some functions in home and other scenarios.
In the future, further promoting the linkage between the “third living space” in the car and other scenes, achieving real-time and efficient interaction with multiple functions and scenes, has become an important trend in the digital development of automotive life. Based on the automotive life scenario, car companies will provide one-stop solutions for people to purchase and use cars, providing highly focused and professional services in the communication, feedback, and actual completion process of various aspects of car life, and achieving a consistent experience.
Source: Beijing Youth Daily
Reporter: Chen Si Editor: Han Shirong