Research has found that 82% of EU consumers may prefer a virtual reality (VR) dealership experience over traditional sales practices.

The research commissioned by ZeroLight asked 1,000 motorists over the EU about virtual reality and augmented reality (AR) technologies and 82% of respondents indicated an interest to see, explore and configure a car to their preference VR/AR technology prior to purchase – with just 5% disagreeing.

ZeroLight’s associate marketing director, Joseph Artgole , said: “We know that customers demand digital-led experiences that offer them complete control over their purchase. What we see here is further validation of VR within the automotive retail space.

“Immersive technologies offer a perspective that is wholly unique to the medium. Seeing the vehicle in front of you to scale as you create it is truly compelling, driving value at any stage of the customer journey whilst delivering efficiencies for the brand.”

The survey also found that 65% said they would be more likely to visit a dealership if they knew it had an immersive technology experience in place. 

Interestingly, 78% of respondents agreed that the technology would give them a greater connection with a brand, with 48% saying visual quality and interactivity were at the focus of their car buying experience.

Artgole said: “Mediums such as VR and AR allow dealerships to add value and differentiate themselves within the marketplace, creating a new layer of discovery that’s helping to arrest the recent decline in visits from the public.”

“If you’re going to deploy a commercial experience designed to be part of a customer journey, you need to allow the customer to naturally formulate an opinion.

"They need to be able to perceive the product with absolute clarity and react intuitively within the digital space.”