Hyundai has announced a new partnership with Amazon to create a digital car showroom where prospective customers can experience all aspects of shopping for a new car fully online.Describing it as “a whole new car buying experience” Hyundai aims to make buying their cars as “enjoyable as driving one.” Although you cannot complete the purchase on Amazon directly customers can compare models, read reviews, book test drives and also learn more about how Amazon Alexa is becoming an integrated experience across the range.

In a recent press statement Dean Evans, CMO, Hyundai Motor America said “The car industry is changing, and customer demands and expectations around a frictionless, efficient and transparent experience are key drivers,” adding that this extends the promised overhaul of the current buying experience with their expansion of an internet sales model called “Click to Buy”.“Hyundai Shopper Assurance was just the first step in modernizing the way people shop for and buy cars. We are excited to continue improving the automotive retail experience by offering tools and access that make shopping for a car even easier.” said Evans.

One Click Car Shopping?

In 2016 Hyundai launched Click to Buy, a complete end-to-end digital car showroom experience where customers could configure available models, complete the purchase and take delivery of their new car without visiting the dealer network. The experience was completely overhauled in April 2018 where customers are now able to select their nearest Hyundai dealer online, configure any one of the company’s cars to their personal tastes, tailor finance options before any dealer discounts are applied, then finalise the deal and make the purchase.

Hyundai’s UK CEO, Tony Whitehorn, said “I expect to be able to get my car online, today”, and this digital car showroom experience was Hyundai’s answer, although he stressed that this did not spell the end of the 165 retail dealers across the UK, stating that they remained an integral part of the overall buying process.

Alexa, Start The Engine

Creating a new digital car showroom experience is not the end of the Amazon partnership. Enabled by what Hyundai calls “Blue Link ” new owners who also have an Amazon Alexa smart speaker in their home, can ask the AI assistant to perform a number of requests; Remote Start, Set the desired interior cabin temperature, Remote Lock/Unlock, Remote Start Charge/Stop Charge, Remote Horn & Lights and more using a downloadable Alexa Skill.

The Virtual Showroom Experience

Hyundai is not the first to overhaul the car buying experience through the inclusion of new technologies. Last year Audi introduced Virtual Reality across their showrooms in partnership with Oculus Rift, allowing customers to configure their new car and become completely immersed in a detailed and personalised virtual environment before making the final purchase decision.

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