The auto industry is one of the sectors affected the hardest by the pandemic. Several people decided not to buy cars in 2020 since they were no longer a priority now that they were indoors all day and could only leave the house for essentials. The world market for light vehicles is predicted to increase by 14.6% in 2021 and to revert to 2019 levels by 2023.Electric, autonomous, shared, connected, and yearly updated are the five keywords of the automobile industry that describe the car of the future, abbreviated as EASCY. Companies are capitalising on the automobile industry’s shift by sponsoring influencers who will discuss their latest models, particularly electric cars.
What Kinds of Cars Are Customers Purchasing?
About 16% of financed vehicles in Q2 2020 were full-size pickup trucks, reclaiming their position as the preferred vehicle of American customers as the pandemic unfolded.
Buying a car is a big investment, but automaker incentives like decreased borrowing rates and rebate programs certainly contributed to this trend. Yet, tastes have changed again as the year has gone on.
A quarter of all financed cars were small sport utility vehicles (SUVs), citing Experian’s quarterly analysis of the automotive finance market.
They are next trailed by full-size pickup trucks (14.61 %) and mid-size SUVs (24.15%). It will be interesting to monitor how customer tastes change over the next few months in the face of dwindling incentives.
The increased loan amounts were a direct result of consumer preferences. Even with incentives, the reasons for the rise in loan amounts become more transparent when broken down into the most popular car types.
An increase of about £2,000 from Q3 2022’s average loan amount of £28,400 means that new loans are now at £34,600. The average loan for a used vehicle is now £21,438, a rise of £945 from a year ago.
Some consumers have returned to the used vehicle market as the reduction in incentives and the resulting increase in the cost of buying a new car have prompted them to reconsider their options.
At Auto Genie, we make it easy for you to purchase the car of your dreams and specify the maximum amount of money you wish to spend.
Customers Prefer Longer Repayment Terms.
Surprisingly, given the massive increase in the typical loan amount, the typical monthly payment increased just £11 to £563.
Consumers witnessed a similar trend in the used market, with the average monthly payment for a used vehicle increasing by only £6, to £397, compared to the previous year. Many attribute this to people’s continued preference for lengthier borrowing terms.
The typical financing period for a brand-new car increased. About half of all car loans are for 73 months or less, while nearly a third are for 84 months or more. The extension of loan periods and the reduction in interest rates helped make consumers’ monthly auto payments more bearable.
Consumers’ requirements and preferences will continue developing as we progress in recovery. What effects would automakers’ reduced incentives have on buyers’ decisions?
While the months and years ahead are fraught with uncertainty, businesses that keep tabs on emerging trends will be in a stronger position to assist customers in sticking to their spending plans and reducing portfolio risk.
Consumer Automotive Trends Are Constantly Changing.
Shoppers are returning to the car market. Those who already have automobiles rely more on them to keep safe distances, which is not always a sign that more people are buying cars. This year, the demand for used automobiles has grown for the same reason.
Also, it’s becoming more likely that some individuals will move out to the suburbs because they can only see themselves once living in the city, with the rising cost of living and the growing number of people who expect to work from home permanently.
Public transportation is less reliable outside of major cities; thus, this trend may push the soon-to-be ex-urbanites in that direction. In regions that have not yet achieved “peak car,” personal vehicles remain the primary mode of transportation. Like most major cities, other options become more important when the road network is overburdened.
Consumers’ habits and anticipations vary widely. It has been widely reported that younger people are losing interest in owning cars. Despite assumptions to the contrary, our survey data shows that customers’ life stages, not their ages, are the most telling indicator of their level of interest.
Seventy-six percent of urban millennial parents think having a car is very important because it’s the only way to get everyone where they need to be on time.
They are in a tough spot because they care about the environment but also need to take care of their kids daily, and they don’t have a good reason or a workable replacement for driving.
While the car’s status symbol appeal has waned, its value as a user-experience-based solution that relies heavily on digital elements has increased.
Since digital technologies are influencing mobility experience and even innovation in transport modes and services, this leads us to another fascinating factor that is vital in molding customers’ relationship with future automobiles: their tech involvement and interest.
List of 10 Trending Keywords in the Automotive Market
Rapid growth in the market share of electric vehicles is anticipated during the next few years. While electricity is generated using fossil fuels, electric vehicles have several benefits, including reduced pollution, lower repair bills, and fewer failures.
Vehicles that can function without a driver’s input are of particular interest. More than 33 million autonomous vehicles are expected on the road by 2040, and over 55% of small firms want to implement autonomous driving technologies within the next two decades.
The trend toward “using” rather than “owning” a car is gaining popularity. There are two main categories of shared mobility: carsharing, in which members pick up and drop off cars at designated spots owned by the service, and ride-hailing, in which individuals book individual rides through digital means (typically mobile apps) and drop-off and pick up at their convenience.
Several social media profiles, from those reporting on current events to those showcasing their collections, center their communication around autos. The need is there, and established artists are beginning to make their mark.
Two distinct forms of interconnection exist. Car2Car communication, in which automobiles stay connected to share data on traffic, accidents, road conditions, and other concerns to keep drivers safe; and Car2X connectivity, which describes the synchronization between a vehicle and the infrastructure already present on the roads (such as signs, cameras, radars, sensors, or traffic signals) to enhance road conditions and lessen hazards.
If the above suggestions are implemented, the automobile sector will experience a surge in creativity. Hence, model upgrades might go from every 5–8 years to once a year, incorporating the most recent advances in hardware and software.
Misinformation and a lack of information are two major factors slowing the adoption of electric vehicles. Convincing window shoppers to make purchases can be facilitated by publishing informative content on social media.
Purchasing automobiles online may become the norm without ever setting foot in a dealership. The predictions say this might occur in 2030.
If you want to reach more people and have a bigger impact on your brand’s message, it’s important to be present on several platforms and flexible enough to respond to each.
Thus, it is important to create engaging and interactive content for Instagram, informative videos for YouTube, and conversational material for Twitter to reach the target demographics effectively.
It’s already possible to buy cars with cryptocurrency. The fact that Tesla now accepts Bitcoin as payment has increased attention on both electric automobiles and digital currencies.
Two months after its announcement, environmental concerns caused the program to be put on hold. Still, enthusiasm remains high, and it seems likely that Bitcoin vehicle sales will continue once a more sustainable scenario is realized.
New concepts and gamification models- actual games or game-like car controllers- are expanding video games into the automotive business.
Many companies are “transforming” their vehicles so gamers can operate their games with dashboard screens, steering wheels, and pedals. Tesla’s Beach Buggy Racing 2 and Mercedes-SuperTuxKart Benz is two such titles.
The automotive industry talks a lot about Porsche, Bugatti, and Ferrari, which rank among the top brands regarding interaction value. When discussing electric vehicles and high-end automobiles, Tesla naturally sticks out.
Even though the United States is the largest market for luxury vehicles, sales are likely to fall. While sales are predicted to rise in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region is believed to remain the industry’s dominant market because of its abundance of large-scale producers.
Influencers are a powerful tool for tapping into the proactive dialogue that users have generated around the automotive sector. Working with influencers may increase the visibility of your business, spread the word about your latest offerings, get people talking about your company online, and more.