The Changing Relationship Between Customers and Vehicles

An interview with Alain Nana-Sinkam, senior vice president of business development at TrueCar

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Manufacturing the vehicles customers want

When Tesla recently announced features it was dropping from its latest batch of Model 3s, the company revealed that vehicle log data had shown consumers were not using these features. Such data will clearly alter how manufacturers match what consumers are looking for with the cars they build, according to Nana-Sinkam. In the past, companies tried to solve this problem by providing a complicated set of options and customizations for consumers ordering vehicles. 

Now manufacturers can see which features customers find most attractive in real time and not waste time and money adding features that will go unused. Manufacturers could also provide customers the option of unlocking features they want long after purchasing the vehicle.

Personalizing vehicles through software

Particularly in urban environments, connectivity has aided vehicle mobility services that permit consumers to access vehicles when needed. Fleet operators can better serve consumers’ specific needs by providing customization options that were not previously available. Consumers could order not only the vehicle they want but also adjust settings such as favorite radio stations or environmental control preferences before they even reach the vehicle. 

In addition, fleet operators can use connectivity to deploy resources more intelligently, from anticipating the times of day and even year when demand will emerge to the types of vehicles to deploy in different areas.

Removing complexity for the customer

Car buying can be complicated, and it is growing even more so with the emergence of electric vehicles. One of the biggest opportunities will be developing platforms that translate customers’ needs into features they may not fully understand. Nana-Sinkam believes that, in the future, the options on a dealer’s site, such as SUV versus convertible, color options or even mileage, will be replaced with systems that narrow down the search based on criteria such as preapproved credit and daily commute. The emphasis will be on personalization and making the experience as seamless as possible.