Autocare is a discipline within the automotive industry focussing on the maintenance, repair, and overall upkeep of vehicles. There is a wide range of services designed, to ensure vehicles are performing at their optimum level. In the ambit of automotive maintenance, cleanliness plays a significant role in preserving a vehicle’s integrity and performance. Mohana M, Editor-Clean India Journal interacts with Globe Toyota’s MD & CEO Vivek Datta to understand the ever-evolving landscape of the automobile industry, dealership, technological innovations and practices.
Role of AI
The looming threat of AI taking over human jobs in the digital age is partially unfounded as dealerships will continue to exist, irrespective of the type of vehicles being sold — hydrogen, CNG, EV, diesel, or petrol. AI will enhance customer experience and reduce the workload of staff at dealerships. The lifelines of a dealership are customer experience and satisfaction in both, the online and offline modes. Technology-savvy customers believe in performing their research and leaving a query or clarification that needs an immediate response. This is where AI can help.
Smart Components in Vehicles
Dealers need to keep abreast of the smart components fitted in different vehicles. They must possess the acumen to acknowledge which portions of the component need replacement or repair and whether in part or totality. Such holistic viewing of a vehicle’s performance ensures that the customer’s needs are duly addressed.
Preferences like tea or coffee play a role in building a good rapport with the customer. All staff are keenly involved, right from the security, pantry to the sales officer. All touch points that the customer reaches including the housekeeping staff stationed near the washrooms are critical. This ensures that the customer is well tended to and will return in the future.
Customer preference data must be maintained to ensure that the dealership remains a one-stop shop for all mobility needs.
Green Transportation
Toyota offers hybrid electric vehicles like Hyryder, Hycross, Camry, and Vellfire on the premium market. The technology should be affordable and sustainable. Suitable infrastructure should be in place.
Mass transportation like the electric buses plying across the Delhi-NCR region and other big metros underscore the presence of green transportation. Other alternatives like CNG have better infrastructure spread across the country and thus find more consumers.
Electric vehicles will take some time to gain ground in India. Challenges in terms of the longevity of batteries, frequency of charging stations, and premium prices plague this space. Currently, one has to plan travel time and an electric vehicle may be suitable for use within a city, but intercity travel is not recommended.
Carbon Neutrality
Speaking of the initiatives taken, Globe Toyota engaged in several activities, including solar panels, recycling of water, collaboration with NGOs and underprivileged schools, and plantation drives. Additionally, sewage treatment plants across Globe Toyota’s dealerships, use waterborne paint technologies which emit less carbon. Toyota has a scrappage policy and takes back used cars.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle by Toyota
This type works on both battery and fuel. Regenerative braking technology is used where the battery gets recharged as the driver slows down or applies brakes. There is an inbuilt system to shift between the battery electric power motor and the ICE regular fuel engine.
Hydrogen Fuel Vehicle
Toyota has a hydrogen-fuel vehicle model Mirai. Infrastructure has to be developed for charging hydrogen fuel vehicle batteries. This will result in sales growth for this type of fuel-powered vehicle.
When we discuss road safety or vehicle maintenance, it is the dealer who imparts the necessary knowledge to the buyer, including reduced water consumption to cover EPR. A well-maintained vehicle is more fuel-efficient, facilitates a smoother ride, and retains a higher resale value over time.
