Your path to insights from the Chinese automotive industry

Dialog with our local partners in China – Part 3: Virtual Car Clinics

Virtual Car Clinics (VR Clinics) have been the buzzword for market researchers in China since 2019. With the help of VR technologies, market researchers can now test various scenarios in different environments faster and more spontaneously. Today, we want to give you an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of conducting studies in VR Clinics in China.

What is a Virtual Car Clinic?

A Virtual Car Clinic is used to evaluate participants‘ perceptions, experiences, and preferences on specific vehicle-related research topics. They use stereoscopic imagery and 3D technology to give participants a seemingly real experience of interacting with cars without the presence of a physical vehicle.

The advantages and disadvantages of Virtual Car Clinics

Advantages

Immediate testing of various functions and the design of the car (e.g., colors, rims, etc.), which is an immense effort in a real study.
Can be combined with eye tracking.
Can be linked to future in-vehicle AR/VR applications for testing.
Lower cost to transfer VR equipment to China than to transfer car models.
Easy to maintain safe distance in a Corona-compliant environment.

Disadvantages

Currently not suitable for geospatial and touch-sensitive research topics.
Costly data transfer and approval process.

Conclusion:

Therefore, it is important for you to first consider your research topics and areas before deciding whether VR Car Clinics is the best approach for your study. However, you should keep in mind that it is definitely a widely available option in China. If you have any questions, we would be happy to help and advise you!

In the fourth and final part of our brief series, we’ll take a look at specific research phenomena in China during Corona times. Stay tuned and see you soon!