Automotive Marketing Research and Virtual Reality: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) is becoming a fast-growing technology and has been applied and studied in several fields in different ways. Nowadays, the quality of VR hardware and software provide the possibility to replace physical analysis in industry. In the automotive business, it has been used in product development by engineers and designers in the last years and further applications are being explored. Research has shown that VR application may reduce development cost and improve timing to market for new vehicles. This study aims to identify opportunities and limitations to apply VR in automotive product development marketing research. Based on a systematic review of the literature related to VR application on automotive business and in marketing research the results indicated that there are opportunities for this application such as cost reduction, proximity to customers, flexibility in interactions, model transportations avoidance, model complexity analysis, as well as limitations such as depth and haptic perception, motion tracking, lack of physical collision, color and texture definition, sound feedback, lack of product interaction and manipulation, visual spatial, graphic quality, gesture recognition, intuitiveness, customer aging, cybersecurity and cybersickness. On this basis, it is identified that VR in automotive product development marketing research may be used but considerations such as hardware and software definition, stimulus quality, research objectives, Mixed Reality applicability among others, must be taken in account. Further research is needed to identify other factors that could strengthen the effectiveness of this application in the sector.