Posted by Do you dread sifting through volumes of information in your driver’s manual to find out what that little symbol or warning light means on your dashboard? Audi has made an app to change all this. No more turning pages or tedious searches. Audi boasts that their new app allows drivers to “read their car.”
While automakers keep seeking ways to ease our driving experience, vehicles keep growing more complex. So does the content of owner’s manuals. It’s not surprising Audi’s research shows only one in four Audi drivers ever consult their manual. Users see it as a time consuming and too often futile effort if they don’t find what they’re looking for.
That’s why the car manufacturer teamed up with PR agency, Ogilvy, and computervision tech developer Roboflow, to create a virtual manual that simplifies the entire process. Aptly named Audi Reader, drivers simply point their phone camera at any visible object in the car and instantly access everything they need to know in their “virtual manual.”
Audi’s R&D also revealed that 68 percent of Audi drivers are unfamiliar with many of their car’s features. Audi hopes their app will help bolster consumer awareness and satisfaction with luxury features by instantly explaining what they do and how they work, so drivers can be more in love with their car.
“Our goal with Audi Reader was to simplify the driver’s interaction with their vehicle,” said Lorezno Spadoni, Innovation and Technology Partner at Ogilvy in Barcelona. “We applied artificial vision to transform the complexity of the manual into an intuitive and instantly accessible experience.”
The app was developed with object recognition technology, courtesy of collaboration with Roboflow, a startup who specializes in artificial vision. The app utilizes more than 10,000 images from 27 different Audi models, labels each component, and links it to the owner’s manual.
Audi is hoping to deliver a superior customer service experience, too. Drivers can use the app to chat with their aftersales advisor, make a service appointment, or even seek roadside assistance. The brand hopes to reinforce its connection between customers and Audi by providing an integrated, convenient service experience.
“Innovation not only applies to technology, but also to how we connect with our customers,” explained Emma Castells, Audi CRM and BI Manager. The app was developed in Spain and has not yet gone live in the US.
Audi is hoping to combine easily accessible technology with convenience to keep current users loyal and entice new ones to their brand. Will the investment play out for Audi? Read more here and here.