Honda Cars India Introduces Direct Connect Platform For Real-Time Car Exploration

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) already has a virtual showroom setup in place, in India. It has now been enhanced with the addition of a new Direct Connect interface. It uses real-time cloud visualiser technology to let the customers explore the car in detail. Initially, this interface will be available only for the Honda Elevate SUV.  It will later be extended to other models as well. Honda currently sells the Amaze, 5th generation City, City eHEV, and the Elevate here.

Honda Direct Connect architecture, essentially a customer-facing platform, ensures a real-time and seamless virtual experience during one’s car exploration. Users will be able to interact with the system with minimal latency in their car shopping journey. They will also interact with an expert in real-time, to know the vehicle in detail. These experts will be committed to explaining and describing the car (in this case, the Elevate) and everything it packs.

They will also clear any confusion pertaining to variants and help choose the best variant for the buyer. They will further help with speccing the car with the apt accessories and generating the final price estimate. Getting all these done through a hassle-free digital experience is going to benefit the customer in the long run, and could also help generate a warm bond between him and the dealer.

The Direct Connect platform has a photorealistic view of the Elevate SUV. Users will be able to interact with it seamlessly. They will be able to change the exterior colour, explore and simulate features, and try speccing the car with official Honda accessories.

Direct Connect allows him to see how the finished product would look. The customer can also book test drives through the platform and even choose the dealer of their preference. This platform, thus makes the whole car-shopping journey a lot smoother than before.

Honda is, however, not the first manufacturer to integrate seamless virtual journies into their customer experiences. Similar tech and solutions from brands like Citroen, Kia and Mercedes-Benz have created headlines in the post-pandemic era.

Honda Elevate SUV Is Fairly Popular!

The Elevate is a highly sought-after Honda of the day. It is loved for its sturdy design, comfort offered and the space inside the cabin. Key exterior highlights include a large front grille, LED headlights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The ground clearance is a good 220mm and the SUV has a boot space of 458 liters.

Notable features on the inside are an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rearview camera, and a digital instrument cluster. Six airbags are offered as standard. Other safety features include ABS with EBD, hill-start assist, vehicle stability assist, and ADAS.

The SUV draws its juice from a refined 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine. This engine produces 121 PS of power and 145 Nm of torque and has its roots in the Honda City. Customers can choose between a 6-speed manual transmission and a CVT automatic gearbox. The automatic, in particular, is great to drive in cities.