Abstract:
A method of financing the acquisition of an automobile, the method comprising the steps of: (a) from time to time establishing a list of a plurality of automobiles; and (b) selling at least one financial product to a person selected from the group consisting of a potential owner of an automobile on the list and a third party who identifies the potential owner as a beneficiary of the at least one financial product, the at least one financial product having a maturity date later than a date of sale thereof and the financial product having as a condition of sale the requirement for any proceeds thereof on maturity to be used to purchase an automobile then on the list. Preferably, the method further comprises the step of: (c) at the maturity date selling an automobile then on the list to the potential owner, the seller being selected from the group consisting of an automobile manufacturer, a dealer of an automobile manufacturer and an agent of an automobile manufacturer.

Description:
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method of financing the acquisition of an automobile and to a data processing system for implementing such a method. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The purchase of an automobile, in particular a new automobile, constitutes a significant financial investment. Often, the purchase of an automobile represents the second biggest purchase of an individual after the purchase of real estate. A variety of different financial products exists to assist in the purchase of a vehicle. Typically, such financial products require the purchaser of the vehicle to pay back a loan or to lease the vehicle for a period of time after delivery has been taken of the vehicle. Such financial products do not facilitate a potential purchaser of an automobile to save in advance in order to fund the automobile purchase. This disadvantage is a particularly acute for younger purchasers, especially those in the 16 to 25 year old age group. Younger persons are likely to have difficulty entering a loan, lease or other finance agreement on an automobile. Accordingly, people in that age group often find it difficult to purchase a new automobile, or even a pre-owned automobile, meeting certain safety criteria and most particularly having the latest safety features, for example a driver&#39;s air bag, anti-lock brakes, etc. 
     As the number of automobiles on the roads increases, and as the number of younger people driving automobiles increases, there is a continuing growing need for young people to drive safe automobiles, and to be able to finance the purchase of such automobiles. Road traffic accidents amongst drivers of up to 25 years old have enormous socio-economic effects on both local communities and general resources. In some countries, automobiles account for 80% of deaths in the 17 to 25 year old age group. In some countries, the automobile constitutes the most likely instrument of death up to the age of 44. For example, sons in the age group 17 to 25 years old are nine times more likely to crash an automobile than their fathers. In some countries, drivers under the age of 21 are involved in around one quarter of the fatal road crashes occurring every year. Medical trauma as a result of automobile accidents primarily occurs to young people. This is a major cause for taking young people out of their productive years. 
     The average parent spends a significant sum bringing up children and parents are becoming more aware about the health and safety of their children. There is also a growing awareness of the importance of automobile crash performance and safety design in the purchase of automobiles by adults. However, when young people purchase automobiles, crash performance and safety design are unlikely to figure highly in the purchase decision. Often the first automobile purchased by a young person is an older pre-owned vehicle without the latest safety features. Such a purchase decision is typically made not only because of the unavailability of finance but also because of the relative unimportance placed on safety by the young person. 
     There is thus a need in the art for a method for permitting potential owners of automobiles, in particular young people, to be able to acquire new automobiles which are likely to be more safe than pre-owned vehicles, and most particularly have a high safety specification. There is also a need in the art for financial products directed specifically at the acquisition of new automobiles by or for younger persons to enable new automobiles to be more affordable for younger persons. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of financing the acquisition of an automobile, the method comprising the steps of: (a) from time to time establishing a list of a plurality of automobiles; and (b) selling at least one financial product to a person selected from the group consisting of a potential owner of an automobile on the list and a third party who identifies the potential owner as a beneficiary of the at least one financial product, the at least one financial product having a maturity date later than a date of sale thereof and the financial product having as a condition of sale the requirement for any proceeds thereof on maturity to be used to purchase an automobile then on the list. 
     Preferably, the method further comprises the step of: (c) at the maturity date selling an automobile then on the list to the potential owner, the seller being selected from the group consisting of an automobile manufacturer, a dealer of an automobile manufacturer and an agent of an automobile manufacturer. 
     In accordance with the preferred method a purchase scheme and discount club is established to facilitate the acquisition of safe automobiles by or for persons typically in the 16 to 25 years&#39; age range. The members of the club, who are held on a computer database, may comprise the potential owners and the third parties to whom the financial products are sold. 
     The list may be held on a computer database. The list may be updated with newer and/or safer models on a periodic basis, for example annually. Models which are on the list but have been discontinued by the manufacturer may be deleted automatically from the list. 
     Preferably, the list is administered by an administrator which is independent of any particular automobile manufacturer. The list may be established by the administrator or by a third party organisation. The administrator may be a club or association for automobile owners and/or drivers. The third party organisation may be a governmental organisation or agency, for example a government department responsible for automobile safety, or a non-governmental organisation or agency, such as a consumers&#39; organisation or an automobile testing organisation. The third party organisation may alternatively be a trade association of automobile manufacturers. 
     The administrator may sell financial products direct to the said person. Alternatively, the administrator may authorise at least one financial products provider to sell financial products to the said person. The financial products may be sold through third party agents of the administrator and/or of the financial services provider. The financial products may comprise insurance policies, investments, saving schemes, mutual funds, stocks and/or bonds. The financial products may be funded through a lump sum payment and/or periodic payments, such as monthly premiums. 
     The administrator may also sell other financial products and/or other services, or may authorise the sale of other financial products and other services, by third parties, to the said person. Those other financial products and services may be supplied at a price which is lower-than the price available to people other than those persons. 
     The automobile seller may provide to the administrator an undertaking to sell the automobile on the list at a price set by a predetermined formula, for example a pre-set percentage or dollar amount discount on the manufacturer&#39;s recommended or normal retail price for the automobile at the maturity date. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram representing a method of financing the purchase of an automobile in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with the method of the invention a list  2  of automobiles meeting safety performance, and also optionally cost, criteria is established. The list is held on a computer database  3  for processing and storing data. The list  2  constitutes a table of safe cars which at any given time would include a number of different automobile models available from a variety of different automobile manufacturers. Typically, the list  2  would comprise automobile models from ten manufacturers of basic or family automobiles together with models from three manufacturers of luxury automobiles. However, the list  2  may have a greater or smaller number of automobiles from more or fewer manufacturers. The list  2  may be updated with newer and/or safer models on a periodic basis, for example annually. Models which are on the list  2  but have been discontinued by the manufacturer may be deleted automatically from the list  2 . 
     The list  2  is maintained and administered by an administrator  4  which is independent of any particular automobile manufacturer in order to establish and maintain credibility in an independent list  2  in the mind of potential purchasers. Typically, the administrator  4  is a club for automobile owners and drivers. The administrator  4  may however be a trade association of automobile manufacturers. The administrator  4  of the list  2  establishes and maintains the list  2  on the computer database  3  based on information on the cost and safety performance of automobiles. Typically, the information is received from an independent organisation  6 . The independent organisation  6  may be a governmental or non-governmental agency or organisation, consumers&#39; association or automobile testing organisation which is independent of any automobile manufacturers. The list  2  has a safety standard which is created by compiling an inventory of features which would tend to enhance the safety of young drivers. The list  2  is derived from the safety standard by periodic testing of automobiles to determine the extent to which they comply with the safety standard. 
     The administrator  4  provides that financial products and automobile-related products and services are supplied to persons designated generally as  8 . The persons  8  may be a group of individuals or alternatively a club with individuals as members of the club. The group or club  8  is divided into potential automobile owners or purchasers  10  and/or a third parties  12  who are related to or otherwise personally associated with a respective potential automobile owner  10 . For example, the third party  12  may be a parent or grandparent of the potential owner  10 . In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment, the potential owner  10  is up to  25  years old. 
     The administrator  4  may in one embodiment sell one or more financial products  14  directly to the persons  8 . Additionally or alternatively the administrator  4  may licence one or more third parties  16  to sell one or more financial products  18  to the persons  8 . In each case, the financial products  14 , 18  may include insurance policies, investments, saving schemes, mutual funds, stocks and/or bonds. The financial products  14 , 18  are paid into a fund  19  established under a financial product plan for the later purchase of an automobile. The fund  19  may be recorded on a computer database  27  for processing and storing data. Each financial product  14 , 18  is provided with a designated maturity date which is later than the date of sale thereof to the persons  8 . Optionally, the financial products  14 , 18  are sold through agents  20 , 21  such as insurance brokers, independent financial advisors, accountants or retail outlets for financial products. The financial products may be purchased in a single initial lump sum payment, or periodic (i.e. monthly or annual) premiums, optionally in conjunction with an initial lump sum payment. A final “top up” lump sum payment may be made to ensure that the final value of the fund  19  is sufficient to purchase the desired automobile. 
     Each person  8  to whom the financial product  14 , 18  is sold is accordingly designated as an owner or policy holder of the financial product  14 , 18 . The potential purchaser  10  of the automobile is either the owner or policy holder of the financial product  14 , 18 , or alternatively is a named beneficiary of the financial product  14 , 18  which has been sold to the third party  12 . When the persons  8  are constituted as a club  8 , either the administrator  4  or a separate administrative body  23  licensed by the administrator  4  may provide the members of the club  8  with information and/or correspondence of interest to club members which relates to automobile products and services and to the administration and development of the club  8 . 
     Each financial product  14 , 18  has as a condition of sale thereof (as a contractual term or condition either in a main contract or in an accompanying rider or supplementary contract) the requirement for any proceeds of the financial product  14 , 18  on maturity at the maturity date to be used to purchase an automobile  25  which, at the maturity date, is on the list  2 . However, a clause in the conditions of the financial product plan may provide that if the potential owner  10  is certified as being medically unfit to drive, then the fund  19  may be liquidated and used for other purposes. Alternatively, such a clause may provide for medical expenses. 
     Accordingly, at the maturity date the potential owner  10  of the automobile  25 , who is either the owner of the financial products  14 , 18  or a named beneficiary of the financial products  14 , 18  under the policy, is required to purchase from an automobile seller  24  an automobile selected from the list  2 . The automobile seller  24  may be constituted by an automobile manufacturer  26 , an authorised dealer  28  of an automobile manufacturer or an authorised agent  30  of an automobile manufacturer. The automobile manufacturer  26 , authorised dealer  28 , or authorised agent  30  has previously undertaken to the administrator  4 , either directly, or indirectly through the automobile manufacturer  26  in the case of an authorised dealer  28  or an authorised agent  30 , to sell any automobile  25  on the list  2  at a purchase price which is lower than a price available to people other than persons  8 . Thus the administrator  4  for the list  2 , when establishing the list  2  and when adding new automobiles to the list  2  upon input from the independent organisation  6 , receives from the automobile manufacturer  26 , as a condition of the automobile manufacturer&#39;s vehicle going on the list  2 , an agreement to sell vehicles at the respective maturity dates at a discount. The discount may be for example a pre-set percentage or dollar amount discount on the manufacturer&#39;s recommended or normal retail price for the automobile at the maturity date. In other words, the automobile manufacturer  26  sells automobiles  25  to members of the club  8  at pre-determined discounted prices which are not available to non-members. The automobile manufacturer  26  may also offer the purchaser discounts on other related goods and services provided by the manufacturer  26 . 
     The administrator  4  may also sell at a discount directly to the persons  8  other automobile-related products and/or services  32 . Additionally or alternatively the administrator  4  may licence third party companies  34  to sell other automobile-related products and/or services  36  to the persons  8 . Details of the companies  34  may be recorded as data on a computer database  37  for processing and storing data, thereby establishing a discount supplier club. Such automobile-related products may comprise safety items such as childrens&#39; car seats, harnesses and restraints, fire extinguishers and fire resistant rugs, or promotional goods such as toys, books, video cassettes, etc. The goods may also comprise life-style goods such as mobile phones, clothing, sunglasses, etc. The automobile-related products may, for example, also comprise products required for maintaining and running an automobile, for example tires, automobile spare parts, gasoline and motor oil. The automobile-related services may, for example, include garage works or services, driving lessons and safety checks. The services may, for example, also include automobile insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, and motor vehicle recovery services. 
     After purchase of the automobile  25 , the owner  10  of the automobile  25  may continue to be a member of the club  8  and receive the discounted products and services  32 , 36 . This is particularly important for younger drivers, for example up to 25 years old, since it improves access to safety products and services at lower cost than would otherwise be available. 
     The method of the invention has a number of benefits over known methods for financing the purchase of automobiles. 
     The method allows the purchaser to purchase an automobile which is a tangible, high value product with defrayed costs at a low price. The financing of the automobile may be established over a long period of time before actual purchase of the automobile. This enables an automobile to be purchased at a lower cost than is currently available for finance schemes established at the time of purchase of a vehicle. The financial product established to purchase the automobile may provide additional tax efficient savings. 
     The establishment of a list of safe cars in accordance with the invention also encourages persons to buy safer automobiles. Accordingly, at the maturity date the purchaser is able to buy an automobile having state of the art safety performance which is so essential to protect the inexperienced driver. 
     The method also provides to a purchaser of an automobile, financial savings on automobile-related products and services, particularly those related to safety. This is particularly important for young drivers. 
     The method also enables relatives, for example parents and grandparents, of young drivers or potential drivers to create a responsible and yet desirable gift for their children and grandchildren to facilitate the purchase of an automobile. This permits a saving scheme for an automobile to be established over a long period of time using money which otherwise would be spent on gifts which are often discarded or become worthless or obsolete. The method of the invention also enables purchasers, particularly young purchasers, to buy newer, safer cars. This is important for protecting the safety of inexperienced drivers. This in turn enables relatives of younger drivers, particularly parents and grandparents, to have piece of mind in that they have contributed financially to the purchase of a safe automobile for their offspring. The method may also provide mandatory driving classes for young drivers. 
     The method of the invention also has benefits for automobile manufacturers by establishing customer loyalty and tie-in to brands of potential purchasers at an early age. The establishment of a club of future automobile owners can provide for the automobile manufacturers, their dealers and agents, and other suppliers of automobile-related products and services, a ready-made mailing list which provides access not only to prospective automobile purchasers but also to their immediate family and friends. The establishment of a safe-automobile league gives an incentive to automobile manufacturers to design and sell safer automobiles, particularly for meeting the needs of younger drivers. 
     The inclusion of any given automobile in a “safe auto league” provides marketing benefits to the automobile manufacturer. The automobile manufacturers and suppliers of other automobile-related products and services, particularly those relating to safety, have an opportunity to develop further safety-related products and services for sale to members of the club. The establishment of a club of prospective automobile purchasers also provides the automobile manufacturer with a future order book extending over a long period of time. This enhances the value of a company and assists the projection of automobile sales into the future. 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention can provide a loyalty/safety generating, high profile, low cost, automobile saving scheme that appeals to a wide cross section of the population and provides a safe but attractive benefit to automobile drivers who are, for example, up to 25 years old.