# The Advancement of Virtual Reality in Automotive Market Research: Challenges and Opportunities
## 1 Introduction  
Virtual Reality (VR) has been one of the trendiest technologies in the Industry 4.0 scenario. VR is defined as \"a computer-generated digital environment that can be experienced and interacted with as if it were real\" [1]. As a result of the decreasing cost of hardware and software, as well as the wide range of applications, VR technology has economic promise, and companies are investigating innovative approaches. Immersive technology usage is increasing in a variety of fields, including education [2], healthcare [3, 4], and construction [5]. Regarding the automobile market, the growth of VR applications is expected to be exponential in the coming years [6]. Automakers are using VR technology in manufacturing analysis [7], product development, dealer training, ergonomics evaluation, and customer engagement, among other applications. Automakers conduct experiments with end consumers to learn about their opinions, preferences, and propensity for future purchases. These surveys, known as car clinics, deliver detailed customer feedback and insights to Marketing, Engineering, and Design departments [8]. Car clinics take place in a salon, where automakers display four to eight competing brands and models to customers. Assessments can be quantitative, in which enormous amounts of data are collected via questionnaires, or qualitative, in which customers are encouraged to express impressions based on close observation. The qualitative method iscarried out in a small focus group, with a facilitator who leads participants in gathering answers on the study aim. Respondents may experience the vehicle's external and interior design, as well as compare content, at static automobile clinics. Participants are chosen based on a profile, which is often related to purchasing intentions. Surveys are generally conducted using static full-scale physical models of the end product being studied to provide respondents with a closer approach to the final product. Vehicle size and appearance are key factors influencing customer product demands and purchasing decisions; thus, customer perception of in-scale items is critical for study in the automobile industry. Prototypes are utilized for cars in the development phase, whereas production vehicles might be used for comparison. Such prototypes are built using specific manufacturing methods and need a large amount of labor from a skilled team. This comes at a high cost and requires careful planning during the automotive product development process. Despite the numerous contemporary Virtual Reality applications in the automotive sector, there are still few VR applications that support the experiences of end automobile customers during the early product development phase. Ref. [9] identified various VR applications in the automobile industry, but they only investigated employees who are current or likely automaker users, not end automotive customers. Ref. [10] observed that the automotive industry exposes its products to customers in a virtual environment but not during the product production phase. In the pre-purchase phase, automotive apps use Virtual Reality or augmented reality, such as advertising personalization based on face expression, car visualization, virtual racing tracking experience, and virtual tour of the car. The authors also noted that automotive organizations may use virtual technologies to improve consumer experiences in-store or on-premises. Despite research indicating the value of Virtual Reality with customers in the automotive industry, Virtual Reality with consumers has been restricted in the product development phase. Customers are more demanding and thirstier for new products, and market volume potential, fragmented automotive marketplaces, and other reasons have raised pressure on automakers to improve time to market with more accurate product definition. Virtual Reality is important in marketing research since it reduces expenses and improves product development timing.