It will soon be possible to trade your car in for a new model or check its maintenance status while cruising along the road.
Autobytel.com - which claims to control nearly 50% of all online car-buying in the US - has announced a new service giving wireless and handheld computer users access to their vehicle`s service and maintenance records whenever and wherever they want. Linked to this is Autobytel.com on the Road, which delivers car buying, personalised content and interactive applications through AvantGo (www.avantgo.com/channels), which is a free mobile Internet service.
Users of Palm and Windows CE handheld devices - and soon Internet-enabled phone users - will be able to access the services through a wireless Internet connection or by downloading the pages via a link to their desktop systems. In addition to conducting vehicle research and purchasing a new or used car, consumers will also be able to track a vehicle`s maintenance needs and its service history from the palm of their hand.
A claimed more than 1.3 million people are already registered with Autobytel.com and the partnership with AvantGo gives access to a rapidly growing audience of millions of handheld users.
Autobytel claims to have become the sixth largest generator of car sales in the US (behind GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota and Honda). The JD Power and Associates survey last August indicated that Autobytel.com accounts for 45% of all new vehicles sold through an online service.
Palm users will have access to Autobytel.com`s Your Garage service of personalised pages featuring information about their vehicles which could include data on recalls and general service needs.
The AvantGo mobile Internet service provides free interactive and personalised content and applications to people with handheld devices based on the Palm and Windows CE platforms, as well as Internet-enabled phones. Using a wireless, real-time connection or via desktop synchronisation, AvantGo users can access the entire Web directly from their mobile devices. They can also select from over 350 content channels that have been optimised for the small screen.
Optimised channels include car buying, up-to-date news, stock quotes, flight schedules, movie listings, restaurant reviews, maps, weather and other services from content provider partners. The free mobile Internet service is not available in many countries yet - find details at www.avantgo.com
These new services for motorists and the motor business will be featured in a special session at the 2000 CAR Conference at Auto Africa being staged during the international motor show in Johannesburg on 25 October.
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