New Tool Helps to Predict Vehicle Demand

In the US, retail consulting firm Urban Science has launched AutoClarity, a forecasting tool that uses the collective intelligence gathered from auto dealership staff to guide decisions on new-vehicle sales and incentives.

Detroit-based Urban Science analyzes market and consumer data using a combination of analytics and proprietary software, to help automotive and retail clients plan, define and measure performance, and develop sales and marketing programs.

AutoClarity offers a web-based poll through which auto industry dealership managers, manufacturers, field personnel and salespeople can estimate how many vehicles are likely to sell in a particular region.

It can then be used to provide the right mix of vehicles with features such as DVD players or heated seats; and to target incentives only to regions where it's predicted they are needed.

'When preparing for a new-vehicle launch, automakers don't have historical data, so instead they rely on only a couple of company insiders to do the forecast,' says Global Practice Director Mitch Phillips. 'AutoClarity represents an opportunity for automakers to collaborate with their dealers, listen to their employees' points of view and leverage regional knowledge to predict customer preferences and new-car demand.'

Web site: www.urbanscience.com .