Online car purchases will start to gather pace

Chinese consumers have the greatest interest in online car purchases, according to a survey by Accenture.

The survey of 10,000 customers in eight countries showed that 75 percent of the drivers polled would consider conducting the entire car-buying process online.

Chinese respondents showed the strongest interest in buying a new car online, with 92 percent saying that they had done so or would consider it.

By contrast, drivers in Japan expressed the least interest: 80 percent of Japanese respondents said they would rule out such a buying option.

The survey also found that 80 percent of drivers seeking to purchase a new vehicle are using some form of digital technology to research their buying preferences, including consulting social media channels, before entering a dealership.

In addition to China and Japan, the survey's respondents came from the United States, Italy, France, Germany and India.