India’s auto-components industry is expected to reach US$ 200 billion by FY26. Auto-components industry accounts for 2.3% of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs as many as 1.5 million people directly and indirectly. India’s premier roadside assistance major AUTO i CARE has forayed into after-sales car repair space, with the launch of an upgraded platform that would aggregate a network of franchised and non-franchised car repair and service workshops from across the country. The soon to be launched aggregator platform is a menu card with the widest dealership network, that brings together the classic ‘3S’ – ‘Service, Spares and Sales’ in a comprehensive online bazaar format. This multi-car service concept will connect to all major cities across the country in the first phase.
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Road Side Assistance on the highway by AUTO i CARE
“The idea is to complement all the auto sector offerings on a single platform. Considering that it is a crowded space, we thought an aggregation model would be a better way forward,” shared Sagar Joshi Founder AUTO i CARE. He further added, “In the history of India’s automotive industry, 2020 was one of the most challenging. The intermittent lockdowns under the COVID-19 pandemic and the supply and demand disruptions across geographies and in several sectors of the economy in the first half of FY21 led to a decline of close to 40%* in overall automobile industry sales. In a country, where purchasing a car is still considered a luxury, consumers are always on the lookout for the best deal in terms of car servicing and maintenance, comparing the costs of spare parts and more, post purchase. But now, we are ready with a one-stop shop for all these hassles with a bouquet of options from branded service stations to affiliated car service junctions on AUTO i CARE app & website.”
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Team AUTO i CARE
The company will be introducing a first-of-its-kind upgrade on mobile app and website which will alert the consumers about price comparisons from various car service options for any brand of vehicle. The customized application will help in connecting consumers with the right kind of car maintenance service. “We have been spearheading innovation by embracing technologies such as artificial intelligence to continually improve the customer experience. Our aim is to offer our customers the guarantee and booking of services from the comfort of their homes. Taking it a step further, AUTO i CARE will cater to all aspects of the aftersales value chain consequently turning into real-time, all access channels, and spanning the digital platforms. We aim to disrupt the exorbitantly priced system of spare parts & accessories, meeting quality standards, thus aiding convenience will lessen the stress on the consumers and give them the best offers at their fingertips,” adds Sagar Joshi.
“About 60% of the service providers in top tier cities fall under the unorganized sector. There is a huge need to overhaul and organize this market to get better quality service and vehicular efficiency. The new features for end customers shall include discovering best deals, doorstep delivery, live service updates, convenience and transparency,” he shares. The app will allow customers to compare and book nearest services, give 24/7 live updates to customers, find nearest e-charging stations amongst other services, follow-up, and confirm payments via the app and more.
The platform also has been providing employment opportunities to thousands of local garages & mechanics during pandemic. The app also supported emergency and essential vehicles such as ambulances, police vehicles, etc across top metro cities during lockdown.
The app had recently raised an undisclosed amount from a consortium of angel investors at pre-series A funding stage. “The company would continue to invest in expanding its operations and the network of our stand-alone service stations as well,” shares The Founder Sagar Joshi.
Conceptualized in 2015, by Sagar Joshi who is an automobile engineer, AUTO i CARE is bringing the unregimented and unorganized Road Side Assistance market under one umbrella to provide travelers with assistance within 20 mins. AUTO i CARE is affiliated with 55000+ local garages and mechanics which cover 2,28,000 kms on 238 highways and reaching out to nearly 1100 cities and towns in India. AUTO i CARE has 2 affiliated garages every 10 kms putting them in the right position to help travelers at short notice. The app helps the customers with their planned car servicing as well as unplanned car troubles. With the new upgrade, consumers will be able to choose from the various options like company service center, authorized service centers, multi car service centers and nearby local garages anywhere in the country.
