Mobile web trumps online in search for new auto

Consumers may not be buying autos with their mobile devices, at least not yet, but they are using them to research models prior to purchase.

Visitors to online auto websites grew 30% year on year but visitors to mobile versions of those sites grew more than 15 times that - 463% year on year, according to Jumptap.

Edmunds.com was found to be the most-accessed auto site on the mobile web, with just over 17% of mobile consumers who access auto content visiting the site.

"Buying a car has always been a mobile process," said Stephen Gandee, VP Mobile & Emerging Technology for Edmunds. "You have to ultimately go to a dealership to test drive the car and make sure it's right for your lifestyle and budget, so having access to the information, pricing and available inventory in your area at your fingertips just makes smart consumer sense. We are seeing the traditional auto buying process being disrupted with the availability of this information on the mobile device."

The US Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have also taken mobile users into account with the design of a new vehicle information label. The label provides consumers with detailed fuel efficiency information including estimated fuel costs for the year, illustrated estimated savings, and information about the vehicle's environmental impact.

Consumers with smartphones can scan a QR Code on the new label which takes them to a website where personal driving data can be entered to obtain personalized vehicle fuel consumption data.

Tags: Jumptap, mobile user, mobile web, online research, purchase process, smartphone