AI is in the driving seat for over a quarter of Gen Zs when buying a car, says motoring expert

• A study by The Motor Ombudsman finds that an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool is likely to steer more than one in four Gen Z drivers when it comes to helping decide which car to purchase
• Nearly nine in ten (86%) young drivers would feel more confident buying a vehicle using information garnered from this virtual ‘fountain of knowledge’ as part of their research
• Over half (58%) of Zoomers would use AI to ask questions without fear of judgement from others
• The Motor Ombudsman’s free-to-download #JustPassed guide highlights key tips for first-time car buyers and owners 

With so much choice across the nation’s forecourts, different fuel types, and a range of technology and prices, deciding what car to buy may prove a daunting prospect, especially if it’s for the first time.

Doing research is often the starting point of a car buying journey, as is looking for recommendations to help in that all-important decision. Brought up in an era of tech at their fingertips, more than one in four Gen Zers (28%) surveyed – also known as the ‘iGeneration’*, would use an online Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool** to get a steer as to what make and model to purchase, new or used, according to a Motor Ombudsman study of 1,100 UK drivers.

This contrasts with just 12% of 45- to 60-year-olds (i.e. Gen Xers) who would turn to this learned resource, with Boomers the most likely to shun this kind of virtual ‘personal shopper’ (6%), preferring instead to consult trusted experts at car showrooms (55%), and friends and relatives (38%) for first-hand guidance as to what to go for. 

When it comes to making such a significant purchase, the study showed that close to two-thirds (61%) of Gen Zs (i.e. 17 to 28-year-olds) would consider an AI tool as a neutral and unbiased platform to allow them to make the right choice, whilst over half (58%) said that they could ask as many questions as they wanted without any fear of judgement from others.

Similarly, around one in five Zoomers (53%) polled explained that AI would be a quick way to get the information required – a generation accustomed to a mere swipe, scroll and tap to find answers in a matter of seconds. About a third (36%) would view AI as being helpful to whittle down their search for a car that ticks the boxes.

When asked about what else AI would be handy for during their car buying journey, nearly three-quarters (73%)[1] of Gen Zs, who are often first-time car owners, said it would give them an idea of the expected price tag, with 60%1 explaining that it would help them to brush up on their haggling skills to land a better deal at the showroom. Additionally, around four in ten Gen Zers (43%) said an AI tool would likely be an effective way to gauge affordability and running expenses for their preferred makes and models, compared to 37% of Millennials (Gen Y), and two in ten Gen Xers (20%).

In fact, close to nine in ten Gen Zs (86%)[2] and Millennials (87%)[3] explained that they would be much more confident in their purchase decision, if they had used AI as part of their research prior to signing on the dotted line. In comparison, 39% of Gen Xers said that AI would have no bearing on enhancing their level of assurance had they quizzed it at the outset of their car buying journey, with 60% of Boomers also appearing indifferent.

Furthermore, the findings of the latest research pointed to the fact that almost half (48%)[4] of all drivers would take any responses supplied by AI as ‘gospel’ – i.e. that they were fully accurate and could be relied upon. This mirrors the sentiment of 48% of Gen Zs who said in the survey that they would feel confident taking the information at face value, but this statistic falls to 28% for 45- to 60-year-olds (i.e. Gen X), and to just 15% for the Baby Boomer generation.  

 “AI is fast emerging into the car buying vocabulary and everyday conversations, and to have comprehensive responses returned at speed can be very useful when many are pressured for time”, says Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director at The Motor Ombudsman.

 “The underlying message when buying a car however, is to always use trusted online guides and resources, and to check that a retailer is also reputable. Just as importantly, you should be 100% sure before signing on the dotted line and putting a deposit down that your chosen car suits your longer-term requirements and budget”, Bill added.

For more information on buying your first car and maintaining it, see The Motor Ombudsman’s free-to-download #JustPassed guide.

“AI is fast emerging into the car buying vocabulary and everyday conversations, and to have comprehensive responses returned at speed can be very useful when many are pressured for time.”

Bill Fennell

Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director at The Motor Ombudsman

To find a car retailer that is accredited to The Motor Ombudsman’s Vehicle Sales Code, visit www.TheMotorOmbudsman.org/Business-Finder.

Notes to editors

[1] Combines ‘Very likely’ and ‘Likely’ options.

[2] Combines ‘I would feel much more confident, ‘I would feel more confident ‘ and ‘I would feel slightly more confident’ options.

[3] Combines ‘I would feel much more confident, ‘I would feel more confident ‘ and ‘I would feel slightly more confident’ options.

[4] Combines ‘Very confident’ and ‘Confident’ options.

*Generations by age group

• Gen X / Zoomers / iGeneration (17 to 28 years of age)
• Gen Y / Millennials (29 to 44 years of age)
• Gen X (45 to 60 years of age)
• Baby Boomers / Boomers (61 to 79 years of age)
• The Silent Generation (80 years of age)

**Examples of AI tools include ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Microsoft CoPilot.

ENDS