BMW's Mobile Kiosk

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This July, the pilot installation of the first mobile digital product information system was successfully completed at BMW’s Fröttmaning dealership in Munich. Customers can now wheel the mobile computer display up to a vehicle and access the corresponding vehicle data by simply touching the screen. This new digital system supports numerous service functions, such as calling a sales person or transmitting information to the customer’s own cell phone.
 
Most product information systems on the market are stationary – interested buyers either stop first at the system to retrieve the electronic vehicle data, or go directly to the vehicles without the data. The mobile product information system brings the product data to the products.
 
“We are excited about the mobile product information system’s potential. It provides basic information that prepares the customer for meeting with the sales person,” says Oliver Mosch, Head of the BMW Fröttmaning dealership, assessing the pilot installation. “The number one priority of digital installations is to support the work of our sales agents,” he added.
 
The pilot installation marks the successful conclusion to a research project sponsored by the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology and carried out by the University of the German Armed Forces, friendlyway AG, Sedlbauer AG, Sedlbauer eks GmbH, and b-plus GmbH.
 
Raising Standards
 
Numerous technological challenges presented by a mobile product information system were tackled as part of the research project. A mobile system must be intuitive to operate, robust, theft-proof, and able to run on batteries for at least eight hours. The customer ought to be able to use it immediately without the need for assigning permissions. All of these goals were achieved and the overall concept was realised in a striking, futuristic design.
 
The knowledge gained through the research project has allowed the partners to develop a standardised product, which will be marketed worldwide by friendlyway. The company aims to introduce the product, ‘friendlyway mobile,’ in showrooms, museums and galleries, at trade shows, and in the healthcare sector. Among the very first customers is the advertising agency Jung v. Matt, which uses the mobile friendlyway systems to conduct surveys at events organized by its customer Mercedes-Benz.