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Google Search continues to play a key role during active research, particularly as consumers look to evaluate specifications, features and financing options.
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Storyboard•24-09-2026, 13:43
AI Transforms Car Buying: 93% of Indian Buyers Use AI in Research, Google-Kantar Study Reveals
  • •A Google-Kantar study reveals 93% of Indian car buyers use AI during their research phase, highlighting AI's mainstream integration into the automobile purchase journey.
  • •Car buyers navigate an average of 7.8 touchpoints, indicating a non-linear research process, with Google platforms like Search, YouTube, Maps, and Gemini central to 87% of buyers.
  • •AI is crucial for handling complexity, with 90% of Google Search users encountering AI Overviews and 89% utilizing AI Mode for nuanced queries.
  • •YouTube acts as a virtual showroom, with 6 in 10 buyers exploring brands casually and 77% relying on professional reviewers, influencing early consideration and narrowing choices.
  • •The festive season is critical for automotive marketers, requiring a multi-stage presence as consumers move from YouTube for discovery to Search for validation and AI for complex questions.
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Key Questions Answered

According to a Google-Kantar study conducted in May 2026 across metro and Tier 1 cities, 93% of Indian car shoppers actively use AI surfaces during their research journey.

Car buyers who utilize AI tools navigate an average of 7.8 touchpoints throughout their automobile research process.

Around 6 in 10 car buyers casually explore automotive brands on YouTube well ahead of their purchase decision, utilizing creator content and professional reviews to narrow down their initial preferences.

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