Early Stage

In the advanced product planning stage, it is increasingly vital to foresee what consumers will need in the next 5 years. For example, nowadays a new vehicle product platform is usually developed for multiple brands and models. Changes will be difficult until the next big upgrade years later, which means making the wrong bets can jeopardize business extensively. At this early stage, Ipsos can already help by engaging lead users, trend setters, experts and consumers to illuminate what the future needs and trends are. This can then be turned into valuable inputs to designers, product engineers, and R&D professionals to develop and assess their new vehicle or mobility concepts. Ipsos employs a variety of research techniques as well as objective measurements which can be applied to evaluate these early stage innovations.

Typically five or more years prior to launch, the ‘early stage’ future mobility concept can be presented in any format:  2D, 3D, physical mock-up or digital stimulus. A process called “Information Acceleration” will bring consumers up to speed to the future scenario where they can more appropriately evaluate the concept in context. We use Virtual Reality, Neuro and Behavioural Science for broader evaluation and measurements. Interviews are mostly conducted in-person via quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Ipsos’ vast know-how in early-stage research, automotive thought leadership and breadth of research tools are invaluable to start your product development journey.