Car buying in India has quietly gone AI-first. According to a new Google-Kantar study, nearly every serious car buyer today leans on AI tools somewhere in their research — and Google Search AI sits right at the center of that shift.
Table of Contents
The Big Number: 93% Turn to AI Surfaces
The Google-commissioned Kantar study, Automobile Purchase Journey in the Age of AI, surveyed 1,022 recent car buyers across Indian metros and Tier 1 cities in May 2026. The headline finding: 93% of shoppers actively use AI surfaces during their research phase — a mix of AI Overviews, AI Mode, and conversational AI assistants like Gemini. Buyers using AI navigate an average of 7.8 touchpoints to validate their choice, compared to 6.9 for buyers overall — a 13% wider research footprint. For more automotive and AI trend coverage, check out TechnoSports Business.
The Car Buying Journey, Stage by Stage
1. Casual Exploration (Pre-Market): Long before anyone visits a dealership, 8 in 10 buyers already have a brand in mind. YouTube is the top source here — 63% of buyers use it to casually build their consideration set, with 77% saying it connected them to trusted professional reviewers through first-look walkarounds, road tests, and comparisons.
2. Active Research: Once buyers get serious, 87% engage with Google platforms (Search, YouTube, Maps, Gemini), and 63% finalize their brand choice during this phase, not before it. Google Search stands out as the single most helpful and most-used channel.
3. AI-Assisted Deep Dive: Among Search users, 90% encounter AI Overviews and 89% use AI Mode — largely to compare specs, evaluate financing, and calculate EMIs. Crucially, 80% of buyers who use AI chatbots still cross-check on Google Search and/or YouTube, showing AI complements rather than replaces traditional research.
4. Decision: The funnel closes with test drives (via Google Maps), negotiation, and purchase.
Google-Kantar Auto Study: Overview
| Metric | Finding |
|---|---|
| Buyers using AI surfaces | 93% |
| Google platform usage in active research | 87% |
| Search users seeing AI Overviews | 90% |
| Search users using AI Mode | 89% |
| AI chatbot users also using Search/YouTube | 80% |
| YouTube daily viewership among buyers | 63% |
| Average touchpoints (AI users) | 7.8 |
| Car-related Google search growth (YoY) | +20% |
Why Family and Social Status Still Drive Purchases?
Beyond digital habits, the study found “matching social standards” is the #1 purchase trigger (40%), with car buying now a deeply collaborative decision — 64% involve the whole family, and 53% decide jointly with a spouse. Safety ratings and modern styling have shifted from luxury add-ons to baseline expectations, cited by 41% of buyers each.
Real Brand Results
Hyundai’s full-funnel YouTube + AI Max campaign for the Verna drove 30% growth in retail sales and a 35% increase in leads, while Cars24’s YouTube-driven brand strategy delivered a 35% increase in CTR and a 32% drop in cost-per-click — concrete proof this AI-powered journey is already reshaping automotive marketing in India. For more marketing and AI-in-commerce insights, keep following TechnoSports.
FAQs
Q1. What percentage of Indian car buyers use AI in their research?
93% of surveyed car buyers reported using AI surfaces like AI Overviews, AI Mode, or chatbots during research.
Q2. Does using AI replace traditional research like Google Search and YouTube?
No, 80% of AI chatbot users still cross-check their research on Google Search and/or YouTube.
