Mathew Desmond joins us to discuss Cars Online 2015 - The Selfie Experience. The evolving power of the connected customer. We begin with the fascinating finding that “One-half of customers are interested in buying a car from a tech company like Apple or Google. This is true even of customers who are satisfied with their current brand and dealer experience. It is particularly true of young customers (65%) and those in growth markets (China: 74%; India: 81%).” Backing up a bit, we discuss the automaker’s dilemma, that is the legacy manufacturing, distribution and support infrastructure and contrast that with the “clean slate” approach an entrant might enjoy. The concept and inherent conflicts of a “Master Customer Record” fuels a deeper dive into “Continuity”, the buyer’s desire for a seamless experience. Finally, we reflect on the perils that may lie ahead as the auto ecosystem attempts to improve the retail experience. asymcar.com Asymcar River of News.