AUTO i CARE, India’s leading roadside assistance company, has now entered the after-sales car repair space with the launch of an upgraded platform that will aggregate a network of franchised and independent car repair and service centers across the country.

The auto components industry in India is expected to reach US$ 200 billion by FY26. India’s auto-components sector contributes 2.3% to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and directly and indirectly employs as many as 1.5 million people.

Auto i Care, India’s leading roadside assistance company, has now entered the after-sales car repair space with the launch of an upgraded platform that will aggregate a network of franchised and independent car repair and service centers across the country.

The aggregator platform will be launched soon and combines the classic ‘3S’ – ‘Service, Spares and Sales’ in a comprehensive online bazaar format. Phase I will include all major cities across the nation with this multi-car service concept.

“We plan to complement all auto offerings on a single platform.”. It is a crowded space, so we thought an aggregation model would be a better option,” shared Sagar Joshi, Founder of AUTO i CARE.

The year 2020 was one of the most challenging in India’s automotive history. In the first half of FY21, the intermittent lockdowns under COVID-19 and supply and demand disruptions in various sectors of the economy led to a decline of close to 40%* in overall automobile sales. 

Where car ownership is still considered a luxury, consumers are always on the lookout for the best deal in car servicing and maintenance, comparing the costs of spare parts and more, post purchase. The AUTO i CARE app & website is now a one-stop shop for all these hassles, including branded service stations and affiliated car service centres.”

A first-of-its-kind upgrade will be offered on the company’s mobile app and website, alerting consumers to various car service options with price comparisons. Consumers will be connected to the right kind of car maintenance service through the customized application.

“We have been embracing technologies like artificial intelligence to continuously improve the customer experience by spearheading innovation. We want to allow our customers to book and guarantee services from the comfort of their own homes.

AUTO i CARE will produce a real-time, multi-channel, cross-platform value chain for the entire aftersales value chain. Our goal is to disrupt the exorbitantly priced system of spare parts & accessories, meeting quality standards, and thus easing the stress of consumers by providing the best offers at their fingertips,” adds Joshi.

“About 60% of the service providers in top tier cities are unorganized. A lot of work needs to be done to improve vehicle efficiency and customer service in this market. He adds, “The new features for end customers shall include discovery of the best deals, doorstep delivery, live service updates, convenience, and transparency.” 

With the app, customers will be able to compare and book nearest services, receive 24/7 real-time updates, find nearest e-charging stations amongst other services, confirm payments through the app and more.

Additionally, the platform has provided employment opportunities to thousands of local garages and mechanics during the pandemic. It also supported emergency and essential vehicles, such as ambulances, police cars, etc. in top metro cities during lockdowns.

Recently, the app raised an undisclosed amount from a consortium of angel investors at pre-series A funding stage. According to the Founder Sagar Joshi, the company would continue to invest in expanding its operations and network of stand-alone service stations.

Automobile engineer Sagar Joshi, who founded AUTO i CARE in 2015, brought the unregulated and unorganized Road Side Assistance market under one roof to provide travelers with assistance within 20 minutes. With a network of over 55000 mechanics, automotive i-CARE covers a distance of 2,28, 000 kms on 238 highways and reaches out to over 1100 cities in India.

The fact that AUTO i CARE has 2 affiliated garages every 10 km puts them in a good position to assist travelers quickly. Customers can use the app for both planned and unplanned car maintenance. With the new upgrade, consumers will have a choice from a variety of services such as company service centers, authorized service centers, multicar service centers, and local garages regardless of their location.

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