The impact of digital transformation on consumer behavior in the automotive industry

The rapid development of digital technologies has directly influenced consumer behavior in the automotive sector. Today, consumers increasingly prefer online information sources, digital platforms, and in-vehicle digital features in their car purchasing processes. This situation has made it necessary for companies to adopt digital transformation practices in order to gain competitive advantage and enhance customer satisfaction. Therefore, examining the impact of digital transformation on consumer behavior has become an important research topic. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of digital transformation on consumer behavior in the automotive sector. The Technology Readiness Index (TRI) was used as the measurement tool, and a survey was conducted with 514 participants. The majority of respondents were young (18–33 years), university graduates, and belonged to the middle-income group. The reliability of the data was tested using Cronbach's Alpha, which was found to be 0.955, indicating a high level of internal consistency. The results revealed that optimism and innovativeness dimensions positively influenced consumers' adaptation to digitalization, whereas discomfort and insecurity dimensions reflected concerns regarding data privacy and system reliability. In terms of demographic differences, age groups showed significant variations: younger participants were more open to digital technologies, while older groups exhibited higher levels of distrust and discomfort. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that digital transformation in the automotive sector is not only a technological change but also a multidimensional process that reshapes consumer behavior. The study is expected to contribute to the development of digital strategies in the sector and to fill the gap in the literature.