Watch: In China, they can soon buy cars from a vending machine, in the time it takes to get a coke
For now, people can only test-drive the cars, but purchasing isn’t far away.
Many countries may be trying to phase out cars, but over in China, they’re trying to make it easier for people to buy them.
Enter the car-vending machine. As a spokesperson for the ecommerce giant Alibaba, which is behind the venture, said, “It will make buying cars as easy as buying a can of Coke.” The idea is to allow people to purchase a car within 10 minutes, without assistance from another human being.
US car-maker Ford has combined forces with Alibaba for the first such vending machine in Guangzhou. The video above by Alibaba explains exactly how the vending machine works, and what it looks like.
Right now, the cat-themed vending machine (don’t ask!) only allow prospective buyers to test-drive vehicles they’re interested in. All they have to do, according to The Verge, is use a designated app to select a car model and pick-up time, click a selfie, and head over to the vending machine. The service is free for customers with a credit rating of 700 or above, whereas users with scores below 700 will have to pay a fee.
As it happens, there already such machines in the United States, while Singapore has a version for luxury cars.