Data on Vehicle Registrations REF#6275

Good data is essential for making good business decisions and safe products. An understanding of what brands, models, and engine sizes are in demand helps automotive importers prepare sales and production plans, decide what spare parts to keep in stock, and understand for which models and engines technical training is required. Access to registration data allows brands to measure how they are performing against competitors. Without an understanding of what is selling today, importers are left unsure when it comes to deciding what to sell tomorrow and how and where to market it.

It also helps businesses better protect their consumers and improve road safety by allowing for faster and more meticulous product recalls in case of failures. Of course, detailed information related to the ownership of individual vehicles (name, ID number, address, telephone number, etc.) should be protected by data privacy and, in fact, is not required for the uses mentioned herein. A good balance between wider availability of market data and data privacy can be achieved.

On a longer-term basis, importers and distributors need to know where their brand’s sales occur in order to make investment decisions related to the location of showrooms, workshops, parts depots, storage yards, and pre-delivery inspection centres. Today, the only data publicly available to importers in Cambodia is the total number of vehicles registered per year in three categories: motorcycles, light-duty vehicles, and heavy-duty vehicles. This is available on an annual basis and is insufficient to assist in meaningful decision making.

The lack of detailed data on vehicle registrations in Cambodia can have a number of detrimental effects for car distributors, the wider business environment, and drivers.

Without this data, distributors are unable to track market trends, assess the competition, or set prices competitively. This can lead to distributors importing cars that are not in demand or not importing enough cars to meet demand. As a result, they may lose market share to competitors. In recent years, leading car distributors – such as Star Auto, Audi, and Range Rover – have been dismantling their business operations in Cambodia, citing this very reason.

The lack of transparent automotive market data in Cambodia makes it difficult for potential investors to assess the size and growth potential of the market. This can lead to investors being hesitant to invest in the country, as they are not sure whether the market is large enough or growing fast enough to be profitable. In addition, the lack of data makes it difficult for investors to track the performance of their investments. This can make it difficult to make informed decisions about whether to continue investing in the country or to withdraw their investment. Overall, the lack of transparent automotive market data in Cambodia makes it a less attractive destination for investment.