Have you ever thought about how automotive translation can help you expand globally? Do you know how translating your automobile information into the language of your target market can transform your business?

If you have never thought about it or are thinking of getting in-depth information about it, let’s explore it together.

How Global is the Automobile Business?

The booming global automobile business is not breaking news. The automobile industry has been upscale since ancient times. Also, people consider automobiles a necessity nowadays. A question arises as to whether the industry will slow down. However, the answer to this question is no.

People are increasingly striving to live better lives. For this reason, a car is both a necessity and a sign of a good life. As long as people keep chasing better lives, the automobile market will remain soaring high.

The other issue is that automobiles end up becoming obsolete. This aspect is in terms of the usefulness of an automobile and an urge to buy more modernized automobiles.

Historically, the automobile market has remained a standard measure of the global economy. The market influences several global economic variables. Admittedly, automobile companies lead as well-established, and the automobile industry has run internationally for ages of time.

Some global regions driving the boom in the automobile industry include South America, Asia Pacific, and China. Also, the global automobile industry unit sales in 2018, 2019, and 2020 were 78.8 million, 75 million, and 59.5 million, respectively.

Even though the sales trend seems to drop, the figures remain significant to cause any alarm.

What are some of the processes that make up the global automobile industry? The processes include research and development (R&D), assembling, servicing, and consumption. Notably, the global community, including people from all cultures, participates in these processes and is also the clientele of the global automobile industry.

Given that the automobile industry is a global phenomenon, there is a need to translate all information related to automobiles. However, the translation process depends on the target global market. Also, the translation process should be systematic, accurate, and consistent to match the needs of its target audience.

What is Automotive Translation?

Now that we have discovered that automotive translation is a must-to-do exercise in the global automobile market, what does it entail?

Automotive translation entails converting automobile information into a language the target audience can understand. Remember, the global community does not speak a standard language. Even though a handful of languages appear to be official global languages, some people prefer sticking to their local languages.

If you are to sell your automobiles to people who do not understand English and other purportedly global official languages, you must translate your automobile information into their indigenous languages.

What does automotive translation cover? This form of translation covers entirely all processes that go into the automobile-making activity. These processes include designing, production, manufacturing, engineering, assembling, and sales and marketing.

Let’s shed light on the automotive translation of the top-5 crucial processes:

Designing

Notably, the designing phase of the automobile manufacturing process puts together several individuals with different cultural backgrounds. However, the automobile that they design has to work as a unit. For this reason, there is a need for collaboration, and the individuals must work as a team.

Since the design team members do not speak a similar language, automotive translation creates a fluid communication channel for the design team members.

Besides communication, there is also a need to translate computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), among other documents.

Manufacturing

Sometimes, the designing of automobiles takes place in one country while manufacturing processes occur in another. For this reason, there is a need for an automotive translation that will facilitate a smooth handing over of the design information for implementation.

Such manufacturing information, including manufacturing processes and guidelines, requires accuracy and precision for high-quality outcomes.

For these reasons, automotive translation comes in handy to ensure that every design instruction gets well understood by the manufacturing team, regardless of the diversity of its members.  

Safety Documentation

Safety is one of the automobile-making areas that require translating many documents. Notably, the range of safety covers the workers involved in the automobile-making processes to the users of the automobiles. Remember, language diversity also applies to the said parties, thus necessitating automotive translation.

User Manuals

As part of compliance, automobile makers must translate all safety guidelines and instructions into the language of their target audience. Various regulators and all governments enforce this requirement to protect the public, including the drivers of automobiles.

Marketing Content

If you fail to translate your automobile marketing content into the language of your target audience, you cannot make optimal revenue. What can your audience understand if your content is in a language it does not know? For this reason, translation of all marketing content is critical to wooing your target audience to buy your automobiles.

Besides translating your automobile marketing content, you must localize it. Doing so presents your marketing content to your target audience in a convincing, appealing, and respectful way.

Remember, using culturally inappropriate words and phrases can discourage potential buyers from buying or accepting your offers because they can feel offended. So, even if some words or phrases seem polite in your language, they can be potentially offensive to people from a different culture.

Documents for Automotive Translation

The following are some of the documents that you must translate to expand your automobile market globally:

• Assembly line instructions
• Automotive-component repair guides
• Battery assembly instructions
• Brake system documentation
• Catalogs
• Cooling system specs
• Engine repair guides
• Engine repair manuals
• Exhaust system-installation guides
• Internal corporate communications
• Maintenance manuals
• Marketing materials
• Motor repair manuals
• Owner’s manuals
• Parts reference manuals
• Patents
• Product packaging
• Production documents
• Service manuals
• Shop repair manuals
• Training manuals
• Transmission user guides
• User interface
• Vehicle specs
• Warranty documents
• Warranty documents
• Website content

Importance of Automotive Translation to Automobile Users

Automobile technology keeps on evolving. Thus, sometimes there are challenges when introducing new automobile technologies to new markets. 

Notably, almost all automobile end users look for new innovative technologies that make their daily use of their autos easy. So, there is always a need to translate the new technologies into your target audience’s language to make optimal sales.

Remember, people are looking for cars for automated solutions, resale value, and status symbols. Suppose you do not translate your car in a manner that encompasses features and aspects your target buyers are looking for. In that case, it can become difficult for your auto dealership to expand globally.

People are also buying automobiles with locally-available spare parts. If they do not understand that your automobile model has a local spare parts supply, they can feel discouraged from purchasing.

In a nutshell, automotive translation seeks to improve user experience. It aims to make users understand an automobile’s benefits and how it can transform their lives. For this reason, always ensure that you engage professional automotive translators who understand the needs and preferences of your target audience.

Importance of Automotive Translation to Automobile Manufacturers

In the mind of an automobile manufacturer, the aim is to target the local and global markets. What could be the reason for such a thought? It is because the automobile industry requires both local and international components.

Remember, it is possible to design an automobile, manufacture its components, and assemble it in different countries. So, an automaker must be willing to work with global stakeholders for the success of their business.

Given that there must be a collaboration between all stakeholders in an auto-manufacturing process, automotive translation is inevitable. This process enhances communication between all parties involved in the manufacturing process. It also supports exchanging crucial information related to the automobiles under manufacturing.

Why Combine Automotive Translation With Localization?

You might think automotive translation is enough to catapult you into the global markets. However, it is insufficient without localization. The following are examples of companies that failed to localize their translated content only for their sales to perform poorly in their global target market:

• Chevrolet introduced its car model, Nova, in South America some time ago. However, the word Nova means “not to go” in Spanish, and it is a bad omen for cars. So, the company’s sales did not pick up; it had to name the car model “Caribe” to get the sales off the ground.
• Tesla misinterpreted the word autopilot in its Chinese market and nearly lost the new market. The company used the word zidong jiashi, meaning autonomous driving. In return, a customer, Luo Zhen, had an accident when he let go of the steering wheel. The company paid 50,000 Yen to him.

The examples above are among the errors automakers make when undertaking automotive translation. So, there is always a need for localization after the translation process to ensure that your auto information is in a language that conforms to the cultural nuances of your target audience.

The Bottom Line

LatinoBridge, a provider of automotive translation services, holds that automotive translation is inevitable. Notably, auto manufacturing is a global business that brings together several global stakeholders to work as a team. Also, auto buyers are all over the world, and they do not speak a standard language.

For the said reasons, you must engage automotive translators for your auto business to expand globally.

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