The Challenges in Car Model Reservations
When car manufacturers introduce a new model, their dispersed logistics and sales process means that even when a customer places a deposit, there is no reliable way to predict when the car will be delivered.
Enthusiastic car buyers often find themselves waiting for months or even years after making their deposit, with no clear indication of their position in the delivery queue. This situation is what leads to the pricing of new models exceeding the sticker price upon their initial market entry.
The Inefficiencies of Current Car Reservations
At present, the process of reserving a car model is highly inefficient. When new models are released, buyers face significant markups due to the lack of visibility into manufacturing timelines.
- If you want the new car immediately, you must pay a considerable premium over the sticker price.
- If you’re willing to pay the sticker price, you have no idea when the vehicle will be delivered.
So, just how significant is this issue?
The Scale of the Problem
A recent study in APAC hospitality revealed that cancellations through Booking.com account for 40% of revenue. In contrast, Expedia shows 24%, indicating tens of billions of dollars are at stake globally. Meanwhile, ticket resale platforms charge 30% markups, leaving both artists and fans at a disadvantage.
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Automobile waitlists are even less transparent. Dealers have charged buyers markups ranging from $30,000 to $70,000 on Ford F-150 Lightning orders, illustrating a highly profitable secondary market driven entirely by information asymmetry, even without a structured “black market.” Manufacturing seems to struggle as well, with 15%-30% of capacity remaining unused, as indicated by a McKinsey report, since small firms lack access to tradable reservation systems.
Blockchain as a Solution
Smart contracts on the blockchain effectively address the challenges tied to information asymmetry. For instance, tokenized flat reservations could securely escrow deposits on-chain, permitting buyers to freely trade their positions while keeping developers’ sales momentum stable.
The Case for Tokenization in the Automotive Sector
The automotive industry is an ideal candidate for reservation tokenization, where phantom waitlists have long facilitated abusive markups.
For example, Tesla’s Cybertruck received over 1 million reservations, each supported by a refundable deposit of up to $250, which translates to over $200 million of dormant capital that could instead enhance secondary-market liquidity rather than being held in corporate accounts.
A tokenized reservation framework would mitigate such practices by allowing queue positions to be traded transparently, with producers profiting from royalties on secondary transactions. The necessary technical infrastructure already exists. For example, BMW’s venture-capital arm has made significant investments in blockchain-based supply-chain solutions, and Mercedes is testing automated payment systems for car-charging networks. Daimler, the manufacturer of Mercedes, has also been exploring decentralized identity, vehicle data sharing, and automatic payments for electric charging, leveraging blockchain for logistics and costs.
Potential Ripple Effects
Imagine if a Tesla order were tokenized; it could be traded based on production schedules, regional delivery preferences, or custom features. Early adopters might sell their queue position, manufacturers could capture secondary-market value, and prices would be transparently established, rather than obscured by dealer markups.
These build-to-sell slots would operate similarly to call options in financial markets, granting holders the right (but not the obligation) to purchase later. If preferences shift or demand surges, slots could be freely sold, introducing market dynamics into an industry that has historically lacked transparency.
The Case for Adoption
Skeptics may view this as unnecessary complexity, but the numbers tell a different story. In February 2025 alone, OpenSea reported over $211 million in non-fungible token (NFT) trading volume, capturing 47.8% of the market.
For widespread adoption, blockchain technology must become seamless. Promising initiatives include Visa’s trials with gasless payments via Account Abstraction, Circle’s Verite, which allows users to demonstrate compliance without disclosing personal information, and Magic Link’s email-based wallet access. The objective is not to compel users into cryptocurrency but to integrate the benefits of blockchain into everyday processes, making them smooth, automatic, and largely invisible to users.
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According to Boston Consulting Group, the tokenization of tangible assets could reach $16.1 trillion, encompassing financial products like insurance, pensions, alternative investments, home equity, infrastructure, and patents. Even redirecting a small portion of that activity towards real-world reservations—be it hotel rooms, concert tickets, or unused factory capacity—would create new secondary markets.
Looking Ahead
Nike’s departure from NFTs did not signify the end of tokenization; rather, it clarified its focus. Similarly, the next major advancement won’t be found in digital art but in practical uses: hotel chains capitalizing on no-shows through open resale markets, auto manufacturers abolishing waitlist manipulation with transparent slot trading, or healthcare providers minimizing MRI waste while earning fees from legitimate transfers.
The trillion-dollar question is not whether tokenized reservations will revolutionize industries, but rather which sectors will be the first to seize the benefits of open, liquid booking systems. Those who take action now will not only resolve longstanding issues but also unlock entirely new markets.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of VIZI.
