VRoooom! Virtual Reality is revolutionising the manufacture and sale of vehicles
As with many industries, the rise of Virtual Reality is a total game changer.
This technology makes the world smaller and brings details ever closer. Customers can ‘go for a drive’ in their dream car from anywhere in the world, experiencing everything but the wind in their hair and that new car smell (although who knows what will be possible in the near future!)
As mentioned in a recent Car Advice article, headsets like HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are now readily accessible. Because of this, forward thinking car brands have been working behind the scenes to create new and engaging customer experiences.
At a recent tech day in Europe, Audi demonstrated their large scale virtual reality unit, which combines with the HTC Vive headset to provide a customer experience in 360 degrees. Those using the goggles can select the car they’d like to trial and the colour. They can choose from a range of configurable options and even select a landscape… anywhere from Paris to the moon!
The goal is to provide customers with the opportunity to inspect a vehicle as though they were right there on the sales floor. They can see every detail, checking the shine on the rims, the make of the engine and the leather quality on the seats.
Other uses for VR in the automotive industry
From a manufacturing perspective, using virtual reality empowers car makers to create better products. Engineers are able to use VR to share prototype designs with customers, gathering feedback without having to spend money on creating the real thing.
Safety also comes into play when listing the benefits of Virtual Reality. It is possible to model how a car will be impacted by a crash and how the safety features will perform.
Testing in a virtual environment is a way to establish weak points without the expense or the risk or testing a full sized machine.
In terms of customisation, VR will make it easy to present the ideal vehicle to each customer demographic. Want extra cup holders? Done.
Can the steering wheel be changed? Show the customer every option at the press of a button. Add or remove security features, seating layouts and more in a snap and make the sales process a breeze.
VR – How it works
Virtual Reality headsets are wearable ‘goggles’ that can transport you literally anywhere. They combine with the technology of 360 degree footage, meaning that when you wear the goggles you can race down a Grand Prix track, view a car in a distant showroom or take a test drive along the side of the Swiss Alps. The video technology allows you to look left, right, up and down, taking in the experience from all angles.
Marketing + VR + Car Sales
The car industry has always been about staying ahead of the curve and presenting the audience with the newest, most exciting options.
Discerning customers expect an entire experience, especially when investing in a luxury vehicle.
The brands that harness the excitement of virtual technology will find themselves ahead in this competitive space in the next few years as will be are able to provide something their competitors don’t have.
Interested in starting your VR journey?
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