Volvo wants to use augmented reality to help sell cars
YouTube/Volvo
The Swedish car maker has partnered with Microsoft to explore how the HoloLens could improve its car buying experience. And from a video Volvo published Friday, the virtual reality technology looks pretty cool in the showroom.
The HoloLens is a new computing device from Microsoft that you wear on your head. It uses augmented reality to project virtual images over what you see in the real world. It's slightly different than virtual reality, which fully immerses you in a digital environment.
This is not the first time Volvo has experimented with using virtual or augmented reality. Last year, the company launched an app that enabled people to experience the inside of its Volvo XC90 with the Google Cardboard headset.
But the company's partnership with Microsoft signals that it's getting more serious about finding new ways to use the technology.
"The Hololens can allow our customers to see features, colors, options. So rather than working on the computer seeing things, you can be part of the experience," Nina Larsen, director of Volvo's retail marketing, said in the video.
While that may not sound like that big of a deal, it could actually be huge for helping people better understand how new technology, like semi-autonomous systems, work in today's vehicles.
Without virtual reality the most realistic way to demo a feature like autobraking was by putting a customer in a real car and purposely trying to hit something. So it's likely customers will appreciate a virtual option.
Volvo may also be planning to use the Hololens beyond the showroom.
"The Hololens will not only help us in the car buying process at the dealership, it can evolve into many areas. We think there are many alternative applications of this tool in the future and Volvo clearly has inspiration to break out of the pack," said Bjorn Annvall, the company's vice president of marketing for sales and services.
Still, this is probably a long way off, if Volvo uses it at all. The HoloLens won't be available until early next year. And even then, it'll mostly be for developers willing to pay $3,000. It'll be some time after that before a consumer version is available.
Check out the full video below.
- US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- Rupee falls 10 paise to settle at 83.48 against US dollar
- Include 4 hrs of physical activity, 8 hrs sleep in routine for optimal health, suggests study
- 11 must-visit tourist places in Nainital in 2024
- Indegene's ₹1,842 crore IPO to open on May 6
- BSE shares tank nearly 19% after Sebi directive on regulatory fee
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market