The automotive industry has experienced challenging times in recent years. With changes in manufacturing and shifting consumer demand for certain types of vehicles, automotive companies are constantly seeking out new ways technology can help them thrive in the dynamic global economy.

This adoption of technology has been prevalent in the auto industry from self driving cars to highly advanced infotainment systems, there is no question that the future of the automobile is symbiotic with advancements in technology. Virtual and Augmented Reality technologies are no exception, with a number of use cases already seen globally by popular brands.

Immersive technologies for Automotive include:

• Mobile Augmented Reality for Automotive
• Hololens Augmented Reality for Automotive
• HTC Vive Virtual Reality for Automotive
• Oculus Rift Virtual Reality for Automotive
• Oculus Go Virtual Reality for Automotive

Virtual reality and Augmented reality have a lot to offer the automotive industry. If you are selling a dream car to your ideal customer and want your customer to take it for a test drive, you need them to go on a journey to a local dealership and request a test drive, something which can be quite daunting to parents who have young children to care for (for example). Our customers have less and less time to navigate out of their way to experience your product. Through VR, you are able to experience sitting in the seat of a vehicle and gain more information on that particular car than any salesperson would be able to tell you.

Or perhaps you have students wanting to attain their driving license, however they are afraid of getting behind the wheel, struggling to learn the basics to pass the test and become awarded a license. With VR, you can gain skills through virtual training that would otherwise be out of reach, especially for someone terrified of driving on busy roads.

Example applications of this technology include:

• Virtual reality vehicle showrooms
• Vehicle customisation options to design a car that is uniquely you before you even buy it
• Marketing and advertising of new model vehicles to demonstrate cutting edge technology built into the car
• Testing self driving vehicles through VR
• Test driving simulations and hazard prevention scenarios
• Reconstructed scenarios in the event of an accident to relay exactly how the accident happened.
• Public awareness and safety
• Testing driver impairment without placing any danger on public roads yet maintaining the effectiveness of the simulation through real world applications
• Emergency situation preparation and defensive driving courses
• Training for mechanics using AR to provide detailed information on vehicle parts and potential issues

These are just some of the many applications being considered by an increasingly tech driven automotive and transportation industry. There are many areas in which virtual reality will change the sector from marketing, maintenance, safety, technology and innovation as well as training. Having the ability to immerse yourself in the latest model, taking it for a test drive and even facing challenging simulation driving scenarios serves to enhance the way we interact with our vehicles and in turn create a safer environment for getting from A to B.

At Immerse Enterprise, we strive to be at the forefront automotive VR and AR technology, seeing it first hand how effective these applications come together to serve the sector to drive us into the future of transportation. If you have an experience that you feel would benefit the automotive sector, we are here to help you make it a reality.