Audi Expands VR Passenger Experience

 World of Expanding Automotive Infotainment

                                      Source: Audi & Holoride

For Audi Passengers, New Virtual Reality Experiences

The world of automotive infotainment systems just became a lot bigger and more exciting.  Audi is introducing virtual reality technology into many of its top models starting summer 2022.  The VR in-vehicle technology has been developed by Munich-based Holoride, which Audi helped to found. What differentiates this new VR tech is that it merges VR content with the car's driving movements in real-time, for passengers wearing VR glasses in the back of the car.  Audi is the first global automotive company to bring VR entertainment from Holoride into the series production of many of its key vehicle models.  For passengers, it promises to be a brand new, immersive and entertaining driving experience, taking the boredom out of travelling from point A to point B.  

What Does Audi Need to Install?

The new technology that needs to be installed to enable the Holoride VR include the 3G modular infotainment toolkit (MIB3) and a new software cluster.  Audi models first to be equipped include the Audi Q5, Q8, Audi E-tron, Audi E-tron GT Quattro and Audi A4 - A8.  The VR tech installations will start this summer.  First installations will begin in Germany, the UK and the United States. Also, the VR glasses/headsets need to be connected to the car via Bluetooth (Low Energy).

VR Content and Merging with Driving

After the VR tech is installed and operational, the car passengers need to put on their activated VR glasses.  The VR content selection includes games, films and other interactive content.  This VR content will synchronize with the movements of the car, the time of the journey and the route.  For example, if a passenger is looking at a film about a space vehicle, if the driver accelerates or turns right, the space vehicle will also accelerate or turn right.  In sync with the car's journey, the new Holoride tech turns the car ride into a multimodal VR event.

New Technology Called "Elastic Content"

Holoride's new VR technology is called "Elastic Content". The content adapts to and merges with key aspects of the journey like time, movements and the route location.  Holoride says that it is an immersive experience at a "previously unknown level of quality".  This new automotive VR tech appears to be breakthrough.  Even though it was developed with the help of Audi, it will be available to other automotive manufacturers, so the company has room for substantive sales growth. Also, as autonomous cars start entering the global market, VR entertainment tech will have expanding appeal. Holoride is a new VR tech startup to watch for growth.  For more travel news, go to https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B095XDNZVD&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_BKF0VWABQ49XVZ3VGE67