Audi to Offer VR for Passengers
Audi will bring virtual-reality entertainment for passengers from tech startup Holoride into series production, the German automaker announced.
Beginning this summer, back seat passengers can put on virtual reality glasses (VR glasses) and immerse themselves in various media formats including games, films and interactive content, Audi said. The virtual content will adapt to the driving movements of the car in real-time.
Starting with select vehicles produced beginning in June 2022, Audi models with the latest upgrade of the modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3) will be Holoride-capable. The new technology was introduced at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in the U.S. Visitors at the festival were able to experience Holoride in a moving vehicle, Audi representatives said.
Behind Holoride is a technology that adapts virtual content to the car’s driving movements in real-time, the company said. For example, if the car is taking a right turn, the spaceship in the imaginary world will also fly to the right. If the car accelerates, the spaceship speeds up too.
Select models that roll off the line with the third generation modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3) and the latest software cluster will be Holoride-capable, the company said, including the Audi A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Audi Q5, Q7, Q8, Audi e-tron and Audi e-tron GT quattro in the European, Canadian, United States, Japanese and Chinese markets.
To use Holoride, a virtual reality headset that has been enabled for it must be connected with the vehicle. The connection is created wirelessly via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
