Allowing the driver to immerse themselves in a movie, selling cars in a virtual dealership, simulating the installation of a new part in the engine: various manufacturers and equipment suppliers showed at the CES technology fair in Las Vegas how they are experimenting with the metaverse and seeking to propose a new universe.
The French equipment manufacturer Valeo has developed a system that allows the driver or passenger to sit in front of a screen as if it were the television at home and interact with their surroundings, with a helmet but without a remote control or glove, thanks to the numerous sensors already present. in the car they detect their hands.
For those who feel oppressed by the full face helmet, sensors outside the vehicle can be used to integrate pedestrians or landscapes into virtual reality, explains Ghaya Khemiri, project manager.
And if the sensors detect that you are stressed, the system can offer you a relaxation session with comforting images and sounds.
in valeo "we work a lot on the electric car and the autonomous car, we have our sensors"Khemiri explains. "We asked ourselves what we could offer for the pleasure of users".
This system, still in the prototype phase, would initially be intended for passengers or drivers during a break, such as the charging period in an electric car. It could also be used by the driver in fully autonomous vehicles.
A movie on the windshield
Holoride, a start-up backed by carmaker Audi, already markets a virtual reality headset aimed exclusively at rear-seat passengers.
The system is designed so that they can watch a movie or play a video game with a controller without feeling nauseated, since the content is synchronized with the movements of the vehicle.
At CES the company presented a new version that can be used in all cars.
German automaker BMW unveiled a prototype in Las Vegas on Wednesday that is supposed to inspire the company’s future vehicles, mixing "the real and virtual world".
The group mentioned the possibility of projecting augmented reality images onto the windshield, such as speed or destination, or even transforming the entire windshield into a screen for watching a movie.
"It will be several years before we see a fully immersive and interconnected metaverse, but mobility players can already derive real business value from purpose-built technologies."argues McKinsey, which published a report on the metaverse in the automotive sector on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is held in Las Vegas until January 8.
In December, Fiat launched in Italy what it calls a "metaverse dealer"where customers can search, configure and even buy a car online with the help of a real-time assistant.
remote repair
Yes technologies improveespecially so-called haptic devices that simulate the sense of touch, consumers could "examine a highly realistic replica of a vehicle – opening its doors, touching its seats, speeding down a highway – just as they would a real car"argues McKinsey.
Faced with a damaged vehicle, a technician could help a customer carry out a simple remote repair.
The metaverse can also support the design of new products or make it easier to test a feature in different situations.
Alexandre Corjon, head of innovation at French equipment maker Plastic Omnium, came to CES to explore the many uses the company could make of this technology.
through the metaverseyou could, for example, show the client what a recycled material would look like and so "make the designer aware of the effect it would have" in the vehicle, he says. Or demonstrate the best features of a new product.
The group is also considering experimenting with the metaverse for steering committees, which are sometimes difficult to assemble due to the group’s global activities, to avoid travel.