Test drive a car without the car by Volvo Cars US
The Story
With the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show months away, the Volvo team had to find a way to fuel interest in its not-yet-released XC90. Although the car wouldn't be available until the following spring, Volvo wanted to demonstrate its design and capabilities. The company teamed up with R/GA and FrameStore to design an interactive experience using Google Cardboard, a new and low-cost virtual reality platform. After downloading the Volvo Reality app, users could slide their smartphone into the Google Cardboard mount to look around the inside of the car and take a virtual test drive.
The team used eight cameras to collect environmental data while driving down a 60-mile stretch of road. It then combined that data with a computer-generated build of the car's interior. A combination of photo-realistic CGI and a 360-degree vibration-reduction camera technique brought the experience to life. Users needed only Google Cardboard and an iOS or Android smartphone to feel like they were sitting in the driver's seat.
The Technology
Mobile:
Search:
Video:
Web/Apps:
- Google Apps
The Results
Launch date: November 18, 2014
Volvo created a way for consumers to experience its newest vehicle—without the actual car, revolutionizing virtual reality for cars.
238M:
Media impressions
19M:
Social media impressions
