As soon as this summer, select Audi sedans and SUVs will feature backseat VR technology.
Last month HTC Vive announced that it was partnering with in-car VR entertainment company Holoride to bring its new HTC Vive Flow to backseats everywhere.
During SXSW this week it was announced that Holoride technology will be launching on select Audi sedans and SUVs with the new MIB 3 technology this Summer, offering consumers their first taste of backseat VR entertainment.
Powered by a blockchain ecosystem, the platform features one-of-a-kind “Elastic Content” that takes into account everything from the speed and movement of the vehicle to the length of the trip itself. This means no two in-car VR experiences will ever be exactly the same.
So, how exactly does this system work? Holoride partnered with a company called Terranet to utilize VoxelFlow, a system of sensors that captures movement data and transates it into gameplay in real-time. As previously mentioned, the open-source system is centered around a blockchain metaverse.
Not only does this offer developers an easier way to cash in on their creations, but it also allows manufacturers easier access to new games and apps. Passengers will even have the opportunity to buy and sell NFTs on the Elrond blockchain.
During MWC 2022 attendees had a chance to go hands-on with the platform as they toured around Barcelona. The system utilizes the aforementioned HTC Vive Flow to immerse passengers in their backseat VR experiences. The lightweight VR glasses feature a 100-degree field-of-view and 3.2K resolution with a refresh rate of 75 Hz.
Instead of a dedicated motion controls or hand-tracking, an Android smartphone is used as a 3DoF controller. Controls vary depending on the app. The VR game Space Slurpies, for example, has players controlling colorful intergalactic worms using the smartphones gyroscopic sensors.
We’ve been following Holoride’s backseat VR technology for quite some time, which is why news of their partnership with Audi is so exciting. By incorporating the real-world movements of a vehicle into the players experience, Holoride’s elastic content puts a whole new spin on location-based VR entertainment as well as haptic feedback technology.
We’re beyond excited to see how this platform continues to develop over time.
Image Credit: Holoride
