This post is written in collaboration with Riley Hanson
It seems like new technology that promises to disrupt industries is being unveiled every day. One of the more recent developments is the expansion of the metaverse, where augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have taken centre stage in various sectors. In fact, according to the International Data Corporation Worldwide Augmented and Virtual Reality Spending Guide report, worldwide spending on AR and VR is expected to grow to $50.9 billion by 2026, with overall spending forecast to be almost evenly split between consumer and commercial applications.
The automotive industry is poised to take on this opportunity for disruption, as Meta announced a partnership with BMW Group in 2023 to explore how AR and VR technology can work inside a fast-moving vehicle. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at this exciting advancement and other ways AR and VR are reshaping consumer experiences in the automotive industry.
Meta-BMW partnership
The Meta-BMW collaboration was originally made public in 2021 and began as a joint research project investigating how AR and VR could be integrated into smart vehicles to enhance passenger experience. Meta finally cracked the code after a few setbacks stemming from incompatible VR headset tracking technologies in relation to a moving environment. Research updates from May 2023 reveal that BMW and Meta have been able to accurately and stably display VR content to passengers even when the car is making turns, going over speedbumps, and accelerating.
Overcoming the technical challenge required using inertial motion sensor (IMU) data from a BMW in real-time with the tracking system in Meta’s Project Aria research glasses. In a Verge article, Meta’s engineers commented, “Access to the car’s precise 6DOF positioning system could allow us to render world-locked virtual content outside of the vehicle, like identifying landmarks and other points of interest.”
This collaboration underscores the growing potential of AR/VR technologies to revolutionize the driving experience, offering a glimpse into a future where digital overlays seamlessly enhance navigation, entertainment, and safety features within vehicles.
Meta going all-in on XR
This isn’t Meta’s first foray into extended reality (XR) projects with giants of another industry. In September 2023, the tech titan introduced smart glasses that were created in partnership with Ray-Ban sunglasses. The result was a collection of smart glasses in iconic Ray-Ban styles like the classic Wayfarer and Headliner, equipped with a suite of multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) features. This provides users with contextual information based on their surroundings by processing environmental data through the smart glasses’ camera and microphones.
Additionally, users can activate AI through voice commands to ask specific questions. If a user asks the AI assistant to describe what they’re looking at, the glasses capture an image and use generative AI to analyze and break down elements within the frame. However, as of January 2024, some of these multimodal AI features are still in their early access period and are yet to be made accessible to all users.
The future of AI and AR/VR in cars
While Meta and BMW work out the details of XR in cars, AI is proving to be the next big thing in the rest of the automotive industry. In a Forbes feature, SAP executive board member Scott Russell writes that generative AI is starting to improve aspects such as design and forecasting to manufacturing and production. With electric vehicle (EV) demand surging over the past few years, many are wondering exactly how AI can enhance EVs, as well. This is something we touched upon in a previous post titled How AI Can Improve EVs and Battery Tech, and according to an AI chatbot, potential improvements could include battery management and optimization, autonomous driving and energy efficiency, vehicle-to-grid integration, and more.
As for AR/VR, Chrysler’s newly unveiled Halcyon Concept, a fully electric vehicle, is a peek into the future of cars. Currently, Chrysler’s parent company is developing several advanced technologies that heavily rely on AR, car networking, and AI, covering over-the-air software updates, predictive navigation, and AI voice assistants. Although the Halcyon sounds exciting, EV fans will have to wait until 2025 for its full reveal.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving tech landscape, AR/VR has emerged as a transformative force in several industries, including automotive, with innovations continually reshaping industries and consumer experiences alike.