Microsoft and Volvo Announce Partnership to Implement......

This past Friday, Volvo and Microsoft announced a partnership that will incorporate the Redmond HoloLens. This is a headset that allows for augmented reality, which means that users can see digitally-produced imagery projected onto their standard view of the world. The companies hope that this will be fully implemented in 2016.

A most recent demonstration of this technology occurred at Microsoft’s headquarters, where users were able to virtually explore various models of cars, configure the cars by rotating them at any desired angle, and explore the cars’ interiors via the headset. The Senior Director of this project, Scott Ericsson, said that this technology is representative of how the company is thinking about near-future technological transformations of the world.

Already six months into development, the HoloLens headset has the primary goal of allowing users to incorporate augmented reality into the car-choosing process. Thomas Andersson, the Vice President of global marketing for Volvo, said that they are hoping to “put this in front of customers in 2016.” Once the product is completed, the results will be astounding. Volvo (or any automobile company, for that matter) will be able to host virtual showrooms where no physical cars are present. This means that the company could showcase models that it has not yet fully developed, allowing users to get a sneak-peek at upcoming cars. Usage of the headset will also be tracked, giving Volvo valuable information about what customers are looking at the most. Finally, this flexibility and freedom from needing physical cars in the showroom will give Volvo the opportunity to market its products nearly anywhere. Imagine an entire virtual car showroom, accessed by a headset, in a shopping mall or at a booth on the street.

During a press release, the Senior Vice President of Marketing Sales and Service at Volvo, Björn Annwall, said, “HoloLens offers the freedom to create a bespoke experience which customers can steer themselves. Imagine using mixed reality to choose the type of car you want—to explore the colors, rims, or get a better understanding of the features, services and options available.”

Current problems persist with the technology, which is not yet fully developed. Due to its relatively short duration of existence, problems with angles of view and the field of view have been expressed by users of the headset. These problems are expected to be fixed soon, as the goal of the partnership is to have the headset in full circulation next year.

Volvo is not new to augmented reality; just two years ago, a smartphone app called the Volvo XC90 was developed and marketed. It allowed users to virtually test-drive an XC90 SUV using their phones and a cardboard headset. This app allowed for a 3D experience where users could change their angle of view within the car simply by moving their phones.

Although this technology is very promising, Microsoft and Volvo are not expecting the HoloLens headset to be a complete replacement for physical models. Instead, the technology will supplement the car-buying process by giving customers more options for exploration.