Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has unveiled a prototype of an immersive car sales application designed and built by Accenture Digital using Google’s Project Tango developer kit.
The prototype allows clients viewing and interacting through a Project Tango mobile phone or tablet with a full-scale augmented reality virtual version of any object they are considering buying, including a car.
The first commercial Project Tango device is expected to be available in summer 2016 and this application is being previewed to attendees of this year’s Mobile World Congress.
The mobile device navigates and views the changing environment as you do
Project Tango technology gives mobile devices the ability to navigate the physical world similar to how we do as humans. Project Tango brings a new kind of spatial perception to Android devices by adding advanced computer vision, image processing, and special vision sensors. A Project Tango device maps the 360-degree environment around it, meaning that as it is moved it navigates and views the changing environment in the same way as a person would. As the car is viewed through the device, the virtual car moves in relation to how the user moves.
Users of the FCA car configuration solution can walk freely around a full-scale vehicle in almost any environment because Project Tango enables an untethered, handheld experience that does not rely on external tracking technology such as markers, beacons or GPS.
An entire new retail experience for clients
The process of making decisions about cars will be completely transformed with the new generation of mobile devices. FCA is the first automotive brand to use this type of digital car configuration tool. Today’s car configurators are essentially flat. With this tool FCA customers could have a more interesting and immersive experience.
“Augmented reality is set to transform the way car-buyers choose and configure vehicles through the provision of immersive technology because it provides an enjoyable, delightful experience for customers,” said Luca Mentuccia, senior managing director and head of Accenture’s Automotive practice. “We believe dealers and car buyers will be quick to embrace this enhanced way of buying a car as the new devices become readily available, taking advantage of the 360-degree mapping environment to create this unique experience.”
“Project Tango is a new, unique technology that is set to become standard functionality in the next generation of mobile devices,” said Matteo Aliberti, Digital Innovation lead for Accenture Interactive EALA. “Accenture has been experimenting with Project Tango and potential business uses for as long as it has been in development, creating a range of potential applications, including this one for the automotive industry.”
Related Eastwindmarketing links:
Fiat Project Tango augmented reality retail experience by Accenture (video)
Related Eastwindmarketing links (old platform):
SK Telecom launches augmented reality solution for Google’s Project Tango
Google testing a 3D virtual reality tablet within Tango project
