Over the years, the driving experience has certainly gotten more and more intricate and complex – and that’s all been for the sake of convenience and safety – better or worse.
Now, enter entertainment for your passengers as a new frontier. We’re not talking about the radio or hanging rear facing tablets from the head rests on your seats. We talking immersive gaming that includes your surroundings.
Cars and SUVs now come equipped with a variety of technological innovations. There’s a sensor on the sides, top, even bottom, serving all types of purposes, including to make sure you break for the cow in the road.
Now a French company named Valeo, who creates software support for cars with enabled assisted driving, intends to leverage all these sensors to implement a gaming experience. And using a Volvo XC90, the company created a mock experience of exactly what we can expect.
An Axios reporter was allowed access to the car and while riding in the backseat, she used a gaming controller to race an animated car in and out of real time, live traffic. All along the way, she nabbed coins and avoided obstacles.
I could drive as recklessly as I wanted, jumping over obstacles or spinning out, without any real-world consequences. She explained.
The game leverages the sensors in the car to bring in the reality of what’s happening around the car and creates a new virtual experience for the passenger. And here’s some even cooler innovation facts: There’s no motion sickness because the game reflects the live motion.
And there’s more (because, of course): You can race other passengers on the road.
Valeo doesn’t intend to make VR car gaming their core application, but it does appear they want to build the base systems which support this concept. Meaning, the gaming industry will have a huge opportunity with game-ready automobiles if they are to make it to market.
Of course, there’s privacy issues given connected gamers could see where you are driving. But it certainly appears we’re moving into a new gaming frontier with VR enabled cars. Vacations will never look the same again.
About Valeo
Valeo is a prominent French company specializing in the production of automotive parts and systems. Founded in 1923, it has grown to be a key player in the global automotive industry. Valeo develops and manufactures components, integrated systems, and modules for the automotive sector, focusing on smart mobility solutions. Their product range includes systems for powertrain efficiency, driving assistance, and thermal energy management. Additionally, Valeo is actively involved in the innovation and development of software and technologies related to autonomous and connected vehicles, emphasizing advancements in vehicle safety and performance.