The Future of Test Drives: Virtual Reality?

Since test-drives are one of the critical components of the car buying experience, they typically involve car shoppers with dealership employees. However, a new blend of Google and App technology is giving consumers the opportunity to take a virtual test drive from the comfort of their living room. This works by combining Google Cardboard with a Nexus 5 smartphone. Google Cardboard is, as the name suggests, cardboard. It folds into a shape of virtual reality goggles and allows a space for a Nexus phone to provide the content. What that content is in this case, is a virtual test drive of a Volvo XC90. Consumers can take a test drive of the $60,000 vehicle from anywhere and without stepping foot on a dealership lot. It’s all running off of an App called “Volvo Reality.” It was launched in the Google Play store on November 14th.

Volvo is the first automotive brand to incorporate Google Cardboard to transform the way that consumers experience their product. According to a press release from Volvo Cars of North America, the company is fully aware of just how innovative this technology may be. Bodil Eriksson, EVP of Product, Brand Marketing & Communications said, “Using Google Cardboard exemplifies the marriage of innovation and design engineering. With nothing more than a smartphone, cardboard, two lenses and a magnet, customers can experience a test drive that puts them in the driver’s seat of the XC90.” Is it possible that this move by Volvo could spur a new direction for automotive brands seeking to allow consumers to experience their vehicles?

Time will tell if that proves true, however, this could represent a large leap. One of the greatest challenges for advertisers is getting the mobile consumer to sit still and experience their ads. This technology essentially has a captive audience, fully engaged with their phone and the Cardboard headset. Currently, the most common way to find out about a car that you’re interested in is to look at a video of it. Eriksson says this is a step further. “With Google Cardboard we can deliver an experience that is so much richer than simple videos or pictures. We can now transport people into a 360-degree world where they can explore and experience the next-generation luxury SUV, months before it’s in dealerships.” What do you think? Is this the direction that test drives are going or is this just an experiment? Will consumers one day be able to buy a car without ever driving it first?