Axel Springer has partnered with Deutsche Telekom and the BMW Group to develop an interactive mixed reality presentation of the BMW iX1 at this year’s AUTO BILD and Golden Steering Wheel awards ceremony. Guests were able to test a virtual model of the car with mixed reality (NREAL), while its features were explained in 3D by a virtual journalist.
“We are researching immersive technology at Axel Springer and are already building up competencies for the future,” said Chris Krauß, Product Lead Immersive Media (AR/VR/MR/360°) at Axel Springer NMT. “Technologies that merge the real world and virtual reality will change media consumption in the coming years. Today we presented a practical experiment to gain further experience.”
Robin Hornig, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AUTO BILD, added: “Mixed reality applications can, for example, in combination with audiovisual content from AUTOBILD, turn the presentation of automobiles into a virtual experience and thus become a mobile buying guide for our readers. I am pleased that we were able to show the first presentation together with Deutsche Telekom and the BMW Group at the Golden Steering Wheel.”
The programme was developed by Axel Springer National Media & Tech (NMT), partnership with AUTO BILD, Telekom, and BMW. In such mixed reality applications, the user’s real environment in the glasses is overlaid with virtual objects, so that the two merge into a form of ‘augmented reality’.
In the future, the brand believes that the automotive industry could present car models purely digitally in virtual showrooms for customers to experience. Using gesture control, the user can interact with the virtual vehicle and also have the associated AUTO BILD content such as videos or tests displayed.
The application can now also be experienced on AUTOBILD.de, either with MR glasses or simply with a smartphone, and you can find out more here.