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Auto brands are reinventing the road trip with technologies like AR and VR

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By Imogen Watson, Senior reporter

October 23, 2019 | 3 min read

With technology driving automotive innovation, auto brands are now looking at reinventing the road trip with immersive in-car entertainment.

Auto brands are looking to reinvent the road trip

Auto brands are looking to reinvent the road trip

The transformation of the car into a 'mobile' device features in The Drum's latest Automotive issue, guest-edited by James May and Richard Hammond, that looks to uncover what will happen to marketing as the changing capabilities of cars intertwine with the changing expectations of their drivers.

A rapid blitz of technology in recent years has put self-driving cars on the road. Now, as technology continues to improve, a number of car brands are leveraging its capability to create immersive in-car entertainments, where augmented and virtual reality can make cars a hub for gaming, viewing and shopping.

With the roll-out of 5G, people are more connected than ever, with many predicting that our cars will become extensions of our digital selves.

"As soon as cars can make journeys themselves on a regular basis, entertainment will quickly be added into those vehicles," predicted Mike McGee, chief creative officer at visual effects company Framestore. "And if you're not driving, you're going to want to watch media or play games or explore where you're going."

One car brand leading the way is Honda, who are moving the needle on integrating mobile services into cars with its Dream Drive technology.

"This is the automotive industry's first integrated driver and passenger infotainment, commerce, services and rewards dashboard within the vehicle environment," explained Frank Lin, managing director for technology and program delivery at Honda Innovations.

"When your driver becomes the passenger, the car is your living room," he adds.

Audi is also jumping on the tech-bandwagon, by leveraging VR and AR. Designed for passengers, Audi's Holoride technology ultilises a headset to immerse the rider in a different world, based on the road the car is running on.

"During any journey, you're in a mobile cabin that, in theory, could be configured to any individual's needs," McGee said. "We'll want entertainment and stimulation, but also downtime or the change to rest."

Our feature on the future of in-car entertainment appears in full in The Drum's latest print issue, out now. Guest-edited by Richard Hammond and James May, our Automotive issue looks at the future of the car sector as tech companies and traditional carmakers compete to own the industry's future. Get your copy here. Get your copy here.

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