[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW i Pilots Augmented Reality Product Visualiser

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Unique interactive customer experience designed and built by Accenture
Real-size 3-D products can be visualised and explored
Colour and trim can be configured instantly
Innovative new technology pilots in selected sales outlets

Munich. BMW i is the first automotive brand in the world to offer customers an interactive, 3-D augmented reality experience of their products in a pilot programme which is being rolled-out from today. Using Tango, Google’s smartphone augmented reality technology, customers can explore their ideal BMW i3 or i8, as a real-size, interactive visualization.

“Our vehicles are emotional products and to get that emotional feeling, you really need to experience them,” commented Andrea Castronovo, BMW Group Vice President, Sales Strategy and Future Retail. “In situations where the desired product isn’t available on the spot, this visualisation is the next best thing,” he continued.

Piloting initially in a double-digit number of sales outlets, selected Product Geniuses will be provided with a consumer mobile device which is Tango-enabled. Using this, they can then support customers to visualize and experience the BMW i products, using augmented reality to create a 3-D image which can be explored interactively: the customer can open the boot or the doors, even getting “inside” the car to take a closer look at the interior. Eric Johnsen, Head of Business Development for Augmented Reality at Google, said, “The thing that sets Tango apart is the fact that it understands the context of the space that it’s in. So the wheels are really on the floor, for example, giving the whole experience a much more realistic feel.”



The quality of the images created is certainly extremely realistic. “In our initial tests, we saw people ducking down when they were getting into the car, as if there really were a roof there for them to bang their heads on,” Andrea Castronovo recalled. “It’s that level of detail which means this technology offers the customers real added value,” he commented.

BMW i is the first automotive brand to use Tango to provide customers with this interactive experience. “BMW i is the spearhead of innovation at the BMW Group, so it’s clearly a good fit for the pilot of this new customer and retail tool,” explained Stefan Biermann, BMW Group Head of Innovations Sales, BMW i. The BMW i Visualiser App is the latest innovation in the BMW Group’s Future Retail programme, which began rolling out around three years ago and which has transformed the customers’ experience of buying a car. Many significant elements of Future Retail, such as the Product Genius or the Virtual Product Presenter, have set new benchmarks for the industry.

The BMW i Visualiser was designed and developed by Accenture, integrating BMW i picture data of the vehicles into an app which uses Tango technology. It offers customers a new and interactive way to experience the car, with functions that enable customers to open the door or switch on the lights. In order to keep the user-experience as intuitive and simple as possible, the app is a visualiser instead of a full configurator, where features such as interior and exterior colours or wheel rims can be altered at a touch of the screen. Once the visualisation is complete, the customer can save the data and share it with others, including BMW i sales outlets, via social media, email or QR code.

Once the pilot is successfully completed, it is planned to offer the app on Google Play so that customers with Tango-enabled devices can download it for use any time, any place. “We believe that over the next couple of years, the majority of premium Android devices will be Tango-enabled,” said Eric Johnsen. “Augmented reality has such huge potential for retail, we’re just getting started,” he continued.

“Our research shows that consumers are seeking improved use of technologies like augmented reality during the car-buying process to make the online-offline experience more compelling,” said Christina Raab, managing director in Accenture’s Automotive practice. “BMW i’s use of Tango technology and its integration with sales outlets and existing configuration tools is helping create the seamless multichannel experience customers are seeking.”

[raysspl]

Very cool but kinda defeats the purpose of ACTUALLY going into the showroom or car show. If someone really wanted AR, for this specific purpose, they would've done it at the comfort of their own office or home.

[This is coming from a software engineer & product designer]

[Downeaster1]

I think this would be really cool as a parlor trick, or for entertainment (like to see what the car would look like in your garage...or living room). However, my opinion is that it would be ultimately useless in terms of actually selling a car. I thought the F80 M3 was hideous in pictures until I saw one in person at a dealership...then that clever bastard somehow snuck into my home garage. Gotta watch out for those tricky fuckers.

[Fabs///M]

Originally Posted by Downeaster1

I think this would be really cool as a parlor trick, or for entertainment (like to see what the car would look like in your garage...or living room). However, my opinion is that it would be ultimately useless in terms of actually selling a car. I thought the F80 M3 was hideous in pictures until I saw one in person at a dealership...then that clever bastard somehow snuck into my home garage. Gotta watch out for those tricky fuckers.

That's funny a very good point

[MightyMouseTech]

Some pretty useless tech there.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Downeaster1

I think this would be really cool as a parlor trick, or for entertainment (like to see what the car would look like in your garage...or living room). However, my opinion is that it would be ultimately useless in terms of actually selling a car. I thought the F80 M3 was hideous in pictures until I saw one in person at a dealership...then that clever bastard somehow snuck into my home garage. Gotta watch out for those tricky fuckers.

BMW would have a hard time selling vehicles if the only way to see them before buying them was from this app or seeing photos on bimmerpost.

So many kneejerk reactions and posts saying
so many posts complaining of orange peel, no M mirrors, and hood lines
so many complaints about wheel designs
so many complaints about color combos
so many complaints about interior styling, leather and/or carbon fiber inlays
so many complaints about headlight and taillight designs and construction etc etc etc..

thanks for admitting you are one of many.. in the future..... don't judge a book by it's ( Augmented Reality Product Visualiser ) picture!

[Nomana]

In my opinion, many dealers don't have all range, models and option.

Instead of bronchus and small samples (like paint finish), this would be an alternative way to impress potential customers and could increase sale at some point.

[Pyrat 2]

At least use a tablet for the app.

[Brasko]

Not worth mentioning in my opinion. Basically BMW's way of riding the augmented reality wave.

[Imola.ZHP]

Would also be handy with CPO. We just bought a CPO i3 from out of state. We did FaceTime but of course that requires somebody on the other end.

[Downeaster1]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

BMW would have a hard time selling vehicles if the only way to see them before buying them was from this app or seeing photos on bimmerpost.

So many kneejerk reactions and posts saying
so many posts complaining of orange peel, no M mirrors, and hood lines
so many complaints about wheel designs
so many complaints about color combos
so many complaints about interior styling, leather and/or carbon fiber inlays
so many complaints about headlight and taillight designs and construction etc etc etc..

thanks for admitting you are one of many.. in the future..... don't judge a book by it's ( Augmented Reality Product Visualiser ) picture!

I'm sorry you don't agree with my opinion lol