BMW launches VR dealerships
BMW is launching virtual reality dealerships to allow customers to view its hybrid and electric BMWi cars as if they were right in front of them. Using smartphones equipped with Google’s Tango technology, the VR projects a life-size three dimensional image of the vehicle, laid over the user’s environment. Customers can operate doors and lights and alter the colour of the interiors and exteriors. The VR pilot is being tested across 11 dealerships in the UK, Germany, Italy, China, Japan and the US, with plans to expand the app to the Google Play store to make it available worldwide.
It's difficult to get a feel for what a personalized car will look like in real life. You can't get a realistic perspective by customizing a car on the web, but visiting the dealership frequently means having to guess what your color choices look like. BMW doesn't think you should have to choose. It's testing a BMW i Visualizer app that uses Google's depth-sensing Tango technology to help you preview your ultimate i3 or i8. If you visit dealerships in several countries (including the US and UK) during the weeks ahead, you'll get to configure and walk around a virtual car in augmented reality. You can't sit in it, unsurprisingly, but you can poke your head inside to see if the layout is as posh as you thought it would be.

You won't have to go to a dealership (and face the inevitable pressure to buy) in the future. BMW plans to release the necessary app on Google Play later in 2017, so you might one day use this to picture an i3 in your driveway. The challenge, of course, is getting a Tango-equipped device. While your options are expanding, you'll have to be fairly picky about your next phone if you want to conduct an in-depth investigation of your dream car.