One standout example is Porsche's use of augmented reality for technical service and training. Their "Tech Live Look" system allows dealership technicians to wear AR glasses and connect in real-time with remote experts at Porsche HQ. These experts can see what the technician sees, overlay instructions or diagrams, and guide complex repairs step-by-step. This innovation significantly reduces repair time, improves accuracy, and minimizes vehicle downtime—a huge benefit in luxury performance markets where precision and customer satisfaction are paramount. Beyond service, VR is also being used in car design and virtual showrooms, allowing customers to experience and customize vehicles without setting foot in a dealership.
Ford has been doing some interesting work in the area of virtual reality. Their designers and engineers don a VR headset before they ever create a new car and "walk around" the car in a virtual environment. They verify the design, correct issues, and even check how easy it is to see out the windows or access the buttons -- all without creating a physical model. The big advantage is time and money saved. Rather than constructing numerous actual cars to find errors, they identify most of them early in the process. It also accelerates the process -- the cars can end up in production a whole lot faster. And, of course, safer as well, since they can do crash tests in VR before they do them in the real world.
One great example of an automaker using augmented reality is Volkswagen's MARTA app. It gives car owners step-by-step instructions using AR, overlaying 3D visuals on the real parts of the vehicle. I've seen this technology up close while helping a client test mobile security protocols on AR-driven apps. It's user-friendly, and it reduces the learning curve for car maintenance. It's a perfect blend of customer education and convenience. In the shop or the field, AR makes a big difference. I've worked with technicians who needed quick visual references for unfamiliar equipment. AR apps cut down troubleshooting time and made the training process smoother. At Tech Advisors, we've even helped businesses set up AR-based remote support for their teams. It's effective, especially in high-pressure environments where accuracy matters. If you're in the auto industry--or supporting it--my advice is to consider AR not just for flash but for function. It improves technician training, supports safer driving, and lowers costs tied to errors and downtime. I remember a conversation with Elmo Taddeo about how visual tools speed up decision-making. He was right. The future isn't just about speed; it's about clarity. AR delivers both.
The most innovative part of VR/AR applications in automotives is definitely Audi's holoride technology. If you are a technology and UX enthusiast like me, I find it so amazing from where Audi has touched the territory of in car entertainment. An immersive VR experience Holoride makes for car passengers The VR experience moves with what actual motion the car is in, in other words it is a location-aware and motion synced gaming. Holoride differentiates it from using the car movement and providing a truly dynamic experience. The VR content moves with respect to an acceleration, brake or turn in the car and this incredibly realistic makes experience. This technology places entertainment at the heart of car travel, where one would have a better, interactive travel canon like experience even during long journeys. Audis not only turned passenger experience into VR world, the application of VR has broadened into new land as integrates in car entertainment and feels really like with more futuristic fully connected. Furthermore the holoride from Audi is a perfect example to show how VR/AR can switch the tide for user engagement and make driving fun for everybody on the road.