Aston Martin Advances Immersive VR Technology as a Retail Tool

Aston Martin is leveraging CloudXR technology in its Valhalla VR Experience, enabling customers to virtually customise their cars and experience an immersive connection with the vehicle.

Aston Martin’s latest virtual tool to help Valhalla owners specify the brand’s first hybrid supercar is demonstrating how the British luxury brand is combining the physical and virtual retail experience.

Showcasing the Valhalla VR Experience, developed with Zerolight and using Nvidia’s CloudXR technology in the run-up to this year’s Monterey Car Week, the business will be demonstrating how the wireless VR headset allows customers to view a detailed 3D digital twin of their Valhalla.

Aston Martin said the engineering focus of the Valhalla has been to create an immersive, uninterrupted connection between the driver and the car and that using 3D VR technology supports this driver-centric approach right from the specification stage using the VR technology,

Valhalla customers can choose the exact specification of the car’s interior while virtually sitting inside it before choosing the exterior specification as they walk around the car.

Renato Bisignani, Aston Martin’s marketing chief, said: “As well as celebrating new entrants to our stunning portfolio, we are also pushing the boundaries of digital technology to provide a glimpse into our future.

Through an immersive VR experience we will bring customers virtually inside the cockpit of Valhalla, getting the best understanding yet of this unique, driver-focused, elite performance car.”

Aston Martin told am-online.com that while the Valhalla VR Experience is a first for the business in terms of using virtual reality to support clients speccing their cars, it had already begun to explore the combination of physical and virtual experiences in retail.

“For example, in June we opened our first ultra-luxury flagship, Q New York, which offers an ultimate blend of digital and physical car configuration. As part of our custom-made appointment, clients will be able to visualise their personalised Aston Martin on a 10.5 metre x 3.5 metre LED wall capable of providing an ultra-high definition, 360-degree view of any Aston Martin in real-life size.”

The business will also use Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology allowing clients to combine the touch and feel of physical colour and trim samples with live configuration on the screen.