Imagination brings Jaguar VR experience to Paris Motor Show
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To welcome Jaguar back to motor racing and allow members of the public to experience the excitement of the Jaguar Panasonic Formula E race car, global creative agency Imagination, in partnership with specialist VR production studio Rewind, has devised a first-of-its-kind fully immersive Virtual Reality experience for the Paris Motor Show 2016.
The seven-minute Formula E VR experience takes visitors on a multi-sensory journey through Jaguar’s racing heritage, challenging them to compete with other drivers and visit the key locations of Formula E series. Users can create their own avatar and join five other members of the public in an immersive virtual reality theatre on the Jaguar Land Rover stand. Each user is positioned in a self-contained racing seat, with steering wheel and headset. HTC Vive and the latest gaming technology is used to transport the user to another reality. Each seat is fitted with a rumble pack and the drivers feel a rush of wind to their faces as they ‘take off’ down the track.
The drivers are challenged as they make their way through Paris, Hong Kong, Marrakesh and New York and into the mind of a Formula E driver, and can share the results of their adventures on social media. The experience is also promoted by Jaguar on You Tube.
In its first few days at The Paris Motor Show, over 1,000 people took the VR experience. According to Ross Wheeler, head of automotive at Imagination, the Full VR experience helps communicate the exhilaration of Jaguar Panasonic engineering and design. “We needed to create a thrilling way for people to learn about Jaguar Panasonic’s Formula E I-TYPE. Using the best of theatre and VR technology, we’ve told a story in an unforgettable way. We can’t sit everyone in the real driver’s seat but, with this totally immersive experience, we’ve come close to providing an authentic high-adrenaline experience.”
Sol Rogers, Rewind’s CEO/Founder commented: “We’ve used our VR expertise to create a truly unique experience to mark Jaguar’s return to motor racing. Built in Unreal Engine 4, the experience for HTC’s Vive uses a custom built seat and high end 4D experience systems to push the level of immersion, whilst the social aspects draw out the competitive nature in all who try it.”
The VR experience is part of the Jaguar Land Rover stand at Paris Motor Show and will be on display until 16th October. The stand also contains the Innovation Lab which brings Jaguar Land Rover’s most advanced technology to the public as a tactile, engaging experience.
