Can a scary driving experience persuade a potential customer to purchase a vehicle from one brand instead of another? The answer to that question comes from Toyota Spain, which partnered with Antiloop Studio to create an immersive virtual reality experience. Antiloop Studio then created the experience using an Oculus Development Kit and Xsens motion capture suit, in a sizable Motion Capture Studio.
Antiloop Studio created a motion sensitive platform which scared the ‘drivers’.
The tagline for the experience is: “What would you do if your car stalled in the middle of a drawbridge that was opening? Would you defend your family against a bear if your engine suddenly gave it in front of one? Could you fight off a gang that wants to do you harm?”
The Toyota VR Experience has four scenarios, both with the common theme of car breaking down in a worst possible spot. Then the company picked random Toyota customers and invited them to come over and experience virtual reality. What they got is probably more than they bargained for.
See the video below:
While the resolution and graphics quality is not on a triple-A level, which some viewers may find unrealistic, when a person enters virtual environment – it doesn’t take much for the brain to start our natural reactions to the environment. Virtual or not, with the movable seat and Motion Capture suit, this experience was real enough for the participants.
One of only possible conclusion for this experience. If I was married, and even a mother of a child from that panicky driver being scared schyteless of a virtual bear, I would really reconsider my life options. Especially one when it comes to: “My love, I thought about going camping this year.” PSA: Never, ever exit a vehicle if there’s a bear coming at you, be it virtual or a real one.
