BMW turned a literal car into a VR controller and this is what you can do with it

As soon as big companies started seeing XR — and some of the best AR/VR headsets on the market — as something that could improve not only their home entertainment style, but the way their industry works, I knew that even companies that you wouldn’t really consider as part of Big Tech, would adapt technology too.

But, quite honestly, I had never considered BMW to be among them. And that’s not because I meant to belittle the automotive giant, but because… Well, what would BMW do beyond possibly allowing engineers to walk around in lifelike, 3D renders of their blueprints?

Well, quite a lot, as it turns out. BMW is already a part of the Metaverse and it’s offering its own experiences and minigames. But now, the company has stepped up its game, allowing you to use an actual BMW M4 as your gateway into VR.



So, the aim here is to use this $86,000 controller — and, again, we’re talking about an actual car, not just a toy or static model of it — in combination with a VR headset in order to drive, but in VR. *queue futuristic synth sound combined with a power chord*

The result? Well, it’s difficult to grasp even after you’ve checked out the video above, which showcases the experience. But from what I gather, it replaces the actual track you are driving on with some sort of 3D game stage, where you collect BMW coins.

And this is the part where I wonder who would need something beyond access to the actual, very cool looking car and this huge racing track in order to have fun, but that’s beyond me I guess.

The idea of the project is to allow you to render any place, beyond the gaming-ish racing stage, showcased in the trailer. Which makes me think that the project has quite a ways to go, but still: the fact that the car is tracked in this high level of detail, as to allow you to race in VR with an absolutely realistic sensation, is truly impressive.

It is also making me wonder why it exists, but I can’t deny that it is impressive indeed.

But if it has gotten you incredibly excited, you can check out this link and maybe book a date to test drive — literally — BMW’s VR experience. Although, in this case, it’s a weird mixture of AR and VR at the same time.