BMW’s entire experience at CES 2018 this week in Las Vegas is designed to explore the driving experience from virtual to ‘in real life.’ During BMW’s panel on “The Future of Racing: The Intersection of Virtual Technology and Real Experience,” there was a provocative discussion about how, perhaps, the goal of virtual reality is not replicating reality.
“… VR sometimes is more tiring for me when driving compared to the real thing because I have to imagine the physics compared to feeling them in real life” – John Edwards BMW RLL Driver / regarding VR vs the physical experience. pic.twitter.com/mXIOX8QWOF
— JayzTwoCents #CES2018 (@JayzTwoCents) January 10, 2018
The panel—which included John Edwards, a BMW-sponsored racecar driver; Chris Kinman of GoPro; and Kazunori Yamauchi, CEO of Polyphony Digital and creator of the acclaimed PlayStation Gran Turismo videogame series—discussed the distinct merits of real driving vs. simulated driving as part of the automaker’s “The Ultimate Driver: CES Showdown” part virtual, part real challenge.
We're at #CES2018. Visit BMW's Silver Lot from 1/9-1/11 to get behind the wheel, burn some Vegas rubber, and on 1/12, claim the title of The Ultimate Driver. Find out how to compete: https://t.co/2oD65qJOBR pic.twitter.com/fauHBMyMpz
— BMW USA (@BMWUSA) January 10, 2018
They made the point that the immersiveness of virtual experiences is powerful as a form of hyper-realism, but they cannot substitute, nor should they substitute, for the visceral experiences of real life that engage and spark the imagination.
The best role for virtual reality is to compliment real life experiences. Whether making experiences more accessible, expanding audiences or allowing people to try, VR can be embraced as an extension of experience.
Want to experience drift? Head over to the @BMWUSA tent for a ride along in an M series and enjoy some tire shredding with the same guys who broke the world drift record! #ces2018 pic.twitter.com/MeKxFLge0E
— JayzTwoCents #CES2018 (@JayzTwoCents) January 10, 2018
Yamauchi, now a racecar driver in his own right, was inspired to create Gran Turismo because he wanted to learn how to drive a racecar. Now he sees fans of the game more engaged in watching racing championships because they are more connected to the experience of the driver.
But there is the issue of sustainability. A quick poll of the audiences showed many had VR headsets, but most hadn’t been picked up in months. Beyond novelty, people are still learning the value of VR and designers are finding the right approach to length of experiences.
Ultimately, the technology is tricking the brain. And this can be tiring for users. Edward made the point that while simulators can’t replicate the physical forces you feel on your body or the smells of the racetrack, the technology is so good that it’s replicated in how the virtual car drives. While a great tool for practicing, “It’s much harder on me mentally,” Edward said of driving the simulator and filling in the gaps left by his other senses not being a part of the experiences.
Kinman discussed how virtual experiences must continually surprise the mind and eyes in order to keep the user engaged. His perspective, with Yamauchi’s, gave a window into the process of capturing real-world racetracks, and the care and attention to detail required to make Gran Turismo a title people keep coming back to.
—Fell Gray is an Executive Director and global tech sector lead, Photos by Ross Clugston, a Creative Director at Interbrand New York.
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