Audi Will Showcase the holoride VR Experience Platform at CES 2023 in Las Vegas

The German brand is the first car manufacturer to introduce virtual reality entertainment by holoride into its series production. You can experience the system at CES in the back of an Audi e-tron and e-tron Sportback.

The holoride technology can detect the car's driving movements in real-time and adapt the virtual content as needed. For instance, if the vehicle you're playing in accelerates, the virtual spaceship will speed up. The same goes for turning left or right. Moreover, holoride can reduce motion sickness by transforming real-world feedback into visual and felt experiences. So, if you're one of those who get sick while watching a movie or reading a book in a car, you may enjoy killing some time by putting a VR headset on.

Audi is seeking to redefine in-car entertainment – the company's Head of Digital Experience/Business said, "Combining real-time vehicle data with virtual content creates a completely new type of experience. Vehicle digitalization is an essential building block in the ongoing transformation of the interior into a third living space. This highly personal space merges living and working spaces into one. This way, holoride serves as another proof point in our roadmap."



The technology was first presented at CES 2019, and the new form of entertainment received numerous trade show awards. holoride optimized its tech and commercialized it for various manufacturers. This fall, holoride was launched for Germany, and other European markets will follow early next year.

Passengers require the "Pioneers' Pack" starter kit and a holoride-capable Audi vehicle to access the experience, from the A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, Q8, Q8 e-tron, Audi e-tron, Audi e-tron Sportback, and Audi e-tron GT model lines. 2023 vehicles and a third-gen modular infotainment kit (MIB 3) are also needed. Lastly, a VR headset enabled for holoride is necessary to connect to the car via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

The pack was launched in Germany for €699 ($742), and it includes the HTC Vive Flow, which are VR glasses that can be used for holoride, an 8BitDo Pro 2 Gamepad, and a safety strap that connects to the seatbelt. You also get a one-year subscription, but you'll have to pay €20 ($21.2) per month to continue accessing the service after it, or you can pay a yearly subscription fee which equals €15 ($16) per month.

At launch, you can immerse yourself in two blockbuster games and other interactive content. In the game "Cloudbreakers: Leaving Heaven," you control Dev, his scavenger robot Skyjack and I.O.N.E. in the skies of Stratus, chasing guards and collecting scrap metal. holoride's "Elastic Content" feature means that the game will adapt to the ride to your real-life destination.

A new 2D version of the nostalgic "Pixel Ripped" game is also coming out – you have to accompany the Keene family on a Christmas trip and help David Keene on his mission.

Of course, equipping Audi's vehicles with the technical components needed to use holoride was no easy feat. Behind the process is CARIAD, Volkswagen Group's automotive software company. It covered everything from image processing to ECU, sensor technology, and system architectures. Besides experiencing the holoride technology at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, you can also check out CARIAD's pavilion, where it'll present its innovative solutions.