Photo: Epic Games
One of the latest features released by Epic Games for their Unreal Engine is the ability to seamlessly integrate game-quality Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). This way, carmakers can develop vehicles more quickly, although the upgrade is said to also facilitate next-generation in-car communications, marketing and cloud-based services.
Let’s start with the HMI. Unreal Engine now supports all the latest graphics chips, which means in-car displays capable of high-quality 3D visuals. The first-ever car to use an HMI built with the help of Unreal Engine will be an all-new premium EV.
This platform also eliminates several iterative stages from the development process, which in turn enables designers and engineers to focus more on their own specializations. For example, an HMI designer can create a new user interface (UI) in the same software that runs on the vehicle.
One German carmaker (which shall not be named, apparently), described one of their Unreal Engine applications as “a computer game for engineers.” We assume they were referring to the new Collaborative View Template, which facilitates in-house development of virtual reality environments, having users gather around a CAD model or rendering to discuss further challenges and solutions. This would have counted as borderline sci-fi stuff 15-20 years ago.
Here’s another really cool thing. Thanks to Epic’s new MetaHuman Creator tool, no longer do human avatars have to look poorly. Instead, they now look and move like real people, with realistic facial expressions.
“From the adults and children populating the simulations used for active safety system development through to in-car assistants and the virtual sales specialists that will be a key component of moving automotive retail online, faithful representations add quality, credibility and correlation with the real world,” stated Epic automotive lead, Doug Wolff, who was surprised to see how quickly carmakers became deeply committed to Unreal Engine.
Last but not least, we have the Unreal Engine’s ability to create photorealistic renders (Hollywood quality visuals), using best-in-class ray tracing in real time (for lighting and shadows), plus a wide range of customizable materials.
This platform also eliminates several iterative stages from the development process, which in turn enables designers and engineers to focus more on their own specializations. For example, an HMI designer can create a new user interface (UI) in the same software that runs on the vehicle.
One German carmaker (which shall not be named, apparently), described one of their Unreal Engine applications as “a computer game for engineers.” We assume they were referring to the new Collaborative View Template, which facilitates in-house development of virtual reality environments, having users gather around a CAD model or rendering to discuss further challenges and solutions. This would have counted as borderline sci-fi stuff 15-20 years ago.
Here’s another really cool thing. Thanks to Epic’s new MetaHuman Creator tool, no longer do human avatars have to look poorly. Instead, they now look and move like real people, with realistic facial expressions.
“From the adults and children populating the simulations used for active safety system development through to in-car assistants and the virtual sales specialists that will be a key component of moving automotive retail online, faithful representations add quality, credibility and correlation with the real world,” stated Epic automotive lead, Doug Wolff, who was surprised to see how quickly carmakers became deeply committed to Unreal Engine.
Last but not least, we have the Unreal Engine’s ability to create photorealistic renders (Hollywood quality visuals), using best-in-class ray tracing in real time (for lighting and shadows), plus a wide range of customizable materials.
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