It’s the most famous road trip mantra: “Are we there yet?” But could it become a trope of the past?
Audi-backed startup Holoride (stylized as holoride) combines real-time vehicle information with a VR headset to create an immersive entertainment experience.
Get details on the gear you’ll need, the games you can play, and the vehicles that will use Holoride first.
What is Holoride?
Holoride is virtual reality (VR) married to the movements of a vehicle, which Holoride calls “elastic entertainment”. If you already know how to use HTC VIVE streamyou’re one step ahead of the game. It’s currently the only Holoride compatible VR set, and you’ll need firmware version 1.84.623.01 or higher.
For games, the immersive coupling of virtual reality with car driving means that the real-time speed of the vehicle has an impact on how fast or slow things are. If you ever wondered how virtual reality is better today than it was in the 90s, this new technology puts an end to all debate. According to Holoride FAQs“We transform vehicles into mobile theme parks while revolutionizing in-car entertainment for you.”
What games can you play with Holoride?
As of December 2022, Cloudbreakers and Planet Ride are the only immersive games offered. There are several edutainment entertainment offerings, such as a prehistoric learning adventure with a T-Rex. But if you want to see the full list of games, you should check out the Holorid Library.
Holoride has partnered with Porsche and the Discovery Channel to create documentaries such as “How the Universe Works”. For parents who want to keep their kids busy in the car while learning more about the world, Holoride seems like the perfect solution.
In addition to games, Holoride can add new meaning to a city tour. At the 2021 Saltzburg Festival, Audi used technology to allow passengers to take a synchronized motion tour through the city as it looked hundreds of years ago.
When will Holoride be available?
Availability will begin in Germany, then arrive in the United States in early 2023. From there, the rollout will continue to other parts of Europe and select Asian markets throughout 2023.
Whenever it becomes available where you live, you might wonder if someone kicked their lunch due to motion sickness from Holoride. So far, the reports are encouraging. The synchronization of vehicle movement and the VR experience have sufficient fidelity to reality to avoid feelings of unease. Although you won’t know it until you try it for yourself, it seems to be winning early reviews.
Which vehicles will have Holoride?
Audis will be the first Holoride compatible vehicles: the A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, Q8, e-Tron, e-Tron Sportback and e-Tron GT will have Holoride as an option.
To use it, you’ll need the “Pioneer Pack”, which includes the following:
- HTC VIVE Flow Headset
- 8BitDo Pro 2 Gamepad
- Safety strap for seat belt: (to prevent the remote control from flying if the car has to stop suddenly)
- A one-year subscription (about $20/month if paid monthly or $190 annually if paid up front)
As Holoride has already collaborated with Porsche and Ford, these manufacturers could be next to offer this exciting new service, although nothing definitive has yet been released.
Holoride is an exciting new technology that will first be showcased in Audi with availability in 2023, starting in Germany and then spreading around the world. With minimal hardware investment and subscription, drivers can fuse vehicle motion with games, edutainment and documentaries.
Holoride has the potential to transform the way we think about transportation, especially in the era of autonomous vehicles. While no one knows when the vehicles will reach full self-driving capabilities, when they do, people will want immersive in-vehicle entertainment options, as well as enhanced remote meeting capabilities. So whether you’re traveling through space or meeting in a boardroom, Holoride is the first step in a bold new direction.
