BMW i Visualiser augments the buying experience

Instead of gathering Pocket Monsters in the park, aspiring i3 and i8 owners can now use the BMW i Visualiser app from the Google Play store and begin an augmented reality experience to help the make their buying decision.

The German brand's i Visualiser uses the Google-developed Tango platform to geo-locate a smartphone's location and orientation. For example you might want to get a look at just how well your i3 looks parked at work, so the app will produce a 3D version of the little eco-marvel on your smartphone screen as if it was sitting in the office car park.

You can also alter interior and exterior colours, a variety of wheel rims and then open the boot or doors and actually “get inside” the vehicle, all while having no actual car in the vicinity.

“We know that our customers are busy people and that we need to fit into their lives,” commented Andrea Castronovo, BMW Group Vice President, Sales Strategy and Future Retail.

“With the BMW i Visualiser now available on Google Play, we are delighted that customers can now explore our products in a truly interactive and fun way, whenever and wherever it suits them. Our vehicles are emotional products and to get that emotional feeling, you really need to experience them."

Head of Business Development for Augmented Reality at Google, Eric Johnsen, says BMW i is the first automotive brand to use Tango to provide customers with this type of interactive experience.

“The thing that sets Tango apart is the fact that it understands the context of the space that it’s in. So, the wheels are really on the floor, for example, giving the whole experience a much more realistic feel," he said.

This will be important if you are worried whether that sleek i8 hybrid supercar you had your heart set on will fit in that inner-suburban garage of yours. So go inside said confined space and see how much of it is taken up by i8 coupe or roadster.

“We believe that over the next couple of years, the majority of premium Android devices will be Tango-enabled,” said Eric Johnsen. “Augmented reality has such huge potential for retail, we’re just getting started."

The BMW i Visualiser was designed and developed by Accenture and its customer experience agency Accenture Interactive, integrating picture data of the BMW i vehicles into an app which uses Tango technology.

It is important to note that the Visualiser is not a full configuration program -- only limited choices can be made – however, Accenture Interactive is looking to future versions.

Once the visualisation is complete, the customer can save the data and share it with others via email or social media. In a future step, it will be possible to transfer the data from the visualiser directly into the full BMW i configurator at the customer’s local dealership.

“Our research shows that consumers are seeking improved use of technologies like augmented reality during the car-buying process to make the online-offline experience more compelling,” said Christina Raab, managing director in Accenture’s Automotive practice.

“BMW i’s use of Tango technology and its integration with sales outlets and existing configuration tools is helping create the seamless multichannel experience customers are seeking.”