This project was created to showcase a virtual car showroom using augmented and extended reality (AR). The experience allows users to place highly detailed 3D car models in their physical space for an immersive and interactive demonstration. The project features three luxury car models: Aston Martin DB11, Nissan GT-R, and Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

Project Overview

The goal of this project was to create an engaging AR showroom experience that replicates the physical car dealership environment in a virtual space. Users can explore the cars in detail by:

• Changing the exterior paint and interior color of the cars.
• Opening the doors to enter the vehicle.
• Viewing the vehicles with realistic PBR materials that reflect real-world lighting and the surrounding environment.

One of the most immersive features is that once inside the car, the real-world environment around the user is replaced by a 360-degree virtual projection. This feature simulates the sensation of driving on the road rather than simply observing the car from a static location, providing a unique user experience.

Solution

We built the experience using ready-made 3D car models, which, while not Digital Twins, were sufficiently detailed to effectively display both the exterior and interior. Users could interact with these models through intuitive controls. The app was designed with a flexible UI that offers easy navigation, clear visuals, and a user experience optimized for mobile AR devices. The interface was built with sufficient contrast for readability, ensuring smooth interaction regardless of lighting conditions.

Depending on the level of detail in the 3D models, additional interactive mechanics could be implemented, such as opening the hood and trunk, selecting different wheel or tire options, changing interior upholstery colors, or configuring various car trims and models. The system could also support multiple languages and dynamically load new car models from a server to enhance scalability.

Technical Details

Platform: Apple Vision Pro

Technologies: Unity, PolySpatial, XR Interaction Framework, Visual Studio, Blender, Figma

Key Features:

• PBR materials for realistic light and reflection rendering.
• Interaction mechanics allowing users to open doors, change paint, and enter the car.
• Seamless transition from real-world AR to a fully immersive 360-degree virtual experience while inside the car.
• Flexible and clear user interface design for ease of use.

Challenges and Learnings

Through the development of this prototype, we gained significant insights into building AR applications for the Vision Pro platform. We explored how to work effectively with lighting, materials, and level of detail to ensure a smooth, immersive experience. The design process also helped us refine our approach to user interface (UI) design for AR, building an intuitive experience with readable text, good contrast, and effective image layouts.

While the prototype was successful, we also identified some challenges. For example, rendering highly detailed car models with realistic lighting on mobile devices with limited processing power requires optimizations. Systems like Pico 4 and Meta Quest 2 would need simplified materials and lighting effects to achieve similar experiences.

Future Potential and Scalability

This experience can be ported to mobile devices that support ARKit/ARCore or to virtual reality headsets. However, for lower-performance devices, material and lighting optimizations would be necessary. Future developments could also include expanding the feature set with additional interactive mechanics, such as dynamic loading of new models, more detailed car configuration options, and support for multiple languages.

The project was realized using Apple Vision Pro and Unity. It was a successful demonstration of how AR can revolutionize the automotive sales process by bringing the showroom experience directly to the user's home or office.