Virtual reality (VR) platform HTC Vive has partnered with extended reality (XR) startup holoride to deploy XR technology in vehicles, with a new device, the Vive Flow. A compact and lightweight immersive glasses device, it is designed to transport users “from the backseat of a car to an imaginative world filled with content around every turn”, including both VR and traditional 2D content.
Vive Flow will be the first holoride-ready VR device for integration in cars when it is released in the second half of 2022.
The holoride technology merges XR content with real-time motion, location and navigational data from the car and its environment, creating hyper-immersive experiences. The company says riders can navigate and manoeuvre through the virtual worlds with the same intuitive gestures as they would with conventional VR devices. With holoride’s advanced cinema mode, individual users can privately enjoy 2D content on a virtual, motion-synchronised cinema screen.
“Holoride is on a mission to create exciting in-vehicle experiences for passengers to travel the metaverse, and that starts with putting our technology in the hands – or on the heads – of riders,” says Nils Wollny, CEO and co-founder of holoride. “Vive Flow is the ideal device for on-the-go XR, so we are thrilled to be partnering with HTC Vive to give riders direct access to holoride. The glasses’ sleek, portable design means riders can enjoy a fun and connected experience anywhere they go.”
The Flow weighs just 189g, and is comfortable to wear and lightweight, so that riders can easily transport the glasses to and from the car. A dual-hinge design and soft face gasket make it easy to put on, take off and fold down into a compact footprint.
“Vive Flow can fit in the palm of your hand and still deliver a breathtaking experience,” says Shen Ye, global head of hardware at HTC Vive. “Paired with holoride’s impressive tech, you’ll be able to turn car rides into virtual amusement parks. We’re very excited to work with holoride in shaping the future of passenger entertainment.”
Vive Flow integrated with holoride’s XR technology is on display and available for demo at MWC Hall 7, stand 7A40 until 3 March.
* For more information, visit https://www.holoride.com/