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For Business
November 19, 2015

Microsoft HoloLens and Volvo Cars explore the future of car buying



Today, we’re excited to announce that Microsoft HoloLens and Volvo Cars are partnering to explore future automotive and technology scenarios and reimagining how people experience car buying – from seeking information to customizing the car of their choice.

A woman is playing around with car models using Microsoft HoloLens.

Volvo’s vision for more human-centric design is well aligned with the human-centric approach we have taken with HoloLens technology – putting people at the center of the experience. HoloLens allows people to remain present in the real world, engaged with the physical world around them, while also bringing digital elements to life that are not bound by the laws of physics.

Imagine enhancing your car buying experience at the dealership by viewing the complete inside of the vehicle you are interested in. With the power of holograms, we have the ability to open the car up completely, take a closer look at the engine, inspect the chassis or watch the drivetrain and transmission in action. Imagine viewing and customizing the car of your personal choosing, and viewing it at scale. You could have access to the full array of options, features and possibilities associated with every car make and model. Imagine then seeing the car you’ve configured, at full scale, as a high-definition hologram projected into your garage, long before the car has even been manufactured.

“With HoloLens we have the freedom to create a bespoke experience which customers can steer themselves. Imagine using mixed reality to choose the type of car you want – to explore the colors, rims, or get a better understanding of the features, services and options available,” said Björn Annwall, Senior Vice President, Marketing Sales and Service at Volvo Cars.

Experiences like the one we created with Volvo allow you to experience holograms within the context of your real world environment. With HoloLens your peripheral vision is largely preserved, in order to allow you to move around spaces – like a vehicle showroom – very freely. This is a significant benefit to companies, like Volvo, where how people experience both the car and the dealership environment are very important.

This early glimpse of new experiences made possible through HoloLens in partnership with Volvo, illustrates how we are thinking about the ways in which our world will be transformed in the not too distant future.

A woman working on a car assembly line using Microsoft HoloLens.

Revolutionary tool for businesses

Microsoft HoloLens is the first fully untethered holographic computer powered by Windows 10. Whether for education, design, healthcare or entertainment, HoloLens enables innovative experiences that are impossible on any other device — or any other platform, and can transform the way companies work.

This year, we have demonstrated a number of exciting scenarios, made possible through HoloLens that unlock the potential of holographic computing. In addition to Volvo Cars, we are working with commercial partners like NASA JPL, Trimble, Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic, and many more, to deliver new ways to design, create, collaborate, and bring products and information to life.

A new era of computing experiences

With HoloLens, Microsoft is focused on delivering powerful experiences – the best entertainment experiences and the highest levels of productivity to usher in a new era of computing and help commercial customers harness the power of holographic computing with Microsoft HoloLens.

We believe developers, organizations, designers, creators, and those seeking a whole new way to be entertained will find unique value in Microsoft HoloLens.

We are just scratching the surface of the diverse types of experiences enabled by HoloLens, and together, with developers and our commercial partners, will continue to help people harness the power of holographic computing.

As announced in October, we are currently inviting applications for the Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition that will start shipping in Q1 of 2016 for $3,000. Developers can visit http://hololens.com for more information and to apply for the Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition.