On March 7, Nissan Motor Co. unveiled a novel venture into the Metaverse, introducing the Heritage Cars and Safe Driving Studio. This immersive experience is centered around themes of automotive history and safety education, merging virtual depictions of three iconic Nissan vehicles with interactive safety exhibits.
The studio's inauguration coincides with Nissan's 90th anniversary celebrations, which commenced in December. It showcases three legendary models from Nissan's past, each situated within meticulously crafted virtual environments that encapsulate their respective eras. Among these exhibits is the S13 Silvia Q, renowned worldwide for its role as a drift car. Visitors to the Heritage Cars & Safe Driving Studio can explore historical vehicles while gaining insights into factors such as the influence of pedestrian clothing color on driver awareness.
In addition to observing classic cars, visitors can engage in a variety of interactive activities designed to promote safety awareness while driving. One such activity involves a mini-game focused on understanding a driver's field of vision and the effects of multitasking on driving safety. Furthermore, guests can discover the Skyline 2000GTX-E, a beloved hot rod with a prominent presence in popular culture through mediums like the Gran Turismo video game series and the Fast and the Furious film franchise.
The studio's final exhibit transports users to 1950s and 1960s America, offering hands-on steering wheel exercises in an environment reminiscent of classic American diners and drive-in theaters. These immersive experiences were developed in collaboration with researchers from Japanese universities and are accessible via the Meta Quest headset. They complement Nissan's existing virtual offerings, including its inaugural virtual test drive introduced in 2022.
As Nissan embraces the evolving landscape of augmented and virtual reality technologies, the company is poised to refresh four existing virtual worlds in conjunction with its 90th-anniversary festivities. With advancements in AR and VR hardware solutions, Nissan's foray into the Metaverse aligns with the broader industry trend, coinciding with recent developments such as Apple's debut of its mixed reality headset in February 2024. This expansion underscores the intensifying competition among tech giants like Meta and Microsoft, who have been actively promoting both consumer and enterprise adoption of AR and VR technologies in recent years.
