Would you test drive a car in augmented reality? Customize the vehicle as a high-definition hologram? Kick the tires of a virtual automobile? Volvo might soon make that a reality with the help of Microsoft's HoloLens.
Redmond and the car maker have teamed up to explore how Volvo might incorporate the HoloLens into car showrooms, "from seeking information to customizing the car of their choice," Microsoft said in a blog post.
A video (below) shows Volvo staff looking at hologram cars, and stripping away the exterior shell for a peek at its innards with the flick of a finger.
"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," said HoloLens director Scott Erickson.
Unveiled in January, the new Windows 10-powered holographic platform is expected to launch its first iteration "within the next year," Redmond chief Satya Nadella announced in August. A $3,000 developer version is set to arrive in Q1 2016 in the U.S. and Canada.
"With HoloLens we have the freedom to create a bespoke experience which customers can steer themselves," Björn Annwall, senior vice president of Volvo's marketing sales and service, said in a statement. "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."
Microsoft HoloLens has also teamed up with NASA JPL, Trimble, Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic, among others, to explore different use cases for its augmented reality headset.
Perhaps Volvo customers can soon step inside a virtual version of its autonomous concept car. Unveiled at this week's 2015 Los Angeles Motor Show, the self-driving vehicle transforms to fit your needs based on three driving modes.
The automaker in February also announced its "Drive Me" project, which will provide autonomous cars to 100 customers in Gothenburg, Sweden, by 2017.
For more, see PCMag's Hands On With Microsoft's Impressive HoloLens. Also check out details of Redmond's HoloLens video-capture process.
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