One day autonomous vehicles will be a normal everyday occurrence, taking us where we need to go without a second thought. Which means in tandem with this revolution in how the populous gets about, there needs to be a consideration on how time is spent, especially when it comes to long journeys. Which is why Ford and several other companies have got together to create an immersive in-car experience called Bride of Frankenstein.
In conjunction with Universal Pictures’ Universal Monsters franchise, they enlisted the help of British creative studio REWIND (Curfew: Join The Race, Ghost in the Shell VR) and German tech startup Holoride to create a unique piece of entertainment.
Holoride specialises in creating in-car entertainment using virtual reality (VR), going beyond merely providing a headset to enjoy a VR experience. The technology the company has created combines both navigational and car data – such as steering, acceleration, and braking – to create a sort of ‘car theme park ride’ first seen earlier this year at CES.
So the teams have re-imagined the world of The Bride of Frankenstein, putting it inside new 2020 Ford Explorer vehicles for a special October showcase in Los Angeles. Once guests are inside the car they’ll put on a headset and find themselves joined by the Bride of Frankenstein on a special mission. REWIND’s immersive VR experience will see riders encounter interactive monsters and obstacles, complete with sound effects and visuals that react and adapt to every twist and turn of the journey and every nuance of the car’s movement.
Universal Monsters Presents Bride of Frankenstein holoride will be publicly available from 14th October on select dates until 9th November at Universal CityWalk Hollywood. Completely free to try, the experience will last 10 minutes, and you are advised to book – a standby line will also be in operation.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of both REWIND’s latest VR experiences and Holoride’s continued expansion as more car manufacturers explore innovative entertainment possibilities.