Project Overview

Jaguar offered a first look at the Jaguar I-PACE Concept, an all-electric performance SUV(1), ahead of its global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show with an exclusive VIP reception at MILK Studios in Los Angeles. Actress Michelle Rodriguez, late night-talk show host James Corden, supermodel Miranda Kerr, musician Gavin Rossdale, model David Gandy and Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper, took part in a world-first, live cross-continent virtual reality reveal experience that transported the audience into a unique virtual world to explore the I-PACE Concept vehicle.

The Jaguar I-PACE Concept(1) Vehicle is the start of a new era for Jaguar. This is a production preview of the Jaguar I-PACE, which will be revealed next year and on the road in 2018. Customers can register now at jaguarusa.com to be one of the first I-PACE owners. Jaguar’s engineering and design teams have torn up the rule book to create a bespoke electric architecture, matched with dramatic design. The result is a no-compromise smart, five seat sports car and a performance SUV in one.

Organisation

Jaguar

Team

Jaguar joined forces with VR leaders HTC VIVE, Computer experts Dell and Creative agencies REWIND and Imagination to create the world’s largest, global, connected VR experience.

Project Brief

The unique and world-first ‘social VR’ reveal is believed to be the largest live and connected VR event of its type to date. Throughout the day more than 300 guests were transported into a specially created life-like virtual space, into which, two of the car’s creators, Ian Callum and Ian Hoban were projected.

From VR hubs in Los Angeles and London, groups of 66 guests including A-list stars Michelle Rodriguez, Miranda Kerr and James Corden, used HTC VIVE Business Edition headsets, powered by Dell Precision workstations, to put themselves inside the concept car and interact live with other participants. Guests ‘sat’ on the concept’s virtual seats, had a 3600 view of Venice Beach as the concept was built piece by piece around them, and saw the I-PACE Concept race towards them across a virtual desert.

Project Innovation/Need

The virtual reality experience also allowed participants to sit in the front and rear of the Jaguar I-PACE Concept and explore the beautiful interior, discovering hidden details and features.

Renowned VR Director, Alexander Horton, led the creative direction. Participants experienced the car being built around them, speeding towards them and appearing to fall to Earth from another planet – clearly signalling the future-forward nature of the revolutionary Jaguar.

The new and exciting VR platform pushed the boundaries further than ever before, with the inclusion of social interaction and a live presenter broadcast into a single VR world.

Dell Precision workstations powered the design and development of the Jaguar I-PACE Concept and the VR reveal experience. Dell Precision Tower Workstations are configured specifically with the increased performance, graphics and memory for VR content creation and advanced commercial visualization, making these types of applications possible in new areas of business, such as automotive.

User Experience

Dan O’ Brien, VP, Virtual Reality at HTC VIVE said, “Jaguar Land Rover is renowned for its innovative spirit, and with Vive Business Edition we’re thrilled to be the virtual reality partner to help bring to life their latest launch. With the blend of cinematics and VIVE’s room-scale VR technology, the I-PACE Concept VR experience offers an incredible level of immersion, and showcases an exciting reimagining of the traditional car launch as we know it.”

Ross Wheeler, Head of Automotive at Imagination, said: “For the first time in history, a global automotive brand has used fully immersive VR to launch their latest car. This launch takes the individual far beyond any new car experience they would have witnessed before, allowing people across the world to connect in real time, be fully immersed within the vehicle and share live together their experience of Jaguar’s first ever electric vehicle.”

“Jaguar, by embracing cutting-edge technology in this way, has created an experience rich and rewarding for its consumers. It has undoubtedly redefined the future of how automotive brands introduce their new vehicles to customers."