Ferrari creates immersive showroom experience via augmented reality.

Ferrari’s augmented reality app

Ferrari Australasia is changing its consumers’ showroom visits with an augmented reality application that allows immediate customization and an in-depth look at the vehicles.
Consumers will be able to see the car in a specific color, with certain rims and more options that complete the new showroom walkaround. Integrating digital into a showroom allows frontline sales people from Ferrari to provide more detailed information and connect with consumers through more mediums.
“Most high end supercar showrooms such as Lamborghini, McLaren, Ferrari et al, can come across a bit intimidating experience for a potential customer, this technology not only connects the Ferrari brand in an innovative way, but it is a friendly, engaging way to lead the customer from the showroom floor to the showroom’s configurator where they can ‘spec’ up and customize further their dream Ferrari,” said Tim Jardine, executive produce at zspace, Sydney.
Ferrari Australasia’s Augmented Reality app was developed by zspace. Australasia includes Oceania and parts of South Asia.

Different perspectives 
The app currently works for five vehicles, the 458 Speciale and Spider, the FF, the F12 Berlinetta and the California T. The app is only available in Australasia, but will be introduced to the American markets at the Inside AR conference in San Francisco this May.
As a showroom tool this app requires salespeople to walk around with tablets and use it to show off the features of the car. Ferrari consumers are often in-tune with the car’s features, but the augmented reality experience allows them to physically see aspects found inside the vehicle.
The app uses the tablet’s camera to scan the car and determine which model the consumer is viewing to render an image on the screen.

The walkaround for the car is in seven steps through the app. Consumers can see the car while driving to learn about its aerodynamics, look inside the automobile at its mechanics and design its external features.



For instance, instead of consumers looking through the vehicle’s brochure to see the options for the wheels, they are able to see it on the car immediately.

Once completed, consumers are able to save their customized car and email the video to friends and family. The app allows consumers to record a 15-second video to send as a file.

“Recently when a potential customer test drove the 458 Italia from the Sydney Dealership, the salesman said we have the 458 Speciale which is being prepared for its new owner who is collecting it the following day,” Mr. Jardine said. “The salesman was able to show his client the sold 458 Speciale and cycle through the various external color options and more importantly the racing stripe options available straight after the test drive.

“The customer took away a slice of that customizing experience and was able to share with his friends and family how his future Ferrari was going to look like,” he said.

“The customer stood next to the sold 458 Speciale whilst the salesman was recording and within 15 seconds he had a video clip on his smartphone with his car in his three favorite colors and strip options. From a marketing and brand experience this was a powerful moment the salesman was able to control. At that point it becomes an emotional connection with the customer.”

Slow change
Ferrari is not the only automaker using augmented reality to enhance its showroom.

British automaker Jaguar Land Rover has also unveiled a new way to launch an upcoming vehicle through augmented reality technology that allows consumers to experience the model prior to its release date.

This initiative was in the 117 Land Rover retailers in the United Kingdom and allowed consumers to see the new car prior to its Jan. 22 release. The technology requires consumers to wear a headset that creates three-dimensional view of the New Discovery Sport, which allows consumers to have an insight to the new product and also builds the anticipation for Land Rover (see story).

Similarly, German automaker Porsche equipped dealers with an augmented reality iPad application for the Porsche Panamera that immerses interested consumers in the vehicle’s capabilities.

When hovering the iPad over a vehicle, the app synchronizes with markers that lead to stills, text, video and animation to give consumers a full sense of what the vehicle offers. The app coincided with the release of the Panamera in the Middle East, aiming to increase exposure in eight countries (see story).

Augmented reality changes the consumer’s experience and might resonate with the those looking at several brands before purchasing.

“Every Ferrari showroom has a configurator which is a fancy monitor in the Atelier’s room where a customer or potential customer can build their dream car,” Mr. Jardine said. “Everything from the stitching inside, the leather colors, carbon fiber options to name a few options, you can ‘spec’ up your car on the Dealers configurator.

“The app is the link or bridge that takes the customer from the showroom floor and into the Atelier room but still have an amazing experience understanding the technology behind every Ferrari model such as the braking system, the engine and aerodynamics to name a few,” he said.