REPORTAGE
The Motor Show ends this Sunday in Frankfurt. An appointment marked in particular by the absence of many manufacturers and by the electric shift taken by the German brands. But automotive suppliers are also present in this type of high mass to make themselves known and show their innovations. This is the case of the French company Valéo, which has introduced a technology to teleport someone in his car. Just that !
It is actually a virtual reality headset that is placed on the head. Sitting on a sofa in Frankfurt ... you are projected 600 km away, close to the Eiffel Tower, on the back seat of a car equipped with sensors and cameras. You talk to the driver, who sees his virtual avatar, as if you were on board.
A half real, half-synthetic image
This technology will soon be available in many vehicles, which will be equipped for reasons of safety. Guillaume Devauchelle, director of innovation at Valéo, explains the operation: "We use the data, we use standard 4G and we reconstruct an image that is half real, what you see outside, and half what you see on the inside, from there you are able to dialogue, he himself (the passenger) sees you, he is able to guide you, he is able to send you a video. to finally dialogue exactly as if he were in the back seat ".
Immersion works much better with a virtual reality headset but the interaction can work very well with a tablet. The applications are multiple. There is the social aspect for example: to accompany someone on long journeys. Another example, professional one, a car rental or a repairman can intervene remotely, if you have a question or need advice.