Volvo Creates Virtual Reality Tour Of XC90 SUV

Earlier this year at its I/O event, Google debuted what it accurately called Google Cardboard, a gimmicky cardboard design — along with an app —  that would turn a smartphone into an Oculus Rift-style virtual reality mechanism.

And its introduction was about all the play it got until Volvo, this week, decided to put it to good use. The car maker created a branded version of Google Cardboard that, when paired with an Android app, will take the viewer on a virtual tour of the new XC90 SUV.

The experience is broken into several “episodes” which highlight the vehicle’s interior as it traverses various terrains. The car maker plans to launch more of these episodes over time as well as an iOS version of the app.

Anyone can download the app now, but the cardboard viewer won’t be widely available until November 18. While supplies will be limited, the design is said to be identical to the original cardboard, so it’s conceivable that the virtual tour would work with the unbranded Google Cardboard as well if Volvo supply runs short — though people will have to follow Google’s instructions and build it on their own.

Volvo, of course, is promoting the app on Twitter:

For the first time ever, get in the car without being in the car. Test drive the all-new XC90 with #VolvoReality: http://t.co/l5pEyey9Kh

— Volvo Cars US (@volvocarsus) November 13, 2014

And you can check out a behind-the-scenes video that details how the car maker went about creating the app and the virtual reality experience: