Nissan is reportedly offering Nissan Ariya reservation holders free VR headsets to see their next vehicle (almost) first-hand.
Nissan has seen the bad press a company can garner if the launch of its first electric vehicle doesn’t go well, the Toyota BZ4X being a prime example. But with the Nissan Ariya still without a delivery date, the company needs a way to let customers experience the vehicle that doesn’t require the car to be there. Enter the Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset, preloaded with a 3D model of the Nissan Ariya for the enjoyment of Nissan customers.
According to multiple posts on numerous Nissan forums, Nissan Ariya reservation holders are receiving an email detailing how they can get a free Meta Quest 2 VR headset. The email says the headset comes preloaded with a virtual rendering of the vehicle, allowing the customer to see and interact with it for the first time.
There were mixed reactions. Many were thrilled that the company was sending them, in essence, a free $400 VR headset. Still, others seemed disappointed that they still haven’t received a delivery date for the vehicle, or any way to track the progress of their order as Nissan gears up for launch.
Nissan did not immediately respond to Teslarati for comment.
Nissan has been experimenting with VR customer interactions for some time now. For their other new electric vehicle, the Japan-only Nissan Sakura Kei car, customers had a similar experience. With a VR headset, they could explore the car inside and out and even drive it on a virtual road.
Other automakers have also attempted to “digitalize” the try-and-buy experience. While still in the real world, Volkswagen introduced Amazon Alexa to its test drives of the VW ID.4 earlier this year. Thus the question arises; is the virtual substitute worth the investment?
Data is not immediately available to show whether a virtual experience, such as driving a car or exploring its interior, can match that of the real thing. In Nissan’s case, the virtual option gives the basic vehicle experience to as many people as possible, even if it lacks quality. However, when pursuing a higher quality experience, VR (at least for now) lacks the substance of reality; are the seats comfortable, is your head hitting the roof, is the ride smooth, etc. ?
At the very least, Nissan has given customers a taste of its upcoming vehicle, but something tells me nothing will replace seeing the real thing.
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