Can 3D Beat the Real Thing?

Can 3D Beat the Real Thing?

The Swedish car maker Volvo is letting car shoppers go online and take a virtual test-drive of its newest car, which wont be in showrooms until the end of summer.

Called Volvo: The Game, the program lets players get behind the wheel of the futuristic forerunner of the companys new S60 and test the steering, visibility and acceleration and get close-ups of the interior that are almost as good as the real thingeven though the real thing has yet to be fully built. A Volvo spokesperson says the idea is to increase website traffic and highlight what is expected when the car goes on sale.

With marketing and advertising budgets shrinking commensurate with market share and bottom lines, Volvo isnt the only one testing the virtual waters. Last year Audi launched a test drive application for the iPhone for the 2009 A4.

Similarly, Toyota recently released a virtual test-drive for its iQ model via a mini-site attached to the companys main website that allows users to choose various tracks to drive and then feeds them a link to book a real-life test drive.

Tata, the Indian maker of the Nano, billed as the worlds cheapest car, launched a virtual test-drive website in March that has attracted more than 1.2 million users.

Virtual test-driving is expected to become increasingly common, but most industry observers think 99% of consumers will still want to test the car in the real world.