Hyundai wants to replace physical car manuals using augmented reality

Physical car manuals are extremely easy to damage or lose and impossible to navigate, which is why Hyundai has decided to try using augmented reality to help customers understand their car’s features. Known as the Hyundai Virtual Guide, this virtual car manual will be able to recognize about fifty features of the 2015 Sonata when it launches on Android and iOS later this year, with more cars expected to be added in the future. 

Hyundai is stepping into augmented reality, but not the way Mini Cooper has with AR glasses. Rather, the Korean car company wants to put AR car manuals in your hands. Hyundai will release a free app called the Hyundai Virtual Guide that will be available later this year on iOS and Android devices. At launch, the Hyundai Virtual Guide will be able to recognize more than 45 features of the 2015 Sonata. The guide uses two- and three-dimensional tracking technology, allowing you to position your phone or tablet’s camera over various parts of the car to get more information. The Hyundai Virtual Guide can virtually identify and provide how-to information about the air filter, Smart Cruise Control, Bluetooth phone pairing, warning indicators, engine oil, brake fluid, clock, fuse box and smart trunk. Hyundai states there are six 3D overlays that will pop up on your device after scanning various parts of the car, but it won’t show you AR how-to’s for everything.