Toyota brings car showroom to customers via augmented reality

Toyota launches AR mobile experience for 2020 Corolla Sedan

Toyota has collaborated with advertising agency Conill and AR technology provider 8th Wall to create an interactive augmented reality (AR) mobile advertisement for the launch of the 2020 Toyota Corolla Sedan. This new web-based AR experience allows potential customers to place the car in their own environment through their mobile devices, prior to visiting a dealership.

The initiative aims to provide an immersive customer experience where users can explore the vehicle's features from their own space. After clicking a mobile banner ad, the device's camera is activated, rendering a 3D model of the Corolla Sedan in the user's immediate surroundings. The feature is initially available to Android users in the United States, with plans to extend it to iOS users later in the year.

According to Conill, this web-based AR solution targets young Hispanic car buyers who spend significant time on their mobile phones. The ad unit incorporates interactive hotspots that highlight key features such as the moonroof, LED headlights, and 18-inch alloy wheels. Users can examine these details up close and explore the car's interior in a 360-degree view.

Erik Murphy-Chutorian, CEO of 8th Wall, stated that augmented reality offers an intuitive way for consumers to engage with digital content and build customer relationships. This web-based AR experience, which does not require downloading a separate app, allows customers to virtually integrate the product into their own context, providing a better understanding of technical features and potentially qualifying customers before they visit a dealership.