Q4 2016 saw Volkswagen utilise ZeroLight's 3D web configurator solution for the launch of the all-new 2017 VW Tiguan, targeting the Australian market with an enhanced online experience which allows visitors to explore and configure a fully interactive 3D model of the car.
Exploration and Configuration
Integrated into the Tiguan's product page within the Design section, the 3D configurator allows customers to experience the car in 3D alongside product information, videos and package information.
The customer is able to explore the highly detailed 5 million poly car with complete camera freedom, as well as open the doors, select from a range of colour and trim options and switch between a choice of two environments. Zoom functionality allows detailed exploration of the model, particularly in the interior where a complete spherical view in different trim options allows the visitor to see all the fine details.
Multiplatform
The VW Tiguan experience supports every widely-used web browser across multiple devices including desktops/laptops, phones and tablets. Since no plugins are required every visitor can use the 3D experience and enjoy the same graphical quality regardless of the specification of their device.
Solutions
Two ZeroLight solutions enabled VW to come to market quickly and efficiently with the 3D Tiguan experience; The 3D Web Configurator and the Data Reader.
The web configurator provided plugin-free real-time 3D visualisation together with the Cloud infrastructure required to deploy and scale a consumer experience on a busy website.
The data reader solution played a pivotal role in allowing the experience to be created and deployed using an existing 3D asset of the car, thereby removing the time and cost restrictions of having to re-build or cut down a web-ready model.
Accomodating Low Bandwidth Users
Since not all internet users can be guaranteed to have a bandwidth high enough to receive a 3D stream, ZeroLight's 3D Web Configurator solution automatically switches to a 2D image-based mode for low bandwidth users. This allowed VW to run just one configurator solution for every website visitor and continue to benefit from freedom of movement, interaction and configuration, but via a bandwidth friendly system based on 2D images dynamically produced by ZeroLight in the Cloud.
"We developed an interface together with ZeroLight to create 2D images in the Cloud by providing different parameters in real-time, allowing us to use just one media pipeline for different use cases. This provides a flexible and efficient way to use up-to-date visualisation technology and achieve good results for different touchpoints."
Benjamin Bake
Product Owner Volkswagen Car Experience
Awards
ZeroLight's Cloud Configurator solution, which the VW Tiguan experience utilises has won multiple awards including the Gold 2016 Stevie and the 2016 Techies Cloud award.
