Here’s something new and different that caught my attention. Toyota Canada has released an app on Google Play as well as the App Store that allows you to test drive the new Toyota RAV4 from your phone or tablet. You can virtually take a spin in it in all sorts of road conditions as well as get a up close look at the RAV4 from inside and out. I downloaded the app onto my iPhone 5 and make sure you have a magazine handy. That’s used to calibrate the augmented reality system that the app uses to do all of this. Once you get used to it, it actually works quite well. I was able to do things like open the liftgate (which is powered in the RAV4 and you hear it open and close) as well as inspect other aspects of the vehicle from the outside. I could use the movements of my iPhone 5 to look at the inside of the RAV4 as well as do things like start the car and operate the vehicle. I couldn’t actually drive the RAV4 using my iPhone, but I could follow it’s actions.
The RAV4 Toyota’s entry in the highly competitive compact SUV market. And given how competitive that market is, this is something that likely gives them an extra means to get people into Toyota showrooms. Overall, I think it’s an interesting marketing idea, I suspect if the feedback is good, we’ll not only see more apps like these from Toyota, but we’ll see other car companies do the same thing.
