​Audi Wants To Give You A Virtual Reality Test Drive

An online car builder isn't enough for Audi. It wants to show you what your new ride will look like in your driveway, driving down your street, and running through your home town. And it's going to do that by strapping a virtual reality headset to your face.

Speaking at the Automotive News World Congress, Luca de Meo, Audi's sales and marketing board member, said the automaker will roll out a program called the Audi Virtual Reality Experience.

It ran as a pilot program in Brazil, giving dealers a way to demonstrate cars to customers using a VR headset. de Meo said that the setup allows buyers to configure their cars inside and out in "never-seen detail."

Neither Audi nor de Meo said when the VR system would begin to be available, where, or how it will work, but it's giving demos this week in Detroit.

However, if Audi is serious it might drop the pricey Oculus setup and instead release its own app using something like Google Cardboard to let customers spec their cars at home and then take it for a virtual spin on the comfort of their couch.

We'll find out more once Audi gives up the goods.