Onix's VR Showroom for a Ukrainian Automotive Retailer: Success Story

The way people shop for cars is changing. What was once a purely physical experience—walking into a showroom, seeing the vehicles firsthand, and deciding based on what was in stock—is now being transformed by digital technology.

 

At Onix, we partnered with a leading Ukrainian automotive retailer to pioneer a new frontier: a virtual car showroom. This innovation allows customers to interact with cars, customize features, and even take virtual test drives—all without the cars being physically present in the dealership.

This project wasn’t just about creating a fancy digital experience; it was about solving real business problems and enhancing the customer journey. Our client had limited showroom space and wanted a way to showcase luxury cars that weren’t always available in stock. What followed was an exciting, challenging, and ultimately rewarding journey to bring their vision to life through AR and VR. 

In this article, you’ll learn:

 

• How Onix developed an immersive VR car showroom experience.
• The technical challenges we faced and the solutions we implemented.
• The future potential of VR in transforming the automotive retail space.

 

The Beginning: Understanding the Client's Needs

Every great project starts with a clear understanding of the client’s pain points and goals. When we first sat down with the automotive retailer, their need was straightforward but ambitious: they wanted a VR showroom that would engage customers in a way a traditional showroom couldn’t.

 

The idea was to offer a fully interactive experience where users could explore and customize luxury cars virtually. The client envisioned a system where users could inspect every detail, from the exterior paint to the interior stitching, and customize the car as if they were designing their dream vehicle right there in the showroom.

 

“We wanted to give customers more than just a visual experience—we wanted them to feel like they were interacting with the car, even if it wasn’t physically there,” explained Mykola Makarevich, our CMTO.

The showroom offers a modern, clean space where users can explore multiple cars in a realistic setting.

 

From Concept to Creation: Building an Immersive Experience

With the concept clearly defined, our next challenge was to bring it to life. This wasn’t about simply showcasing 3D models; it was about creating a virtual dealership that mirrored the real-world experience.

 

Our goal was to make the interaction as intuitive and lifelike as possible, using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create a deeply immersive environment.

 

Key Features of the Virtual Showroom

A demonstration of placing the virtual car in a real-world space using augmented reality, allowing users to see how the car fits in their environment.

 

We knew that to achieve this, the key features of the VR showroom had to be nothing short of spectacular:

 

 

“It was essential that the user experience went beyond just looking at a car—we wanted users to feel like they were interacting with something real, and the 360-degree projection really elevated that experience,” added Serhii Vitukhin, our Head of the Unity department.

With the key features mapped out, we turned our attention to the technical execution.

 

 

Overcoming Technical Challenges: Bringing the Vision to Life

A close-up of the car model, focusing on the detailed craftsmanship of the body and materials.

 

Creating such an immersive experience came with its own set of challenges. The first major hurdle was performance optimization. While Apple Vision Pro was our target platform, we knew that the highly detailed 3D models we wanted to use would push the limits of mobile AR devices, which have significantly less processing power than high-end PCs.

 

Optimizing for Performance

We approached this challenge strategically:

 

• We started by reducing the polygon count of the car models, ensuring that they remained visually impressive while being lighter on device resources.
• Next, we optimized the PBR materials, simplifying shaders without sacrificing the realism that was key to the experience.
• We also used lightmap baking to pre-compute the lighting for static elements, which helped reduce the need for real-time calculations and made the application run smoother on mobile devices.

 

Our focus was always on maintaining the balance between detail and performance, ensuring that users could explore the cars with a high level of realism while keeping the experience smooth and responsive.

 

Crafting an Intuitive User Interface

Users interact with the virtual showroom to change the car's exterior color, showcasing different customization options.

 

With the technical performance in place, our next challenge was ensuring that users could easily navigate the showroom without feeling overwhelmed. Designing a user-friendly UI for AR and VR experiences is tricky because the interface has to be both simple and functional while working across varying lighting conditions.

 

To solve this, we designed a minimalist interface that used high contrast for better readability. Simple icons allowed users to easily open doors, change colors, and initiate the 360-degree projection. By keeping the UI streamlined and intuitive, we allowed customers to focus on exploring the cars rather than struggling with complicated controls.

 

“The key to a successful XR interface is simplicity. Users shouldn’t have to think about how to interact; the design should guide them naturally,” said Mykola Makarevich.

 

Testing, Refining, and Perfecting

A luxury car displayed in the virtual showroom, highlighting its sleek design and high-quality details.

 

With the basic framework of the showroom in place, we moved on to rigorous user testing. We needed to ensure that everything—from the controls to the interactions - was intuitive and engaging. Feedback from users helped us refine the experience, leading to several rounds of adjustments and improvements.

 

Challenges We Overcame

During testing, we encountered two notable challenges:

 

• One of the 3D car models didn’t meet our quality standards, forcing us to find a new one.
• Another model couldn’t be broken down into individual components for customization, requiring additional model sourcing to ensure all cars offered the same level of interaction.

 

“It’s always a challenge to find the right models that balance detail and functionality, especially when those models need to be interactive. But we solved this by sourcing higher-quality models and adjusting our approach,” explained Serhii Vitukhin.

Once these issues were resolved, we could move forward with final tweaks to the UI and interactions.

 

The Final Product: A Seamless Virtual Showroom

A close-up of the car's wheels and bodywork, highlighting the intricate details of the 3D model and realistic materials.

With all the pieces in place, the final product was an immersive and fully functional VR showroom. Users could explore luxury cars in stunning detail, customize various features, and even simulate driving through a 360-degree projection.

 

The project had not only met the client’s expectations but exceeded them by providing a unique, engaging experience that pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in a car showroom.

After the successful launch, we presented the project to the client, receiving positive feedback on both the functionality and the immersive features. The 360-degree driving simulation became a standout feature, delivering an experience far beyond what’s possible in a physical showroom.

 

Learnings and Future Potential

A view inside the car, where users can explore the interior features, including seating, dashboard, and finishes.

This project wasn’t just a technical achievement—it was a learning experience that showed us the potential of XR in transforming industries. Some of the key takeaways from this project include:

 

• Balancing Detail with Performance: Finding the right balance between visual realism and performance optimization is critical, especially on mobile devices.
• User Experience (UX) Design for AR: Simple, intuitive interfaces are essential for AR and VR experiences, where users need to feel comfortable and in control.
• Seamless Transitions Between AR and VR: The ability to transition users from an AR environment to a fully immersive VR experience was a key factor in keeping users engaged.

 

Looking ahead, the potential for this VR showroom is immense. The system can easily be scaled to support new car models, additional customization features, and even multi-language support for a global audience. In future iterations, we plan to introduce dynamic loading of car models and more interactive mechanics, such as opening hoods and trunks or selecting different wheel options.

 

“This is just the beginning. We see a future where virtual showrooms and digital twins become a central part of the car-buying experience, offering customers a more immersive and personalized way to explore vehicles,” concluded Serhii Vitukhin.

 

Conclusion: A New Era for Car Showrooms

In the end, this project demonstrated the power of immersive technology in reshaping the car-buying journey. By blending AR and VR for Apple Vision Pro, we created a virtual showroom that offers more than just convenience—it delivers an engaging, interactive experience that elevates the customer’s relationship with the product.

 

For Onix, this project was more than a technical challenge—it was an opportunity to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the automotive industry. As we continue to explore the potential of VR and AR technologies, we are excited to bring more innovative solutions to industries that are ready for transformation.

 

The future of car retail is digital, immersive, and personal—and we’re proud to be part of that transformation.

 

FAQ

 

What is a virtual car showroom, and how can it enhance car sales?

A virtual car showroom is an online platform for browsing cars interactively. It enhances sales by providing convenience, engaging experiences, and personalized recommendations.

 

What technologies are used to create a virtual car showroom?

Key technologies include 3D modeling, VR/AR for immersive experiences, web development for user interfaces, and APIs for integration with other systems.

 

Can a virtual car showroom be integrated with our website and CRM system?

Yes, it can integrate with your website and CRM, enabling real-time inventory updates and effective customer data management.

 

How long does it take to develop a virtual car showroom from scratch?

Development can take from a few weeks to several months, depending on the complexity of features, quality of visuals, and integration requirements.

 

How can a virtual car showroom reduce the costs of traditional dealerships?

It reduces costs through lower overhead, streamlined operations, and broader online reach, reducing the need for multiple physical locations.

 

Is it possible to add online ordering and test drive features to the virtual car showroom?

Yes, you can add online ordering and test drive scheduling features, allowing customers to purchase and arrange test drives easily.