Inside a nondescript historic brick building in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, Kia EV Unplugged Ground welcomes curious EV9 buyers to a new kind of showroom that combines the latest generation with the traditions of the car-buying experience.
There are no gleaming facades, frenzied explosions, or neon lights here. Aside from the EV9 parked out front and the unobtrusive herbal sign announcing its presence in the neighborhood, Unplugged Ground blends smoothly into its surroundings.
Going inside is a story.
As I entered the elegant brick building, I greeted an employee as a classic visitor would, and he introduced himself to show me and my friend around the vehicle.
Right off the bat, I could tell that this was not going to be a typical tour; no one stepped out from the desk to give me a hard sell on the EV9. Instead, he told me that the tour would start at a door in the back of the room at a predetermined time.
Until then, I invited them to play with the racing simulators adapted to Kia cars or make a stop at the local cafe.
The simulators were fun, but they were far from an original driving experience. Think of the previous versions of Mario Kart, which were even more complicated and much less naturally responsive. There were also static versions of the EV9 to explore on our own.
At the time of the visit, my friend and I entered a hallway with scanned screens on either side. The animations were replaced when the tour advisor read a script in Korean. After a few minutes, when it ended, the doors of a larger room, The Darkness opened and the genuine exhibition began.
In front of us, an EV9 with animations. The EV9’s signature simulated fog and external lighting create a dramatic spectacle. It’s easy to get a sense of the EV9’s conversations through the animations as the tour advisor continues to read the script. For example, when talking about seating, seating configurations were displayed on soft panels above the model, depending on the location of the seats in the car.
After a few minutes, we were led to a wall that allowed us to use the equipment or a Kia style for the functions we were looking to know about.
Then, it was time to hop behind the wheel of an EV9. Instead of a shell or a model version of the three-row SUV, Kia has installed a full EV9 in its showroom, surrounded by simulator technology that would allow for the real fun to begin.
I was given up first. Since I had already driven the SUV through Korea this year, I knew the other controls I would use while “driving. “
I expected the screens to move and perhaps the undercarriage would jostle like what I’ve experienced in too many automaker safety and driver-assistance technology simulators to mention. It did not, it went far further.
The simulation takes place in an extended reality-based space that mixes augmented reality and virtual reality to immerse users.
As the car “rolled” down the “road,” the connected experience between driver, car, and simulator screen was elegantly natural. Steering, signals, acceleration and braking were the same in the virtual world as in the virtual world. genuinely global.
The SUV also showcased its features with Highway Driving Assistant 2 and Remote Smart Parking Assistant driver-assistance technologies.
With all views from the driver’s seat occupied by enormous screens, it was easy to get lost in the simulated environment Kia created. Hills, highways, stop lights and passing all felt very similar to how they would in real life, without the obvious sight and sound distractions that a full-on test drive would allow.
The car was moving back and forth, turning corners and exiting the “freeway” in a way that did not allow the vehicle it was riding in to sit still. It reacted much like a model would on the road, delivering a driving experience that is very close to the genuine.
My expectations were low and they shouldn’t have been. This client-side simulator not only outperforms other technologies, but obviously shows what the real experience of driving and owning an EV9 would be like.
It’s a suitable choice for classic driving and it can be argued that the simulator is almost as capable.
Once the adventure was over, we left the EV9 and were greeted in a quiet area to touch and see the sustainable fabrics that Kia has installed in the EV9. This setting is as much about schooling as it is about the option of opting for the best combination of aesthetics. so that your entire EV9 is better equipped.
At the end of the experience, there were no strong sales pitches, nor any tension about “getting in a Kia today. “
Is this the future of verification campaigns?A cool gadget? The answer would likely be “yes” to both. As car sales are an increasingly virtual process, the classic dealership style wants to experience a revitalization like the simulator can provide.
Kia will unveil an edition of the simulator in the U. S. U. S. Centers for CES in January. With synthetic intelligence and virtual truth reports on the tip of participants’ tongues, the simulator will be on the list of must-see exhibits for attendees.
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Cars team at Newsweek and is co-host of the Fast Women podcast. He has written extensively on automotive for U. S. News.