Sony Group Corporation announced that as the first phase in the launch of its MR Cruise service, which utilizes the mixed reality (MR) technology cultivated through its Sociable Cart: SC-1, the service will be provided in “Time Trip Taxi,” starting this December.
Delivered jointly with Daiwa Motor Transportation Co., Ltd., this service is the first practical implementation of MR Cruise. By riding a taxi specially equipped to provide an MR Cruise experience, passengers will be able to enjoy content themed around ukiyo-e Japanese art and Edo period culture in the Asakusa, Yanaka, and Ueno areas of Taito ward. According to Sony, “they can experience the feeling of traveling back and forth in time by simultaneously viewing the outside scenery presented inside the vehicle, together with CG and audio related to that location.”
With this project Sony found a new use for Mixed Reality that goes beyond the limits of the VR/MR headset we often associate with the experience. Sony’s MR Cruise is a content service that allows the mixed reality experience that Sony has cultivated until now to be installed not only on the Sociable Cart SC-1 that introduced the concept, but on all types of vehicles such as taxis, buses, and trains. This creates the space for a new type of experience that content creators can explore, as the need for content to be used on these platforms may expand, if the idea is adopted in other countries.
Sony says it will apply its technology cultivated through the development of SC-1 in a variety of places to evolve “every movement into an enjoyable movement.” The “Time Trip Taxi” is a new step in a path started on November 22, when Sony announced that it had commercialized the mixed reality (MR) experience it has been providing through its “Sociable Cart: SC-1” as a new business named “MR Cruise”.
A seamless fusion of reality and digital content
The SC-1 is equipped with mixed reality technology developed by the Sony Group. By superimposing various CG onto images of the surrounding environment shown on the in-car display, the car window, which was previously used only for viewing scenery, can be transformed into an entertainment space, enabling passengers to enjoy the journey itself even more. To date, it has been deployed at a range of locations, including golf courses, botanical gardens, parks, and shopping malls, and experienced by more than 20,000 people.
Sony also announced the launch of the second “MR Cruise” service – “MR ZEN DRIVE” – that enables passengers to experience mixed reality. The service will enable passengers to enjoy content themed around the history and culture of the Eiheiji Town area by riding a Level 4 autonomous driving vehicle specially equipped to provide an MR Cruise experience. They will be able to simultaneously view the outside scenery presented inside the vehicle, together with CG and audio related to Eiheiji Town, in a seamless fusion of reality and digital content.