MENDOZA
We live in exciting times. At no other point in motoring history have we paid as much attention to an automobile’s Human Interface as we do today. GPS Navigation? Check. Bluetooth Car Kit? Check. Back-up Video Cam? Check. These are just a few of the innovations that have become standard features in many of today’s car models.
And yet, there’s more where they came from. In a race to build-in enhanced driving features, car manufacturers have created prototypes that allow drivers to view trip information and road conditions from their windscreens. Imagine being forewarned of roadworks or crossing pedestrians a few hundred meters down the road or driving down Kennon on a stormy night at near zero visibility with only “road markers” on your windshield to guide you. Likewise, LTE-enabled cars will soon take the boredom out of long road trips as interactive windows begin to feature places of interest that are along the way. Quite clearly, the road to the future will be paved with Augmented-Reality.
Inspired by these developments, the Inquirer Motoring editors have put together the first issue of what may well be the future of automotive journalism. From today’s pages, you can now view insider videos from the Manila International Auto Show, watch Russ Swift and Atoy Llave’s winning car drift action, and download the “Fast and Furious 6” clip in time for today’s world premiere with the movie’s stars around! If you’re in the market for a new car, our car ads are now augmented-reality enabled. Visiting a virtual dealership, booking a test-drive, or even customizing your car can now be done from where you’re reading the Inquirer.
All this and more is made possible with the Inquirer Mobile app for iOS and Android devices. To download this for free, visit www.inquirer.net/inqsnap. Once installed, click on the INQSnap icon and hover your mobile phone or tablet over any page with the INQSnap logo. Watch out for the icons that will lead you to richer content and a more engaging Motoring reading experience.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Happy INQSnapping!
(Megamobile is the mobile development unit of the Inquirer Group of Companies (IGC) that provides mobile and digital applications for various platforms to implement the IGC’s digital strategy for tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices.)