Volvo revealed in early June that it is working with video game development studio and distributor Epic Games. The objective of this partnership is to integrate Unreal Engine 5, the new generation of its development engine, in order to offer screens with high quality graphics within the cabin of future Volvo models.
Rethinking edge screens
The Swedish car manufacturer aims to improve the experience of its users by providing a ” photorealistic visualization technology in its next generation of electric vehicles. Using the Unreal Engine developed by Epic, Volvo wants to build an interface allowing advanced human-machine interactions. ” Specifically, it will focus on the driver information module, one of the screens in the cabin that provides the person behind the wheel with relevant information or infotainments. » details the Press release.
Elon Musk bans his employees from telecommuting
Thomas Stovicek, head of user experience for Volvo Cars, said in an interview for The Vergethat ” this technology gives us the ability to create very high quality responsive visuals that we can play with and overlay information, create realistic representations where needed, and more. “.
Overview of the Unreal Engine interface. Image: Volvo.
For Heiko Wenczel, director of automotive at Epic Games’ Detroit lab, this need to rethink vehicle screens goes further: ” when you bring real-time, high-resolution interactive graphics into the car, you open the door to a whole host of new ways to inform and entertain everyone inside. Volvo Cars design and development teams have taken this opportunity to do something new, which will continually evolve with new features leveraging the capabilities of Unreal Engine “.
The automotive industry, a market of choice for Epic
Epic Games, famous for battle royale Fortnite, is a leader in interactive entertainment and software. Its development engine, the Unreal Engine, has become very popular outside the video game industry. Sectors such as cinema or television have adopted it in order to take advantage of its technology.
The automotive industry is a market of choice for Epic, which has already worked with Hummer in 2020 on an electric pickup project. Heiko Wenczel Explain ” that it has become very interesting to think of the car as an additional platform that we must recognize, especially with the arrival of new hardware within vehicles “.
Volvo’s first vehicle to benefit from this technology will be an electric model unveiled later this year. The automaker aims to sell only electric-powered vehicles by 2030.