The incoming 2023 BMW M2 is brilliant to drive, but the M Mixed Reality version is absolutely epic…

car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2
car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2

BMW M boffins have turned the incoming new 2023 BMW M2 mini-muscle car into world’s best gaming simulator with the M Mixed Reality virtual reality system.

The German car-maker has effectively created a VR game you can play while actually driving the M2.

Drivers wear the latest-generation VR goggles to drive the M2 around a virtual racetrack, while picking up coins and avoiding virtual obstacles – all while actually hammering the BMW M2 around a track.

Unlike some SIM games, there’s no nausea because the car’s movements are minutely copied in the M Mixed Reality game, though BMW carries sick bags in the M2. Just in case.

car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2

Developed with Epic Games and shown as a concept at the 2022 Web Summit in Lisbon this year, the M Mixed Reality effectively turns the M2 into the game controller, elevating SIMs to a whole new level.

Of course, the system needs a strictly controlled area, like the ex-German military airfield at Fürstenfeldbruck where we tested it, so the M2 doesn’t have anything to hit.

“Anyone who asks what virtual experiences in the automotive sector might look like in future – that is the answer,” said BMW M CEO Frank van Meel.

“People must be able to experience this new feeling, and with M Mixed Reality we offer them a suitable solution for this.

“At BMW M, we have always been testing the limits of what is technically feasible and thus, among other things, laying the foundation for new immersive experiences,” he said.

The ‘driving’ experience

The black BMW M2 looks like any other stickered, track-spec M2 as you approach it. It runs standard brakes and road tyres and has lairy vinyl stickers all over it, and it takes a second look to see the four-point harnesses and extra hardware inside.

The M2 has a forward-facing camera as standard equipment, but M and Epic Games have tapped into this and built on it, with more cameras everywhere.

The hardware is an Art Smarttrack system attached by suction cups to the windscreen, with stereo cameras to track the driver’s head movement, combined with a seven-camera Art Vix R3T3 VR headset.

The hardware is wired into the car, so all the driver’s own inputs become the game’s inputs.

And just like that, the headset is switched on and the daytime scene at a cold German airfield becomes night time in what looks like a Japanese city.

Everywhere you look, there is the perfect simulation of a neon-rich city full of skyscrapers and bridges, and my co-driver (who has his own emergency brake pedal, and no VR headset) tells me to move in to the start gate.

car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2

And there is an actual start gate, with the display showing precisely where to go, and then it gives a countdown and he tells me to attack a timed lap.

It’s a leap of faith to expect the lit-up racetrack in front of you, complete with red-and-white ripple strips and armco, to be there when you get there.

It’s another leap of faith to expect the elongated figure-eight track to keep you on the actual airfield tarmac, but BMW assures me it has all been mapped accurately.

Turns out, it has.

Given that this is very much a ‘damage on’ game, we ease out on our first lap, and it’s already amazing.

Every time you tilt your head, the game reacts and the vision reacts, within milliseconds. It’s close enough that the nausea-inducing parts of your brain don’t notice the difference.

car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2

It’s also accurate. The ripple strips are there. You feel them through the steering wheel and the suspension.

The ripple strips are, actually, so much there that nobody dares try out the armco barriers.

Then there are the coins. They move around and the more you collect, like in so many games before it, the more points you earn.

BMW combines this with a series of barrier gates, and one of them flashes red at the last instant, forcing you to flick the M2 into the other one, even as you prepare the car for the bends.

Sighter lap done, and we attack the next lap from the start, with full wheelspin that, actually, feels like an M2 with full wheelspin, and it whips through the quicker bends, dinging the coins into the virtual wallet more rapidly now.

car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2

The airfield is so slippery that it takes a full brake stomp to pull it down from 140km/h to make the tight hairpin at the top of the circuit, and then we’re flicking left to right to make the ‘windows’ before the full-throttle crossover part of the figure-of-eight.

And then we pull up in the box, check the time and take off the headset, somewhat in shock that this whole thing, actually, works.

It feels like the sort of thing where a lot of things could go wrong, and you can’t help imagining the looks on the faces of the insurance people when BMW suggested it.

It’s brilliant.

car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2

Real-world applications

Besides showing off how far gaming has come, and that the VR nausea problems can be overcome, BMW plans to use the M Mixed Reality system in driver training, first and foremost.

The days of setting out road cones and hosing down tracks could be coming to a close at BMW’s driver training days.

It can simply arrive at any racetrack or airstrip – or even a deserted shopping centre car park – and map it, then click on whatever gaming scenario fits into the physical reality.

From there, it can randomly pop up with hazards to be avoided, or it can keep coming up with the right type of corner to match the lessons being taught to its drivers.

car features, performance cars, prestige cars, technology, mixing reality with gaming in the new bmw m2

And there’s nothing to hit, nothing to damage the cars and nothing to damage its drivers.

It can also simulate any situation, so it’s also useful for BMW’s own developers to figure out corner cases for its driver assistance systems and looming Level 3 self-driving systems.

The in-car hardware is similar to what it uses in testing, while the headset is similar to what BMW’s engineers and designers use when they’re developing cars, so there’s nothing weird for the BMW purchasing people to sign-off on.

Right now, they’re talking about “more than $US10,000” a car, but that price is coming down all the time, especially because it’s prototype gaming software.

But it could be a lot cheaper in even a small production run.

Keyword: Mixing reality with gaming in the new BMW M2

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

Does BMW's Most Powerful Production Car Look Better As A Safety Car?

The XM Label gets a pair of Recaro bucket seats.

View more: Does BMW's Most Powerful Production Car Look Better As A Safety Car?

Evolved: Giving BMW’s G81 M3 Touring The CSL Treatment

My favourite BMWs are the ones you can’t actually buy. Even if you see them at a BMW showroom. A few months back, BMW Park Lane in London collaborated with Evolve Automotive. It was a great example of a manufacturer paying attention to the aftermarket, and getting involved with arguably the ...

View more: Evolved: Giving BMW’s G81 M3 Touring The CSL Treatment

2023 BMW iX M60 Review: Ramping up the Power

•    Auto123 reviews the 2023 BMW iX M60. BMW takes straight aim at Tesla and its top-selling Model X with the iX all-electric SUV’s new M60 edition. This is the third variant of the model BMW has put out, after the xDrive40 and iX xDrive50 that debuted with the 2022 ...

View more: 2023 BMW iX M60 Review: Ramping up the Power

2024 BMW 530i xDrive Is A Perfect Example Of Why Electric Cars Are Great

Photo: Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik Having entered its eighth generation, the BMW 5 Series is all new for 2024, and for the first time, there are fully electric variants of the iconic sports sedan. While those electric i5 models are moving the 5 Series lineup into the future, the ...

View more: 2024 BMW 530i xDrive Is A Perfect Example Of Why Electric Cars Are Great

BMW announce R12 nineT and R12 cruiser in rejuvenated boxer heritage range

A side view of the BMW R12 nineT 2024 BMW R12 being ridden A static view of the BMW R12 cruiser A pair of BMW R12 nineTs riding together Ten years on from the introduction of the first R nineT retro in 2013, BMW have pulled the covers off ...

View more: BMW announce R12 nineT and R12 cruiser in rejuvenated boxer heritage range

BMW’s Electric Gravel Bike Puts A Very Big, Very Fast Smile On Your Face

Photo: Jalopnik / Owen Bellwood Automakers around the world are looking for a way into the burgeoning electric bike market. Porsche bought up European bike builder Greyp to further its two-wheeled ambitions, Jeep partnered with American outfit QuietKat, and now BMW has a range of e-bikes built in partnership ...

View more: BMW’s Electric Gravel Bike Puts A Very Big, Very Fast Smile On Your Face

Imp By Name, Imp By Nature

Imp, (noun), a mischievous child or little devil. That word description is hardly something a standard Hillman Imp could embody, but James Williams‘ 1976 Imp – seen here on the Lancaster Pride of Ownership stand at the recent NEC Classic Motor Show – well and truly lives up to its name. When you think ...

View more: Imp By Name, Imp By Nature

The BMW M3 CS Is A Flawed Daily Driver But A Perfect Track Toy

This car was made for weekend racers.

View more: The BMW M3 CS Is A Flawed Daily Driver But A Perfect Track Toy

What is the BMW M3 top speed?

Which used BMW X1 is better: diesel or petrol?

BMW’s M Performance Parts Kit Now Includes Centre-lock Wheels

Watch A Pristine BMW E30 Go Up In Flames After It Springs A Leak

This Nurburgring Compilation Video Is Filled With Out-Of-Control BMWs

Gusheshe BMW E30 Spontaneously Combusts in Mzansi Street

What is the BMW X3 top speed?

This Awkward Looking SUV Will Replace The BMW iX3 In 2025

Listening To This V10-Swapped BMW M3 Will Be The Best Thing You Do Today

The 2024 BMW 5 Series Is Still Great With A Gas Engine: First Drive Review

BMW, Mercedes Saw EVs Make Up 15% Of Their Total U.S. Sales In Q3 2023

After 32 Years, Esther Mahlangu’s Iconic BMW Will Return to SA

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel