Audi UK has joined forces with mobile solutions company Somo to create experiences for fans at the Goodwood Festival of Speed using Google Glass, Oculus Rift and more technologies leading today’s connected world.

Fans can experience the R8 using the Oculus Rift

Using the latest in mobile, wearable and virtual reality technology, Audi and Somo have developed experiences for fans at the motor event as well as those participating remotely via social channels.

“We’re really excited about some of the technology on show at this year’s Festival of Speed. With Vorsprung durch Technik at the core of the Audi brand, and through some cutting edge digital products like Google Glass and Oculus Rift, we want to give our fans and owners the best experience possible, whether they’re at the Festival or whether they’re following from home,” explained Hugh Fletcher, national digital manager, Audi.

With Oculus Rift, visitors to the show will be able to truly feel as if they are whizzing around a hot lap of the Silverstone circuit, completely immersed within the interior of either an R8 or RS 6.

The ‘King of quattro’ app has been designed to ignite the competitive spirits of test drivers at the quattro off road area, enhancing the experience within the five quattro models available for visitors to drive by recording key statistics as drivers complete their laps using the internal gyroscope and accelerometer in the iPad to monitor acceleration and breaking. Each lap will be scored with the winner each day presented with a special Audi prize.

Google Glass comes into the mix with Audi picking a chosen fan through an ‘Audi VIP’ Twitter competition, to stream a first-hand experience of Goodwood via social media. Throughout the day the fan will field questions, carry out tasks and respond to comments posted by the Audi UK online community using a Samsung Gear 2 smart watch.

Carl Uminski, Somo COO and co-founder, commented: “Goodwood is the place to showcase the very latest in technological advancement and Audi is dominating by incorporating exciting new platforms such as Google Glass and Oculus Rift. Together, we’ve brought these technologies to real life allowing Audi fans to get closer to the cars they love than ever before.”

Audi will be at Goodwood, which runs from today (Thursday 26 June) until Sunday 29 June, to showcase its range of cars to racing fans, car fanatics and potential owners.