Real Cars In Second Life By Muna Shabaneh Directed Reading 2007.

Real Cars In Second Life

By Muna ShabanehDirected Reading 2007

Cars in second life

• Toyota (Scion), Nov. 2005

• Nissan (Sentra), Oct. 2006

• GM (Pontiac Solstice GXP), soon...

Toyota Scion

Toyota (Scion)

• Lunched in Second Life Community Convention in San Francisco and several other points in SL.

• Scion also launched in Whyville, a virtual world for teenagers.

• Showroom for Scion is in Scion City.• Linden Dollars can be purchased with real currency.

The current exchange rate is about L$280 per US$1. A virtual Scion sells for about L$300, or a little over a buck.

The main characteristics of Scion in SL

• Fully Customizable.

In real world Scion allow its customers to customize their cars to a certain limit.

You can add whatever you want to your car in SL even a Dragon Head or a TOAST.

You can add huge wheels or even two slices of toast !!!

More about Scion

• Residents of Whyville can buy a Scion with clams.

• customize the car and drive their friends around.

• Educate kids about money management. (http://b.whyville.net/smmk/scion/inside)

Nissan Sentra

• Providing copies of its Sentra to residents free of charge.

• The cars are delivered from a vending machine the size of an office building.

• on Nissan Island is a test track with a vertical loop so you can test out your driving skills.

You can test your car in different conditions.

Sentra characteristics in SL

• Nissan aimed for a lifelike representation of the product.

e.i. available colors are those you could get on an actual Sentra.

Even the interior is rendered in true-to-life detail, except for a few additional items.

GM Pontiac

• create a make-believe dealership that will sell make-believe cars for as little as a few dollars a piece.

• offer just one model: the Pontiac Solstice GXP. • Customizable, you can have it in any color

(e.i. Stripes, spots, plaid, purple daisies).

Pontiac Solstice GXP

The Future of Pontiac in SL

• Motorati Island will be given away in "land grants" to Second Life members interested in building car-culture oriented business.

• New ideas will be accepted from all avatars concerning the tracks to test the cars, as well any ideas concerning the cars not necessarily Pontiac.

The Future of Pontiac in SL

• Some ideas include drive-in theaters, car customizing shops and restaurants with in-car dining service.

• There will be no repair shops. "I would hope you wouldn't have a virtual breakdown of a virtual vehicle," said Pontiac Spokesman Jim Hopson.

Which method is better for business innovation???

Customizable with no limitation.(Toyota)

Customizable in specific aspects. (Pontiac)

No customization, mimics the real world. (Nissan)

What we can do to make it better

• Try both methods for the same car.• Allow customization with certain limitations.• Study the market and the behaviour of second

life avatars to see what they prefer and what can be done to respond to their requests.

• Apply the most preferable designs for real life.• Test new cars before really create them in real

life.

Future Ideas

• Extreme green cars for the future. environmental friendly cars

• The most reliable cars.In terms of safety, speed, security .....

References• http://www.springwise.com/automotive/

first_car_brand_drives_into_se/• http://www.bonafidereviews.com/article.php?id=188• http://money.cnn.com/2006/11/17/autos/2nd_life_cars/

index.htm• Communicating In An Alternate Reality: Second Life Paves

The Way PR News. Potomac: Jan 8, 2007. Vol. 63, Iss. 1; p. 1 • CLARKSON FRESHMAN BRIAN SENESAC PRESENTS VIRTUAL

CLARKSON APPAREL IN SECOND LIFE US Fed News Service, Including US State News. Washington, D.C.: Mar 13, 2007. p. n/a

• Virtually the same as normal Becky Hogge. New Statesman. London: Oct 30, 2006. Vol. 135, Iss. 4816; p. 50

Questions????