Lexus uses Oculus Rift VR tech for 2015 RC F test drives

By Stephen Edelstein Published October 3, 2014

What if you’re looking to buy a high-performance car, but can’t find a track to really wring it out on?

Lexus applied a bit of virtual-reality tech to that problem, building a driving simulator for the 2015 RC F using Oculus Rift’s Development Kit 2.

Called the RC F Rift, it uses the car’s actual steering column and an Oculus headset, allowing test drivers to put the RC F through its paces on a virtual racetrack.

Related: 2015 Lexus RC F and Lexus RC 350 first drive

The simulation does a decent impression of the Lexus’ 476-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 wail, but it may not produce the feedback one experiences when piloting an actual car around a track.

This isn’t the first automotive application of virtual reality of simulation. Lexus uses a sophisticated simulator of its own for vehicle development, and Ford uses VR headsets to let designers and engineers to do virtual walk-arounds of cars.

However, the Lexus RC F Rift is more about fun than research. It will be touring auto shows for the next several months, so maybe you’ll get to strap on the headset and go for drive without leaving the local convention center.

Topics

Virtual Reality

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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