The majority of new car buyers probably take one or two looks at their owner's manual before tossing it in a drawer or the vehicle's glove compartment, never to be seen again.
Hyundai wants to change that. Later this year, the automaker will launch a 2D/3D augmented reality owner's manual app to replace the traditional owner's manual. In doing so, Hyundai claims it's the first automaker to introduce a digital owner's manual. The Hyundai Virtual Guide app will allow drivers to get information such as the vehicle's features, general maintenance and repairs when needed, right at their fingertips via a smartphone or tablet whenever they need to.
The first Hyundai model that the Virtual Guide will accompany is the 2015 Sonata. According to Hyundai, the app will recognize upwards of 45 chief features of the model and is available as a free download via Google Play or Apple's iTunes App Store.
The Virtual Guide includes 82 how-to videos, more than 50 informational guides and six 3D overlay images that pop up when users scan their smartphone or tablet's camera on parts of the vehicle that they want to learn more about.
"The Virtual Guide is aimed at educating our owners on how to use the functions and features of their vehicle," Frank Ferrara, executive vice president of customer satisfaction at Hyundai Motor America, said in the company's press release for the app. "We modernized the idea of an owner's manual to provide the highest-quality user experience for the growing population of tech savvy consumers."
Great idea. It shouldn't come as a big surprise to see fellow automakers follow Hyundai's lead, either.
