More people shopping for cars virtually as RelayCars tops 1M downloads

By Miles Branman Published July 20, 2017

There are few things people dread more than going to a car dealership. Sure, you’re excited to poke around and test drive some new vehicles, but it’s never that simple. In most cases, you’ll either be ignored by the sales staff, or harassed until you sign on the dotted line. For this reason, options like Carvana’s car vending machine have popped up to cut out the middleman, and RelayCars takes this concept a step further.

The free virtual reality app from EVOX Images offers users the chance to explore a library of new vehicles without ever leaving their home.

Recommended Videos

While this might sound like a niche use-case for VR gear, EVOX has announced that its app just hit one million downloads, making it the most popular automotive VR app on the Oculus Samsung Gear VR store and Google Play store for Android.

“Reaching this milestone is a celebratory event for us and also shows that VR is becoming an important component for the future of car shopping,” said David Falstrup, CEO of EVOX Images. “Consumer needs are driving technological advances in every aspect of our lives. We’re showing consumers a new way to research vehicles without ever leaving the comfort of their couch.”

Those who are familiar with virtual gaming understand the advantages of an immersive experience, and the same benefits are made available to car shoppers. Watching a YouTube walkaround is one thing, but being invited into the cockpit to analyze anything and everything, at your leisure, is uniquely convenient. This is made possible by EVOX’s 360-degree imaging tech — which it supplies to more than 20,000 dealer and automotive websites.

Every vehicle make and model that’s been on sale since 2015 is accessible through six different virtual showrooms — trucks, cars, SUVs, exotic cars, and everything in between.

Within the past year, the EVOX VR team has extended technology offerings with the introduction of showrooms, virtual cinema, vehicle configurator capability, VR product clinics, and more. These new virtual shopping features will benefit dealers by building customer engagement and driving store traffic.

RelayRides and other innovative uses for VR will undoubtedly make the technology appealing to a greater number of consumers. It’s only a matter of time before a VR headset is as common as a TV remote.

Former Contributor

Miles Branman doesn't need sustenance; he needs cars. While the gearhead gene wasn't strong in his own family, Miles…

Topics

Cars

Toyota unveils 2026 bZ: A smarter, longer-range electric SUV

toyota bz improved bz4x 2026 0007 1500x1125

Toyota is back in the electric SUV game with the 2026 bZ, a major refresh of its bZ4X that finally delivers on two of the biggest demands from EV drivers: more range and faster charging.
The headline news is the improved driving range. Toyota now estimates up to 314 miles on a single charge for the front-wheel-drive model with the larger 74.7-kWh battery—about 60 miles more than the outgoing bZ4X. All-wheel-drive variants also get a boost, with up to 288 miles of range depending on trim.
Charging speeds haven’t increased in terms of raw kilowatts (still capped at 150 kW for DC fast charging), but Toyota has significantly improved how long peak speeds are sustained. With preconditioning enabled—especially helpful in colder weather—the new bZ can charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Also new: Plug and Charge support for automatic payment at compatible stations and full adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS), meaning access to Tesla Superchargers will be standard by 2026.
Under the hood, or rather the floor, Toyota has swapped in higher-performance silicon carbide components to improve efficiency and power delivery. The AWD version now produces up to 338 horsepower and sprints from 0–60 mph in a brisk 4.9 seconds.
Toyota didn’t stop at just the powertrain. The exterior has been cleaned up, with body-colored wheel arches replacing the black cladding, and a sleeker front fascia. Inside, a larger 14-inch touchscreen now houses climate controls, giving the dash a more refined and less cluttered appearance. There’s also more usable storage thanks to a redesigned center console.
With the 2026 bZ, Toyota seems to be responding directly to critiques of the bZ4X. It’s faster, more efficient, and more driver-friendly—finally bringing Toyota’s EV efforts up to speed.

Cars

Cheaper EVs ahead? GM and LG say new battery cells are the key

2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV front quarter view.

General Motors and LG Energy Solution have announced a new phase in their ongoing partnership: developing a new battery cell chemistry that could significantly lower the cost of electric vehicles. The joint effort centers on lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery cells, a variation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that’s gaining popularity for being more affordable and less reliant on expensive materials like nickel and cobalt.

This is a big deal because battery costs are still the single largest expense in producing EVs. According to GM and industry experts, LMFP cells could help bring the cost of electric vehicles close to — or even on par with — gas-powered cars. The goal? Making EVs accessible to a broader range of drivers without sacrificing range or performance.

Computing

Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers

Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.