SCHIPHOL VR DRIVING SIMULATOR
Travel & Transport
Fasten Your Virtual Seatbelt: Experience Airport Driving with Our VR Simulator
ABOUT
About Schiphol
Schiphol Airport, also known as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, is the main international airport in the Netherlands. It was established in 1916 and ever since it has become one of the busiest airports in Europe and it serves as a major hub for both passengers and cargo flights. It is the home base for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and it is known for its innovation and pleasant user experience through its wide range of services and comfortable lounges.
Challenge
The challenge that Schiphol faces is that they need to train the employees who operate vehicles on the airport’s airside. However, conducting this training poses several difficulties: it is not cost beneficial, it requires significant resources and they only have a limited number of trainers to help and there are also safety risks involved.
To address these constraints, Schiphol partnered with Recreate to develop a virtual reality (VR) driving simulator as part of a proof of concept. This innovative solution aimed to provide a safer, more efficient and cost effective way to train the Schiphol personnel.
The Schiphol Driving Experience in VR
Recreate developed a highly realistic driving simulator specifically tailored for Schiphol that provides a cost effective and scalable alternative to traditional training methods.
Key Features:
- Realistic Set-Up – The simulator features a 3D modeled car which was integrated in a Quest 3 VR headset application and connected to a steering wheel and pedals. This creates a very lifelike driving experience.
- Detailed Scenarios – 20 meticulously crafted 3D scenarios across two areas of the airport in which users can drive on one of 20 tracks.
- Interactive Training – As users navigate one of the 20 scenarios, they can interact with challenges and questions along the way. These questions can include general driving rules specific to airport operations, such as speed limits and safety protocols. This is especially important because these rules and protocols differ from public roads rules. Drivers also face high risk situations, like how to safely cross a runway or what to do when an airplane is leaving.
- Navigation Prompts – They guide users as they travel from one location to another and along the way they encounter dynamic obstacles such as pedestrians, vehicles, buses crossing the road and aircrafts taxiing in and taking off.
- Environment Changes – One of the key advantages of VR is the ability to simulate diverse environmental conditions. With the press of a button, we can alter the weather conditions which allows users to practice driving at night, in heavy rain, or under other challenging circumstances. This flexibility ensures that the training experience prepares drivers for real world scenarios at Schiphol under all the possible conditions.
