E-Zine December 2017

Porsche E-Jolt: Better pick-me-up than coffee

Customers at a coffee shop in Carson, California, recently
were offered a decidedly different drink to start their day,
something with 680 horsepower and the familiar Porsche
badge. As a promotion for the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid,
Porsche told patrons at the coffee shop that they could try
something new called “E-Jolt.” In fact, the product was so
powerful, they would have to sign a waiver to give it a try.
That didn’t scare off too many of the caffeine seekers, but
after they signed, they were told they would get their E-Jolt
right outside the front door. There awaiting them was a shiny
white Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid ready to whisk them away
on an exhilarating and accelerating ride. First stop was the
nearby Porsche Experience center, where a professional
driver took the surprised participants on a wild ride at the
track. Hidden cameras in the coffee shop and in the car itself
caught all the reactions.
Michael Ross, creative chief at Cramer-Krasselt, the agency
that created the stunt, explained some of the thinking. ““Hybrid
engines are considered ‘good’ technology thanks to their
ecological benefits,” Ross says, “but they’re not known for
much else. No one thinks hybrids are fun or exhilarating. And
those two notions are central to the Porsche brand. The way
this car adds a mind-blowing element to what is normally a
fairly dull driver experience made us think about what a jolt of
caffeine does. It creates a buzz, opens your eyes, wakes you
up.”
That’s not surprising, because the Porsche Panamera S EHybrid
with 680 horsepower can do 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds.
How is that for a morning wake-up? And besides the car’s
own technology, the filming required quite a bit of technology,
too. “This was pretty technical from a camera point of view,
said Ross. “This was true hidden-camera. The responses
were real. There were a ton of cameras to hide to make this
work.”
The participants’ responses are definitely high octane. As
powerful acceleration presses them into their seats or turning
forces give them a thrill around the test track curves, the
participants’ smiles and eyes just get bigger.
Ross compared the video to vintage television commercials in
which patrons of a fancy restaurant had their fresh-brewed
coffee replaced with an instant brand. “We’ve secretly
replaced their doffee with a car,” said Ross.
You can see the video yourself at https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=7RiAwwVxJ5k&list=UU_BaxRhNREI_V0DVXjXDALA

Porsche Tech Live Look

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. announced the introduction
of “Tech Live Look,” an Augmented Reality technology
designed to improve technical services at Porsche dealerships
in the United States.
“Tech Live Look” uses the AiR Enterprise software platform
from Atheer Inc., a leading provider of AR solutions, in
conjunction with lightweight smart glasses. These high-tech
spectacles feature the latest in projection technology and
come equipped with a high-resolution, auto focus camera that
shows even fine details such as threading on screws. The
glasses include a powerful LED to illuminate dark spaces in
the engine compartment or under the car.
How does this technology work? When a service technician at
a dealership in Los Angeles dons this specialized eyewear
and connects through the software with the Atlanta-based
Porsche technical support team 2,200 miles away, it allows
the support team to see exactly what he is seeing, in real time.
This “see what I see” videoconferencing capability with instant
access to remote experts allows both parties to quickly identify
and resolve technical issues. It can also help decrease service
resolution time by up to 40 percent, based on the findings of a
pilot program undertaken in July 2017 at eight Porsche
dealerships in California, Florida, Indiana, New Jersey, and
Washington, along with one in Canada.
“Tech Live Look” can do much more than just provide realtime
video capability. It allows the technical support team to
take screen shots or send technical bulletins and instructions
onto the projection surface of the glasses while the service
technician is working on the vehicle. This type of information
exchange is far more efficient than sending emails and photos
or explaining complex technical issues over the phone.
“Our main goal is to provide a better overall experience for our
customers. Tech Live Look allows us to be more efficient and
helps get vehicles back in the hands of our customers faster,
all while still delivering exceptional service quality” explained
Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of PCNA.