Car maker Audi AG has spun off its virtual reality division into a new company that has partnered with The Walt Disney Co. to provide in-car VR experiences.

Called Holoride GmbH, the company is offering an immersive VR experience synced to the actions of the car the user’s in — fortunately not the driver but a backseat passenger.

“Working jointly with Disney, it synced the forward, backward and lateral movements of a car with a VR-based video game to turn a run-of-the-mill ride to the grocery store into an immersive experience for the rear passengers,” Digital Trends explained Monday.

The first demonstration game, shown to select journalists at the CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, is called “Rocket’s Rescue Run.” It features characters from the Disney-owned Marvel Universe, including Rocket from “Guardians of the Galaxy” and Iron Man as well.

Users are said to be piloting a spaceship that has been sent to rescue Iron Man. Control of the spaceship is synced to the movements of the vehicle the player is in. Should the vehicle turn, the spaceship turns. If the vehicle stops, so does the spaceship. By syncing with the movement of the vehicle, the experience is also said to reduce motion sickness.

“People often can’t enjoy transit time, because watching a movie or reading makes them feel uncomfortable,” the Holoride website explained. “By matching what you see and what you feel with almost no latency, Holoride is able to reduce motion sickness. Being in transit becomes time well spent.”

Audi is pitching Holoride as a way for every car ride to “become a unique experience for everyone in the car,” giving an example of a young woman bored in the backseat of a car who puts on a VR headset using the service.

“The fusion of the vehicle data and the game content is perfect: With each bend along the way, with each acceleration of the car and each application of the brakes, the virtual reality experience is shaped,” Audi’s press release claimed. “In a similar way, the young woman is flying through a prehistoric landscape on a dinosaur and navigating a spaceship through space later on in the trailer.”

The jury seems to be out as to whether the hyped service matches its promise. Most reviewers agreed that it is a fun experience, but whether it’s something that will become popular is a completely different matter.

Photo: Holoride