The Renault Espace is a large MPV from French car-maker Renault. With a new iPad app, Renault gives users an onboard view of the Espace like never before.
The application is a 360 degree interactive video. All you need to do is tilt your iPad and explore different angles as if you were right there.
A virtual showroom that behaves like your head
The mechanism is refreshingly direct. The app uses the iPad’s motion sensors to map physical movement to viewpoint changes inside the car. Instead of tapping through static photos, you “look around” by moving the device. It is a smart use of motion sensing because it keeps the interface invisible and the focus on the cabin.
In automotive consideration journeys, anything that increases spatial understanding of the interior helps bridge the gap between online browsing and a test drive.
Why it lands
Interior experience is one of the hardest things to communicate in standard car marketing. This solves that by letting the user control perspective. It also creates a calmer kind of interactivity. No menus, no instructions, no friction. Just tilt and explore.
Extractable takeaway: When your product has a strong spatial component, give people viewer control over perspective. It builds confidence faster than adding more copy.
What Renault is really trying to achieve
The real question is whether this kind of “tilt to explore” experience reduces uncertainty enough to make a showroom visit feel worth it.
This is a digital test-sit, a lightweight simulation of sitting in the cabin so you can judge layout and comfort before a showroom visit. It is designed to make the Espace feel accessible before a showroom visit, and to reduce uncertainty about cabin layout, visibility, and perceived comfort. Done well, it also keeps attention longer than a typical brochure flow.
Steal this for spatial product demos
- Use motion as navigation. If the device supports it, motion control can feel more natural than UI controls.
- Keep the interaction single-mode. One behaviour. Tilt to look. That simplicity is the feature.
- Prioritise the interior. For family vehicles, cabin experience often sells more than exterior styling.
- Let curiosity drive. Give users freedom to explore, rather than forcing a predetermined tour.
- Make it fast to load. Interactive video dies when buffering becomes the dominant experience.
A few fast answers before you act
What is this Renault Espace iPad app in one sentence?
It is an iPad experience that uses a 360 degree interactive onboard video so users can tilt the device to explore the Espace interior from different angles.
Why use 360 video instead of a standard photo gallery?
Because it communicates space and layout more effectively. Users can look where they want, which reduces uncertainty faster than scrolling images.
What makes “tilt to explore” feel intuitive?
It mirrors how people look around in real life. Physical movement maps directly to viewpoint changes, so interaction feels natural.
What is the main execution risk?
Performance. If motion tracking feels laggy, or the video quality is poor, users will abandon quickly and the experience will feel like a gimmick.
What should you measure if you ship this type of experience?
Time spent, percentage of users who explore multiple viewpoints, completion rate, repeat sessions, and whether it correlates with test-drive requests or dealer inquiries.