It appears that the Metaverse can be used to do just about anything: meet friends, make investments, play video games, attend concerts and more.

Now there’s another thing to add to that list: an easy way to make a virtual trip to the car dealership.

MeetKai, a Marina del Rey-based AI company, has partnered with the tech and automotive company BYD to create a virtual car dealership in the metaverse. The online establishment, known as “BYD World,” serves as a pathway for BYD to engage customers worldwide.

Upon entering the current version of BYD World, users move their avatar through a 3-D car dealership. From there, they can interact with the BYD cars on display and experience what it’s like to open a sunroof, close doors and use a car’s voice control system. The site also features a way to test-drive the cars, complete with realistic engine sounds and racetrack physics.

James Kaplan, MeetKai’s chief executive, said much of this is made possible through machine learning and AI technology.

“A lot of (utilizing AI) happens in the internal tooling, which is how we automate a lot of the work that goes into creating these types of experiences,” he said. 

As opposed to a standard interactive website, MeetKai’s technology creates digital renditions of the cars to make an infinite number of interactions possible. More than simply creating fun and engaging consumer experiences, Kaplan’s goal is to figure out how to make someone feel as if they’re truly inside a car. 

MeetKai plans to soon release functions accessible through scannable QR codes at in-person events, BYD Worlds with regional variations, automated car salespersons run on a program reminiscent of a specialized ChatGPT, and more. 

“The way we see it is that (the) automotive (space is) a great way to demonstrate tangible value in the metaverse beyond a marketing concept or as a crypto business model … I think that this is a good way for us to demonstrate a blueprint for other companies to participate in this new world,” Kaplan said.

MeetKai was founded in July 2018 and has more than 25 million users.