Volkswagen's sleek XL1 model continues to get attention for its efforts to break new ground in fuel efficiency — it claims 700 mpg in a 2.6-gallon tank — but its accompanying app will change how mechanics work with the new car.
The Mobile Augmented Reality Technical Assistant App (MARTA for short) will employ augmented reality to offer instructions on the hybrid diesel's mechanical operations. MARTA focuses primarily on the mechanic's experience, offering service workers a new way to see the car's parts and fix problems.
See also: Augmented Reality Brings Tattoos to Life
Users line up a silhouette of the XL1 with the image of the real car on the mobile device to access specific instructions for working with the parts. The app reenacts the process of working on the car and gives users more information through specific labels of the individual parts. MARTA also lets users try out new parts on the car, such as different-colored hoods.
Volkswagen teamed up with Metaio, a company that first began by working with Volkswagen on an earlier project and later incorporated augmented reality into browser plugins, apps and more. The company recently launched a project with Ikea, in which shoppers can virtually place products in their home by using the catalogue paired with augmented reality.

MARTA works on mobile devices as well as tablets and will make its official debut at the InsideAR Conference on Oct. 11, 2013, in Munich.
Watch the video above to find out more.
Image: Flickr, MotorBlog.com BONUS: 7 Stunning Augmented Reality Business Cards 7 Stunning Augmented Reality Business Cards [VIDEOS] 1. Portfolio Card This business card serves as a mini portfolio showcase. 2. Twitter Business Card This card features real-time Twitter updates as a clever twist. 3. Butterfly Effect Card Genuine Labs' "butterfly effect" business card is a high-end experience. An informal video presentation from the card's owner really gives you a sense of personality you'd never get from an average card. 4. The Avatar Concept Burton Posey's creation is simple, yet fun and effective with a cool 3D avatar as well as links to find out more about him. 5. Cubed Card This neat effort animates the card like it's a cube. The spinning teapot adds a nice dash of Alice in Wonderland weirdness. 6. The Full Monty Card This impressive effort combines social networks, portfolio display and even the option to call the card owner from within the animation. 7. Resume Card The CWJobs.co.uk team took the augmented reality business card concept a step further by creating an augmented reality resume for David Woods. It's well done and makes us wonder if this kind of presentation will become more standard in years to come.
This business card serves as a mini portfolio showcase.
This card features real-time Twitter updates as a clever twist.
Genuine Labs' "butterfly effect" business card is a high-end experience. An informal video presentation from the card's owner really gives you a sense of personality you'd never get from an average card.
Burton Posey's creation is simple, yet fun and effective with a cool 3D avatar as well as links to find out more about him.
This neat effort animates the card like it's a cube. The spinning teapot adds a nice dash of Alice in Wonderland weirdness.
This impressive effort combines social networks, portfolio display and even the option to call the card owner from within the animation.
The CWJobs.co.uk team took the augmented reality business card concept a step further by creating an augmented reality resume for David Woods. It's well done and makes us wonder if this kind of presentation will become more standard in years to come.