IMAX Enhanced in Mercedes-Benz vehicles
January 8, 2025
Sony Pictures Entertainment, IMAX Corporation, Mercedes-Benz and DTS, a subsidiary of Xperi, have announced that RIDEVU, SPE’s in-car entertainment service, will make IMAX Enhanced content from Sony Pictures’ library readily available in vehicles, starting in Mercedes-Benz models with latest generation MBUX this summer.
This service enhancement introduces an immersive in-car entertainment experience, bringing the largest catalogue of IMAX Enhanced movies from Sony Pictures’ library such as Venom: The Last Dance, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Uncharted from home to the car. RIDEVU delivers select IMAX Enhanced films featuring IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio (EAR), IMAX’s proprietary DMR process and DTS:X sound, available in multiple dubbed languages.
SPE’s RIDEVU service is available in the UK, the US, Canada, Japan, Ireland and Germany. The service is fully integrated with select OEMs, including Mercedes-Benz as the first global automotive OEM. It offers access to thousands of movies to buy, rent or stream. Designed for the car, RIDEVU connects Sony Pictures’ movies with its advanced streaming technology to create an in-car entertainment experience. With RIDEVU, consumers can enjoy hours of entertainment on built-in screens or brought in iOS and Android devices, use Screen Manager to control playback across all screens from the centre screen and entertain passengers with individual or shared viewing experiences on up to six screens. Content can be accessed by the driver (while parked), front and rear seat passengers.
“By deepening our collaboration with IMAX, we’re demonstrating our unwavering commitment to providing discerning consumers with immersive experiences that transform every journey. By delivering IMAX Enhanced content through RIDEVU, we are showcasing what is possible as we push the boundaries of content and audio delivery in the car starting in Mercedes-Benz models later this year,” commented Pete Wood, SVP, digital sales, distribution, SPE.
“We’re excited to bring IMAX fans closer to their favourite movie moments through powerfully immersive experiences in the car. This collaboration with SPE highlights our commitment to premium quality and innovation, unlocking a truly elevated in-vehicle entertainment experience that delivers the best of IMAX beyond the home,” said Vikram Arumilli, SVP and GM, Streaming and Consumer Technology, IMAX.
“We are bringing our most immersive sound experience directly to the vehicle in a way that hasn’t happened before. With this collaboration, we’re not just providing a quality audio experience, we’re helping bridge the gap between home and vehicle, delivering personalised entertainment where consumers want it,” said Bill Neighbors, chief content officer for Xperi.
“With IMAX Enhanced and DTS audio within Sony Pictures Entertainment’s RIDEVU, we will add an exciting new dimension to movie-watching in a Mercedes-Benz. Our large-format HD displays give our customers the best seat in the house, filling the cockpit with vibrant colours and immersive sound, just like in a movie theatre,” added Magnus Östberg, Chief Software Officer, Mercedes-Benz AG.