Speed is even more epic when it’s slow. Nissan and Critical Mass, a global digital experience design agency, have launched a new experience at the New York International Auto Show that lets visitors slow down time with a wave of a hand.

A visitor interacts with the Meet the Machines experience at the Nissan installation at the New York ...

A visitor interacts with the Meet the Machines experience at the Nissan installation at the New York International Auto Show. (Photo: Business Wire)

The LMP1 challenger car, the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO, made its world debut before 100 million viewers in a commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLIX. This was followed up with a Critical Mass-created dedicated Meet the Machines website, where site visitors could delve into the awesome mechanics of the car.

With the assistance of tech partner Spinifex and event management company George P. Johnson, the Meet the Machines website was transformed into a Microsoft Kinect-powered extension of the online experience – an interactive film that lets people deep-dive into Nissan's new, experimental Le Mans car.

The LMP1 is one of the fastest cars in motorsports, so a lot of detail could be missed in the blink of an eye. The auto show experience slows everything down into a hyper-slo-mo piece that is controlled by visitors and their gestures.

Racing can be a passive experience for spectators. It’s hard to imagine what it's like for a driver. The way the driver experiences time on the track is completely relative to each moment – and this installation examines a moment on the track in a way that feels organic and surreal. It’s as if you could actually grab the camera and manipulate a moment in time.

The installation uses Critical Mass’ recent Super Bowl footage, shot at a staggering rate of 1,000 frames per second. Using Kinect User Tracking, the Meet the Machines experience builds upon the Nissan Innovation wall technology that has been a popular part of many successful Nissan auto show visitor experiences. The installation is comprised of six side-by-side 55” monitors. The seamless display creates an ultra-wide platform that drives up to six individual interactions, or when not in use, combines these monitors to display a full attraction loop.

This interactive installation was revealed at the New York International Auto Show during Press Days (April 1-2, 2015) and is now open to the public until April 12, 2015.

About Critical Mass

Critical Mass (www.criticalmass.com) is a global experience design agency with a relentless focus on the customer. Critical Mass delivers experiences for clients including Citibank, Nissan, Clorox and Luxottica. Founded in 1996, Critical Mass has 10 full-service offices, operating across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Critical Mass is a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc.