In a clear trend at CES 2017, three automotive equipment makers presented augmented reality (AR) concepts for the car, which could greatly enhance safety by placing warnings and environment information right on the windshield. Rather than distracting, this imagery serves to highlight objects around the car.
Harman includes AR as a feature of its Life-Enhancing Intelligent Vehicle Solution (LIVS); Continental showcased AR as the fruits of a partnership with holographic projector maker DigiLens; and Visteon made AR part of a new head-up display concept. All of these companies supply electronics to major automakers, and used CES to show off their latest technologies.
Head-up displays, which show vehicle information at the base of the windshield within the driver’s view, have gained traction in recent years, appearing on many car models. These displays typically show vehicle speed and navigation directions, so the driver doesn’t need to look away from the road. AR goes beyond head-up display technology by using GPS and sensors to pick out objects in the car’s environment, calling out those objects for the driver. AR can be very helpful in urban environments where the amount of traffic, pedestrians and signage becomes overwhelming.
Harman’s system can place street signs over intersections, greatly helping drivers.
