The Advent of the Portable HUD

Dashboard heads-up display units have long since made the transition from science fiction to reality, though screen-based HUD display units have been associated more with aircraft than with automobiles. The introduction of wired and wireless portable automotive heads-up displays that feature voice recognition and voice control may result in the realization of several ideas drawn from futuristic thinking. The discussion about the safety of HUD systems for cars has been a controversial one, with some research claiming that dashboard HUD units distract drivers while others claim that they are far safer than a driver looking at a smartphone screen for driving instructions. Navigation systems are often tactile input units, requiring a driver to tap on a screen to make changes—another distraction and safety hazard.

Pioneer’s NavGate HUD, aftermarket manufacturer Iris’ HUD, budget mountable display unit Hudway Glass and portable unit Carloudy represent a segment of augmented reality products that combine several unique assistance features offering mapping and navigation services. More often than not, the balance between road and HUD visibility is the key area of difference between these competing products. For example, the Iris HUD seeks to emphasize safety by placing the HUD projector unit above the driver’s field of vision in place of the sun visor. The NavGate HUD uses a visor-mounted Digital Light Processing (DLP) projector to relay information to a driver’s horizon view. Portable units such as Hudway and Carloudy are typically dashboard-mounted units that project navigation information at a comfortable distance above the base of the windscreen.

The evolution of these systems continues to be in the area of design features, projection area, and in the case of Carloudy, use as a wireless, app-enabled, electronic paper display unit. Of these new technologies, Carloudy and Hudway represent the next step towards providing smartphone-integrated services such as Google maps, speed limit information, voice-controlled navigation, and parking availability information. While systems such as Exploride offer social media connectivity, others have rejected the idea as being counterintuitive to the purpose of a dashboard projection HUD. Despite the debate that surrounds these HUDs, they are expected to become a standard feature in the cars of the future.