Augmented reality a bonus for drivers

Panasonic has revealed its next-generation vehicle display system – technology to allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road and stay informed like never before.

Its Automotive’s Head Up Display (HUD) with Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the world’s most sophisticated systems.

It is capable of projecting very large virtual images in the driver’s eye line, using AR to enhance the real world with HUD-generated imagery.

Combined, HUD with AR gives the driver more information and can warn him or her of potential dangers. It also replaces the traditional instrument cluster and with everything running through the HUD, many of the car’s traditional physical controls are replaced too.

With drivers subjected to many potential distractions on the move – from making Bluetooth phone calls to receiving dynamic satellite navigation instructions – the HUD with AR seeks to simplify that workload by keeping the driver’s eyes where they should be: on the road.

Panasonic’s technology features a very compact HUD system, but one capable of projecting very large virtual images – up to 12-degrees to the horizontal and 5-degrees to the vertical – into the driver’s visual path at a distance of 10m in front of the vehicle. Teamed with multiple around-vehicle cameras, the system brings unprecedented levels of visual information to the driver.

Augmented Reality technology means the HUD can be used to make the driver aware of potential dangers.

Because the system recognises objects in the path of the car, it can warn the driver by displaying alerts, distinguishing between pedestrians, other vehicles and other objects, if they are potentially on a collision course.

The system uses eight cameras: a rear camera, front camera, night vision camera, a down side view camera, two additional side view cameras and two cameras which track the driver’s head and eyes.

The two cameras which constantly track the driver automatically adjust the HUD in real time so the imagery is perfectly placed in his or her eye line.

This means movements of the driver’s head will result in updating the AR imagery so they match and overlay real physical objects on the road.

The cameras also detect the side of the road and use this reference point to place the AR imagery in front of the driver. The cameras also negate the need for physical driving mirrors, with images projected in the HUD instead.

The system’s capability is so vast it replaces not only the traditional instrument cluster but also many of the car’s physical controls, such as switching on and off the car’s indicators and its lights, notifying the driver via the HUD.

The HUD itself is fully configurable and can show all information that would otherwise be displayed in the instrument cluster. Using the steering wheel controls and touch pad, the driver can change all settings via a menu visible on the HUD.

The driver can change the layout to his or her preference – but if the system detects imminent danger, it will automatically switch to give special focus to warning information.

The technology can be applied to any new vehicle, while the system runs from a single computer platform.

Panasonic spokesman Andreas Heitmann said: “Its capability is enormous and it will make the lives of drivers much simpler and more enjoyable when behind the wheel.

“We’re very much looking forward to introducing this technology in the near future – watch this space.”